There really is no 'best seed' as there are many vendors supplying seed that is just dandy. In fact often multiple vendors sell seed from the same source.

Soil is another area where there is no 'best'. Sure, an organic grower will want a soil rich in organic matter, but one has to take the climate into account. The soil should drain well, but in an arid climate I would want more water retention than I would in a climate with regular rains.

Fertilizers again, there is no 'best'. Some organic growers don't use 'fertilizers', just compost/manure/etc. Others like fish emulsion, grain meals such as soybean or alfalfa meal, some prefer prepackaged solutions with the NPK rating on the bag. It all works.

Perhaps you could provide more information on what you want and we could come up with suggestions.

What a fun project that would be!

I would begin with biodegradable cardboard starter pots that could be transplanted directly when plants are ready to go in the ground.

I would provide zone appropriate seeds for the primary crops. For each primary, I'd add seeds for insect trap and aversion crops.

In keeping with the zone idea, perhaps I'd add optional season extenders for certain packages...hot caps, floating row covers

As far as fertilizer, liquid fish emulsion for gardening in containers, granules for inground gardening.

And of course, lots of information about the whys and wherefores of every part of the kit... Beginning gardeners are hungry for it.

Good luck,
Jan

After two replies, it is apparent that there are infinite variations, depending on geographic location, soil, solar exposure, containers vs. in ground vs. hydroponic, different selections of crops, numerous personal preferences, etc. How many variations on the starter kit are you prepared to make?

Jim

Wow, this is great stuff so far! I would say 3 different "levels" of packages: basic, standard, deluxe and perhaps three different zone levels: cool, standard, mild climate zones. Perhaps an arid climate zone as well since the soil requirements would be different for that. Also, what is a good variety of vegetables to include in a package that also have a high rate of success and is there a prefferred pot size for propagating seeds? Would most of you prefer to propagate and then transplant or continue to grow in containers?

I fear you are trying to create the ideal kit for all and while I wish you success, sadly, that isn't possible. Growing zones are far more complex, even within a couple of houses of each other.

What's the old A. Lincoln quote? You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time. Forgive me Abe. ;)

Vegetables that have a high rate of success will vary from gardener to gardener - some can't grow beets or carrots no matter what they do while others grow major crops of beets but couldn't grow a bean if their life depended on it. One need only browse the forums here to see the truth of that. All you could do is go with 4 or 5 very common vegetables.

Growing in containers vs. the ground? Ground growing is "normal" for most things. Containers are a greater challenge.

Growing from seed is a whole other challenge - one that defeats many on a regular basis. Check out the Growing from Seed forum. Generally speaking, germinating the seeds and growing on to transplant size are very different process requiring different containers, different potting mixes, different fertilizers etc.

Fertilizers are very "personal" things. No matter which you picked, many would have objections to it. ;)

Again, I wish you luck but please know that Burpee has tried it, Rodale has tried it, Gardener's Alive has tried it, Park Seeds offers similar set-ups as does Peaceful Valley Farm Supply and many others. Now there are even the Aerogarden things - all with limited success only.

Dave

In my opinion the #1 thing you should put in there is a book that explains exactly what it is they're supposed to do with all the other stuff.

The amount of "mid-season surprises" new gardeners find out too late can kill the thrill of actually doing it when there's so much initial time/effort put into failure.

The soil quality, the method of grouping/spacing plants, proper variety/cultivar selection, when/how to water, etc...

"One need only browse the forums here..."

That, among other points Dave makes, is very wise. The answers to the OP's question are in this forum, if they can be sorted out from the huge pile of data. That is a daunting task. I don't know that the task can be simplified by asking the questions in a thread such as this.

Like Dave, I am reluctant to squelch an idea about which the OP is enthusiastic. It's just something I would not be confident to attempt.

Jim

Some considerations:

a) as part of the package, a pickup truck rental for a weekend, and a place where one can pick up free manure. 1 ton/500 sqft of garden is a decent starting point, though serious amending would bring you to perhaps 5 tons/500 sqft

b) a shovel, of course

c) starter seeds for acid, sandy soil, Zone 6: potato, garlic, onions, pole beans, early melons. Tomato and squash may be added.

d) starter equipment for same location: drip irrigation kit, chain link fence (4 ft above ground, one ft underground), electric fence

e) starter seeds for same location, well amended soil: all of the above plus tomato, collard, radicchio, chard, carrot, beet, corn salad.

f) herb starter, Zone 6, any soil: sage, thyme, mint, oregano, sorrel.

How did I do?

