There is nothing like ordering your favorite seed catalogs, and by spring planning your yearly garden.  However, if you’re like me they begin to stack up and some never get read. This site has you in mind.  I currently have a stack of seed catalogs at my feet and I’ve gone through every one of them so I could incorporate their seed varieties into the site.  I’ve given you a one-step guide to seed varieties and where to find them.  For seed varieties see Heirloom and Hybrid pages.

I encourage vegetable garden enthusiasts to check out all the seed catalog web sites for full details of the vegetables listed.  The heirloom seed catalogs have a wealth of information about rare sustainable seeds that I simply don’t have the space to provide.  There, of course, are other vegetable seed catalogs available, but charge for the catalog.  I have not listed these catalogs.  I understand they want to re-coop their printing cost, but I feel we are doing them a service by possibly becoming their customer.  There are also on line only vegetable companies that I haven’t included simply because I can’t work off a web site in order to add each of their offerings.    I like to work from a printed catalog.  However, those on line companies I feel you can benefit from I’ve listed below.

Many of the seed catalogs listed have signed the Safe Seed Pledge, which states (very briefly).  We pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.  There, of course, is much more to this pledge, but you can be assured these companies want to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agriculture ecosystems and ultimately healthier people and communities.

For a current complete list of all companies who have signed the Safe Seed Pledge, contact:  The Safe Seed Initiative, c/o Council for Responsible Genetics, 5 upland Road, #3, Cambridge, MA  02140.  617 868-0870.

SEED CATALOG                                                 CATALOG CODE

Annie’s Heirloom Seeds                                   ANN
www.AnniesHeirloomSeeds.com
P.O. Box 467
Beaver Island, MI 49782

E-mail [email protected]

Charming catalog of heirloom seed and herb varieties.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds                          BAK
www.rareseeds.com
2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, MO  65704

Beautiful catalog with lots of colored pictures.  They also have a Petaluma, California store.  All their seed is non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patiented.  Safe Seed Pledge.

The Petaluma Seed Bank
199 Petaluma Blvd., North
Petaluma, CA 94952  
707 773-1336 
Email:  [email protected]

Botanical Interests                                                BOT
www.botanicalinterest.com
660 Compton Street
Broomfield, CO  80020

Lots of vegetables listed in this interesting catalog.

Bountiful Gardens                                                 BOU
www.bountifulgardens.org
18001 Shafer Ranch Road
Willits, CA   95490
707 459-1925

Heirloom, untreated, open-pollinated seeds for sustainable growing.  Dedicated to ecology.  Very nice and informational catalog.  Safe Seed Pledge.

Burgess Seed and Plant Co.                            BURG                       
www.EBurgess.com
905 Four Seasons Road
Bloomington, IL 61701-6143
309 622-7761

They have been in business since 1912.  Lots of color photos.  Has garden supplies.

Burpee                                                                   BURP
www.burpee.com
300 Park Avenue
Warminster, PA 18978
1 800 888-1477

This has been the popular seed catalog for gardeners over the years.  Lots of colored pictures and garden supplies.    Hybrids and some heirloom seeds.

Comstock Seeds                                                 COM
www.comstockferre.com
263 Main Street
Wethersfield, CT 06109
They don’t take phone orders.

Heirlooms, non-GMO, non-patented and non-hybrid seeds.  Comstock, Ferre & Company is 200 years old.  The catalog is chocked full of colored pictures.  Comstock seeds are mostly Northern varieties that will do well in shorter growing seasons.

The Cook’s Garden                                            COO
www.cooksgarden.com
P.O. Box C5030
Warminster, PA  18978
1 800 457-9703

Hybrid and heirloom seeds and organic plants for gourmet gardeners.  Colorful catalog with lots of pictures, perfect for kitchen gardeners.  Also has gardening supplies.

Gourmet Seed International                  GOU
www.gourmetseed.com
www.italianseedandtool.com
HC 12 Box 510
Tatum, NM 88267-9700

Hybrid and heirloom seeds.  Wonderful selection of Bavicchi Italian seeds and supplies.  Safe Seed Pledge.  No longer has a catalog, only online, and well worth visiting for Italian varieties.

Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co.                GUR
www.Gurneys.com
P.O. Box 4178
Greendale, IN 47025-4178
513 354-1492

Large format catalog with tons of colored vegetable pictures.  You can order a climate zone map from them.   Sells hybrid and a few heirloom seeds.

Harris Seeds                                             HAR
www.harrisseeds.com
355 Paul Rd.
Rochester, NY 14624-0966
1 800 544-7938

Lots of vegetable varieties, hybrid and heirloom.  Has garden supplies.  They provide some untreated and organic seeds.

Henry Fields                                             HEN
www.HenryFields.com
P.O. Box 397
Aurora, IN 47001-0397
513 354-1494

A seed and nursery company since 1892.  Offers a full array of vegetables and supplies.

Irish Eyes Garden Seeds                         IRI
www.irisheyesgardenseeds.com
5045 Robinson Canyon Rd.
Ellensburg, WA 98926
509 933-7150

Large selection of potatoes, garlic, shallots, onions and organic vegetable seeds.  Safe Seed Alliance, and Safe Seed Pledge.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds                        JOH
www.Johnnyseeds.com
955 Benton Avenue
Winslow, ME  04901-2601
1 877 564-6697

Lots of colored photos, information and garden supplies.  Safe Seed Pledge.

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds   JOHN
www.kitchengardenseeds.com
23 tulip Drive
P.O. Box 638
Bantam, CT 06750-0638
860 567-6086

Chocked full of heirlooms.

Kitazawa Seed Co.                                     KIT
www.kitazawaseed.com
P.O. Box 13220
Oakland, CA 94661-3220
510 595-1188

I highly recommend this Asian vegetable seed catalog.  They have been a California based business for 94 years.  I couldn’t have included the Asian sections without this catalog as guidance.  They explain each variety and their Asian names.  There are also tempting Oriental vegetable recipes along with lots of information.  No GMO seed.

Native Seeds /Search                          NAT
www.nativeseeds.org
3584 E. River Road
Tucson, AZ 85718
866 622-5561 x 6

This is a nonprofit organization that promotes the use of ancient crops by gathering and working to preserve knowledge about their uses.  A wonderful resource for gardeners.

Neseed                                                                    NES
www.neseed.com
3580 Main Street, Bldg. #10
Hartford, CT 06120
800-825-5477]

No GMO seeds.  Have organic seed, flower seed, herb seed, Italian gourmet seed and gardening supplies.

Nichols Garden Nursery                          NIC
www.nicholsgardennursery.com
1190 Old Salem Road NE
Albany, OR 97321-4580
1 800 422-3985

Lots of garden information, vegetables and garden supplies.  Widely adapted varieties that grow well in the Northwest.  Safe Seed Pledge.

Park Seed                                                 PAR
www.parkseed.com
1 Parkton Avenue
Greenwood, SC 29647-0001
1 800 845-3369

Park Seed has been around since 1868.  They carry hybrid and some heirloom seeds.  Very nice catalog.  Has garden supplies.

Plants of the Southwest                         PLA
www.plantsofthesouthwest.com
3095 Agua Fria
Santa Fe, NM  87507
1 899 788-7333

There are a few vegetable varieties.  Wonderful company for native Southwest plants.

Potato Garden                                          POT
www.PotatoGarden.com
12101 2135 Rd.
Austin, CO  81410
1 800 314-1955

If you’re a potato lover you’ll like this catalog.  All potatoes, hybrid and heirlooms.

Seeds from Italy                                     SEE
www.growitalian.com
P.O. Box 3908
Lawrence, KS  66046
785 748-0959

This catalog has a wonderful selection of authentic  Italian seeds.  The American  mail-order distributor for  Franchi Sementi, Italy’s oldest family-owned seed company.  Most of the seeds are open-pollinated heirlooms that have been handed down through the generations because of their flavor.  They have signed the Safe Seed Pledge.

Seed Savers Exchange                          SEED
www.seedsavers.org
3094 North Winn Road
Decorah, IA  52101

Beautiful catalog with colored pictures and heirloom seed histories.  Heirloom and open-pollinated seeds.  Seed saving supplies.   Safe Seed Pledge.

R.H Shumway’s                                        SHU
www.rhshumway.com
334 W. Stroud St., Suite 1
Randolph, WI  53956-1274
1 800 324-9461

Old-fashioned large illustrated garden catalog in newsprint paper.  It’s like stepping back in time visually, but up to date in products.  142-year-old company.  Catalog tends to be confusing to read, but fun.  Hybrid and some heirloom seeds.  Garden products.

Seeds from Italy                                      SEE
www.growitalian.com
P.O. Box 3908
Lawrence, KS 66046 
785 748-0659

This catalog is devoted to the world of Italian seeds.  They are a mail-order distributor for Franchi Sementi, Italy’s oldest family-owned seed company.  Most of the seeds are open-pollinated heirlooms that have been handed down through the generations because of their flavor.  They have signed the Safe Seed Pledge.  

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange       SOU
[email protected]
P.O. Box 460
Mineral, VA  23117
540 894-9480

Their mission is to ensure that people retain and control of their food supply, that genetic resources are conserved and that gardeners have the option of saving their own seed.  Hybrid and lots of heirloom seeds and seed stories.  Choked full of information.  Some garden supplies.  Varieties for the Southeast, but will grow well in other areas.  Safe Seed Pledge.

Stokes Seeds                                             STO
www.StokeSeeds.com
P.O. Box 548
Buffalo, NY  14240-0548
1 800 396-9238

A seed company since 1881.  Hybrid and some heirloom seeds.  Lots of colored pictures. Garden supplies.  No GMO seeds.

Territorial Seed Company                       TER
www.territorialseed.com
P.O. Box 158
Cottage Grove, OR  97424-0061
541 942-9547

Nice catalog, lots of pictures.  Carries hybrid and open-pollinated seeds.  Has garden supplies.  Northwest varieties that will do well in other growing areas.  Safe Seed Pledge.

Terroir Seeds                                            TERR
www.underwoodgardens.com
P.O. Box 4995
Chino Valley, AZ  86323
888 878-5247

Heirloom and open-pollinated seeds.  Safe Seed Pledge.  They also have a wide variety of herbs, both culinary and for medical.  Their newsletter The Heirloom Times has informative articles that you’ll want to archive for future use.  Included are a number of gardening books and themed seed collections.

The Pepper Gal                                         THE
www.peppergal.com
P.O. Box 23006
Ft. Lauderdale, FL  33307-3006
954 537-5540

Specialists in hot, sweet, and ornamental peppers.  Some tomatoes, pumpkins and garden supplies.

Thompson & Morgan                                THO
www.tmseeds.com
P.O. Box 4086
Lawrenceburg, IN  47025-4086
1 800 274-7333

Lots of colored pictures.  Hybrid and some heirloom seeds.

Tomato Growers Supply Company       TOM
www.tomatogrowers.com
P.O. Box 60015
Ft. Myers, FL 33906
1-888-478-7333

Non GMO seeds.  Committed to providing high quality seed and promoting gardening at home and in the community.  They offer more than just tomatoes.

Totally Tomatoes                                      TOT
www.totallytomatoes.com
334 West Stroud St., Ste. 2
Randolph, WI  53956-1342
1 800 345-5977

Lots of colored photos.  They carry more than just tomatoes, a nice selection of other salad vegetables and garden products.  Hybrid and heirloom seeds.  Garden information and garden supplies.

On line seed sites worth the visit

Farmer John   [email protected]
Excellent source for heirloom seeds.   No catalog, but lots of heirlooms to pick from.

Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply  www.GrowOrganic.com
Peaceful Valley has a printed catalog with all types of garden needs, but they don’t feature their seeds.  They include in their catalog everything from pest control, watering, canning, pest management, soil nutrients and many more products.  All organic.  I highly recommend this company.

Sustainable Seed Co.   www.sustainableseedco.com
If you love heirloom varieties, this company has 1,566 seed varieties to choose from, all organic.  They don’t offer a seed catalog, but their web site is well worth the visit.

How well the garden does in any particular year depends on a number of variables beyond the gardener’s control:  the weather, seeds that don’t sprout, insect infestations, birds that eat seedlings, gophers, and so on.  While you have no choice about many of these developments,  I provide some gardening expertise to make your work a little easier, increase the yields of your crops, and  solve some troublesome gardening problems.

