Offered here are only open-pollinated, non-F-l hybrid, non-patented vegetable seeds. I stress traditional and heirloom varieties, and have noted in the descriptions how long many kinds have been cultivated. The test of quality is time. You can be certain these time-honored varieties, many of which have been continuously grown for a century or more, and are still successfully competing with the modern hybrids, have proven themselves reliable and productive in a wide variety of climates and soils.
We do not distribute Genetically-engineered seeds (GE, Transgenics, GMOs).
PUBLIC DOMAIN SEEDS.
All seeds in this catalog are Public Domain seeds.
ABOUT HEIRLOOMS.
There has been a lot of attention in the press in recent years to 'heirloom' or 'traditional' varieties, yet many people are unclear as to just what these terms mean. Since I find no universally accepted definitions among seedsmen and preservation workers, here are the meanings of the terms as I use them:
TRADITIONAL VARIETIES: Any variety developed more than 50 years ago. Includes many commercially developed and distributed varieties.
HEIRLOOM VARIETIES: Any variety that owes its existence to its preservation by home gardeners or private individuals, rather than the seed trade. This includes old varieties whose origin is unknown which have been passed down from generation to generation, as well as old varieties developed by seedsmen which at some point were dropped by the seed trade and would have been lost had they not been maintained by home gardeners.
GSI = Garden Seed Inventory.
OG = Organically Grown.
AMARANTH
—Amaranth Elephant Head. (=Amaranth Greek) (500) VAMA-EH. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Click for photo »
Amaranthus gangeticus. Huge maroon flowerheads with a long, trunk-like spike, resembling an elephant head. Robust 1 - 4 foot plants. Brought by German immigrants in the 1880s. Seed organically grown by Shoulder to Shoulder Farm. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW—Amaranth Hopi Red Dye. (500) VAMA-HO. Packet: $2.50 ORGANIC
10 grams: $7.50
Deep purple-red plants to 4 - 6 feet tall, large and vigorous. Leaves are good greens when young, and the black seeds as grain. The Hopi use the plants to make a ceremonial red dye. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks, GA-3 helps.
OTHER AMARANTH: see: Amaranthus in Seedlist Al-An.
ARTICHOKE: See Specialty Vegetables
ARUGULA: See Specialty Vegetables
BASIL
Ocimum Basilicum. Aromatic tender annuals grown in the herb garden for their value as seasoning and fragrance. The leaves are widely used in sauces and soups, the flavor blending particularly well with tomatoes. The clove-like fragrance has been considered soothing, and a cure for nervous headaches. Basil tea is said to calm an upset stomach. Start seed indoors 6 - 8 weeks before last frost, and plant out after all danger of frost is past. Thin to 6" apart. Basil likes full sun, and all types do well in pots. Harvest fresh leaves anytime. For drying, cut just before it reaches full bloom. Seed viable 8 - 10 years. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Basil, Cinnamon. (1000) OCIM-1C. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $9.00, 1/4 Pound: $22.00
'CINNAMON BASIL'. Spicy aroma, purple flowers, to 30". A fine variety. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Basil, Dwarf Greek. (1000) OCIM-1DG. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $9.00, 1/4 Pound: $25.00
Compact bushy plants with small, intensely fragrant leaves. Perfect for window-boxes and borders. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Basil, Large Sweet. (1000) OCIM-1S. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $9.00
The most popular and widely grown variety. Sweet and aromatic 2 - 3" leaves. To 1 - 2 feet tall.
—Basil, Lime. (=Ocimum americanum). (500) OCIM-1L. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $18.00
'LIME BASIL'. Has a zesty lime flavor.
—Basil, 'Siam Queen'. (500) OCIM-1SQ. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $7.50
Info and photos: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/48849/
Flavorful Thai basil with an anise-clove flavor. To 14", with attractive dark flower spikes. AAS 1997. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Basil, Kapuri Tulsi. (=Ocimum kilimandscharicum). (250) OCIM-14. Packet: $2.50
'KAPURI TULSHI', 'CAMPHOR BASIL'. White to light purple flowers. Tender shrub to 6 feet, with grey-green leaves with a strong camphor scent. E. Africa. Attracts bees. Used as a tea and medicinally in Africa and India. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks.