You did pretty well, glib, for my situation anyway. Never-the-less, there are a few discrepancies between your considerations and mine.

a)any manure I can get for free is horse manure with sawdust bedding, not straw. Not the best, but usable.

b)have one.

c)acid, sandy soil in abundance, nothing else as a matter of fact. Not enough space for potatoes and melons. Can't overwinter garlic in the community garden (one of many variations to consider in a starter kit.) But how about my beloved cowpeas, turnips and okra? Gotta include those.

d)no electricity or drip irrigation at the community garden, fence as is.

e)OK, but add radishes and a few Asian greens.

f)very good.

Jim

I hear what you all are saying, but if I had a nickel for every seed I planted that never made it to adulthood. I'd be rich from my black thumb newbie years. A kit like this might have improved my odds and taught me a bit along the way.

Forty or fifty years ago the country was swept by a Pet Rock craze. People weren't buying the rock, they were buying the the writeup that came with it. I see the same thing now on E-bay. Information is the value-added component of many, many transactions.

But information alone won't help newbies if they don't have an easy-to-grow selection of seeds like lettuce, radish, basil, tomato, zucchini, and summer squash. If I were putting together a spring planting package, I would also include cucumber and pepper seeds although I personally I find them more difficult to grow. (But then I'm one of those who does great with beets and can't grow beans for beans! )

And, since this is an organic gardening package, the purchaser needs to be told that radishes are a trap crop for the svb and and cucumber beetle and a few plants should be left to go to seed. I would also include marigold seeds, because they, too are easy to grow, are good aversion crops for everything, they make the garden look friendly

I'd recommend small rockwool cubes for seed starting They do away with the problem of the medium being too moist or too dry and make it easy to pot up seedlings with no root disturbance. Be sure to tell consumers to presoak the cubes to bring the ph down.

Aluminum foil pans covered with plastic shower caps hold my starters until the seeds sprout. You could include more elaborate seed starter systems, but I recycle these again and again.

I like to transplant to 20/24 oz. recycled styrofoam cupsthese because I can write the vegetable name and variety on the cup and they are larger enough to hold the seedlings until they are ready to go outside. (I'd prefer to use large cardboard cups, but no one carries them).

It's true you can't do much with a kit to help those with problem soil, you could give them instructions on diagnosing their soil problems and-- my personal favorite fix-- building lasagna beds.

As for those midseason surprises, here again education is good. A selection of recipes for homebrew sprays would be a great item to include. Printed on recycled paper, please.

jan

jll0306-Jan,
(I'd prefer to use large cardboard cups, but no one carries them).
I sometimes set up a lemonade stand for some of the events here in my little town. I get paper cups at costco or at the 'cash-n-carry' (used to be United Grocers) up to 24 oz.

greenhousemegastore,
Though I use the forums here to help me figure out where I messed up or to find help from the more experienced, I often go to my library before going anywhere else. I have several book on how to, when to, should do. But I find myself going to my problem solver books like;
Western Garden Problem Solver by Sunset
Western Garden book also by Sunset
The Readers Digest Garden Problem Solver
ECT.
I would suggest maybe 1 or 2 basic problem solver books for the area or zone you are marketing to. You might include a garden Diary (my grandparents kept diaries that I refer to often) so that the new gardener can compare last year with this year.
For me, I wouldn't even consider a starter pack that was expensive. With the cost of fuel and other necessities, growing a garden for the first time might be a money saving endeavor. I would also want to be able to choose some of the seed in the kit. If I don't like, say beets, but love the cucumbers that you didn't have in the kit, I'd like to be able to swap.
I wish you luck with this.
James

James, you are so lucky to have your grandparents diaries! And,thanks for the tip. I'll be on the lookout for them the next time I'm near CostCo.

I agree with you on the price of the basic kit.

GMS:

I'd settle for being able to order a basic kit for EITHER summer, or winter. In that kit, I would like to have organic seeds, and a starter "nursery" -- rockwool,foil pans and shower caps (8/$1 at the dollar store), cardboard pots, planting mix and a good organic gardening book.

Later in the season, or as I could afford it, I would like to order two add-on kits, one for a 16 Sq. ' garden; and one for a container garden. I've suggested a book for each add-on, you could offer them as options.

For Package 1, I would want season extenders and enough fertilzer for a a 16 sq' lasagne garden. Although I recommended granular fertilzer, cheap dogfood works too....as long as racoons don't smell it and dig it up. A square foot garden book would accompany this package.

For Package 2, self-watering and/or appropriate containers for X number of bearing plants. This kit would include with fish emulsion or other liquid fertilizer and a book about growing container vegetables.

Each kit would come with a booklet containing recipes for organic pesticide/fungicides, and some Farmer's Almanac type tips.

A customer with both kits, could soon be producing serious amounts of food. If you need a product tester to determine just how much, allow me to volunteer my services!

Jan