Vegetable growing requirements don’t change.  

For a complete list of vegetable varieties see Heirloom and Hybrids.

ARTICHOKES
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cynara scolymus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  Artichokes bear one year after planting, sometimes the first summer.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant root divisions during the spring.  You can also sow seeds indoors at 70 degrees F about three months before the last frost.  Set them out in a protected area with southern exposure.
SOIL:  Light, sandy, well-drained.
NUTRIENTS:  In summer, apply a fish emulsion at 10-day intervals.
WATER: Water well and often through spring and summer.  Never allow roots to dry.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Space plants 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Cut the unripened flower heads before the bracts begin to separate.
STORAGE:  Artichokes can be stored in a refrigerator drawer only a few days.

Artichoke Growing Tips

Better Taste
When summers are especially hot, the heat will open the leaf buds, causing the edible part of the artichoke (the leaf bract) to become tough and leathery.  To avoid this, harvest the buds when they are still closed tight.  At this stage, they’ll be absolutely succulent.

Summer Artichokes
Gardeners in hot areas sometimes have trouble growing artichokes because they dry out.  Spreading lawn clippings around the roots will retain moisture and keep the artichoke happy.

ASPARAGUS
BOTANICAL NAME: Asparagus officinalis
DAYS TO MATURITY: The first crop will come during the third year if the plant is grown from seeds.  It will take two years if it’s started from year-old roots.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow seeds indoors in midwinter or in a hotbed in early spring.  Transplant the seedlings outdoors in the spring when all danger of frost has passed.
SOIL:  Sandy loam; pH 6-9-8.0.
NUTRIENTS:  In early spring, feed with a “complete” organic fertilizer.  Fertilize again in the summer with fish emulsion (follow the directions on the package) after harvesting the spears.
WATER:  Do not irrigate during winter months.  Soak the roots thoroughly whenever the soil begins to dry out.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Dig a trench 8-10 inches deep and 12 inches wide.  Then form a shallow ridge 8 inches high at the base.  Space the crowns 12-18 inches apart with the small, stringy roots spread over both sides of the ridge.  Cover the crowns with 2-3 inches of soil.
HARVEST:  As the young plants grow, fill in the trench little by little.  Don’t harvest any spears the first year.  During the second year, when the foliage turns brown in late fall, cut the stems to the ground.
STORAGE:  Use fresh or pickled.

Asparagus Growing Tips

Cut Low
To keep asparagus growing at top speed year after year, cut the stalks to within 2 inches of the ground after the first fall frost.  Do this after the leaves turn yellow but before the berries on the female plants fall.  If the berries are allowed to drop, they will produce seedlings that will compete with the established plants and reduce overall production.

Straight Spears
When gardeners cultivate too vigorously with a hoe, they wind up with misshaped, crooked, or curved asparagus spears.  Slow down and take care not to nick the spears when you weed.  These nicks affect the spears’ growth.

More Asparagus
Cutting back asparagus foliage always reduces the next crop.  To make your asparagus go that extra mile, support the growing foliage with stakes and wires.  This keeps the bed tidy and ensures the biggest crop possible each year.

Better Production
To increase your asparagus yield almost immediately, strip off the green peppercorn-size berries as they appear on the fronds of the female plants.

BEANS, GREEN
BOTANICAL NAME:  Phaseolus vulgaris
DAYS TO MATURITY:  40-80, depending on variety.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant after the ground has warmed to at least 60 degrees F.  You can also start them under glass or polyethylene two or four weeks before the last frost date.  For a continuous supply, plant every two weeks.
SOIL:  Do not plant beans where other beans have grown in the past three years.  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  With the help of soil bacteria, beans draw nitrogen from the air for growth.  Feed plants every three to four weeks with organic fertilizer or fish emulsion.
WATER:  Water regularly and thoroughly all season.  Avoid overhead watering.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1-1 1/2 inches deep, 3 inches apart.  If you are growing pole green beans, place them 6 inches apart along fences or bean poles.
HARVEST:  Pole beans are best harvested when young.  Bush beans can be picked at any stage but have a better flavor when young.  By keeping the beans picked, you will extend the season.
STORAGE:  Use fresh, canned or frozen.

Green Bean Growing Tips

Bush Pole Beans
To magically turn pole beans into bushy vines, pinch off the growing tips every time they exceed 12 inches.  This keeps the plants at easy-picking height and doubles the crop over comparable bush beans.

Bean Tower Power
Beans go crazy when properly supported by a bean tower.  A tower of bean tower grows up to 20 pounds of Kentucky Wonder beans a season.  Construct the tower from 3/4-inch  PVC pipe.  Drill 1/8-inch holes 6 inches apart in the bottom crosspieces.  By hooking them up to a hose, you can irrigate the plants’ root zones below grown.

Bean Jungle
You can double the harvest of beans per vine by growing them up a trellis or large-mesh wire fencing rather than up wires or strings.  Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 3 inches apart, after the soil temperature exceeds 60 degrees F.  Although this creates a jungle of foliage, the beans can be picked easily at all levels.  

Protecting Beans
Radishes planted around both pole and bush beans enhances the beans’ flavor and repel bean beetles.  Radishes are ready every 24 to 30 days, so reseed every 10 days or so.

The Snap Test
To pick green beans when they’re first-rate, apply the snap test.  If a pod breaks in half with a succulent crack, it is ripe.  If the older pods are not diseased, throw them into the compost.

Bean Sculpture
To create a unique bean tower, nail two old 26-inch bicycle wheels to a fence or post.  Plant pole beans 6 inches apart along the base of the first wheel.  The beans will eventually grow in and out, up and sideways, along the spokes, creating some unusual patterns.

BEANS, LIMA
BOTANICAL NAME:  Phaseolus lunatus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  60-90.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow outdoors about four weeks after the last frost.
SOIL:  Light, warm, and sandy:  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Lima beans supply their own nitrogen.  Feed them every three or four weeks with fish emulsion.
WATER:  Avoid overhead watering.  Keep moist and don’t allow a crust to form over the soil surface.  Don’t over water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1-1 1/2 inches deep.  Thin bush beans to 3 inches apart.  Thin pole beans to 6 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Pick the pods of limas as soon as they begin to look lumpy and before they turn yellow.
STORAGE:  If you have too many beans, dry them for future use by letting the pods mature on the vine and turn beige.  Remove the dried beans and heat them in a 130 degrees F oven for an hour to kill any weevils.  Store them in sacks or seals jars in a dry place.  Some varieties can be frozen.

Lima Bean Growing Tips

Peak Flavor
The large white or speckled lima beans are at their peak flavor when the beans are fully formed in the pods.  To test, simply shell several pods that seem to be full, then choose pods with a similar feel.  This test will not work for baby limas or baby butter beans.

Early Harvest
You can gain a couple of weeks on the season by sprouting lima bean seeds on a windowsill inside wet paper towels.  When they start to sprout, set them outside.  Stick the sprouting seeds with sprout tips showing in the ground the minute the soil warms up.

BEANS, DRIED OR SHELL
BOTANICAL NAME:  Phaseolus vulgaris
DAYS TO MATURITY:  90-125.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant outdoors when the soil has warmed to 65-70 degrees F and all danger of frost is past.
SOIL:  Well-drained; pH 6 .0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  These legumes supply their own nitrogen.  Apply fish emulsion every three or four weeks during the growing season.
WATER:  Water weekly to a 1-inch depth.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1-1 1/2 inches deep, 3 inches apart.  For row planting, space 2 feet apart.  For pole beans, space 6 inches apart.  
HARVEST:  Pick pods in the fall when plants’ leaves have fallen.   Dry on a screen or hang plants upside down.  Shell by threshing in a burlap sack or by hand.
STORAGE:  Keep the dried beans in a capped jar.

BEETS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Beta vulgaris
DAYS TO MATURITY:  48-80.
PLANTING TIME:  The first sowing should be done two to four weeks before the last spring frost date.  Sow additional crops every two weeks or so.
SOIL:  Light, loamy, and well-drained;  pH 6.0-7.5
NUTRIENTS:  When seedlings are 3-4 inches high, feed them with fish emulsion.  A light application of organic nitrogen is the only fertilizing they need.
WATER:  In dry weather, water thoroughly to prevent wilting.  Water overhead to keep both the tops the the roots crisp.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Beet seeds come in clumps containing three or more seeds.  Sow these clumps 1/2 inch deep and 1 inch apart; stamp on the soil after the seed has been covered. Rows should be 14-16 inches apart.  For intensive beds, you can plant about 20 beets per square foot.
HARVEST:  Start harvesting beets when they are 3/4 inch in diameter.  Most varieties lose their flavor if they are allowed to grow larger than 3 inches in diameter.
STORAGE:  Beets should be used fresh or pickled.

Beet Growing Tips

Redder Beets
To produce bright red beets, sprinkle the bed lightly with table salt–about a spoonful per foot.  this improves the growth and color of the roots and eliminates white rings.

Tough Beets
Tough beets are often caused by insufficient water or irregular watering.  Water beets when the soil is dry 2 or more inches down (check with a trowel).  Do not let the soil dry out at any time during the growing period.

Winter Beets
Every good cook likes to grow a few beets to pop into winter salads.  Space 30 beet seeds in a 8-inch pot filled with potting mix.  Keep this watered and on a windowsill.  Thin to 10 well-spaced plants.  Use the beet greens and roots when needed.

BROCCOLI
BOTANICAL NAME: Brassica oleracea italica
DAYS TO MATURITY:  47-90 plus.
PLANTING TIME:  Broccoli can be started indoors or in a hotbed two to three months before the last spring frost.  Plant seedlings in the ground four to six weeks before the last frost.  Broccoli does best when temperatures remain between 40 and 70 degrees F through the growing season.  
SOIL:  Rich, heavy;   pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Broccoli is a heavy feeder.  Nourish once a month with fish emulsion or with an organic liquid nitrogenous fertilizer, such as 1 tablespoon of blood meal mixed with 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Never allow its roots to dry during the summer months.  Neither should you water log broccoli.  A light mulching will help keep the soil moist.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow 1/2 inch deep, 1-1 1/2 feet apart.  For a traditional row garden, space rows 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  The plants are ready for picking just before the buds begin to open.  Harvest them with a knife, cutting the stems 6 inches beneath the bud clusters.  Some varieties produce edible side branches; other produce a central head with so side shoots.
STORAGE:  Use broccoli fresh.

Broccoli Growing Tips

Fully Packed
Broccoli often produces premature, small, scattered heads when young plants are subjected to temperatures below 40 degrees F before or shortly after planting.  Shield your plants in early spring with hot caps or other protective devices.

Broccoli Factory
Some gardeners continuously produce edible broccoli buds like they’re running a production line.  Their secret:  after harvesting the main head, you must pick the developing buds every three or four days as long as the plant continues to produce.  Once you let a few developing buds flower, the action stops, and you’re out of business until next season.

Firm Anchor
To stop mature broccoli plants from tipping over, make a hole with a trowel.  Plant each seedling so the base of its leaves is only a finger’s breath above the soil surface.  Since the plant develops a heavy superstructure, this extra depth provides firmer anchorage.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica oleracea gemmifera
DAYS TO MATURITY:  80-140.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow seeds 120 days before the first expected frost.  The minimum soil temperature is 40 degrees F.
SOIL:  Almost any kind of soil is fine, although they don’t like overly acidic conditions; pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize the plants three times during the growing season.  Apply fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon blood meal mixed into 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Sprouts need plenty of water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep.  For rows, plant 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  When the sprouts are firm and deep green, snap or trim them from the stalk.  They have the best flavor when they are 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Mild frost improves the flavor.  Pick the lower leaves off when you harvest the sprouts but don’t remove the top leaves.
STORAGE:  They are best used fresh.

Brussels Sprouts Growing Tips

 From Bottom to Top
To harvest brussels sprouts properly, start at the bottom, snapping them off as you go up.   Always remove the leaves below the picked sprouts.  Leave the small top sprouts and any that are smaller than 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Hungry Birds
The birds in your garden probably love brussels sprouts as much as you do.  Save these vegetables for yourself by pulling wire or plastic netting over the top of each row (leave the ends open).  This stops the birds’ feasting and lets you harvest the entire crop without interference.

Good Anchorage
To stop brussels sprouts from tipping over just before harvest time, shore up the soil around the plant stem one month after planting.  This anchors the plant firmly.

