Solanum melongena var. esculentum. Start seed early indoors, mid- to late March, for transplanting outside 8 - 10 weeks later. Space plants 2 - 3 feet apart in rows 2 - 3 feet apart. Eggplants need full sun and loose, deep, rich soil.
USDA Germination Standard: 60%
—Eggplant Casper. (b,g) VEGG-C. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Slender snow-white eggplants, sweet & delicious.
NEW—Eggplant Goyo Kumba. (50) VEGG-GK. Packet: $2.50
Round, slightly flattened, deep orange eggplants, 2 - 3" across. Young tender fruits eaten in Africa, but also makes a nice ornamental—they last for weeks, like the related 'mini-pumpkins'. Nice fall decorations. Likes warmth and moisture.
—Eggplant Rosa Bianca. (c,h) VEGG-RB. Packet: $3.00
Germination: 80% Tested: 10/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Plump round white fruits, blushed rosy-purple. Very meaty and mild tasting, this Italian heirloom is one of the best for all your eggplant recipes.
—Eggplant Ruffled Red. (b,g) VEGG-RR. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 3/09, Oz: $15.00, lb: $200.00
Click for photo »
Solanum integrifolium. Striking deep red-orange, flattened, ribbed fruit, 1 - 3" across. Pleasantly bitter, used in Asian stir-fry. Highly ornamental plants to 2 - 3 feet tall, with dark purple stems and soft green leaves. Cut branches of the fruits make long-lasting autumn decorations.
—Eggplant Striped Toga. (b,h) VEGG-ST. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $10.00
Striking small 3" oval eggplants, beautifully marked-green with dark green stripes, changing to rich orange with deeper orange stripes. Clusters of them last well in fresh or dry arrangements. The flavorful little eggplants are delicious in Asian and Mediterranean cooking.
FENNEL: See Specialty Vegetables
FRENCH SORREL: See Specialty Vegetables
GROUND CHERRY: See Specialty Vegetables
HUAZONTLE: See Specialty Vegetables
KALE
Brassica oleracea. Also known as Borecole, Kale is a cool weather crop, with sweet tender leaves. A good fodder plant for poultry and livestock. In the South, sow in late summer or early fall for winter and spring harvest. In cold climates, sow in late spring for fall harvest. Likes full sun and a rich, well-drained soil. Keep moist. Sow seeds 1/4" deep, thin to 1 1/2 feet apart in rows 1 1/2 - 2 feet apart.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%
—Kale Black Tuscany. (b,h) VKAL-BT. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 8/09, 10 grams: $7.50 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Also called 'Black Cabbage', 'Cavalo Nero', or 'Palm Cabbage'. Long, narrow, heavily blistered leaves of deepest dark green, rich flavored and hardy. Young leaves good in salads, mature leaves for braising, soups, etc. Italian heirloom, good winter greens in mild climates, where it is sown in spring to harvest over fall and winter.
NEW—Kale Red Ursa. (50) VKAL-RU. Packet: $2.50
Outstanding variety with broad, slightly frilled leaves with red veins and purple stems. Great for salad mixes. Bolting stems from over-wintered plants are sweet and tender—eat like asparagus. Organically grown seed.
—Kale Russian Red. (b,h) VKAL-RR. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 8/09, Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
Outstanding variety with deeply ruffled leaves with purple veins. The whole plant may turn purple in cold weather. Tender and tasty. Grows year-round in mild climates, and may reach 4 feet tall.
NEW—Kale White Russian. (50) VKAL-W. Packet: $2.50 ORGANIC
Deeply ruffled dusky green leaves with white veins and mid-ribs. Stands wet soil, vigorous and productive. Nice in salads and braising mixes. In 1995 Garden City Seeds in Montana judged this to be the most cold-hardy & best tasting kale. Organically grown seed.