Ocimum kilimandscharicum cultivation in Kenya.
—Basil, Holy Basil. (Ocimum sanctum) (1000) OCIM-24. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
1/4 Ounce: $8.00, Ounce: $18.00
'HOLY BASIL', 'TULSI'. Sweetly fragrant bushy perennial to 1 - 3 feet, grown as an annual in cold climates. Profuse purple or white bloom, and sometimes purplish-tinted foliage. Tropical Asia. Held sacred by the Hindus and grown around temples. Sections of the stem-bases are used in rosaries. The leaves are used in salads, and the oil is an effective antibiotic, and the leaves are used medicinally. Nice, distinctive clove-like flavor, good in cooking, salads, or for tea. Good in herb breads and herb butters. Good bee plant. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks. Light and KNO3 helps. Organically grown.
BEANS
USDA Germination Standard: 70%.
Pole Bean Varieties:
Sow in hills 3 feet apart, planting 6 or 7 seeds per hill, 1" deep. Stake with 6 foot poles set in a tripod over each hill. When seedlings are 2 - 3" high, thin to the 3 or 4 best plants. Pole beans bear later than bush types, but give a higher yield over a longer period. Most can be picked continually until frost.
—Bean Cherokee Trail of Tears. (50) VBEA-CT. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Pound: $10.00, Pound: $20.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Beautiful black beans, originally from Dr. John Wyche, whose Cherokee ancestors brought this bean over the brutal forced winter march from the Smoky Mountains in fall of 1838, ending in spring 1839 in Oklahoma. Four thousand Cherokee died on this march, which is now known as the Trail of Tears. Slender green pods with purple blush. Excellent for fresh snap beans or dry soup beans.
NEW—Bean Mrs. T's Ukrainian. (20) VBEA-MT. Packet: $2.50 OUT OF STOCK
Click for photo »
Beautiful shiny round beans are bicolored, half deep maroon, almost black, half white with a few tiny speckles, produced abundantly on tall vines. Brought to Canada from the Ukraine and shared around the Ukrainian community in Alberta by Mrs. T., where they are valued for their delicious flavor as a soup bean, eaten at the traditional Christmas Eve dinner.
Bush Bean Varieties:
After all danger of frost is past, sow in rows 15 - 18" apart, 4 - 6" apart in the row. Seed does not germinate well in cold soil, so it is best to wait for warm weather to plant.
—Bean Dragon Tongue Wax. (40) VBEA-DT. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Pound: $6.00, Pound: $10.00
Pretty wax bean from Holland, with slender 6 - 8" creamy yellow beans marked with delicate purple stripes. Tender snap beans when young, or use for shell beans when the stripes turn red. Ripe dry beans good for soups.
—Bean Painted Pony. (50) VBEA-PP. Packet: $2.50 ORGANIC
1/4 Pound: $10.00
Great for both fresh snap beans or dried for soup beans. Long slender bright green pods, mature beans pretty brown and white, keeping their color after cooking. Bush type. Organically grown.
NEW—Bean Roma Improved Bush. (50) VBEA-RB. Packet: $2.50
1/4 pound: $5.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Favorite Italian bush bean, reselected for early harvest, more flavor, and slow seed development for an extended crop. Bushy 2 foot plants with heavy yields of wide, flat, 5" long pods.
—Bean Royalty Purple Pod. (50) VBEA-RP. Packet: $2.50
Pound: $7.00
Bushy purple plants with purple flowers and 5" bright purple pods. Very tender and tasty, turning green when cooked. Germinates fine in cold wet soil. Introduced in 1957.
—Bean Whipple. (25) VBEA-WP. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
1/4 Pound: $6.00
Family heirloom from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, this is a dry bean for soups and stews. Beans are dark purple-red with white markings, and incredibly flavorful. Bushy plants with an occasional runner. Organically grown.
Other Types of Beans:
—Bean Adzuki. (50) VBEA-AD. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Phaseolus angularis. Small dark red beans eaten as dry beans or snap beans. High in protein. The tender young pods are eaten like snow peas, and the dry beans are often used for sprouting. "One of my favorite dry beans."—L. Martinez, California.