CABBAGE
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica oleracea capitata
DAYS TO MATURITY:  45-120.
PLANTING TIME:  Set out transplants four to six weeks before the last frost.  In mild winter areas, plant in fall or winter.  
SOIL:  Medium light, well-drained;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Apply fish emulsion every three to four weeks, or use 1 tablespoon of blood meal mixed in 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Never let cabbage wilt.  Mulch helps keep the soil moist and cool.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 2-2 1/2 feet apart.  Plant rows 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  When the heads are firm, cut cabbages off at the base of the stalk.
STORAGE:  Use fresh, ferment for sauerkraut, or store in a cool place.

Cabbage Growing Tips

Cut-and-Come-Again
You can easily turn your cabbage plants into a vegetable factory.  When you remove a head, cut squarely across the stem leaving four or more leaves.  Then cut a shallow slit across the top of the stump.  The cabbage plant will produce up to five smaller cabbage heads within six weeks after this cutting.

Bolting Solution
Nothing is quite so frustrating as cabbage that grows furiously in the spring and then suddenly changes from the leafy to the flowering stage (bolt).  This frequently occurs when young plants are exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees F for two to three weeks.  The larger the transplants, the faster they seem to flower.  To avoid this, select and plant seedlings with stems about the size of a lead pencil.

Super Cabbages
To create colossal cabbages, try this technique before transplanting.  Dig or rototill 4 inches of dried horse manure into the top 6 inches of the bed soil.  When you’re finished, spread out 10 pounds of wood ashes per 50 square feet of bed.  Rake the bed smooth and put in the transplants.  This helps increase the size and weight of the heads.

Variety Soil Typing
Veteran gardeners select their cabbage varieties to fit the type of soil they have.  Early cabbages (those that mature in about 75 days) do best in light soil.  Fall/winter cabbages (those that need at least 110 days to mature) do best in heavy, damp soil.

Color Coding
Purple is your clue when it comes to selecting cabbage transplants in the spring.  A purple coloring on green cabbage indicates that the seedlings have been properly hardened off (conditioned to outside temperatures) and will be able to survive spring conditions in the garden.

Plate-Size Cabbage
To produce dinner-plate-size cabbages, space plants 8-10 inches apart.  Although the closer spacing means the heads will be smaller, you will produce more pounds of cabbage in the same soil.

Head Start
give your cabbage transplants a head start;  dig the hole deeper than usual–at least 12 inches deep–and fill it with peat moss.  The roots can then spread out and grow down.  If cabbage transplants are placed in a shallow hole, the roots grow toward the surface and the plants develop slowly.

Doubling Up
An experienced gardener likes to get double and triple duty out of every garden.  To double up in the cabbage patch, plant leaf lettuce between your cabbage transplants.  When the cabbage begins to squeeze out the lettuce, pull out the lettuce plants and allow the cabbages to take over.

Put Them on Hold
If too many cabbage heads are ready at the same time, pull up the extra heads with their roots and place them head down on a bed of straw, hay, or dry leaves.  An alternative is to hang the plants upside down on a nail or wire.  Either way, they will keep well into winter.

Bird Attack
You can protect cabbage seedlings from marauding birds by covering them completely with a few wire loops and netting.  When the plants are about 8 inches high, remove the netting.

CARDOON
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cynara cardunculus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  110-140.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant the seeds in late spring.
SOIL:  Rich and moist.
NUTRIENTS:  In late summer, feed them weekly with fish emulsion.
WATER:  From late spring to early autumn, water well.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow groups of 3-4 seeds in a trench 1 inch deep at 1 1/2-foot intervals.
HARVEST:  Allow a month of blanching before harvesting cardoon.  To blanch, wrap long strips of thick, brown paper around the plants, starting at the bottom, then pack soil around the bottoms.  If you don’t want to blanch them at the end of summer, you can wait until winter and simply eat them as you want them.
STORAGE:  Cardoon must be kept in a completely dark place.

Cardoon Growing Tips

Taste Treat
Pamper cardoon with a cup of fish emulsion or a diluted chicken-manure solution every two to three weeks as they grow.  This prevents the leaf stalks from becoming pithy and tasteless due to sluggish growth.  At the same time, make sure the plants never dry out.

Black Plastic Magic
If you can’t wait for a bite of cardoon, wind black plastic mulch around the stems, leaving the leafy tops exposed, and tie with brown cord.  The stalks will be blanched and ready to eat in about four weeks compared to the six to eight weeks required when you use other materials.

CARROTS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Daucus carota sativa
DAYS TO MATURITY:  50-110.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow carrots in the ground two to four weeks after the last frost.  Continue to sow at three week intervals.  In warmer regions, where winter temperatures rarely fall below 25 degrees F, sow in late summer for a fall/winter crop.
SOIL:  Light, sandy loam that’s free of rocks;  pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize twice during the growing season.  Apply fish emulsion.  Push soil up around carrot base to prevent the root tops from turning green.
WATER:  Maintain even soil moisture.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow 1/2 inch deep, about 4 seeds per inch.  Space rows 14-17 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Carrots store well in the ground; dig them up as you need them.  You can also keep carrots between layers of dry sand in a box that you should put in a frost-proof shed (cut off the tops and pack them evenly) or store them outside covered with straw.
STORAGE:  Leave in ground:  use fresh, canned, or frozen.

Carrot Growing Tips

Sprout Them Fast
To ensure uniform germination, try covering your seedbed with a sheet of clear plastic.  Carrots are a cool weather crop but won’t germinate well in early spring when the soil temperature is below 49 degrees F.  The plastic covering heats up the soil and maintains moisture.  Uncover the seedbed on warm, sunny days to keep the soil temperature from exceeding 95 degrees F.

Scorched Earth
Home gardeners who have weed problems should take a tip from commercial growers.  Wait seven or eight days after sowing your carrot beds, then scorch the earth lightly using a small propane tank equipped with a nozzle (home building stores will sell them).  This kills the weeds to give the growing carrots a better chance.

Mix and Match
To grow a great carrot crop in less-than-perfect soil, you’ll need to match the carrot variety to the soil type.  In rocky or shallow soil, plant Oxheart or Nuggets.  In heavy, clay soil, plant short to medium carrot varieties such as Red Cored Chantenay, Royal Chantenay, or Nantes types.  In light, sandy soil, plant the long, slender varieties such as Imperator.

Pot Magic
To take the guesswork out of growing carrots, try starting them in clay or plastic pots.  Fill several 4-6-inch pots with a good potting mix to within 1 inch of the rim.  Sow 10-12 seeds evenly over the surface.  Water the soil thoroughly, and keep it damp until the seeds sprout.  When each plant has two to three fern-like leaves, thin until you have around seven evenly spaced seedlings per pot.  When the plants are 6-9 inches high, remove the entire root mass from the pot and plant this intact in the garden.  The contents of 10 pots planted close together (intensive style) yield about 70 carrots.

Speedy Germination
Carrots take twice as long to germinate as most other vegetables.  To shorten the process, pour a teakettle of boiling water over the seeds before covering them with soil.  This makes them sprout in about half the usual time and increases overall germination.

Automatic Spacing
to avoid the backbreaking work of thinning carrots by hand, rake the carrot bed with a steel rake when the baby carrots are 2-3 inches high.  You’ll save a lot of effort and space out the carrots automatically.  A few plants will be squashed, but they will recover in a day or two.

The Perfect Carrot
Want to grow long, slender carrots like you see in the grocery store?  Sow the seeds of Imperator or Imperator type 1/2 inch deep and cover them with 1/4 inch of compost or peat moss.  Keep this layer moist until the seeds germinate.  When the plants are about an inch tall, withhold watering until they start to wilt, then resume normal watering until harvest.  This tactic encourages fast downward growth and produces appealing carrots.

Warm Weather Solution
When hot weather makes germination impossible, one solution is to sow carrot seeds along a pencil-size 1/4-inch furrow, then cover them with 1/4 inch of soil.  The trick is to plant these fragile seeds deep enough so they won’t dry out yet shallow enough so they can break through easily.  Water with a fine mist so the seeds won’t wash away.

CAULIFLOWER
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica oleracea botrytis
DAYS TO MATURITY:  30-180.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant in spring four weeks before the last frost.  For fall harvest, plant in late spring.  In hot areas where winters are mild,  plant in late summer for a winter crop.
SOIL:  Light and rich;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed the plants every three to four weeks with fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon of blood meal in 1 gallon of water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 18-24 inches apart.  If row gardening, space rows 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Be sure to blanch the heads by pulling a few outer leaves together over the buds and securing them.  Harvest the heads when they are still tight; cut the stalk just below the head.
STORAGE:  Use cauliflower fresh or pickled.

Cauliflower Growing Tips

Blanching Made Easy
To blanch cauliflower easily, cover each head with aluminum foil when it is about the size of a softball.  First, crinkle up a square of aluminum foil that’s approximately 14 x 14 inches.  Unfold the square and loosely place it over a cauliflower head, allowing as much air space as possible.  tuck the edges around the head.  At harvest time, your cauliflower will be pleasingly white.

Healthy Cauliflower
Select seedlings that have about four green leaves; as short, straight stem; and plenty of root.  Reject seedlings with a bluish tinge (since they will produce only small curds), seedlings with six or more leaves (they have matured too quickly and will die), and blind seedlings (those with no growing points).

Easy Storage
It’s a snap to store cauliflower.  Pull up the entire plant, and hang it upside down in a cool, dark place.  While cauliflower plants are in storage, spray them with water every night.

CELERIAC
BOTANICAL NAME:  Apium graveolens rapaceum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  110-120.
PLANTING TIME:  Germination of celeriac seed requires a soil temperature of 60 degrees F.  Sow seeds or seedlings in spring.
SOIL:  Rich, and well-drained;  pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize every two to three weeks during the growing season with fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon of blood meal mixed into 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Water frequently but don’t saturate.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Space transplant seedlings 1 foot apart.  Rows should be 12-15 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Pull up the plants, and cut off their tops.  If you plan to store, don’t lift them until the hard frost makes it necessary.
STORAGE:  The roots can be stored in damp sand for several weeks.

Celeriac Growing tip

Starting Celeriac
Gardeners whose local nurseries don’t carry celeriac as seedlings can find seeds in some garden catalogs.  Prepare a seed tray with planting mix, an sow the seeds evenly and thinly across it.  Water the surface, then cover the tray with black plastic, and place it in a warm place to germinate.  After germination, replace the black plastic with a clear plastic bag.

CELERY
BOTANICAL NAME:  Apium graveolens dulce
DAYS TO MATURITY:  60-140.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant celery seedlings in the garden two to four weeks before the last frost.  Since celery seeds require a temperature of 55-61 degrees F for germination, sow them in peat pots 10 to 12 weeks before planting time.
SOIL:  Rich, light, and sandy;  pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed every two to three weeks during the growing season with fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon blood meal mixed into 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Water frequently, never allowing the soil to become dry.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Plant seedlings 6-8 inches apart.  For row planting, space rows 2 1/2 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Blanch celery first.  When the plants are about 12 inches high, begin putting earth up around them.  Lift winter celery as required during autumn and winter.  The summer varieties are ready earlier.
STORAGE:  Use fresh as needed.

Celery Growing Tips

Coffee-Can Blanching
For whiter celery, cover the lower two-thirds of the stalks with coffee cans or gallon milk cartons with the bottoms removed.  The celery is blanched and ready to harvest in about a month.

Speeding Up Production
Here’s how to speed up production and blanch the stalks at the same time.  In the spring dig a trench one spade deep and 12-15 inches wide.  Turn well-rotted manure and/or compost into this trench and let it settle before setting out the plants 6 inches apart.  Fill the soil around the stalks as the plants grow.

Planting Close Together
An easy alternative way to blanch celery is to plant your seedlings close together (about 12 inches apart) in a square or rectangle.  Erect a framework of stakes around this.  Cover the stakes with a sheet of black plastic.  Move both the stakes and the plastic in around the celery as it is harvested.

Finicky Seed
To safeguard the germination of celery seed planted in spring, pay close attention to the light conditions in your celery bed.  When the seed is kept in complete darkness, it won’t germinate if the soil temperature is above 50 degrees F.  But give celery seed a little light, even diffuse light (by covering it with clear plastic or a very thin layer of organic material instead of soil) and the seeds will germinate in soil that’s as warm as 70 degrees F.