KOHLRABI
Brassica oleracea var. Caulo-rapa. A member of the cabbage family, the stem forms a ball-shaped bulb which is eaten. It is a delicious vegetable combining the best qualities of turnip and cabbage when cooked, and is mild, sweet and crisp eaten raw. Sow in early spring or late summer, spacing plants 6 - 8" apart in rows 1 1/2 feet apart. Prefers cool weather and light, rich soil. Best young and tender.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%
—Kohlrabi Early Purple Vienna. (a,h) VKOH-EP. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 85% Tested: 11/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
60 days. An old-fashioned, pre 1885 variety with purple skin and leaves. Flesh white and tender, sweet and mild flavor cooked or raw.
LEEKS
Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum. Leeks are a popular vegetable in Europe and the Mid-East, where their mild, sweet, onion-like flavor is valued in stews, pies, casseroles and soups. They are hardy plants and may be sown in spring for harvest during fall, winter, or through to the following spring. Sow seed in early spring in rows 1 foot apart, thinning to 4" apart in the row. When plants are nearly mature, draw soil around the stalks to blanch.
USDA Germination Standard: 60%
—Leek American Flag. (a!,g) VLEE-AF. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 85% Tested: 11/09, Oz: $5.00
Classic home-garden variety with tall blue-green leaves and thick, white stalks. Cold hardy, for fall and winter harvest. Mild oniony flavor, delicious roasted or grilled ,with olive oil, or in soups, etc.
—Leek Giant Musselburg. (b,h) VLEE-GM. Packet: $2.50 OUT OF STOCK
1/2 Oz: $7.50 OUT OF STOCK
Big vigorous leeks with pleasant mild flavor. Very cold hardy Scottish heirloom, introduced to gardeners in the early 1800s.
LETTUCE
Lactuca sativa. Sow in rows 1 foot apart as early as the ground can be worked, not covering the seed, as light is needed for germination. Thin to 8" apart as they develop. Or, plant in flats 1 month before planting out. Transplant carefully. Lettuce prefers cool to moderate temperatures, and is best sown in spring or early fall in a light, well-drained soil. Give shade in hot weather. For a continual crop, sow every few weeks, as long as desired.
There are four basic types of lettuce: Loose-Leaf, Butterhead, Crisphead, and Cos or Romaine. Within these types there are also: Winter Lettuces, which are more adapted to cold and will withstand ordinary winters with little care. Spring Lettuces head rapidly and are sown just after winter. Summer Lettuces are usually larger and do not run to seed as fast in hot weather.
USDA Germination Standard: 80%
Loose Leaf Types:
These form large, spreading rosettes of tender leaves. Good for continuous picking, taking what is needed from the outer leaves. Easily grown, withstands poor soil, neglect and bad weather.
—Lettuce Amish Deer Tongue. (b,h) VLET-AM. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $9.00
Unusual triangular green leaves in thick, loose heads. Hardy and productive. Very flavorful.
—Lettuce Cracoviensis. (b,h) VLET-CR. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Unique French heirloom, forming loose heads of pointed savoyed leaves, marked with patches of deep purple. Bolts easily in warm weather, forming a thick, tender rosy stem which is prized as a vegetable. Called 'red celtuce' in the 1880s, so the stem was the main use then, but it can be a dual crop. Organically-grown.
—Lettuce Emerald Oak. (b,h) VLET-EO. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Brilliant green oakleaf, with almost a butter-lettuce head of sweet tender leaves. Very nice texture and flavor, can be used for salad at any size. Organically grown.
—Lettuce Mascara. (b,h) VLET-M. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 84% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50, Oz: $22.00
Deep purple-red oak-leaf type, forming a large rosette of thick, curly leaves. Stays red even in hot weather. Bolt resistant & non-bitter. Heat and cold tolerant, an excellent cutting lettuce for mesclun.
"Mascara lettuce is outstanding: 16" across and still tender!"—K. Kennedy, California, 1/97.