—Bean Fava Sweet Lorane. (30) VBEA-FSL. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
1/4 pound: $8.00
Small-seeded light colored beans bred for low tannin and sweet flavor. Re-selected by Alan Adesse to recover the best color and taste, Sweet Lorane can be eaten fresh like chickpeas or dried for soup. Very cold hardy and good nitrogen fixer. Organic.
—Bean Garbanzo Green Channa. (50) VBEA-GG. Packet: $1.50
Pound: $6.00
Cicer arietinum. An unusual garbanzo from India, with small, moss-green beans. They turn brown when cooked, with lots of flavor.
—Bean Garbanzo Kala Channa. (50) VBEA-GK. Packet: $2.00
Pound: $6.00
Cicer arietinum. A small, brown-seeded chick pea from India. Excellent for home gardens, good in dry, short-season areas. Not suited to cool coastal zones. Widely eaten in India fresh or dried, parched for snacks, ground into flour for sauces, pancakes, noodles, etc. An ancient snack food: Xenophanes, in the 6th century BC, spoke of "...drinking sweet wine and crunching chickpeas..."
NEW—Bean Sunset Runner. (20) VBEA-SUN. Packet: $3.50
This unusual runner bean is grown as much for the lovely peach-colored flowers as for the tasty pods. Vines reach 6 feet, bearing abundant short pods. Great fresh, frozen, or canned, and also used for dry shell beans.
BEETS
Beets are a good cool weather crop, and can be sown as early as soil can be worked. Sow 1/2" deep in rows 1 foot apart. Thin to 4", using the tender seedlings as early greens. A rich, light sandy loam, kept moist, is best for growing crisp, tender beets.
USDA Germination Standard: 65%.
—Beet Albino. (50) VBEE-AL. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
Pure white, round sweet beets. Never messy, no stains. Absolutely delicious.
—Beet Bull's Blood. (100) VBEE-BB. Packet: $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $15.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK
Strikingly beautiful deep blood-red-purple leaves with a wonderful sweet flavor. Dark red round roots are sweet and tasty, and the juice is used to make the only legal red food coloring in Sweden.
—Beet Chioggia. (50) VBEE-C. Packet: $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00 OUT OF STOCK
Round, flattened beets have striking red and white rings inside, and a sweet mild flavor. One of the finest beets for fresh eating or pickling. Italian heirloom, introduced to America in the 1840s.
—Beet Golden Detroit. (100) VBEE-GD. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
Round orange-gold beets stay sweet even when large. Tender, mild- flavored, and good for pickling.
—Beet McGregor's Favorite. (40) VBEE-MC. Packet: $3.00 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Unusual Scottish heirloom grown for the abundant long narrow leaves, which are deep violet-red with a distinctive metallic sheen. More tender than other beet or chard greens, makes terrific baby salad greens. Organically grown.
—Beet, Sugar Beet. (100) VBEE-SU. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $22.50, Pound: $48.00
Grown for the abundant leaves and the sweet whitish roots with a high sugar content. Roots about 8" long, weighing 2 - 5 pounds. Delicious cooked half and half with potatoes, and the leaves are excellent cooked like other beet greens.
—Beet Three Root Grex. (100) VBEE-GX. Packet: $3.00 ORGANIC SEED
Bred by Alan Kapuler, a cross of Lutz Overwintering, Crosby Purple Egyptian, and Yellow Intermediate Mangle. Produces beets of varied shapes and sizes, in red, pink, and orange, all sweet and tender. Excellent for greens, too.
BROCCOLI
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis. Sow in early spring for summer harvest, or in early fall for late fall or winter crop. Broccoli is a cool weather crop, and seeds may be started early indoors, setting out 2 - 3 weeks before last spring frost. Space 1 1/2 feet apart, in rows 2 feet apart. Likes full sun and a rich, moist well drained soil. Broccoli in the diet helps protect the body from damage due to high doses of X-rays.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%.