CHARD
BOTANICAL NAME:  Beta vulgaris cicla
DAYS TO MATURITY:  50-60.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow seeds two to three weeks before the last frost.  If your area’s winter temperatures don’t fall below 25 degrees F, sow seeds in fall for a winter crop.
SOIL:  Any well-drained garden soil;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed every four to six weeks with fish emulsion.
WATER:  Never let chard wilt.  Mulch helps keep the soil moist and cool.
LIGHT:  Sun to partial shade.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1 inch deep; thin to 8 inches apart.  For row planting, space rows 18-24 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Use as needed when the outer leaves are 6-10 inches tall.  Cut leaves near the base of the plant with a sharp knife.
STORAGE:  Use chard fresh.

Chard Growing Tip

Rejuvenating Chard
To rejuvenate chard, but off the leaves an inch or two above the crowns.  The whole plant will take on new life in a few weeks and produce an abundance of fresh, tender shoots and leaves.  

CHICORY
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cichorium intybus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  55-110.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow in early summer.
SOIL:  Rich, with well-rotted manure.
NUTRIENTS:  If soil is supplied with plenty of manure beforehand, there is no need for additional feeding.
WATER:  Keep the bed well watered.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Plant 1/2 inch deep; thin to 9-10 inches apart.
HARVEST:  During the summer, use the outer leaves in salads as needed.  In autumn, remove the soil down to the point where the heart joins the roots.  Cut the heart off with a sharp knife, or pull the plant up and trim the heart afterwards.  The roots of some varieties should not be lifted and stored, while other varieties may be stored in boxes.  
STORAGE:  Store the roots in boxes of moist sand.  These roots can be forced for a second season of chicory.

COLLARDS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica oleracea acephala
DAYS TO MATURITY: 45-80.
PLANTING TIME:  Where winter frost is expected, sow seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.  Where winter temperatures rarely drop below 25 degrees F, sow seeds anytime from late summer to early fall.
SOIL:  Medium light, well-drained;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed collards every three to four weeks with fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon blood meal mixed in 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Collard roots lie close to the surface of the soil.  Keep them moist.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; thin to 3 feet apart.  If you want rows, space them 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  When you’re picking the leaves, do not disturb the central bud.
STORAGE:  Use fresh.

CORN
BOTANICAL NAME:  Zea mays
DAYS TO MATURITY:  58-110.
PLANTING TIME:  The germination temperature for corn is 50-59 degrees F.  Sow in late spring.
SOIL:  Sandy, somewhat fertile;  pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed the plants whenever they show any signs of wilting, and keep them moist when the tassels appear because that means the ears are forming.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 2 inches deep; thin to 10-14 inches apart.  For row planting, sow in rows of 30-36 inches apart.  Be sure to plant in blocks since corn is pollinated by the wind.  Never plant super sweet varieties next to regular corn.
HARVEST:  Never leave the ears on too long before harvesting.  To pick, pull each ear down and twist it free.
STORAGE:  Corn is definitely best when it has just been picked.  Some varieties can be frozen, canned, or pickled.

Corn Growing Tips

Baby Corn
If your mouth waters for those 3-inch ears of corn used in Chinese cooking, don’t bother to plant special varieties.  Just place the corn seed close together (6 inches or so), then harvest the tiny ears when the silks start to emerge from the husks; at this point the cobs will have barely developed but perfect kernels.

Pick Flavor
To pick corn at the peak of its flavor, try this test.  Pop a kernel 2 inches from the top of an ear with your fingernail.  If the fluid is watery, wait a few more days; if the fluid is milky, pick the corn immediately.  If the fluid is gummy or starchy, you’ve waited too long.

Plant in Blocks
Corn doesn’t produce well in single rows.  The reason?  Corn is wind pollinated, and pollen must reach the silks of each kernel to fill out the ear.  Knowledgeable gardeners with space for only one or two rows solve this problem by shaking the tassels over the silks of each plant.  On windless days, an occasional shake of each plant will ensure almost 100 percent pollination.

Container Corn
Sometimes the only way gardeners with limited space can obtain garden-fresh corn is to grow it in containers.  The secret?  Start corn seeds in a small pot, moving to progressively larger pots but keeping the plants slightly root-bound.  Start seedlings in 6-inch pots.  Move the plants into the next larger container as soon as the roots start to crowd (when the white roots poke out of the holes again, it’s time to move on).  Finally, plant in 5-10-and 15-gallon plastic containers.  To keep the plants growing steadily, water twice a day and fertilize often. When the tassels mature, encourage the ears’ development by hand pollinating.  Run the tassels through your hand to strip them of pollen, then pour this fine dust over the silks at the end of each ear.

On The Deck container corn from Burpee is perfect for growing in 24″ containers, grows 4-5′ tall and produces three 7-8″ long ears per stalk.

Sunflower Solution
If cornstalk borers are a problem, try planting giant sunflowers on the outside row.  The sunflowers will be infested, but the corn will be left almost worm-free.

Bird Barrage
When birds raid your corn patch to devour the kernels at the ear tips, stop them by slipping a paper bag over each ear.  Hold the bags in place with string or rubber bands.

Sweet Corn Varieties

The following definitions of the types of sweet corn listed in seed catalogs will help you choose what’ best for your needs.

Homozygous “shrunken” 1 gene type (sh2).  Full homozygous (100 percent of the kernels are super sweet), with two to three times the sugars of normal sugary types at peak harvest.  Kernels are characterized by high sugar content, low water-soluable polysaccharides, and crisp texture.  Conversion of the sugars to starch is much slower than for normal sugary types, allowing longer storage.  Isolation required.

Homozygous sugary enchancer gene type (se).  Full homozygous (100 percent of the kernels are sugary enhanced).  Each tasty kernel has a higher sugar content than normal sugary types, but comparable levels of starch contribute to its creamy texture and corn flavor.  Kernels also have very tender pericarps.  Best used within two days of picking.  Isolation is suggested but not required.

Heterozygous “shrunken” 2 gene type.  Several sweet corn varieties have some super sweet parentage, so approximately 25 percent of the kernels on each ear have the extra-high sugars of sh2.  Use immediately after picking because the sugar converts to starch rapidly.  Isolation is suggested but not required.

Heterozygous sugary enhancer gene type.  Many so-called “se” types fall into this category, with approximately 25 percent of the kernels on each ear being sugary enhanced.  This gene provides about 15 percent more sugars at peak harvest than normal sugary types.  Use immediately after picking because the sugar converts to starch rapidly.  Isolation is suggested but not required.

Normal sugary gene type (su).  This type produces sweet, creamy kernels with tender skin and is best used immediately after picking; conversion of sugar to starch is rapid.  Isolation is not required.

Synergystic hybrid.  Synergystic hybrids were pioneered in an effort to widen the soluable sugar base and increase the sugar levels in su/se types. By combing 25% Sh2 kernels with 75% Se or su/se kernels, the taste and tenderness is excellent under normal weather conditions.

Isolation
Just as gardeners isolate white corn from yellow corn, they should isolate super sweet (sh2) types to prevent cross-pollination with normal sugary sweet corn or field corn.  Do this in one of three ways:  by maturity (10 days to two weeks), by distance (100-150 feet upwind), or barrier planting.

CORN SALAD
BOTANICAL NAME:  Valerianella locusta
DAYS TO MATURITY:  45-80
PLANTING TIME:  In cooler climates, sowing can begin in midsummer.  Elsewhere, sow in late summer.
SOIL: Sandy, well-cultivated.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed plants at least once during the growing season with fish emulsion.
WATER:  Since this is a hardy annual that grows during the winter, don’t worry about water.  A light mulching with straw or hay will keep the plants moist and protected from harsh winter weather.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; thin seedlings until they’re 6 inches apart.  Rows should be 6 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Harvest either the entire plant or only the leaves.
STORAGE:  Use corn salad fresh.

CUCUMBERS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cucumis sativus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  50-75.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant seeds directly in the ground after the soil temperature has warmed to 60 degrees F.  To get a jump on the growing process, sow seeds indoors in peat pots three weeks before the regular planting season.
SOIL:  Sandy to loam, with well-rotted manure or compost mixed in;  pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize with nitrogen (blood meal) only during the growth period before blooming.
WATER:  Water these plants deeply.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:   Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; space them 10-12 inches apart for the trailing variety.
HARVEST:  Cut cucumbers from the vine when they are dark green.
STORAGE:  Use fresh or for pickles.

Cucumber Growing Tips

Bitter Cucumber Cure
To salvage bitter cucumbers for eating, first remove the stem end.  Peel off the skin and the thin layer of flesh just beneath the skin where the bitterness is concentrated.  The remainder of the cucumber will taste just fine.

Compost Ring
For cucumber salads all summer long, try planting a few cucumbers in a “compost ring.”  Bend a section of wire into a cylinder 4 feet wide and 10 feet long, and fasten the wire together.  Locate the ring where it will receive full sun and fill with leaves, grass clippings, wood chips, sawdust, and other organic matter, alternating these materials with a few shovels full of soil and a handful of blood meal.  Mound the earth into two small hills opposite each other just outside the ring, and plant 2-4 seeds in each hill.  As the plants come up, remove all but the two healthiest ones from each hill.  Train these plants to climb the wire.  Add grass clippings and other plant waste to the ring during the growing season.

Pickle Pole
Organize your garden space by building a pickle pole from a 6 foot, 6 x 6-inch pole or an 8 x 8-inch post with foot-long, 1/2-inch dowels  drilled stair-stepped around the sides of the post 18 inches apart.  Plant eight cucumber vines spaced 6 inches apart around the post.  Pickle poles produce all the cucumbers you can eat while take up little space.

Hanging Baskets
Amaze your friends with hanging baskets of acrobatic dwarf cucumbers.  Line wire baskets with moss to hold planter mix.  Fill each container with 2-3 gallons of lightweight mix and two or three plants.  Cut out all but one of the plants with a pair of scissors.  When the plants have grown to be about a foot long, pinch off the growing tip.  This will encourage your cucumbers to grow out, over the edge, and down.

EGGPLANT
BOTANICAL NAME:  Solanum melongena esculentum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  53-125.
PLANTING TIME:  Eggplant likes night temperatures to remain above 55 degrees F.  Sow seeds or seedlings in the spring.
SOIL:  Fertile and well-drained, with decomposed manure added;  pH 5.5-6.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed every three to four weeks with fish emulsion.  Excess nitrogen results in all foliage and little fruit.
WATER:  Soak the soil deeply, but never keep it saturated.  Water in basins around the individual plants.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; space seedlings 2 1/2 feet apart.  For row gardens, space rows 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Eggplant is ready when it is shiny purple.  If the color is dull , it is overripe.
STORAGE:  Use this vegetable fresh.

Eggplant Growing Tips

Large Fruit
For replete, bushy plants that produce a number of large fruits, pinch off the growing tips when the plants are 6 inches high.  This encourages several branches to form.  After some fruits have started to form, clip several branches.  This encourages the plants to produce fewer and bigger fruits.

Planting-Mix Culture
Produce eggplants on the front porch, in a child’s wagon, or up against the corner of the garden.  Just buy a 10-pound (or larger) plastic bag of organic planting mix.  Cut a hole in each side (on top), and pop in a couple of eggplant seedlings.  With full sun exposure they will grow quickly and produce fully formed fruits.

KALE
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica oleracea acephala
DAYS TO MATURITY:  47-75.
PLANTING TIME:  In mild climates, sow seeds from mid to late spring.  Wait until midsummer in cooler climates.
SOIL:  Use rich soil that was manured for a previous crop.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed every three to four weeks with fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon of blood meal mixed with 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Water kale well in dry weather.
LIGHT:  Full sun to partial shade.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; thin seedlings until they’re 1 1/2 feet apart.
HARVEST:  The inside leaves are generally tastier than the outer leaves.  You can harvest the outer leaves or cut the entire plant.
STORAGE:  Use fresh.

Kale Growing Tip

More Kale
To make the leaf and spear varieties produce a bounty of kale, harvest the loose crowns in the spring.  Then remove the leaves from the top down.  Without crowns or leaves, side shoots will develop; pick these just as you would broccoli.