—Lettuce Oak Leaf. (a!,h) VLET-OL. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 90% Tested: 8/09, Oz: $5.00
Thick rosettes of deeply-lobed medium-green leaves that stay sweet and tender, with no bitterness. Very heat-resistant, for long-lasting harvest throughout summer. An old favorite, with good reason.
—Lettuce Red Velvet. (b,h) VLET-RV. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 97% Tested: 6/09, 1/4 Oz: $12.00
Deep, dark, red-purple rumpled leaves, one of the darkest red lettuces available. Crisp and crunchy. From the Seed Saver's Exchange.
—Lettuce Yugoslavian Red Butterhead. (a!,h) VLET-YR. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 8/09, 1/4 Oz: $12.00
Big heads of tender red-tinged leaves, the center almost white, sometimes streaked with red.
MAIZE: See Corn.
MANGEL WURZEL: See Specialty Vegetables
MELONS
Cucumis melo. A group of annual melons that includes the heavily scented netted varieties known as cantaloupes, as well as the smooth-skinned melons such as crenshaw, casaba and honeydew.
Muskmelons need full sun and soil rich in organic matter. Plenty of water gives the best results. Sow seed when the weather has warmed, in hills spaced 4 - 6 feet apart each way. Plant 5 - 8 seeds per hill, thinning to the 3 or 4 best plants. Best sown direct to the garden, as they dislike transplanting.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%
NEW—Melon Altai. (25) VMEL-AL. Packet: $2.50
Large round mild-flavored muskmelon, originally from the Altai region of the Soviet Union. Very early, good for northern gardens.
—Melon Canoe Creek Colossal. (d,h) VMEL-CC. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 85% Tested: 9/09, 1/2 Oz: $9.00
Huge, handsome, deeply ribbed melons, with thick orange flesh. Can reach 20 pounds under the best conditions, but usually 5 - 15 pounds. Impressive in both size and flavor.
—Melon Collective Farm Woman. (c,h) VMEL-CF. Packet: $2.50 OUT OF STOCK
1/4 Oz: $7.50 OUT OF STOCK
A Ukrainian heirloom, with round, smooth 10" melons. Dark rind turns orange-yellow when ripe. Extremely sweet creamy-white flesh. Keeps well.
—Melon Delicious 51. (c,h) VMEL-D. Packet: $1.50 OUT OF STOCK
Germination: 92% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $4.00 OUT OF STOCK
One of the best O.P. (open pollinated) home garden cantaloupes. Round, well-netted 4 - 5 pound melons with deep orange flesh. Sweet, juicy and high quality.
—Melon Emerald Gem. (d,h) VMEL-EG. Packet: $2.50
Dark green ribbed 2 - 3 pound melons with sweet and juicy rich orange flesh. Introduced by Burpee in 1886, it became one of the most popular melons of the day, called "luscious beyond description."
—Melon Quito. (b,h) VMEL-Q. Packet: $2.50
Small French melon with smooth bright yellow skin and tart pale flesh. Grown since the 1880s.
—Melon Tigger. (d,h) VMEL-TG. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Click for photo »
Cucumis melo. Small smooth melons to 1 pound. Beautiful golden skin with bright red-orange tiger stripes. Highly fragrant white flesh, meltingly sweet cantaloupe flavor. Armenian heirloom, does well in dry climates. A real winner for farmer's market sales.
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."—A. France.
MUSTARD
Brassica juncea var. integrifolia. Mustard leaves are excellent greens with a sharp pungent flavor. Boiled like spinach, they become tender and not at all bitter. Very good in soups, or as simple cooked greens served with a little melted butter.
Plant in late spring or early summer, or in frost-free climates, sow in fall and early winter. Prefers a rich soil and abundant moisture for fast growth, but will produce well in any soil. Thin to 6" apart in rows 18" apart. A cool weather crop.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%
—Mustard Bau Sin. (b,h) VMUS-B. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
1/4 Oz: $7.50
Shiny gold-green leaves with a hint of red veining. Great for salads, braising, or stir-fry. Outstanding mild sweet flavor. Forms a folded heart at maturity, and the bolted stems are crisp and tender. Organically grown.