—Broccoli Calabrese. (500) VBRO-C. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
(=Early Italian Green Sprouting) 80 days. Introduced to the U.S. by Italian gardeners around the turn of the century, this variety produces 4 - 6" central heads of a deep blue-green color. Once the center head is cut, tender side shoots are produced in abundance for several months. In areas with a cool, mild climate year-round it may become perennial, giving an almost constant crop of sprouts of excellent flavor. "The Broccoli Early Italian made it through the drought and I was munching on it in December till a heavy ice killed it. It was a pretty big bush!"—D. Gyula, NJ, 1/96.
—Broccoli De Ciccio. (800) VBRO-DC. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
European type from 1890, producing many side shoots over a long season after the large central head is cut. Less uniform and more productive than hybrids, this is great for home gardens.
—Broccoli Early Purple Sprouting. (150) VBRO-PS. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $12.00
Bushy purple plants bred to grow slowly over winter to produce in spring a loose central head and abundant tender side-shoots. Purple shoots great in salads, raw with dip, or lightly cooked. Sow in fall for a spring harvest. Extremely hardy—with some protection it may overwinter in the Midwest.
—Broccoli Romanesco. (150) VBRO-RO. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $12.00
Amazing apple-green spiral heads, often blushed violet. Unique flavor and appearance, delicious lightly braised with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. We call it 'Mandelbroccoli, the Fractal Vegetable', because each small part is a copy of the whole.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Brassica oleracea var. gemnifera. An excellent cold weather crop, Brussels Sprouts may be sown in spring as early as soil can be worked, or in late summer for fall harvest. Transplant in rows 3 feet apart, setting plants 1 1/2 feet apart in the row. Breaking off the lower leaves as the sprouts develop will encourage a heavier yield.
USDA Germination Standard: 70%.
—Brussels Sprouts Catskill. (1000) VBRU-CS. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
An old-fashioned dwarf type to 2 feet tall, producing heavy yields of large deep green sprouts. Introduced commercially in 1941.
—Brussels Sprouts Long Island Improved. (500) VBRU-L. Packet: $1.50
90 days. An old favorite variety, early and very productive. Compact plants 20" tall, the stems tightly covered with round, firm, dark green sprouts. Well-known for its fine flavor, heavy yields and hardiness.
CABBAGE
Brassica oleracea var. capitata. Cabbage grows best in cool weather, in a deep, heavy, rich, loamy soil. Start indoors in early spring, planting out in 4 - 6 weeks, as soon as soil can be worked. Space plants 1 1/2 feet apart in rows 3 feet apart. For fall or winter harvest, sow seed directly to the garden 2 - 3 months before first frost.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%.
—Cabbage All Seasons. (1000) VCAB-AL. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00
Large, broad, flattened heads, very solid, reaching 10 - 14 pounds. Tolerates hot dry weather. Stores well and great for sauerkraut. Origin about 1890.
—Cabbage Brunswick. (1000) VCAB-B. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Hard to find old-fashioned drumhead type, to 6 - 9 pounds. Very reliable even in cold summers. Broad flat heads store well. Makes good sauerkraut. "The Brunswick cabbages were so huge I couldn't cut the last few. Needed an axe."—A.G., Quebec.
—Cabbage Early Round Dutch. (1000) VCAB-ERD. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Compact plants produce solid round green 2 - 5 pound heads. Fine flavor and slow to bolt.
—Cabbage Red Acre. (500) VCAB-RA. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $8.00
Solid round red-purple heads weighing 2 - 4 pounds. Compact, sure-heading, good for storage.
CARDOON: See Specialty Vegetables
CARROTS
Daucus carota var. sativa. For earliest crop, sow as soon as ground can be worked, in rows 1 - 1 1/2 feet apart, thinning to 2 - 4" apart in the row, according to variety. For succession, sow at intervals through mid-summer. A rich, sandy loam is best, but any good, well-cultivated soil will produce satisfactory crops.
USDA Germination Standard: 55%.
—Carrot Atomic Red. (100) VCAR-AT. Packet: $2.50
1 Ounce: $10.00
Deep crimson 8" carrots, slender and tapered. Both the scarlet color and the flavor intensify when cooked. High in lycopene, which may help prevent cancer. Mom was right, carrots are good for you!