KOHLRABI
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica oleracea
DAYS TO MATURITY:  44-70.
PLANTING TIME:  In areas where frost is expected during the winter, sow seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.  Where winter temperatures rarely fall below 30 degrees F., sow seeds at two-week intervals beginning in late summer.
SOIL:  Fertile and loamy;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed every three weeks with fish emulsion or use 1 tablespoon of blood meal to 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Keep well watered.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 6 inches apart.  In row gardening, plant the rows 18-24 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Cut the stems at soil level when they are about the size of an apple (2-2 1/2 inches in diameter).
STORAGE:  Use fresh.

Kohlrabi Growing Tips

Prime Eating Size
Kohlrabi connoisseurs say that a kohlrabi is just right when it’s about 2 1/2 inches wide.  After that it matures into a tough, elongated root.  To salvage an overdeveloped kohlrabi, peel off the tough skin and discard it.  Slice the center thinly, then steam or saute.

More Kohlrabi
To double your pleasure with kohlrabi plant in rows about 2 inches apart, then thin to 4 inches apart when the swollen stems reach 2 inches in diameter.  Lift every other plant to let the remaining kohlrabies grow larger.  You’ll have almost twice the yield.

LEEKS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Allium ampeloprasum porrum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  70-150.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant leeks outside about four weeks before the last frost.  In frost-free regions, plant directly into the garden in late summer.
SOIL:  Light, sandy to loam, and well-manured;  pH 6.0-8.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed every four weeks with fish emulsion.
WATER:  These plants need steady watering.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow groups of 3-4 seeds together, 1/8 inch deep.  Space the groups 6 inches apart in trenches or rows, which should be 15-18 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Be sure to blanch the vegetables first by pushing soil up around the stems.  Blanching will keep the leeks white and tender.  Leeks are edible from the baby stage through full maturity.  Lift leeks with a spading fork.
STORAGE:  Use fresh.

Leek Growing Tip

Blanching Leeks
To blanch leeks easily, tie black plastic around the individual plants, then hoe some soil up between the rows.  An alternate method is to place a 6-inch paper collar around each plant shortly after putting them into your garden bed.

LETTUCE
BOTANICAL NAME:  Lactuca sativa
DAYS TO MATURITY:  45-100.
PLANTING TIME:  Lettuce can be planted four to six weeks before the average frost-free date in your area.  Where summers are hot, plant in early spring and again in the late summer for a fall crop.  To get a jump on the season, plant lettuce in simple protective devices such as cloches or cold frames.
SOIL:  Moist but well-drained, mixed with well-rotted manure;   pH 6.0-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Because lettuce grows so fast, it’s best for the nutrients to be in the soil at planting time.  Otherwise nourish with fish emulsion every three weeks.
WATER:  Keep moist.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 6-12 inches apart (depending on the variety).  For row gardening plant in rows 1 1/2 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Lettuce leaves are edible at all stages of growth.  To harvest the whole head, cut just above the lower leaves.
STORAGE:  Use fresh.

Lettuce Growing Tips

Summer Lettuce
In the summertime, try planting lettuce in shaded ground beneath a bean or cucumber A-frame tepee.  As soon as the sprouts poke through the warm soil, tuck mulch around them to keep the roots cool. Keep the growing plants well watered.

Bigger Heads
As your head lettuce starts to grow, pick the outer leaves a few at a time just as you would leaf lettuce.  This doesn’t affect the heading since the heads grow from the center out.  What it does is make the plant smaller in comparison to the root structure, which gives the roots time to gain the strength to produce larger tops.

Season Extension
When the weather turns hot and sunny, many cool season leaf vegetables, such as lettuce and chard, flower and set seed (referred to as bolting).  To extend your harvest by about a month, place a light lattice over the garden supported by 4-foot-high, 1-2-inch-square cedar or redwood stakes.  This slows the bolting process.

Hanging Salad
You can grow a big, leafy salad bar in a standard size, moss-lined, hanging wire basket.  Soak the moss in water, then line the basket with it, starting at the bottom and packing it tightly between the wires.  Make planting holes by pushing your fingers through the basket’s sides.  Plant about 15 lettuce seedlings in these openings, starting at the bottom.  Fill the basket with potting soil, and plant four or five seedlings on top.  (The basket will look especially nice displaying various colors of lettuce.)  Finally, bend a wire hanger around the basket top and hang it in partial sun.

Pot Lettuce
Apartment dwellers can easily grow leaf lettuce in a pot on a windowsill or outdoors on a patio.  Keep the plant watered and protected from direct sunlight.

Baby Lettuce
These days, everybody’s raving about baby lettuce.  At maturity, its heads are only 5-6 inches in diameter.  The bite-size leaves are more tender than standard varieties.  Just toss them whole into a mix of greens.  These babies fit beautifully on a salad plate.

MELONS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cucumis melo
DAYS TO MATURITY:  70-120.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant melons outdoors around the date of the last frost.  They grow best when nighttime temperatures are above 55 degrees F and daytime temperatures are no lower than 80 degrees F.
SOIL:  Light, sandy;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed melons every six weeks with fish emulsion.
WATER:  Water thoroughly in dry weather.  Keep a 6-inch-deep trench around each plant and fill when needed.  Do not keep the soil soaked; and do not overhead water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  All melons spread (unless they are the bush variety) and need plenty of space.  Plant them at least 4-6 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Cantaloupes can be picked at what is called the “slip” stage:  they slip easily from the stem and have a fresh melon aroma.  Casaba and honeydew melons are ripe when the skins turn yellow and feel slightly sticky.  Crenshaw and Persian melons are ripe when they develop a fruity scent.
STORAGE:  Eat melons fresh or pickled.

Melon Growing tips

More Melons
to turn your vines into a melon factory, pinch off each vine’s growing tip when the main stem has produced five large leaves.  Nip subsequent side shoots when the tip develops three leaves.  This halts leafy growth and forces more fruit production.  When the plants are growing vigorously, keep them well watered and give them a liquid organic feeding as the first fruits reach walnut size.

Bitter Melons
Uneven watering leads to bitter melons.  Therefore never let the soil dry out completely.  Ideally you should water deeply, then don’t water again until the soil has dried to about 8 inches down.

Cantaloupe Tree
To create a cantaloupe tree, plant three midget cantaloupe vines about 12 inches apart in a wire mesh cage (3 feet high, 18 inches in diameter) set over a container filled with planter mix or soil fortified with manure.  The cantaloupes will grow upward both inside and outside the cage.

Better Tasting
For delicious cantaloupes, rototill a 10 x 10-foot area with rotted horse manure.  Three to four weeks later, rototill the plot again, adding 10 more bushels of horse manure.  Plant your cantaloupe in hills, three to a hill, 5 feet apart.  In about 100 days, you’ll have all the toothsome cantaloupes you can eat.

Early Female Flowers
Melons have a lazy streak:  they sometimes produce too many male flowers before they start growing the female flowers that bear fruit.  But you can give them a push in the right direction.  Count four adult leaves from the base, then pinch off the growing tip.  This hastens side growth and the formation of female flowers.  If none appear, again remove the growing point beyond the fourth or fifth leaf.

Increased Melon Production
Although bees are great at pollinating melons, you can increase production by taking on the job yourself.  To pollinate artificially, remove the male flowers, which grow in clusters and have a prominent central core.  Shake this powdery core into the center of the open female flower–the one with a flattish center and a swelling behind the flower.

MUSTARD
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica juncea
DAYS TO MATURITY:  34-85.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant mustard in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked, two to four weeks before the last frost.
SOIL:  Rich, mixed with rotted manure;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  If the soil has been prepared with plenty of organic matter, no fertilizing should be necessary.
WATER:  Regularly.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; thin seedlings to 4-6 inches apart.  Separate rows by 18 inches.
HARVEST:  Cut individual leaves as needed, or harvest the entire plant.
STORAGE:  Use fresh.

Mustard Growing Tip

The Right Temperature
As the daily temperatures begin to rise above 85 degrees F, mustard leaves become inedible.  In hot areas, grow mustard only in the cool weather (under 65 degrees F) of early spring and fall.

OKRA
BOTANICAL NAME:  Hibiscus esculentus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  48-90.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant the seeds outside when the soil temperature has reached 75 degrees F.  You can also sow seeds indoors or in a hotbed about a month before the last frost.  Soak the seeds in water 24 hours before planting.
SOIL:  Rich, loam,  pH 6.0-8.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize twice during the growing season with fish emulsion.
WATER:  Keep moist but don’t over water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 18 inches apart.  Space rows 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  The pods produce rapidly and should be picked daily, beginning a few days after the flower petals have fallen, whether or not the pods are to be used.  If the pods ripen, the plant stops producing.
STORAGE:  Use fresh or as pickles.

Okra Growing Tip

Cut, Don’t Pull
Instead of straining to pluck okra pods, cut them off with scissors.  Do this when they are young and tender, with half-grown, immature seeds.  If left on the plant, the pods become hard and unpalatable.

ONIONS
BOTANTICAL NAME:  Allium cepa
DAYS TO MATURITY:  95-150.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant sets, seeds, or plants outside four to six weeks before the last frost.
SOIL:  Firm, sandy to loam, fertile; add generous amounts of organic matter, rock potash, and bone meal before planting;  pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize twice.  Use fish emulsion.
WATER:  Water steadily, never letting the soil dry out.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  It is best to plant seedlings or sets.  Set 2 inches deep, 2-4 inches apart.  If you sow seeds, plant them 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart.  For rows 12-18 inches apart.
HARVEST:   Bunching onions should be harvested as needed.  Storage onions are ready when the tops bend over.  Discontinue watering for at least a week before harvesting.  Lift onions with a spading fork, and allow the bulbs to dry on the ground.
STORAGE:  Bulb onions can be stored on trays of wire netting, ties with string and braided or placed on wooden shelves.  Store them in a dry, frost-proof area where air circulates freely.

Onion Growing Tips

When Onions flower
Onions planted from sets sometimes form flowers and fail to produce mature bulbs.  Avoid this by selecting and planting smaller size onion sets.  When flowers appear, break off the flower buds and use these poorer onions first.

Drying Onions
To dry onions, hang them from string.  Knot a loop of string around a bottom shoot and twist the string around upper shoots.  Hang onions outside in dry, warm weather.

PARSNIPS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Pastinaca sativa
DAYS TO MATURITY:  94-145.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow seeds as soon as the ground can be worked in early spring.  In areas where winter temperatures rarely fall below 25 degrees F, sow seeds in early fall for harvesting the following spring.
SOIL:  Parsnips need rich, recently manured soil.  Cultivate the bed to a depth of at least 18 inches and remove all rocks.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize once a month during the growing season.  Use fish emulsion.
WATER:  Some watering is necessary, especially in the early stages while the roots are small.
LIGHT:  Full sun to partial shade.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep.  For row gardening, space rows 2-2 1/2 feet apart. Thin seedlings to 6 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Parsnips’ flavor is enhanced if the roots are left in the ground all winter.
STORAGE:  Pull them as needed, and keep the rest stored in the ground.

Parsnip Growing Tips

Top Flavor
For the best flavor, life a few roots in early fall and leave them on the surface of the soil through several hard frosts.  This brings them to top flavor long before the roots in the ground reach the same stage.  Others can be stored in peat or sand.

Germinating Parsnip Seed
Enticing parsnips to peek through the soil can be tricky.  The seed won’t stay moist and is slow to germinate.  Try sowing 8-12 (or more) seeds per foot, 1/2 inch deep, and laying down a clear plastic covering.  Remove this plastic when the seeds germinate.  Later, thin the plants so they are 3-4 inches apart.

PEAS
BOTANICAL NAME: Pisum sativum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  57-100.
PLANTING TIME:  Start your peas in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked, and continue to sow seeds every 10 days until 60 days remain before the average daytime temperatures are expected to be about 75 degrees F.  In milder regions, start successive planting in the fall.
SOIL:  Rich and recently manured;  pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Peas supply their own nitrogen.  Fertilize them with fish emulsion only while the plants are developing.  Too much nitrogen encourages bushy growth and little yield.  
WATER:  Peas need plenty of water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow these seeds 2 inches deep, 2 inches apart.  If you plant rows, space them 18-30 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Edible podded peas should be picked when the pods are still flat and the peas barely there.  Pick regular peas while they are firm but still succulent.  Hold the vine in one hand while picking peas with the other to prevent pulling the vine from the ground.
STORAGE:  Some varieties of peas are eaten fresh, some dried, others frozen.