—Mustard Florida Broadleaf. (a!,h) VMUS-F. Packet: $1.50
Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $9.00
Fast growing, with wide, dark green leaves and creamy white midribs. Vigorous and heat tolerant, popular in the South.
—Mustard Magma. (a,h) VMUS-M. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Germination: 96% Tested: 8/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Ruffled leaves are deep purple on top, contrasting with the green undersides. Young leaves are a wonderful salad green; excellent peppery cooked greens at any age. A particularly pretty variety with a lot of flavor. Organically grown by Shoulder to Shoulder Farm.
—Mustard Osaka Purple. (b,h) VMUS-OS. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Germination: 84% Tested: 8/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Smooth leaves blushed deep purple, with a spicy flavor. Grows vigorously in cool weather. A fine addition to salads. Organically grown.
—Mustard Pink Petiole Mix. (b,h) VMUS-PT. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
1/4 Oz: $7.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Incredible mix of shapes and colors-creamy yellow to emerald -green leaves, smoothly rounded to deeply cut, all with the leaf-stems in shades of pink or purple. Superb addition to baby salad leaf mixes. colors best with cool weather and well-spaced plants. Organically-grown.
—Mustard Pizzo. (b,h) VMUS-PZ. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 8/09, 10 grams: $10.00
European specialty type for baby salad greens. Light green leaves with serrated, rounded edges. Tender, mild spicy flavor, nice in salads or cooked.
—Mustard Red Frills. (b,h) VMUS-RF. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 9/09, 10 grams: $12.00
Striking dark red-purple deeply-cut fern-like leaves. Developed in Europe as a specialty baby salad green. Spicy flavor and bold color and shape, make this popular at farmer's markets.
NEW—Mustard Southern Giant. (500) VMUS-SG. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $5.00
Large upright plants with broad bright green leaves, lightly crumpled and frilled. Slow to bolt, cold hardy, sow in spring or fall.
NEW—Mustard Tat-Soy Savoy. (500) VMUS-TS. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 10/09, Oz: $5.00
Compact rosettes of small spoon-shaped dark green leaves. Amazingly tender and mild flavored. Good in salads or lightly cooked. Sow in late spring through fall. Leaves crumpled and savoyed.
OKRA
Hibiscus esculentus. A member of the Hibiscus family, Okra is a lovely annual with large yellow flowers followed by softly downy, ridged pods. These pods are delicious in spicy stews and soups, and even older pods are very good sliced thin and fried in butter till golden brown. Young pods good raw. The ripe seeds have been roasted as a coffee substitute.
Sow when weather has warmed, in a rich, somewhat sandy soil. Space 1 - 2 feet apart.
USDA Germination Standard: 50%
—Okra Clemson Spineless. (c,g) VOKR-CS. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 84% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
55 days. All-America Silver Medal winner. Bears a large crop of rich green, flavorful pods till frost. Easily grown, requiring little more than water.
—Okra Cow Horn. (c,g) VOKR-CW. Packet: $2.50
Giant plants to 7 - 8 feet tall, with long, curved light green pods. Best picked young, about 6" long though pods reach 12" or more when mature. A prolific Southern heirloom.
—Okra Red Burgundy. (c,h) VOKR-RB. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 85% Tested: 11/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Beautiful 4 - 5 foot plants have deep wine-red pods and stems, green leaves, and large butter-yellow flowers. Tender 6 - 8" pods turn green when cooked. Nice enough for the flower-garden!
