Where To Purchase Plants and Monthly Planting Comment.

Dear Folks,

First thank you to all those who are taking the time to answer my survey question!

The survey, in the upper side bar, runs through January 6th.

JM asked where to purchase the plants I discuss, and also asked about a monthly planting list .  Very good questions.

PLANTS and SEEDS, Where I buy:

I cruise plant nurseries like some people cruise bars - I am addicted to seeing what might be new or I may be on a mission to purchase something, but can't resist looking at more additions to my gardens.

I also pick up seeds and plants at events where groups such as the AZ Herb Association may be participating or at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum or Desert Botanical Garden annual plants sales.

I also purchase a lot of seed for 1) my gardens and 2) to add to the seed bank inventory I bring, free, to the Mesa Community Farmers Market 3 times a year to coincide with the next sowing season here in the valley.  (The next one is January 20th - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m..)

Some of the more uncommon plants I grow I've grown from seed - like Roselle and Syrian Oregano (aka Hyssop of the Bible or Za'atar").

Locally I do shop at the chain nurseries but also A&P Nursery, Harper's Nursery and Suzanne Vilardi's plants (available at some farmers markets and several locally owned nurseries).

Some other than local nurseries resources I've used over the years are:

Plants:  Mountain Valley Growers

Seeds:  Bake Creek aka Rare Seeds  / Richters out of Canada  -- both companies have catalogs that will have your drooling.

. . .

I post a monthly planting list on the Valley Permaculture Alliance (VPA) site.  I do "cross-pollinate" posts but have not duplicated the lists, trying to keep some separation and subject matters unique.

Here is the link for the list for January

FYI - The VPA is a site dedicated to sustainable / permaculture of growing food, raising chickens etc.  Membership is free, but you do not have to be a member to read the posts on the forums.  VPA offers classes on a variety of subjects with low fees to attend.  I would encourage you to consider joining, it is free and is you are a member you can post and answer questions.

The number one comment I receive back from people on planting at the right time for the variety is "I don't remember to look at the 'book', 'post' etc.."

Back to the monthly planting lists.  I created my wall calendar for the specific purpose of giving you, the desert and deep south gardener, a tool to refer to, right there in your home.


While I have now published 2 years of the wall calendar, and I intend to do one each year (with new photos from my gardens) for the foreseeable future, the monthly planting information on vegetables, fruits, herbs and edible flowers does not change from year to year unless I find new-to-me edibles to trial in my gardens.  So you can consider the calendar a perpetual one.

My calendar - in two forms - one stapled and one spiral bound.

Keep the comments coming, folks, and thank you JM for your comment.


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

P.S.  I am readying a new short cookbook with a very special theme.  Watch for my release post.


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