Most of the seed catalogues you have requested should have arrived by now and hopefully some of these are the ones we discussed in a previous column. Reading through all of these catalogues to place this year’s seed orders can be a bit daunting. I have a number of tried and true varieties that are a must have in my garden. I also try to find a few new varieties that offer a unique shape, color or flavor to keep my garden even more rewarding each year.
In this week’s column let’s discuss some vegetable varieties you may wish to order this year. Some of these suggestions may have first proven themselves as an All American Selection, highly recommended by the UW-Extension offices for our hardiness zone or a particular favorite of mine. Of course, picking a favorite variety is like picking a favorite ice cream as a favorite of mine may not be very interesting to you.
The number of vegetables to discuss is to large to accomplish in just one column; therefore, I will try to complete the discussion in next week’s column. This will allow you enough time to place and receive your seed orders with sufficient time before you need to start planting.
ASPARAGUS: Washington (classic, hearty to climate) Jersey (all male series for greater production) Purple Passion (colorful & very flavorful)
BEANS [bush]; Contender (early harvest) Derby, Provider & Top Crop (high producers)
BEANS [pole]: Fortex (french filet), Kentucky Blue Lake (producer), Yard Long (specialty), Gold of Bacau (gold romano), Rattlesnake Snap
BEANS [shelling]: I don’t grow since they are so readily available in the stores
BEETS: Bull’s Blood (also red baby greens), Detroit Dark (classic), Cylindra (tapered space saver), Burpee Golden (sweet),
BROCCOLI: Packman (won’t bolt, lots of side shouts), Calabrese & Romanesco (Italian heirlooms)
CABBAGE: Arrowhead (early, reduced splitting), Red Perfection & Ruby Perfection (early reds), Savoy Express (early), Dynamo (late, green), Ruby Ball (late, red)
CARROTS: Sweetness II, Danvers Half Long, Tendersweet,
CAULIFLOWER: Early White, Snowball (self-blanching), Cheddar (yellow curd), Snow Crown (late season)
CELERY / CELERIAC: Golden and Lathom (self blanching, no trenching needed)
CUCUMBER: Calypso or Eureka (pickling), Diva or Sweet Success (producer), Salad Bush (small space or containers), Sweet Slice (burpless)
EGG PLANT: Black Beauty (traditional, late), Casper (early white w/edible peel), Rosa Blanco (Italian favorite, seldom bitter),
KOHLRABI: Early White Vienna (spring), Purple Vienna (fall), Grand Duke (specialty), Kossak (Specialty),
LETTUCE [bibb]: Buttercrunch (producer), Marvel Four Season or Winter Marvel (hearty at low temps – cold frames), Amish Speckled (colorful),
LETTUCE [loose leaf]: Black Seed Simpson (producer), Red Sails (producer), Dark Lolla Rossa (frilly burgundy), Royal Oak Leaf (producer), Salad Bowl (slow to bolt), Amish Deer Tongue (specialty shape), Batavia (endive), Rocket (arugula, spicier), make your own mesculins rather than buying the packaged mixes loaded with cheap, inferior varieties
ONIONS: Alisa Craig (huge but not good for storage), Walla Walla Sweet (good size, mild), Candy (flavorful), Chipolini (specialty), Tokyo Long (bunching), White Lisbon (bunching)
PEAS [sugar snap]: Sugar Ann (bush), Sugar Daddy and Super Sugar Snap (climbing)
PEAS [snow peas]: Mammoth Melting, Oregon Giant, Goliath & Oregon Sugar Pod II, Golden Sweet (yellow)
PEAS [shelling]: Maestro (flavor), Mister Big (larger), Early Dakota (spring season), Tom Thumb (container, cold frame)
RADISH: Cherry Belle (producer), French Breakfast (slightly sharp), White Icicle (specialty)
SPINACH: Bloomsdale (savoy, slow to bolt for summer), Melody (round thick leaves), baby leaf name escapes me at this time
SWISS CHARD: Fordhook Giant (large white), Bright Lights (colorful)
GROUND CHERRY: Strawberry Husk Tomato (sweet snacks, jams)
HINT: I just came across a neat possibility for those gardeners with very limited space when I was in Home Depot shopping for worm bins. I thought of a vertical mini garden like the one from Smith & Hawken as I saw those heavy duty bulk storage bins in the same aisle. If you made four stacks of five bins you would have twenty planting compartments in a space of roughly one foot by four feet! Of course you would have to make some drainage holes in each bin, use a container soil mix and water twice a day during the hottest of days but you could have a complete garden right on your patio, sidewalk or car port. Increase your growing space if you stack them in the fashion of a honeycomb. You could also move individually each bin inside for winter storage if you desire.
DISCUSSION: If a favorite variety of yours was missed in this discussion, please share it with us and include the reason why you enjoy growing it. I am looking for your favorite Garlics, Kales, Pak Choy/Bak Choy, Soy Bean and Rapini suggestions
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