starter seeds pack for non gardeners?

I recently put together a starter seed assortment for a friend, to help her start teaching her kids about gardening.
That got me thinking that I could also put together a basic pack that I could offer to the members of a local, online group I'm part of. Food costs are not coming down and if it will help any of them to get started growing for themselves, I'll count it as a win. Zones are 4-6.

I've gone through my seed stash and my priorities were: easy to grow, easy to eat, decent value/work ratio, don't need much supports or equipment, familiar, can ship in regular envelopes and that I have lots on hand.

The list I have so far: dill, lovage, bronze leaf fennel, thyme, basil, chives, pumpkin, zucchini, beans, radish, carrots, kale(?), sunflowers. Tomatoes, chilies, sour cherry and Italian plum seeds as options for those who want them.

Anything else you would consider essential?

I don't know about essential, but: lettuce, potato, asparagus, maize/corn (to go with your pumpkins and beans), arugula and mustard.

Maybe add Peas? Otherwise, everything I could think of has already been mentioned.

If I were offering seed starter kits for non-gardeners, I would include some beans.

Beans are nutritious, easy to grow and easy to cook.

Tomatoes, sunflowers, marigolds, and radishes would be good, too.

Well, I had 3 takers so sent them off today.
I feel vaguely like I'm sending out some sort of evangelical materials but at least the recipients did ask for them.

Okra is a fun one. Nice big easy seeds to work with and recognize (and eat in early white form), I always get good germination from direct sowing and they grow fine without care in the garden among other things - they don't seem to compete too much... looking real nice sticking up out of watevers growing just fine under it.

Definitely makes a good craft/decoration as theres lots of noisy seeds in each podhead and the whole thing is very pretty when dried out. Easy to grow more than you'll know what to do about :)

Cole, your suggestion of okra got me thinking about how important it is to consider local food traditions in this kind of outreach.
I tried to stick to stuff that is easy to grow, in the region this friend group is in, and stuff they would be able to easily eat.
In southern Ontario, okra is pretty uncommon. It hasn't been a traditional food here so many people don't know how to cook it.
For a chunk of the southern US, it's an easy win since I have heard that they are both easy to grow and have a long production period and most people have comfort foods that use them.
I got some seeds for an heirloom okra in my last seed buy and I'm looking forward to giving them try!

With all the takers I had this year, I sent them a list of what was on offer and none took the whole array. I think, going forward, that I might add a few more options since it's hard to predict what people will want and even beginners have clear ideas about what is worth it for them. ( I was able to give a gentle nudge, and they all took the lovage by just mentioning that it can replace celery for flavour in most things)

Dian Green wrote:
Anything else you would consider essential?

Definitely sweet mini peppers & cabbage. And then because I love brussel sprouts and they're so interesting due to the way they grow, I think is a great teaching vegetable.
And I know you said seeds but how potatoes grow are fascinating.
I hope this is helpful! 😉

Dian Green wrote:
I feel like I'm sending out some sort of evangelical materials but at least the recipients did ask for them.

🤣 We are a passionate bunch.

I have been giving a lot of free seeds to coworkers. I don't worry as much about seeds being "easy", but instead stress that the person has nothing much to lose by trying to grow free seeds No pressure, if they don't make it, they were extra. Most often, I give away seeds that I ultra prolific for me and easy to save. Majority of these are also easy to grow and, obviously, save seeds from. I am pleased to say a lot of people seem to be getting excited about gardening, including one person who I wouldn't expect  (not taking credit for this, but hopefully I made some sort of difference). I do talk about gardening a lot, sometimes maybe too much.

My most commonly given away seeds are: marigolds, basil, dill, cilantro, winter squash, beans (for those that want them, I only have pole varieties, different species), okra, and radish. I also give away extra seeds that I don't want to grow - mainly ones not locally adapted or ones I don't want crossing for some reason (i.e. samples from companies).

It's pretty easy to save above seeds here in Western NC, but I would imagine your list may be a little different and based on what grows well in your region.

Edible flowers:
Evening Primrose is my favorite. The leaves of young rosette are also edible.  The yellow flowers have delightful fragrance and sweet taste.
Hollyhocks: The flowers are bland in flavor but strong in color and antioxidants.  Some also like the unripe seed pods.
Nasturtiums are commonly used and easy to grow.
Starting with some flowers and some lettuce and kale gardening can be viewed as a delight not a chore.