—Okra Star of David. (c,g) VOKR-SD. Packet $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $12.00 OUT OF STOCK
Plump, wide pods to 5 - 6" long and 1 1/2" thick. A heavy producer if kept picked. SSE says this is an heirloom variety from North Carolina, so named because the slices look like the star-of-david. Others claim it was originally from Israel. A fine variety, whatever its origin.
ONIONS
Allium cepa. Cultivated for thousands of years, onions are eaten worldwide. There are two main groups; those grown for the large yellow, red or white bulbs, and those grown for their slender green leaves, the 'scallions' of commerce, and generally known as 'bunching onions'.
Sow onion seed as early as soil can be worked, thinning to 4" apart for bulb onions, or 8" apart for bunching types. Light, loamy soil will produce the best crops. Onions like lots of compost or fertilizer. They can be harvested young, or left till the tops are dry, when they can be pulled up and stored in braids or with the stems broken off.
USDA Germination Standard: 70%
NEW—Onion Evergreen White Bunching. VONI-EW. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 85% Tested: 10/09, Oz: $7.50
Allium fistulosum. A perennial bunching onion for green onions. Slender stalks of dark green leaves and white bases. Does not form bulbs, but divides to produce new shoots throughout the season. Very hardy, will grow over winter in most areas if given some protection from heavy freezing. Highly productive, first cutting in 3 months. Easy from seed.
—Onion White Portugal. (500) VONI-WP. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 87% Tested: 12/09, Oz: $7.50
Big flattened globes with silvery white skin, firm, sweet and mild. Stores well, an excellent multipurpose variety for the home garden. Can be pulled early as bunching onions, used for grilling or pickling when small, or left till fully mature.
ORACH: See Specialty Vegetables
PARSLEY
Petroselinum crispum. A favorite herb that adds flavor and vitamins to any dish. Use fresh or dried. Turnip parsley has large, edible roots which can be dug and stored through the winter.
Parsley seed is often slow to germinate. It likes a rich, moist soil, and will become perennial in mild climates. In cold winter climates, grow indoors or mulch heavily to protect from frost.
USDA Germination Standard: 60%
Leaf Types:
—Parsley Common or Plain Leaf. (a!,g) VPAR-C. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 8/09, Oz: $5.00
75 days. Also known as Italian Parsley, this type is the best for drying and for soups. It has flat, wide green leaves on a vigorous and spreading plant. Will form large clumps under favorable conditions. Stronger flavor than the curled leaf types, and retains more taste when dried.
—Parsley Survivor Italian. (a,h) VPAR-SI. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Germination: 90% Tested: 11/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Traditional flat-leaf type, selected for over 20 years for cold hardiness and disease resistance. Full flavored dark green leaves. Survives cold weather and poor conditions. The best parsley for difficult garden areas. Organically grown.
Turnip-Rooted Types:
Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum. This type is grown for it roots, which resemble a small parsnip or turnip. They have a delicate parsley or celeriac flavor, making a delicious addition to stews and soups. The leaves may be used like regular parsley, and the roots may be stored over winter. A deep soil is best for good roots. Sow in early spring for a September harvest. Should be grown more.
—Parsley Hamburg Turnip-Rooted. (a!,g) VPAR-H. Packet: $1.50
Oz: $5.00
90 days. Thick white roots, 8 - 10" long and 2" thick, nicely tapered. Delicate parsley flavor. Vigorous grower with large, well-flavored tops.
PEAS
Pisum sativum. Peas are a cool weather crop, and like humidity. Sow early in spring in rows 1 foot apart for dwarf varieties, 3 feet for tall varieties. Plant seeds 1 - 2" deep. Thin to 4 - 6" apart. Stake tall varieties when about 6" high. For succession, sow at intervals of 1 - 2 weeks till midsummer. In the South, sow in fall for winter harvest. Peas are classed as smooth or wrinkle seeded. The smooth types are best for drying, freezing or canning, wrinkled types are sweeter and best for eating fresh. Edible podded peas, such as Snow Peas or Sugar Peas, have tender, sweet pods which are eaten when the peas inside are still very young and small.