—Carrot Black Nebula. (250) VCAR-BN. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $6.00, Ounce: $12.00
Deep dark purple all the way through, no orange center. Long and slender, with delicious flavor, and keeps its color when cooked.
—Carrot Black Spanish. (100) VCAR-BLS. Packet: $2.50 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Deep purple skin, pale yellow to white inside, with strong, spicy carrot flavor. Delicious roasted, creamed, or sliced thin for salads. Similar to the black carrots that arrived in Spain from North Africa in the 1300s. Organically grown.
—Carrot Cosmic Purple. (150) VCAR-CP. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $10.00
Striking dark purple skin and bright orange interior make this carrot a real eye-catcher. Good for farmer's markets. Slender, tapered 7" carrots. Sweet flavor and amazing color which remains after cooking. A favorite of children everywhere.
—Carrot Kuroda. (1000) VCAR-KU. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00
Deep orange Asian variety. Sweet, tender, and excellent for juicing. Heat tolerant, good in warm climates.
—Carrot Little Finger. (1000) VCAR-LF. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00
Gourmet baby carrot, developed in France for early harvest in 6 - 10 weeks. Slender 3" roots with almost no core, smooth skin, and dark orange color. Tender and sweet, used whole for dipping, stir frying, roasting, salads, etc. In France they are favorites for pickling or canning.
—Carrot Parisian. (1000) VCAR-PA. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: 6.00
Unusual French heirloom from the 1800s, with small round deep orange roots about the size of a golf ball. Great flavor and stores well.
—Carrot Scarlet Nantes. (1000) VCAR-SN. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Long, cylindrical roots to 7", with bright orange color and almost no core. An old favorite for its sweet flavor and fine grained flesh, one of the best for juicing. Colors early for baby carrots. Excellent keeper; can be harvested all winter if left in the ground with a good layer of mulch.
—Carrot Solar Yellow. (150) VCAR-SY. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $8.00
Thick, crunchy, tasty carrots are deep bright yellow, inside and out. Sweet and tender when harvested young for baby carrots, flavorful for soups and stews when large. Good color for farmer's markets.
CELERY
Apium graveolens var. dulce. Prefers a cool, extended season for best growth. A good summer or fall crop for the North, spring and winter in the South. Likes a very moist rich soil with good drainage. Start seed in flats and transplant out when 2 - 3" tall. Space 6" apart in rows 1 foot apart. Keep constantly moist, in full sun. May be blanched by tying the leaves together and gradually covering with soil to within a few inches of the top. Surface sow.
USDA Germination Standard: 55%.
—Celery Redventure (=Giant Red Reselection). (500) VCEL-R. Packet: $3.00 OTC ORGANIC SEED
1/4 Ounce: $9.00
Tall green stalks blushed deep red, with rosy-yellow hearts. More flavorful than green celery. Cold hardy. Organically grown.
—Celery Tendercrisp. (250) VCEL-TC. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $6.00
Tall, compact heads of thick deep green stalks.
"Question with boldness even the existence of God; because if there be one, He must approve the homage of Reason rather than that of blindfolded fear."—Thomas Jefferson.
CHERVIL
Anthriscus cerefolium. Hardy annual herb of the parsley family, with a caraway/cucumber flavor that blends well with fish, eggs, and meat. Good in soups, salads and herb butters. Cold hardy; sow in late summer or early spring, thin to 8" apart. Reaches 1 1/2 feet in height. Surface sow, needs light to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Chervil Plain Leaf. (500) VCHE-PL. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Broad, flat, light green leaves with a distinctive parsley-anise flavor. Used as a spring herb in soups and salads, and as a garnish with fish, meats and eggs. Used extensively in Europe, it is blended with chives and marjoram in fines herbes mixes. To 1 1/2 feet. Good in pots.