Pea Growing tips

Pollinating Peas
When peas yield a profusion of blossoms but no pods, the pollen isn’t being transferred from the male parts to the female parts of the flower.  Peas are self-pollinating, but once in a while they need a little help.  Shake them a couple of times a day for about a week.  Then get ready for a bumper crop.

Presprouting Peas
To ensure that peas will come up fast, sprout the seeds ahead of time.  Spread a paper towel on a waterproof surface, scatter the pea seeds evenly over it, and cover this with another paper towel.  Dampen your pea sandwich, roll it up, and put it in a plastic bag in a warm room.  A few days later, unroll the towels and remove the germinated seeds.  Plant them outdoors.  They’ll even grow in cold soil.

Pea Sticks
You can use what the English call “pea sticks” to support your growing peas.  These are long branch cuttings from deciduous shrubs and trees that gardeners simply push into the ground.  An alternative method is to construct a short bamboo fence, with pea-stick supports.  As the peas spread, both the fence and the pea sticks disappear.

PEPPERS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Capsicum fruterscens (sweet peppers) and C. annuum (hot or chili peppers)
DAYS TO MATURITY:  45-86.
PLANTING TIME:  Start these indoors in the spring, six to eight weeks before average nighttime lows are expected to stay above 55 degrees F.  Set the plants out in the garden around the date of the last frost.
SOIL:  Rich, well-drained loam;  pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize every four weeks with fish emulsion.  Excess nitrogen produces a bushy plant with little fruit.
WATER:  Never let these plants droop.  Provide an even water supply.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Space pepper plants.  18-24 inches apart.  Leave 24-36 inches between rows.
HARVEST:  Cut the peppers from the plant with a sharp knife.  The flesh is much sweeter when left on the vine to turn red.  Hot peppers should ripen on the vine to obtain full pungency.
STORAGE:  Peppers can be used fresh, frozen, or pickled.  When handling hot peppers never put your hands near your eyes or mouth.  Use rubber gloves.  Milk can help soothe the pain on the skin.

Pepper Growing Tips

Increasing Pepper Production
To double and triple production, plant only stocky seedlings that show well-developed root systems.  Leggy seedlings that are already blossoming will not produce like younger, fuller plants.  When the first first pepper appears, pick off the first “crown set” to encourage the development of additional big fruit throughout the season.

Night Temperatures
When nighttime temperatures are below 55 degrees F, spring-planted peppers may just sit passively with their leaves turning yellow.  Wait until the weather turns warm before popping your peppers into the ground.

Helping Hand
If your peppers are slow to set set fruit in hot weather, spray the plants with water.  Then,  when the first fruits start to swell, dose the plants with liquid fish fertilizer every seven to 10 days.  They will produce larger, heavier crops.

Adding Sulfur
Some old-time gardeners swear that peppers and sulfur are bosom buddies.  They put about half a teaspoon of garden sulfur in the bottom of the planting hole before setting out their transplants.  Sulfur lowers the soil’s pH, which leads to an abundance of peppers.

Cool Climate Peppers
Growing good pepper crops in cool climates takes some know-how.  The problem is that when night temperatures dip below 50 degrees F peppers usually won’t set fruit.  In addition, several 40 degree  nights in a row can stunt growth.  To ease such difficulties, use the short season varieties, and set them out when the soil is above 55 degrees F.  Plant them through black plastic, and cover them with hot caps.

Early Peppers
You can force peppers by spreading aluminum foil, shiny side up, for 12 inches on each side of the plants, leaving a little space for moisture penetration.  The foil reflects sunlight upward, warming the plants, which then give earlier peppers.

Greener Peppers
Green your peppers by spraying them with a dilute solution of one tablespoon Epsom salts in a quart of water.  Start at blossom time.  This also aids fruit production.

POTATOES
BOTANICAL NAME:  Solanum tuberosum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  70-120.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant as soon as the soil can be worked thoroughly. You can start sooner in a raised wooden bed covered with polyethylene.
SOIL:  Light and sandy to loam will serve potatoes.  Add generous amounts of manure or other organic materials, plus phosphorus and potash.  Spade thoroughly;  pH 4.8-6.5.
NUTRIENTS:  The only fertilizing the plants should need is a light application of organic nitrogen when they are about 6 inches high.  Seaweed dug into the soil the previous autumn is an excellent conditioner.  Check with seed catalogs, some carry  seaweed.
WATER:  Potatoes need continuous moisture.  Never saturate the soil, however.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  You can buy potato seed or certified seed potatoes.  Cut pieces about 1 1/2 inches square with one good eye per piece.  Sow the pieces with the cut side down, 4 inches deep, 12 inches apart.  For row gardening, align rows 24-36 inches apart.  When the plants are 5-7 inches high, work the soil up around the plant and cover the stems.  This keeps the sun from turning the potatoes green.
HARVEST:  Dig up early varieties when flowers form on the plants.  For later varieties, wait until the vines yellow and die.  
STORAGE:  Store in a cool, dark place.

Potato Growing Tips

Windowsill Potatoes
To grow potatoes on your windowsill, cut seed potatoes into pieces, one eye per piece.  Plant 1-3 pieces in an 8-inch pot filled  with planting mix.  Set this in a sunny window.  You’ll have a slew of small potatoes within a few months.

Plastic Cylinders
You can  grow five potato plants in an plastic cylinder (available as a potato or compost bin from mail-order seed catalogs).  Fill the cylinder with 12 inches of planting mix.  Cut seed potatoes into sections with at least one eye each; plant with the eye up.  When the plants are about 10 inches high, fill the cylinder with more planting mix.  Continue this process until the cylinder is full.  You can start harvesting the small potatoes; remove one of the slats of the cylinder so the rest of the slats fall away, exposing the potatoes.

PUMPKINS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cucurbita pepo
DAYS TO MATURITY:  75-120.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant pumpkin seeds outdoors around the time of the last frost or when the weather warms up and night temperatures are expected to stay above 55 degrees F.
SOIL:  Rich, well-manured’  pH 5.5-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Nourish plants with fish emulsion or another organic fertilizer only during the growth period before blooming.
WATER:  Do not cover the crowns with water or keep the soil continuously moist.  Mulch to conserve moisture.
LIGHT:  Full sun to partial shade.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1 inch deep; thin the seedlings of vining pumpkins to 8-10 feet apart, 4 feet apart for bush pumpkins.
HARVEST:  Harvest when the leaves die and the pumpkins are a bright, rich orange.  Cut the stems because pumpkins will rot faster if they’re pulled from the stem.  Leave the picked pumpkins in the sun for a week before storing.
STORAGE:  Store in a cool, dry place.

Pumpkin Growing Tip

Prize Winners
To grow a blue-ribbon pumpkin, first select one of the large varieties from a seed catalog.  When it’s time to plant, dig a big hole and put in about a bushel of aged manure and a cup of organic fertilizer (equal parts bone meal, blood meal, and rock phosphate).  Spread a layer of dirt over the manure, and plant three seeds.

When the seedlings have two or three leaves, choose the healthiest plant and pull up the other two.  As soon as the vine has three small pumpkins, break off the fuzzy end so it won’t grow any farther.  If new female blossoms form, pluck them off.  When the pumpkins get to be about the size of a man’s fist, select the one with the best shape and pick the other two; all the growing energy will go into the remaining pumpkin.  Roll it a little now and them to maintain round contours.  This pumpkin will be the biggest one you’ve every grown.

RADISHES
BOTANICAL NAME:  Raphanus sativus
DAYS TO MATURITY:  21-150.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow radish seeds when the soil can be worked; then plant every 10 days for a continual crop.  Start sowing in late summer for a fall crop.  In areas with mild winters, you can also sow in the early fall.
SOIL:  Mix in ample well-rotted manure;  pH 6.0-7.0
NUTRIENTS:  All organic material should be added to the soil before planting.
WATER:  Keep the soil moist.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 1/2 inch apart.  Arrange rows 4-6 inch apart.
HARVEST:  Harvest each variety when the roots reach the size listed on the package.
STORAGE:  Use as needed by picking from garden.

Radish Growing Tip

Plant Radishes with Carrots
Mix carrot and radish seeds together and scatter them across a bed or down a row at the approximate spacing for carrots.  The radishes will come up quickly and mark the bed.  Harvest the radishes shortly before the baby carrots need thinning.

RHUBARB
BOTANICAL NAME:  Rheum rhaponticum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  Rhubard should not be harvested until the second year.
PLANTING TIME:  Buy and plant the crowns in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.  Rhubard does not fare well in areas with warm winters.
SOIL:  Deep, rich, and slightly acid;   pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Work bone meal and rock potash into the root zone area.  Administer a liberal dose of organic nitrogen in early spring and again in midsummer, especially when you have cut a number of stalks.
WATER:  Give the plants plenty of water, but never waterlog the soil.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Plant the crowns 1-3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Grasp each stalk near the base and twist sideways.  Harvest rhubarb in the spring when the leaf stalks are 1 inch or more in diameter.
STORAGE:  Use fresh as needed.

Rhubarb Growing Tip

Rhubarb Incubator
In cooler climates you can also try incubating rhubarb.  In springtime, dig a 1-foot hole and add 6 inches of manure or decomposed organic matter; plant the root in the hole and cover it with 1 inch of soil.  During the first year, give it plenty of organic fertilizer.  The second year, the plant will start to put out seed pods.  If you keep cutting these, the roots will produce tasty stalks all season long.  The more leaves and stalks you harvest, the more the plant will produce.

RUTABAGA (SWEDE)
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica napobrassica
DAYS TO MATURITY:  88-92.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant rutabagas in the garden four to six weeks before the last frost.  Plant again in late July or August for a fall crop.
SOIL:  Light, sandy to loam;  pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed the plants with a light application of organic nitrogen when they are about 5 inches high.
WATER:  Steady moisture is required.  Mulch to prevent drying out.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:   Sow seed 1/2 inch deep, 1-4 inches apart.  For row gardening, space rows 12-15 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Grasp the tops and pull up.
STORAGE:  Rutabagas can be left in the ground and pulled as needed.  If you decide to dig the roots up, cut off any top growth and keep them in a box or barrel filled with moist soil or peat, they need darkness and moderate warmth.

SALSIFY (OYSTER PLANT, VEGETABLE OYSTER)
BOTANICAL NAME:  Tragopogon porrifolius
DAYS TO MATURITY:  120-150.
PLANTING TIME:  Sow salsify as soon as the ground can be worked.  Harvest the roots in the fall.
SOIL:  Deep, rich loam, with no manure or stones.
NUTRIENTS:  Spread a layer of well-rotten garden compost around the tops.
WATER:  Keep well watered.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2-1 inch deep; thin the seedlings to 3 inches apart.  Space rows 10 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Don’t lift the roots from the ground until you need them.  Lift with care so the roots don’t bleed and lose flavor.
STORAGE:  Use as needed.  Store in the ground.

SPINACH
BOTANICAL NAME:  Spinacia oleracea
DAYS TO MATURITY:  39-70.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant spinach outside four to six weeks before the last frost-free date in the spring, then again in late summer for a fall crop.  In warm areas, plant it during the winter.
SOIL:  Light, thoroughly worked, with plenty of organic matter added;   pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Add nitrogenous fertilizer while the crop is actively growing.  Use fish emulsion or 1 tablespoon of blood meal mixed in 1 gallon of water.
WATER:  Give spinach plenty of overhead watering.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep; thin to 6 inches apart.  For row gardening, separate rows by 12 inches.
HARVEST:  You can harvest just the leaves or cut the whole plant off at the soil line.
STORAGE:  Use fresh; some varieties can be frozen.

Spinach Growing Tips

Flowering Spinach
Some spinach varieties bolt to flower after a few warm spring days, while others will stand quite a bit of heat.  In general, longer days and higher temperatures (above 75 degrees F) hasten flowering.  If your spinach tends to bolt early, try planting three or four long standing varieties.  From these, select the one that works best in your garden.

Cut Back
To stop spinach from flowering, cut the plant back to the ground when it has just four or five
leaves.  As soon as new leaves appear, harvest again.  If you wait too long hoping the leaves will grow big, you end up with less spinach.