USDA Germination Standard: 80%
—Pea Amish Snap. (c,h) VPEA-AS. Packet: $2.50
Delicate green, sweet snap peas. From the Amish community, it predates the modern snap peas. Vines grow 5 - 6 feet tall, abundantly producing 2" pods over a period of about 6 weeks if kept picked.
—Pea Dwarf Grey Sugar. (b,h) VPEA-DGS. Packet: $2.00
1/4 lb: $5.00
Flat light-green 3" pods are great for stir-fry. Early and prolific bushy plants with purple flowers. The classic edible-pod pea, introduced in 1892.
—Pea Golden Sweet Edible Pod. (c,h) VPEA-GS. Packet: $2.50
Bright lemon-yellow pods on 6 foot tall plants, with lovely two-toned purple flowers. Best when eaten small. Originally obtained from a market in India. Very nice.
—Pea Green Arrow. (c,h) VPEA-GA. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 76% Tested: 10/09, 1/4 lb: $5.00
An amazingly productive English variety, with slender pods containing 8 - 11 small peas. Vines grow to 28" tall, usually setting double pods held at the top for easy picking. Peas are very sweet, great for eating fresh or lightly cooked.
—Pea Thomas Laxton. (c,h) VPEA-TL. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 96% Tested: 8/09, 1/4 lb: $5.00
An early variety with 36" tall vines bearing blunt pods containing 7 - 9 large, dark green peas. Tender and sweet. Heavy yields, very good for fresh eating or freezing. Can mature in 60 days. Originated by Thomas Laxton in 1898.
PEPPERS
Capsicum species. Peppers need a long warm season and very rich soil to produce large fruits. Sow seed indoors in early spring, transplant outside about mid May. Space 1 1/2 feet apart in rows 3 feet apart. Many peppers are perennial in mild winter areas. Both sweet and hot peppers turn red at maturity, but can be eaten either green or red. They contain high amounts of Vitamin C, particularly when red. The leaves are also edible and used in cooking. A popular crop.
USDA Germination Standard: 55%
Sweet or Mild Varieties:
—Pepper Alma Paprika. (c,h) VPEP-AP. Packet: $3.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 9/09, 5 grams: $18.00
Small round peppers with thick meaty flesh and sweet delicious flavor. Ripens from creamy white to red, very productive. One of the best for drying and powdering, also excellent fresh.
—Pepper Ampuis. (c,g) VPEP-AM. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 84% Tested: 9/09, 5 grams: $7.50
Click for photo »
Rare French variety with small, rounded, lantern-shaped peppers, crisp and mild. Good for frying, or stuffed for appetizers.
—Pepper Feher Ozon. (d,h) VPEP-FO. Packet: $3.00
Germination: 88% Tested: 9/09, 5 grams: $18.00
Thick tapered 4 - 5" fruits, extremely sweet and flavorful. Delicious fresh, and makes some of the finest paprika powder when dried. Ripens from creamy white to deep orange.
NEW—Pepper Golden Wonder. (50) VPEP-GW. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 10/09, 1/4 Oz: $6.00
Large sweet bell peppers, changing from green to gold to deep orange.
—Pepper Miniature Chocolate. (b,g) VPEP-MC. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Chocolate-brown 2" long bell peppers, ripening to red. Great for stuffing, pickling or salads.
—Pepper Miniature Yellow. (b,g) VPEP-MY. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Golden-yellow 2" long bell peppers which ripen to red. Sweet and tasty.
—Pepper Pimento L. (c,h) VPEP-PL. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/09, 10 grams: $7.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Classic sweet pimento pepper, With very thick meaty flesh. Heart-shaped red fruits. Stands heat and humidity, good in the South. Excellent fresh, dried, canned, or pickled.