CHICORY (including Radicchio)
Chicorium Intybus. Perennial plants grown for their tender leaves and roots. The crisp, bitter leaves add flavor and bite to salads, and can be braised or boiled. The roots of all types can be dried and roasted, then ground for a coffee flavoring or substitute, or can be cooked and eaten like carrots or parsnips. Called radicchio in Italy, where they are very popular, chicories come in a variety of types, from loose-leaf to forcing. Most are harvested as needed, like lettuce, but the forcing varieties require extra care. Sow in late spring to summer, thinning to 6" apart, for harvest from fall to early spring. Many need up to 5 months to mature, but the leaves may be used throughout the growing period. Forcing chicories are grown over the hot season, then cut back to within 1" of the root crown about 3 weeks before first frost. They will then regrow, producing the beautiful red and white heads which are used for winter salads. Freezing weather brings out the color. Once cut back, plants may be left in the ground and mulched, or lifted and stored in a cool dark place while second growth occurs. Left uncut, frost will kill the outer leaves, and the heads will appear later beneath the dead summer growth. Their color and unique tart, crisp tenderness make them worth the extra effort. All chicories prefer a rich, moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Germinates best in the light, surface sow.
USDA Germination Standard: 65%.
—Chicory Italian Dandelion Chicory. (=Chiccoria Catalogna) (1000) VCHI-ID. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Deeply cut, long, wide leaves on quick growing plants which produce an abundance of young shoots in spring. The thick shoots and tender young leaves are eaten in salads or lightly steamed. They have a rich, delicate flavor that many prefer to asparagus. Sow in late summer after the peak of the hot season has passed. Thin to 1 foot apart, and allow the plants to develop over winter. 75 days.
NEW—Chicory Rouge De Verona. (1000) VCHI-RV. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 pound: $12.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
The classic round, red and white radicchio, an heirloom from Verona, Italy. Lettuce-like red-green leaves can be eaten at any stage, but a bit of care is needed to form the tight burgundy and white heads. Sow in summer and before first frost trim plants to 1 - 2" above ground. The round red and white heads will form for harvest over winter and spring. After cutting back, the plants can be dug and stored in a cool dark place. Flavor becomes milder and sweeter in cold weather.
NEW—Chicory Treviso. (1000) VCHI-TR. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 pound: $12.00
Striking tall non-heading radicchio, grown for decades near Treviso, Italy. Long tapering red-green leaves with white mid-ribs, crisp, tender, and slightly bitter. Turns deep red in cold weather. Flavor sweetens with cooking, popular for grilling, roasting, or braising. Sow in summer for harvest over winter and spring.
CHIVES: See Specialty Vegetables
COLLARDS: See Specialty Vegetables
CORN (Maize)
Zea Mays. Excellent corn can be raised in any good garden soil, but rich loam is best. Keep moist. Sow seed after all danger of frost is past. Plant 4 - 6 seeds 2 - 3" deep in hills 3 - 4 feet apart each way. When seedlings are 4" tall thin to the 2 most vigorous plants. May also be planted in rows, 1 foot apart in the row. Corn does not pollinate fully if planted in a single row; best in blocks.
The three types of commonly grown corn are: Sweet Corn, Field Corn, and Popcorn.
USDA Germination Standard: 75%.
Sweet Corn Varieties:
Sweet corn has a higher sugar content and less starch than the others, and is generally eaten fresh after boiling or steaming the ears for a few minutes. Ears are harvested before full maturity, when the kernels are very tender.
—Corn Chires Baby. (25) VCOR-CB. Packet: $2.50
Slender little ears to only 3 - 4" long, with tiny orange-red kernels. The tender young ears are eaten whole, cob and all. Best picked within 5 days after the silk appears. Wonderful pickles, or added to stir-fry or soups. Freezes well.
—Corn Country Gentleman. (100) VCOR-CG. Packet: $2.00
1/4 Pound: $6.00, Pound: $14.00
White sweet corn with tender milky kernels. A shoepeg type, the kernels are not in rows, but are tightly and irregularly packed on the cob. Bred and released by Frank Woodruff in 1890, becoming one of the most popular white sweet corns for decades.
—Corn Golden Bantam. (100) VCOR-GB. Packet: $2.00
1/2 Pound: $15.00
75 days. Early 8-rowed variety with plump, sweet golden kernels on 7 inch ears. To 6 feet. A favorite home garden variety since 1900.
