current events- potato sets and veggie seeds

how do you think the drought, mississippi river closure ect. are going to effect the availibility of grain, vegetable seeds and potato sets for next year? What are your plans to deal with these problems?
Do you have every thing rounded up to produce your next years crop? As well as putting it up for the following winter.
have you enacted your plan and what do you have left to do?
It might be a good time to do it!

[silverseeds]

Well we export lots of grain here, so prices will likely go up, but I dont expect actual shortages.. just yet.

you make a good point imo about having the means to produce next years crop now. I often get bonemeal, and other amendments on sale after the season.

[NickieL]

Locally, so long as I buy from local sources, should be fine. On seeds, I typically save my own so if I can't get the few packets of "new things to try" that I typically get, no biggie. If worse comes to worse, I'll plant out store bought potatoes.

[jamala]

I usually see seed packets at walmart and other places on sale this time of year but yesterday in walmart there were NO seed packs anywhere. I usually pick up a few on clearance so my little one can "plant" his own little garden spot but not this year.

Originally Posted by NickieL

Locally, so long as I buy from local sources, should be fine. On seeds, I typically save my own so if I can't get the few packets of "new things to try" that I typically get, no biggie. If worse comes to worse, I'll plant out store bought potatoes.

I won't plant store bought potatoes again, 2 times they have failed to come up. i could have planted some thing else in the space.

My plan is to have turnip, parsnip, beets, and carrot seeds on hand to cover the area we normally plant in potatoes.

[NickieL]

I usually do plant store bought ones, but I buy the organic, maybe that is the diffrence. I even grew russet potatos in a big pot indoors over winter, from one spud, I harvested over twenty, and they sure tasted good.

[silverseeds]

Originally Posted by veggiecanner

I won't plant store bought potatoes again, 2 times they have failed to come up. i could have planted some thing else in the space.

They apparently treat them to hinder sprouting. So if you intend to use store bought ones, either use old ones that did sprout anyway, or look for ones that have tiny eyes on them. Even then though seed potatoes will be more reliable usually.

Originally Posted by NickieL

I usually do plant store bought ones, but I buy the organic, maybe that is the diffrence. I even grew russet potatos in a big pot indoors over winter, from one spud, I harvested over twenty, and they sure tasted good.

Not sure whaere i could get organic potato sets, so I'll put up other root crop seeds just in case.

[NickieL]

Originally Posted by jamala

I usually see seed packets at walmart and other places on sale this time of year but yesterday in walmart there were NO seed packs anywhere. I usually pick up a few on clearance so my little one can "plant" his own little garden spot but not this year.

same here...I always sneak a peek and grab a few, just in case but have seen none anywhere. I have plenty though, so no panic yet. I think peopel are getting worried and even non-gardeners are grabbing them up.

[CountryCabin]

Seeds here were sold out of Wallys and $ stores late spring. When I asked if more coming in they said no was no more available.
But I am good for 3 years of seeds and whatever I save this year also.

[Sonshine]

We started saving seeds a couple of years ago, but not sure what we'll do about potatoes. We have had some luck with using store bought potatoes, but not as good as using seed potatoes.