SQUASH, SUMMER
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cucurbita pepo
DAYS TO MATURITY:  47-90.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant seeds directly in the ground after the last frost, when night temperatures are staying above 50 degrees F.
SOIL:  Very rich and well-manured;   pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize squash with nitrogen only during the growth period before blooming.
WATER:  Keep well watered.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds of bush varieties 1 inch deep; for row gardening, space rows 18-24 inches apart.  The seeds of vine varieties should be sown 1 inch deep; for row gardening, space rows 5 feet apart.  Vining squash can be grown up along a fence to save space.
HARVEST:  Pick squash that’s tender, and easily punctured.  All fruit should be picked (whether it will be eaten or not) to keep the plant producing.
STORAGE:  Use fresh or pickled.

Summer Squash Growing Tips

Playing Bee
If mature squash plants produce few fruit, the problem may be a lack of bees.  So collect the yellow pollen with an artist’s brush and dust the female flowers (the ones with tiny squash at the base).  Put pollen on the tip of the small fruit above the flower (the stigma).

Baby Squash
You don’t need any particular variety to create a baby squash.   Simply pick miniature-size squash with the blossoms still on the fruit.  Cook and serve them whole for a tasty delicacy.

Greater Yields
Few gardeners actually want to improve the yields of summer squash.  But if you don’t mind being overrun with squash, try mulching with aluminized film.  Experiment-station research shows this significantly boosts yields.

SQUASH, WINTER
BOTANICAL NAME:  Cucurbita maxima and C. moschata
DAYS TO MATURITY:  50-220.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant seeds in the ground after the lst frost.  When night temperatures are remaining above 50 degrees F.
SOIL:  Rich and well-manured;   pH 6.0-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Fertilize the plants with nitrogen only during the growth period before blooming.
WATER:  Give squash plenty of water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 10 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Let winter squashed mature fully on the vines until their skins are extremely hard.  Cut them from the vine, leaving a 2-3-inch stem on each squash.
STORAGE:  Cure the squashes in the sun for a week or more; store them in a cook, dry place over the winter.

Winter Squash Growing Tip

Squash Basics
Before harvesting winter squash for storage, push your thumbnail against the squash as hard as you can.  If the outer skin doesn’t break easily, the squash will keep a long time.  If you can cut the skin with little effort, it will probably rot in storage.  In the latter case, cook the squash within a few days.

SWEET POTATOES
BOTANICAL NAME:  Ipomoeabatatas
DAYS TO MATURITY:  90-150.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant sweet potato from slips in the spring.
SOIL:  Light, sandy, and shallow;   pH 5.5-6.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Add fish emulsion only to the planting soil.  This vegetable doesn’t need much to keep it happy.
WATER:  Sweet potato can tolerate dry soil once it’s established.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Give it plenty of spreading room.  Plant slips 9-12 inches apart.  Space rows 3 feet apart.
HARVEST:  When the foliage begins to yellow, carefully dig out the tubers.  Dry them in the sun for several hours, then cure (let them dry and harden) for about a week.
STORAGE:  Store at 55-60 degrees F in a dry area.  They will keep about 10 weeks.

Sweet Potato Growing Tip

Sweet Potato in a Box
Try growing sweet potato in a box or tub.  Select a container that’s at least 12 inches deep and 15 inches wide.  Use a light porous soil mix.  Place a 4-foot stake in the center to support the vine.  The vines will grow up, then out and down the sides of the container.  Harvest the tubers at the end of the season.

TOMATOES
BOTANICAL NAME:  Lycopersicon esculentum
DAYS TO MATURITY:  50-100.
PLANTING TIME:  Tomatoes should not be planted until the night temperatures are above 55 degrees F.  Low temperatures–below 55 degrees F–prevent fruit set.
SOIL:  Enrich the bed with well-rotted manure or garden compost, and dig deeply;  pH 5.5-7.5.
NUTRIENTS:  Once the fruits begin to swell, feed the plants with fish emulsion every two weeks. Too much nitrogen produces much growth but little fruit.
WATER:  Regular and adequate watering is required; maintain an even moisture by mulching.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 2-3 feet apart.  For row gardening, space rows 4 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Tomatoes are ready when they develop their full color.  Lift each tomato until its stem snaps.
STORAGE:  Use fresh, frozen, dried, or canned.

Tomato Growing Tips

Improving Fruit Set
A battery-operated toothbrush can improve the fruit set of your tomatoes.  Use it to give individual clusters of flowers a daily vibration, which will scatter pollen from top to bottom.  The best time to jiggle your tomatoes is midday, when the air is warm and the humidity is low.

Extending the Season
Keep from losing tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants to the first frost by layering a wide strip of black plastic over each row or cage at night.  These strips will protect the fruit and extend the season by as much as three weeks.

Too Much Foliage
Sometimes tomato plants keep producing foliage but seen reluctant to switch gears and start churning out ripe, juicy tomatoes.  Too much nitrogen, too much water, and too much shade in the first stages of growth often cause this.  To help the plant move on to the fruiting stage, pluck out the terminal shoots and withhold water.  This checks root growth so the plant can put all of its energy into fruit production.

Root Pruning
To force tomatoes to ripen, prune their roots by cutting into the soil halfway around the plant with a long knife.  Killing some roots puts stress on the plant and triggers the ripening mechanism.

Use Grass Clippings
Grass clippings make a great mulch, but most gardeners won’t use this material on warm weather crops because it usually retards fruiting.  Research shows, however, that if grass clippings are applied after the first flower clusters set, overall yields increase significantly.  Tomatoes mulched with grass clippings also need less watering during the season.

Vertical Supports
Portable 5 x 5-foot racks made of rough-hewn redwood laths can be used to support sprawling, cucumbers,melons, squash, or tomatoes.  A hinged 1 x 2-inch brace will allow you to angle the rack as you wish.

Larger Tomatoes
Here’s how to have a beer with your tomato plants.  When their fruits begin to appear, poke a ring of holes around the base of each plant, using a pencil or some stiff wire.  Penetrate at least  6 inches into the ground.  Fill the holes with beer.  Repeat at two week intervals for large, juicy, delicious tomatoes.

Wire Mesh
Wire mesh stretched horizontally along 1-foot posts will hold sprawling vines off the ground.  In time, the vines spread together over the wire to produce a huge raised tomato patch.  You can also use wire mesh cages to contain tomatoes.

Hanging Tomatoes
You can stretch your garden space by hanging a few tomato plants from the eaves of your house.  Plant varieties especially bred for containers or hanging baskets (see Vegetables).  Fill the containers with potting mix, keep the plants moist and fertilize them every two weeks with fish emulsion.  Hang with rope slings.

Ripening Green Tomatoes
There are tomato varieties that are meant to remain green when ripe.  to protect unripe tomatoes from that first frost, pick the green tomatoes and wrap them immediately in newspaper or packing tissue.  Then store them in a cook, dry place.  They will ripen over a few weeks.

Blossom End Rot Solution
Blossom end rot starts as a small, sunken spot at the base of a tomato that expands as the fruit grows.  The cause is a combination of water, stress and calcium deficiency within the plant.  During the day, young tomatoes draw little sap from their leaves, but at night, root pressure forces sap up the plant, giving the developing fruits their share.  If the tomato plant is water stressed at night, the system breaks down and the fruit gets little calcium.  Tissue at its base is damaged, setting the stage for blossom end rot.

To keep harm to a minimum, feed your plants with a good organic fertilizer.  Also, don’t let the soil dry out, especially when the weather is hot and dry.  If the plants are on the point of wilting by the end of the day, water then to make sure there is sufficient moisture at night.

TURNIPS
BOTANICAL NAME:  Brassica rapa
DAYS TO MATURITY:  28-80.
PLANTING TIME:  Plant turnips four to six weeks before the last frost.  In regions where winter temperatures rarely fall below 25 degrees F, start successive planting in late summer.
SOIL:  Turnips do best in loamy soils but will grow in any soil supplied with phosphates.  Avoid fresh manure;  pH 5.5-7.0.
NUTRIENTS:  The only fertilizing turnips might need is a light application of organic nitrogen when the plants are 5-7 inches high.
WATER:  Keep well watered.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep, 4 inches apart.  Rows should be 12-15 inches apart.
HARVEST:  Gather your turnips when they are young and tender–about 2-2 1/2 inches in diameter.  Grasp the tops, and pull them up.
STORAGE:  Hardy varieties can stay in the ground until you need them.  Alternatively, you can cut the tops off and store turnips boxed in layers of dry sand or peat.

Turnip Growing Tip

Aborted Roots
Sometimes turnips go to seed in the spring before good roots can form because the plants have been overexposed to 40 degrees F temperatures.  To avoid this problem, plant them in the spring four to six week before the last frost.  In areas where late spring and summer have many days in the 80s, plant for a fall harvest.

WATERMELON
BOTANICAL NAME:  Citrullus vulgaris
DAYS TO MATURITY:  65-100.
PLANTING TIME:  Transplant watermelon outside when night temperatures reach 55 degrees F and daytime temperatures are no lower than 80 degrees F.  
SOIL:  Light, sandy;   pH 6.0.
NUTRIENTS:  Feed the plants every six weeks with fish emulsion.
WATER:  Water thoroughly in dry weather.  Keep a 6-inch-deep trench around each plant to fill as needed.  Do not keep the soil soaked, and do not overhead water.
LIGHT:  Full sun.
SPACING:  All melons spread (except the bush variety) and need plenty of space.  Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 12 inches apart.  For row gardening, space rows 4-6 feet apart.
HARVEST:  Thump them:  ripe melons have a dull sound.  The discolored spots on the melon bellies turn from white to pale yellow when the fruits are ready.
STORAGE:  Use fresh or pickled.

Watermelon Growing Tips

Off the Gound
To make midget watermelons, even sweeter, set each small melon up on a small can such as a tomato sauce can.  This makes them ripen faster and helps increase the sugar content.

Vertical Melon Patch
You can grow a vertical watermelon patch in your garden by running nylon cord up an open A-frame.  Tie the cord to a wire strung across the bottom.  As the vines grow, attach them to the cord with garbage bag ties.  Train them upward until they grow over the top of the structure and then let them ramble down the other side.  The growing fruits will balance each other and hence won’t pull the vines down.  Even though the melons are heavy, most of them will hand.  To keep them from blowing down in the wind, you can support them with slings made from garden netting or panty hose.

Contrary to what you may have heard, vegetables can or can’t be your best friend when it comes to health.  While the diabetic and heart patients need to limit the fats, carbohydrates and sugars in their diet, they also need to take into consideration the word “exercise”.  What healthier way to get both than by gardening.

 I’ve been a type 2 diabetic for several years and thought it didn’t matter what vegetable I ate as long as it was from my garden.  After all, vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals with so few calories and carbohydrate, something everyone can enjoy more. I was wrong.  There are two main types of vegetables—starchy and non-starchy.  Obviously some old favorites are in the starchy category, such as corn, potatoes, and peas need to be eliminated from your diabetic garden.  This doesn’t mean you can’t eat them on occasion, but don’t include them in your kitchen garden because they would be too tempting.  You can enjoy the wide variety of vegetables using the glycemic index.  Almost all vegetables contain very little carbohydrate and have very low GI value.

There is a variety of non-starchy vegetables that will add endless color to brighten your plate.

            Common non-starchy vegetables:

            Artichoke                     Asparagus                   Beans (green, Italian, wax)

            Bean sprouts               Beets                           Broccoli           Brussels sprouts

            Cabbage (green, Chinese)                              Carrots            Cauliflower

            Celery                          Chicory                        Collards           Cucumber

            Endive                         Eggplant                      Escarole          Kale                            

             Kohlrabi                       Leeks                          Lettuce            Mustard

            Okra                            Onions                         Pea pods         Peppers  

           Radicchio                    Radishes                     Rutabaga        Salad greens

            Squash (cushaw, summer, crookneck, spaghetti, zucchini)

            Sugar snap peas         Swiss chard                 Tomato            Turnips

Included below is a partial list of heirloom varieties. I’ve tried to represent color, taste and texture when considering varieties.   For a complete list see Vegetables.  For how-to grow these vegetables see  Basic garden Vegetable Culture.  For a complete list of seed catalogs see Seed Sources.