Hot Varieties:
—Pepper Anaheim. (=Long Green Chili) (b,g) VPEP-A. Packet: $1.50
Oz: $6.00
Tapered 6 - 8" light green peppers, changing to scarlet at maturity. Mildly hot, excellent for stuffing, canning or frying. An old favorite.
NEW—Pepper Capsicum Black Pearl. (10,h) CAPS-1BP. Packet: $4.00
Small shiny round black peppers that ripen to a dark red, contrasting with the glossy, deep purple-black foliage. Compact plants to 14". Green foliage when young, darkening with sun and heat. Nice!
—Pepper Bulgarian Carrot. (b,g) VPEP-BU. Packet: $2.50
Bright orange carrot-shaped peppers. Very hot and very productive. Great in salsas, chutneys, pickled or roasted.
—Pepper Fish. (d,h) VPEP-FS. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 9/09, Gram: $6.00 (New Price)
Striking African-American heirloom, with white and green striped foliage on spreading plants to 2 feet tall. Hanging fruits are green with cream stripes, ripening through orange with brown stripes, and finally to all red. Medium hot, used for shellfish cooking around Chesapeake Bay. Makes great salsa, and the plants are very ornamental.
—Pepper Habanero. (c,g) VPEP-H. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/09, 5 grams: $13.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Capsicum chinense. 'OF HAVANA'. Beautiful golden-orange lantern-shaped 1 - 2" peppers, with a distinctive, fruity, slightly smoky scent and flavor. Said to be one of the world's hottest peppers. A favorite for sauces in the Yucatan, and throughout the Caribbean. Needs a long season, heat & moisture. We use three in 16 quarts of stew for a hot effect.
NEW—Pepper Habanero Mixed. (25) VPEP-HX. Packet: $2.50
A mix of the different colors of this incredibly hot pepper—ripe colors include white, red, orange and chocolate-brown. Good at farmer's markets.
—Pepper Hungarian Hot Wax. (b,g) VPEP-HHW. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $6.00
Mildly hot 7" long and 2" wide tapering peppers. Ripens from green to light yellow to red. One of the best hot peppers for cool climates; has matured in Nova Scotia in a sheltered location. A long-time favorite, colorful and not too hot.
NEW—Pepper Jolokia. (25) VPEP-JK. Packet: $3.00
Also called Naga Jolokia, Bhut Jolokia, and Ghost Chili. These peppers from India hold the Guinness Book of World's Records world's hottest pepper. Tapering 3" orange-red, rough-skinned peppers. Apparently a cross between Capsicum chinense and C. frutescens. Eat these fresh or dried when you want an extreme experience!
NEW—Pepper Mulato Isleno. (50) VPEP-MI. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 11/09, 1/4 Oz: $6.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Wide, tapered 6" peppers, dark green to red to red-black. Medium-hot, the classic pepper for chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers). Use fresh or dried.
—Pepper Purple Tiger. (d,h) VPEP-PT. Packet: $2.50
Striking tri-colored foliage, variegated green, purple, and white. Small peppers change from purple to red. Very hot, great chili flavor, fresh or dry.
NEW—Pepper Red Cherry Large. (50) VPEP-RC. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 64% Tested: 11/09, 1/4 Oz: $6.00
Bright red round 1 - 2" peppers. Quite hot and very prolific. Good for pickling, canning or drying.
PUMPKINS
Cucurbita pepo. Large vines whose fruits, small or large, are delicious, and are made into pies, stuffed, baked like winter squash, or pureed for soup. Carved and decorated, they play an important role in our yearly Halloween celebrations. The seeds are rich in oil and protein, and are excellent eaten whole, after roasting in salt and oil.
