Seeds & Bulbs
For gardeners wanting to grow plants from the ground up, Gethsemane stocks a variety of flower, vegetable, and herb seeds and seasonal bulbs.
Planting times vary, so be sure to read the packaging or give us a call.
Table of Contents
- Seeds
- Bulbs
- Resources
Seeds
Gardening season begins early at Gethsemane. In order to provide you with plenty of time to plan your spring and summer crops, Gethsemane brings in vegetable and flower seeds, and all of the materials necessary to begin cultivation, at the beginning of each February.
Select cool-weather crops are available as seeds for fall planting in late August and September. Wheatgrass and a variety of sprout seeds are available year-round and can be easily cultivated on the kitchen counter.
Bulbs
Our knowledgeable sales staff can assist you in selecting the best bulbs for your garden.
Summer-Blooming | Late March
Bulbs in a wide range of varieties and colors arrive with the coming of Spring. Here in Chicago, these bulbs are either treated as annuals or are dug up in the fall and stored for winter.
Spring-Blooming Bulbs | September
Tulips, alliums, hyacinth, crocus, narcissus…oh my! Come September, Gethsemane stocks a wide variety of Spring Blooming Bulbs for you to plant before the frost hits.
Garlic | Early October
In Chicago, garlic can be planted in October or even November and should overwinter in the ground. Garlic must undergo a process called vernalization (exposure to cold weather) to properly develop into the fragrant and aromatic vegetable we know and love.
Amaryllis & Daffodils | September
Each year, Gethsemane kicks off the holiday season with colorful amaryllis and snowy paperwhite narcissus (daffodils). These bulbs can be purchased as part of a DIY take-home set, pre-planted in a decorative pot, as individual bulbs, or with a decorative water vessel designed specifically for these indoor blooming beauties.
Seeds & Bulbs Resources
Seed Starting Basics
First time growing from seed, or need a refresher? Download our guide.
Useful External links for seeds
For information on our local zone hardiness – see the USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac has an up-to-date Frost Chart available online and the current spring planting dates* for Chicago (plus, some tips for planting transplants).
* Please note that these are approximate dates derived from previous weather patterns and the location of the moon. The Old Farmer’s Almanac estimates that these dates are about 50% accurate, but should provide you with some general guidance. - Johnny’s Seeds supplies a number of free tools including a Seed Calculator, a Target Harvest Date Calculator, and a Seed Starting Date Calculator.
Useful External Links for bulbs
- The Art of Bulb Planting by The University of Illinois Extension Service is great simple guide.
- Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service provides information on Winter Storage of Geranium, Canna, Gladiolus, Caladium, and Begonia.
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has a guide for the Care of the Amaryllis after Flowering.