I think what you're doing is great! And, I am assuming that all or nearly all the seeds your sending out are heirloom varieties.  I have no suggestions to what you could add to the list of seeds, but here's my thoughts on your project otherwise.

* Since these folks are beginners (like me), is it appropriate to tell them what's significant about heirloom varieties?  They may not understand that concept.
* Consider adding some information on companion planting.  I had a flower garden, and a vegetable patch.  It never occurred to me that some of them should be planted together.
* Can you direct them to some adequate sources for composting?

I wish I could take advantage of your offer. Regrettably, all I'll get from your generosity is a letter from Japan Customs telling me that "unlicensed food products of any kind" are not allowed in the country.

I apologize if this post is unhelpful but https://www.almanac.com/vegetable-gardening-for-beginners may be another source for your beginners

This will vary a lot depending on where you live and what season so I'll stick with what grows easily here in the SE United States, Florida specifically, by season. This isn't all inclusive, just the stuff I prefer to eat and is pretty easy to grow.


- Winter -

Leaf lettuce

brassicas, - kale (Red Russian a favorite), turnips (the little Japanese ones), collards, mustard greens, broccoli

onions from seed/sets/multipliers - the only multiplier I've had great success with is one LSU supposedly came up with in the 1930s. They almost got lost and that would have been a shame because they're almost bulletproof here whereas other onions can be a little tricky. They will grow in the shade or sun, just scratch a trench in the ground, throw them in, bury them and they'll go. One bulb will give 5 - 8 bulbs at harvest. They'll stuggle through the summer but better planted any time from Sept. on and harvested in the spring.
Hoss sometimes or Lazy Dog have them and they pop up on Ebay now and again.

https://lazydogfarm.com/products/louisiana-evergreen-shallots

Leeks

Elephant Garlic  - takes 2 years but can be left to go perennial. Can eat them end of one growing season but you only get one small bulb instead of the multiple cloves

chard, Fordhook giant being the most productive

radishes,  Daikon in particular

carrots

peas of all kinds


- summer -

cowpeas  Those yard long asian beans are actually a cowpea and quite bulletproof because of that as opposed to regular beans.

Everglades tomato, or other semi wild ones like Matt's Wild Cherry will grow and set fruit the summer heat. Regular tomatoes are usually carefully timed to hit between the bad heat, bugs, and the freezes so maybe too tricky for beginners. Homested 24 has been the best regular tomato for the heat.

okra    

Peppers  Lesya is my favorite because it's tough as nails and a very sweet pepper.

sweet potatoes

seminole pumpkin and Tromboncino Squash are the only easily grown cucurbits. Fungus kills the rest early.

Did you say you were gifting these seeds? If so I am interested, if:

1. A 78-year-old who is a little slow-moving around can grow these.
2. They will grow in zone 6b/7a (N.Central Arkansas).

My experience:  I've grown some marigolds, petunias, and zinnias I bought at Walmart as plants.
I've never started anything from seed before. (Lack of confidence.) With the cost of things today, I really need to try it.  

Philip Robillard
PO Box 1057
Yellville, Arkansas 72687

Dian Green wrote:Well, I had 3 takers so sent them off today.
I feel vaguely like I'm sending out some sort of evangelical materials but at least the recipients did ask for them.

Everyone is evangelical about matters that are important and dear to them, Dian.  What you're doing is important.  It matters.  If we don't get folks interested and educated about how and where their food comes from, they'll be susceptible to any frankenfood that comes along and not think twice about it.  

Personally, I do believe we'll see the price of food come down again, and sooner than you think.  There's finally light at the end of the tunnel and, for once, it's not an oncoming train!  But, that's another thread.  The problem is going to be most folks falling right back into complacency and convenience again.  When times are tough, folks always start looking for answers whether it's starting to grow their own food or looking for God.  But, when things get better again, those things get put on the back burner until the next crisis comes along.  It's always been that way.  I have hope that this time might be a bit different though because of everything that's starting to be exposed.  People need to get back to basics again.  And you're helping others to do just that.

Philip Robillard wrote:Did you say you were gifting these seeds? If so I am interested, if:

1. A 78-year-old who is a little slow-moving around can grow these.
2. They will grow in zone 6b/7a (N.Central Arkansas).

My experience:  I've grown some marigolds, petunias, and zinnias I bought at Walmart as plants.
I've never started anything from seed before. (Lack of confidence.) With the cost of things today, I really need to try it.  