—Corn Midnight Snack. (40) VCOR-MS. Packet: $2.00 OTC ORGANIC
1/2 Pound: $10.00
Wonderful sweet corn, kernels creamy yellow in the milk stage for fresh eating, maturing deep purple-black when dry. Fairly early, good in northern areas. Bred by Edwin Meader in 1978. Organic.
NEW—Corn Painted Hills. (50) VCOR-PH. Packet: $3.00 ORGANIC
1/4 pound: $12.00
Beautiful sweet corn bred by Alan Kapuler from a cross of Painted Mountain flour corn with Luther Hill heirloom sweet corn. Multi-colored kernels of red, yellow, purple, blue, and white. Color is pale at the fresh-eating stage, turning darker as the ears mature and dry. Organically grown by Alan Adesse.
Field Corn Varieties:
Field corn has more starch and is drier and less sweet than the other types, often with very large, flat, broad kernels. They are used after drying for meal, flour, hominy and fodder. Harvested when the ears are fully mature and the husks are dry. Most of the maize varieties grown by the American Indians were of this type. I have come to like field corn for on-the-cob eating, preferring its robust, hearty qualities. It is especially good Central American style, roasted over an open fire, and rubbed with a lime dipped in chili powder and salt.
—Corn Hopi Blue. (50) VCOR-HB. Packet: $2.00
1/2 Pound: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Ancient flint corn traditionally grown by the Hopi people in what is now Arizona. Dark blue kernels on large ears, produced on bushy 5 foot tall plants. Extremely drought tolerant and hardy. Ground into flour for making piki bread, or parched for stews, etc.
—Corn Japonica Striped Maize. (20) VCOR-JS. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $9.00
Incredibly lovely ornamental corn, with leaves striped white, yellow, bright pink, and green. Kernels are dark purple-red. Grows 5 - 6 feet tall, beautiful and unusual for borders or backgrounds. Originally from Japan in the 1890s. Space widely for best color.
—Corn Oaxacan Green. (25) VCOR-OX. Packet: $2.00
1/2 Pound: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Heirloom Zapotec variety with deep emerald-green kernels on 8 - 10" ears. Sturdy, drought-tolerant plants to 7 feet. Grown for centuries in Oaxaca, México, usually ground into flour for making green tamales. Young ears, called 'elotes', are sold fresh-grilled in the marketplace, eaten rubbed with lime-juice, chile powder, and salt. The most beautiful and delicious fresh corn we have eaten.
Popcorn Varieties:
Popcorns are smaller than other types, and are harvested after the cobs have dried on the stalks. Valued for its ability to pop when heated, it has been regarded as a festive food since ancient times.
—Popcorn Green Harvest. (100) VCOR-GH. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Striking ornamental with 4" ears with deep rich green kernels. Also great for popping.
—Popcorn Miniature Blue. (50) VCOR-MB. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
Striking dusky steel-blue kernels on tiny 5" ears. Plants grow 5 - 6 feet tall. Great popping corn, and makes beautiful fall decorations.
—Popcorn Pennsylvania Dutch Butter. (75) VCOR-PND. Packet: $2.00 ORGANIC SEED
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00 ORGANIC SEED
Heirloom grown since the 1880s, with melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and rich flavor—absolutely one of the best-tasting popcorns you can find. Plump white kernels on 4 - 6" ears. In Italy, popcorn is ground for meal, and this variety makes especially good white polenta. Organic seed.
CORN SALAD (also called Mache or Lamb's Lettuce)
Valerianella olitoria. A small, quick-growing annual for fall, winter and spring use. Forms rosettes of tender, deep green leaves which are delicious in salads or lightly cooked and served like spinach. Sow in early spring and again in fall. Treat like lettuce, spacing plants 3 - 4" apart. During very cold weather, a light covering of straw will preserve the plants for early salad greens. Germinates best at cool temperatures.
USDA Germination Standard: 70%.
—Corn Salad. (1000) VCOS-CS. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
Compact rosettes of delicate, glossy green leaves with a mild, nutty flavor.