Plant seeds in rich, well-manured soil when all danger of frost is past and ground has warmed, in hills 6 feet apart. Place 5 - 10 seeds per hill, and cover lightly with soil. Thin to 3 or 4 of the strongest plants in each hill. They are vigorous and rampant growers that like abundant moisture, and need plenty of room to spread.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%
—Pumpkin Rouge Vif d'Etamps. (10) VPUM-R. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 95% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $7.50
Cucurbita maxima. An Heirloom French variety, with striking shiny bright red-orange skin. Round, flat shape with deep ribs and indented stem, thick yellow-orange flesh. To 15 - 20 pounds. Mild flavor, keeps well if carefully cured. The glowing red color and unusual shape are very appealing.
—Pumpkin Sugar Pie. (d,h) VPUM-SP. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 12/09, Oz: $4.00, 1/4 lb: $7.00
Long-time favorite for eating. Small, orange, slightly flattened 6 - 8" pumpkins, with thick, sweet, orange-yellow flesh. Keeps well, one of the best tasting and widely adapted.
PURSLANE: See Specialty Vegetables
QUINOA: See Specialty Vegetables
RADICCHIO: See Chicory.
RADISH
Raphanus sativus. Crisp roots with a hot spicy flavor, radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. The sprouted seeds can be added to salads or sandwiches for a wonderful, mildly hot flavor.
Sow seed as early as ground can be worked in spring, and successively till mid-summer, and again in early fall. Oriental radishes may be sown at any time as they do not have the tendency to become pithy in hot weather like other radishes. Plant 1/2 - 1" deep in any good soil. Space rows 1 foot apart; thin to 2" apart as soon as seedlings appear. Keep soil moist for best results.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%
—Radish China Rose. (b,h) VRAD-CR. Packet $1.50
Germination: 85% Tested: 11/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
Rose-pink oblong 6" roots, wider at the tip. Crisp & a good keeper. A Chinese winter variety, for spring or fall sowing. Said to have been brought to Europe from China by Jesuit missionaries. Pre-1850.
"The China Rose radishes are really interesting—they take much longer to reach the eating stage, but the plants grow much bigger, the bulbs are much bigger, and don't seem to get woody when so big, and a good keeper."—Eugenie Fellows, Florida, 1/96.
—Radish Edible-Podded Rat's Tail. VRAD-RT. Packet: $3.00
Germination: 95% Tested: 9/09, 1/4 Oz: $7.50
Raphanus caudatus. Grown for the slim, deep-purple seedpods, which reach 8 - 16" long. Pods produced abundantly. Likes heat and bears all summer. From Southeast Asia, the pods have a very pungent radish flavor, eaten raw, pickled or cooked. A popular garden vegetable in the U.S. in the 1860s, now rarely seen. No edible roots, only grown for pods.
NEW—Radish Jelly Bean. (200) VRAD-JB. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 10/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $9.00
Special colorful blend of old-fashioned open-pollinated varieties. Includes whites, reds, purples, and pinks, round or oblong, small and large.
—Radish Long Scarlet. (b,h) VRAD-LS. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $5.00
Long tapered roots with bright red skin, shading to white tips. Pure white interior, with crisp, mild flavor. Lovely bunches for farmer's markets.
—Radish Round Black Spanish. (b,h) VRAD-RB. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
60 days. Large, round 3 - 4" roots with pure black skin and firm, juicy white flesh. Strong flavored, hardy, stores well. Pre 1885 variety. My favorite.
—Radish Watermelon. (b,h) VRAD-WA. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 9/09, Oz: $6.00
Large round white radishes blushed green outside, deep magenta-red inside. Slices look just like slices of a mini-watermelon! Crisp, spicy flavor, best picked at 1 - 2", though they can reach tennis-ball size. Our favorite radish.
—Radish White Tipped Scarlet Turnip Radish. (a,h) VRAD-WTS. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 12/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
(=Sparkler White Tip) A very early, handsome French radish grown in Europe since the 1880's. Roots are round, slightly flattened, a lovely deep rose-crimson above, with pure white tips. The pleasing color contrast and earliness made this the favored variety of Parisian market gardeners at the turn of the century.