Philip Robillard
PO Box 1057
Yellville, Arkansas 72687

Good for you, Philip!  The most encouraging advice I was given about gardening is this:  Gardening is hard work, but it's not difficult.  Seeds want to grow.  It's what they do.  If you plant them a little too deep, or too shallow, they're going to do what they need to do to grow.  If they have to come up an extra inch or so out of the ground to reach the sunshine, that's exactly what they'll do.  Some seeds are "duds" and that's natural.  But, in general, seeds just want to grow.  It's more important to have dirty hands than a green thumb.

I’m so so sorry that I made a repeat post of your original posting about the seeds. I added more info about something I’ve tried in 2020 but am not seeing it so not feeling time to rewrite it ALL again but I recommended tomatoes, pole red green beans, loufa sponges. Shared using an old aluminum umbrella where I drilled small holes to thread heavy duty fishing line to allow a lot of climbing. Very successful. So 5 yrs later the aluminum pole that comes apart still around but not able to do a lot of gardening due to both of my parents passing but gardening is my therapy. So my umbrella was missing a few segments that easily knocked off + I turned the umbrella into a half moon structure. Planted a grape vine in the partial very large clay planter that I’ll probably never try to move. The hole of the pot perfectly fit a nice hole for drainage but also large enough to fit to flat segments fitted together from the umbrella hammered deep in the ground to support the umbrella. So we’ll see what I’ll grow. This OH born, Bama raised always trying to grow something rooted, etc. in my own special ways. I’m interested in sour cherry + plum tree seeds but not sure how they’ll grow in the Deep South suburban Mobile, AL orchard.

Looks like you're in climate zone 9a, like me.

the plums will do well, the cherries will not because they need more chill hours than we get.

always check chill hours on fruit so you don't make a lot of expensive mistakes like I did.

https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/crop-production/fruit-culture-in-alabama-winter-chilling-requirements/

If you don't mind growing a small tree then losing it to frost every year have a look at Muntingia Calabura, which makes a lot of the closest things we'll find to cherries here.
They're so tasty I 'm willing to do this.

When it comes to fruit trees here's one of the best resources -  

https://archive.org/details/TreeCrops-J.RussellSmith

The short version of that is that what does REALLY well here are mulberries, figs, and persimmons.
These three are nearly bulletproof.
there are also midget versions of mulberry and fig if space is an issue.

This is a great thing you're doing!  I would definitely include a sheet with growing instructions and go for it with the evangelical materials, even if it's only a little bit of info about guilds and intercropping/ companion planting and maybe fertilizing options (compost, diluted pee).  You're spreading the good word, nothing to feel weird about.

Every year I save my tomato seeds and make up 250-300 seed packets for our local food bank.  I made a little label I stick on with a glue stick; it has the basics of when to plant, full sun, lots of water, and that you can grow them in hanging baskets if short on space.  I have no idea if anyone's planted them, but even if 1% of recipients do and can grow a tiny bit of their own food, that's 2-3 people I reached in some small way, and maybe I'm opening a door for them.  I've been thinking about doing the same for pumpkin/ winter squash seeds, but those take up so much room and not a lot of people around here are into eating them.

Dian Green wrote:Well, I had 3 takers so sent them off today.
I feel vaguely like I'm sending out some sort of evangelical materials but at least the recipients did ask for them.

: )  Go ahead, Evangelize, Sister!!  

Besides the mentioned above, I would add parsley (I prefer the flat leaf variety). Easy to grow, self seeds (for me, I love it), stays green under snow (you can still harvest it if you can dig into snow Also, plants  covered with clear container under the snow will retain and grow green leaves).

Thank you Dian for your generosity!  Seed prices have more than doubled in the last ten years and not only are you enabling people to garden, you are demonstrating the power of networking.

Our county opened its first seed library last year and I decided to share some of my excess there.  I picked up at least one rare variety of bean and several heirloom tomato varieties there last year and wanted to repay the kindness.  

I also have three beginning gardener friends that I often share seeds and plants with and the one thing I often overlook is that they're new to growing tomatoes, peppers and anything that you'd normally buy as a transplant.  So there's been a few failures due to over watering, leggy seedlings and not hardening the plants off.  My friends also know that I'm pretty much available anytime to answer any questions too.

Essential seeds will vary by region and individual taste, but chives, garlic chives, bunching onions, anything with an onion flavor is an absolute must for me as I cook with them almost daily.  I'd also recommend garlic but not something that is easily mailed.  Otherwise kale is an essential as it often reseeds and gives me more than plenty throughout the season.