CRESS
Small-leaved succulent herbs with a spicy, peppery flavor that goes well in salads mixed with milder greens. Sow in spring, allowing close growth in rows 1 foot apart. Prefers moist soil. Seed sprouts quickly, and may be sown successively every few days until the beginning of hot weather, and again in late summer. Easily grown vitamin-rich greens.
—Cress Upland or Winter Cress. (1000) VCRE-U. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $9.00
Barbarea verna. Round leaves similar to watercress, with a pleasantly warm flavor. Not aquatic, it grows well on dry land. Good pot herb. Does not require succession sowings. Surface sow, light helps. USDA Germination Standard: 60%.
NEW—Cress Wrinkled Crinkled. (500) VCRE-WC. Packet: $2.50 ORGANIC
1/4 ounce: $7.50
Crinkled, curled, and savoyed leaves add spice and body to salads and stir-fries. Holds up better than other cress, with the same peppery tang. Nice addition to salad and braising mixes. Organically-grown.
CUCUMBERS
Cucumis sativus. Sow in late spring or early summer in hills 4 feet apart. Plant 8 - 10 seeds per hill. Thin to the 3 or 4 best plants. May be sown early in pots, 4 - 6 weeks before planting out. When transplanting, take care not to disturb the roots. Will produce all abundance of fruit in any good garden soil. Pick cucumbers when dark green, before fully ripened and yellow, or they will die back. Wet soil prevents germination.
USDA Germination Standard: 80%.
—Cucumber Armenian Green. (50) VCUC-AG. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00
Long slender pale green cucumbers, ribbed and curving, with a thin, tender skin—needs no peeling. Said to have been brought to Italy from Armenia in 1400. Crisp and mild, one of the best for salads.
—Cucumber Barese. (50) VCUC-BA. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
Italian heirloom with small oval light green fruits, crisp and tasty, covered with downy fuzz. Eat as cucumbers when young, they develop a sweeter, melon-like flavor, and become ribbed.
—Cucumber Brown Russian. (50) VCUC-BRR. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $8.00
Click for photo »
Everyone who grows this says it is the strangest looking and best tasting cucumber on the planet. Ukrainian heirloom with distinctive brown netted skin and crisp white flesh. Mellow flavor, never harsh or bitter, best at 5 - 7". Hardy and prolific.
—Cucumber Bush Hog. (100) VCUC-BH. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $8.00
Wonderfully odd little cucumbers, spiny like hedgehogs, striped light and dark green. The 2 - 3" fruits are slightly bitter, but make delicious pickles. Compact plants, great for kids' gardens.
—Cucumber Crystal Apple. (50) VCUC-CR. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
Small oval cucumbers, white to pale yellow, crisp, juicy, and tender. Said to have come from Australia or New Zealand in the 1920s or 1930s.
—Cucumber Improved Long Green. (50) VCUC-IM. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00
Introduced in 1842, this fine variety has been a favorite in home gardens for over 150 years. Medium-green 10" fruits with few seeds, crisp and flavorful. Dependable and high yielding, good for both pickles and slicing.
—Cucumber National Pickling. (100) VCUC-NP. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00
Developed by the National Pickle Packer's Association, this is one of the best pickling varieties. Short, thick, dark green 6 - 7" cucumbers. Also great fresh for salads.
—Cucumber Parisian Pickle. (50) VCUC-PP. Packet: $2.50
Classic French heirloom, picked young for pickling as cornichons, for slicing when larger. Known in Europe since the late 1800s.
NEW—Cucumber Spacemaster 80. (40) VCUC-SP. Packet: $2.50 ORGANIC
Ounce: $6.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
The perfect cucumber for small areas or containers. Compact plants need 1/3 of the space of other varieties, and adapted to a wide range of conditions. Produces abundant crops of 7 - 8" dark green fruits. Organically-grown.
—Cucumber Suyo Long. (100) VCUC-SU. Packet: $2.50
Chinese variety with slender, ribbed, dark green 10 - 18" cucumbers. Crisp, tender, not bitter. Great for salads, or sliced for bread and butter pickles.
DILL: See Specialty Vegetables