Mr. Charles Legerwood’s Reliable Seeds

Mr. Charles Ledgerwood
Back in the Day

This is the same passage as my new seeds page, so you are not seeing double.

I planted my first garden in Oceanside in 1982 and it was amazing.  It was a block from the beach and amazing.  In that August, I could approach total strangers and say “Hi, you dont know me.  Would you like some tomatos and jalapeno peppers?” 

On the 101, in Carlsbad, right by Tamarack Beach there was a house with a white picket fence around it.  The garden in front of the house was always an assortment of dried up “dead” plants and the most beautiful flowers that you had ever seen.  Close to the road, in among the flowers was a round metal sign, painted white, with the word “SEEDS” on it.  This was the home and store of Mr. Charles Ledgerwood. 

Craig would surf there and I would soak up the sun at the beach.  One morning, we stopped by to see the seed store for the first time. It was like stepping back in time. Those seeds are the reason that the vegetable garden was so good.  I loved going there.  Tyler and Justin remember running their hands and arms up to their elbows in wooden barrels of rye grass seed when they were little boys. Chelsea would always buy flower seeds. 

I still have some of the seeds that were stored in tupperware in my garage for over 15 years!  I decided that I would plant them.  The late great Mr. Ledgerwood says to only save them for 4 years for optimal yeild.  But, I am pushing the evelope a bit.  Two years ago, my brother Mike brought some bean seeds that were advertised as being “the best” bla, bla, bla, yada, yada, yada…    My dad planted bean seeds that he had saved, from his own garden, in a brown paper bag  in his garage. Those seeds were over 7 years old.   Guess which ones were the best??

I dont even have to type the answer, do I?   OF COURSE, the saved seeds were better. The purchased seeds were the green desert.  Beautiful plants with no buds and consequently scanty beans.  The saved seeds plants were not picture perfect, by yeilded the most tasty and plentiful vegetables.  Of Course!!!  ( and to those of you who know me, know that I have a rant that goes with this story. But, I will not rant here.)  This post is celebrating the rebirth and planting of some old saved seeds!

So, yesterday, I planted 10 seeds of Table King Squash purchased in Carlsbad many many moons ago.  Now, we water and wait…   and I am not worried. 

I believe that they will all sprout.