Artichokes                                                                                                    Sources

Green Globe (OP) 88 days.  Globular heads with thick and succulent         ANN BAK
scales.  Hard to grow in most parts of New England.                                      COM GOU
                                                                                                                               IRI TERR   

Purple Italian Globe (OP) 120 days.  Italian heirloom with large slender     IRI
Heads.  Plants tolerate heat and cold.

Romanesco  85 days.  Italian heirloom that has very large and flavorful      ANN GOU
bronze and purple artichokes.

Violetta (Violetta Precoce)  Northern Italy heirloom.  Violet-bracted           BAK JOHN 
choke  has small oval, slightly elongated flower heads that are 3” by 5”.       TER

Asparagus

Giant Argenteil Cpeoce D’Argentieuil  Delicious stems can be                ANN BAK 
Blanched white and has rose-colored buds.                                                      BOUGOU

Mary Washington  An all-time gardener’s favorite.  Medium green              ANN BURP
tips.  Rust-resistant variety.                                                                                   GOU IRI
SEED SHU

Beans (green, Italian, wax)

Black Seeded Kentucky Wonder 84 days.  Pole bean that germinates     SOU
well in cool soil.  6-8” long, stringless fleshy and fiberless pods.

Black Valentine (Henderson’s Black Valentine)  60 days.  Slender,        BAK COM
hairless green beans with dark seeds.  Bushy, long bearing plants.                PLA SEED
Tolerate of cold and poor soil.  6” long beans.                                                    TERR

Blue Lake (OP) 52 days.  Round, straight 6-8” long pods.  15-18” tall           SOU SHU 
plants.                                                                                                                      THO

Contender (Buff Valentine) (OP) 40-50 days.  5-7” long medium-green,    BAK BOU 
Round, oval, stringless beans.  Plants will tolerate heat and mildew.  A          BURG COM
bush plant.                                                                                                               GOU IRI
                                                   SHU SOU

Dragon’s Tongue  62 days.  Flat, stringless wax bean.  French                   IRI SHU
Heirloom.  8” long pods are yellow, striped with purple.

Fin De Bagnol  50-60 days.  Tiny gourmet green beans.  Best eating          SEED
when picked every 2 or 3 days while very young.  Bush plant.

Golden Wax   Yellow pods, has been around since the 1870s.                    COM GOU

Kentucky Wonder (Old Homestead) (OP) 70 days.  6-8’ vines                 BAK BURG 
bear 6-8” long silvery green stringless pods with brown seeds and               BURP COM
has old-fashioned taste.                                                                                       GUR IRI
IRI KIT NIC
PAR SEED
                                                                                                                                SHU SOU
STO TER

Provider (OP)  60 days.  Widely adapted.  16-18” bush plant.  Grows         BOU HAR IRI
6-8” long green snap beans.                                                                               JOH PAR
  SEED SHU
                                                                                                                               SOU STO
                                                                                                                               VER 

Red Swan 52-58 days.  4-5” dusty red-rose stringless pods.                        SEED

Roma II (OP)  20” tall plants produce large 6” medium-green, smooth          BAK BURP 
Italian flat beans with white seeds.                                                                

Romano  60 days.  8’ vine pole bean.  6” wide green, stringless bean.        BOU BURP 
                            SHU TERR

Romano Purpiat (OP) 60 days.  Purple Romano bush bean.  Deep violet   TER
stems, lilac blossoms with purple 5” flat pods. Turns jade-green when
cooked.

Royalty Purple Pod (OP) 50-60 days.  Purple stringless, 5-6” long             BOU IRI 
pods that turn green when cooked.                                                                     SEED SOU
                                                                                                                                SHU 

Soleil (OP)  Yellow French filet bean.  1’ tall plants bear slender,                TER
sunny yellow 4” pods with white seeds.

Beets

Bull’s Blood  40-52 days.  Has blood-red foliage.  Tender roots are            ANN BAK 
sweet and dark with interior stripes.  Harvest as baby beets when young.     BOT BOU
                                                                                                                                 BURP GUR 
                                                                                                                                 GUR IRI
                                                                                                                                 JOH NIC
                                                                                                                                 SEED SHU
                                                                                                                                 SOU STO
                                                                                                                                 TERR THO

Burpee’s Golden 55 days.  Golden interior.  2” diameter globes.  Sweet     BURP GOU 
and mild flavor.                                                                                                       SEED SHU

Chioggia (Barabutola de Chioggia, Candystripe) (OP)                             ANN BAK 
Italian heirloom.  2 ½” globe reveals rings of white alternating red.                  BOU BURP
                                                                                                                                  COM COO
                                                                                                                                  GOU IRI      
                                                                                                                                  NIC PAR
                                                                                                                                  SEED SOU
                                                                                                                                  TER TERR

Crosby Egyptian (Early Crosby) (OP) 60 days.  3-5” roots are very          BAK SHU 
flattened in shape and grow virtually on the surface of the soil.  Roots            SOU
have a dull red skin and dark red interior.

Detroit Dark Red (OP) 58 days.  Smooth round roots are 2 ½-3”                 ANN BAK 
in diameter.                                                                                                            BURG BURP
                                                                                                                                 COM HAR
                                                                                                                                 IRI NIC
                                                                                                                                 SEE SOU
                                                                                                                                 THO

Broccoli

Di Ciccio (De Ciccio) (OP)  48-85 days.  Rich-tasting Italian heirloom.       ANN BAK 
2-3’ light-green plants have good side shoots.                                                  BOT BOU
                                                                                                                                GOU IRI
                                                                                                                                JOHN NIC
                                                                                                                                SEED SOU
                                                                                                                                TERR

Early Purple Sprouting (OP)  English heirloom bred for overwintering.      ANN BAK 
Very frost hardy.                                                                                                     BOU COM
                                                                                                                                 GOU NIC

Romanesco (OP)  75-100 days.  A unique looking plant with a spiral-         BAK BOT 
shaped, apple-green, 6” across head.  My personal favorite.                          BOU BURP
                                      SEED

Waltham 29 (OP) 74 days.  Widely adapted, drought-tolerant variety.          ANN BAK 
4-8” diameter heads hold for a long time.  Low, compact plant.  Produces   BOT GOU
lateral buds for 6-8 weeks after harvesting the main head.                              JOHN SOU

Chinese Broccoli

Te You (OP)   Dark green leaves are smooth with long thick stems.  Heat   KIT
Heat tolerant and can withstand cool temperatures.  Cool temperature
slows plant growth and will be smaller in size.

Broccoli Raab (Rapini)

Broccoletto (A Foglia di Olivo) 70 days.  Oval leaf shaped.  14-15” high, ANN TERR
thick stem.  Used for leaf production as well as shoots.

Rapini  45 days.  Non-heading broccoli grown for asparagus-like shoots.   BAK TERR

Spring Raab (OP)  40-45 days.  Planted in early spring to produce a         BAK BOU
quick crop of tender shoots that taste like broccoli.                                          BURP JOHN
NIC

Brussels Sprouts

Long Island Improved (Catskill) (OP)  Medium-green 1-1 ½” round firm  ANN BAK 
sprouts on 20” tall plants.                                                                                     BOT BOU
BURG COM
GOU IRI
                                            NIC SEED
                            SHU SOU
TERR

Rubine (OP) 85 days  1-1 ½” purple-red sprouts on 24” tall plant.                BOU TER

Cabbage (green)

Chieftain (OP) 83 days. Savoy cabbage that is well adapted to                    SOU
temperature extremes.  Tolerates frost and summer heat.  Flattened,
round heads are 6-8 pounds.  White inside.  Has well-savoyed blue-green
outer leaves.

Chirimen Hakusai  50 days.  Old loose-leaf variety from Japan.  Crepe-     KIT
textured light green leaves. 12” tall plant.  Sow in spring or fall.

Copenhagen Market 63-100 days.  Danish heirloom.  Solid 6-8” diameter BOU COM 
heads weigh 3-4 pounds.  Split resistant.  Does well in a range of              
climates.

Cour di Bue  70 days.  3-4 pound oxheart type heads.  Italian heirloom.      BAK GOU

Golden Acre (Derby Day) (OP)  Grows rapidly in the chill of spring.           GOU IRI
Round, blue-green, 3-5 pound heads.                                          SOUSTO
TER

January King (OP) 100-160 days.  Solid, flat light green, 3-5 pound           BOU
heads.  Frost improves flavor.

Matsushima No. 2  80 days.  Well-suited for close planting.  Hardy            BOU KIT
against cold temperatures.

Tronchuda (OP) 85 days.  Portugese heirloom loose-leaf cabbage.          BOU GOU 
Cut over and over again.  Juicy crunch to the midribs and leaves.            NIC

Wong Bok (OP) 80 days.  10” tall, 6-7” in diameter.  Grows                         NIC
blanched tender oval heads.

Carrots

Atomic Red (OP) 75-85 days.  11” long by 1 ½” diameter.  Red all the        BAK GOU 
way through.                                                                                                           HAR  IRI
JOHKIT
                                                                              NIC SHU

Chantenay Red Core (Rouge Demi-Longe De Chantenay) (OP)           ANN BAK 
5 ½-6” long by 2 ½” at shoulders.  All-purpose deep-orange carrot.               BOU COM
Good winter keeper.                                                                                             GOU IRI
                                                                                                                                 PLA NIC
                                                                                                                                SHU SOU
                                                                                                                                TERR

Danvers  65-87 days.  Bright orange, uniform roots up to 8” long.                SEED
High yields in clay or heavy soils.

Juane Obtuse Du Doubs  Bright lemon yellow carrot from France.            ANN BAK 
Big, thick carrot with sweet taste.                                                                       GOU

Little Finger   55 days.  Baby-type deep orange carrots.  French                ANN BAK
variety.  Sweet 3” carrots.  Good canner and pickler.                                       BOT GOU
                                                                                                                                IRI PAR
SHU TERR

Lunar White (OP)  78 days.  Selection of Belgian White.  8” long and         ANN BAK 
white with small core.                                                                                           GOU KIT
                                         NIC

Red Samurai (OP)  Slim tapered bright rosy carrot.                                      TER

Cauliflower

All the Year Round (OP)  70 days.  Warm weather variety.  Large, tight,    BOU

white head surrounded by leaves.

Early Snowball (OP) 50 days. Head is denser than other early.                 ANN COM
Good wrapper leaves cover the curd.                                                   SEED SOU

Marches Green  75 days  Lime green cauliflower but with rounded head.   GOU
Italian heirloom.

San Giuseppe  78 days.  Italian heirloom romanesco.  Rich, nutty taste.      ANN GOU
Lime green spiraled head.

Sicilian Violet  68 days.  Italian purple headed cauliflower.  Sicilian             ANN GOU 
heirloom.                                                                                                                JOHN

Celery

Giant Pascal  100 days.  Favorite of French chefs.  Large ribs are             GOU SHU
easily blanched.

Golden Self-Blanching (OP) 80-85 days.  Dwarf plant with yellow              BOU SHU
foliage, cream-colored 9” stalks.  Thick heavy, stringless.                               SOU TOT

Redventure (OP) 115 days.  Dark to brilliant red stalks with emerald           BOU JOHN 
green leaves.  Golden-pink hearts.  Milder than normal varieties.                    NIC TER

Utah Tall  100 days.  Thick, crisp, medium dark green, 1 foot stalks.            ANN BAK 
Plants can reach 3 feet tall.                                                                                   SOU

Chard

Bright Lights (OP) 60 days.  All American Winner.  Light shades of             BURP COO 
pink, crimson, orange, yellow, gold, purple, and white 20” stems.  Light         JOH JOHN
savoyed leaves are burgundy with some green.                                                 NIC SHU
TER TERR
                                                                                                                                  TOT 

Golden Chard (OP) 60 days.  Starts out as emerald green baby leaves      ANN TER
with yellow stem and veins.  Colors intensify to rich golden.  20-24” stalks.  

Fordhook Giant (OP) 60 days.  Large, dark green, very savoyed leaves.    ABU ANN 
8-10” pale green stalks.                                                                                         BAK BOT
                                                                         BOU BURP
                                                                          COO JOHN
                                                                                                             SEED SHU
                                                                                                                                  TERR

Rainbow (Five Color Silverbeet) (OP) 55-60 days.  Australian variety.      ABU ANN 
Multicolored shades of red, orange, pink, yellow and creamy white.               BAK BOT
SEED SOU
                                                                                                                                 TERR           

Collards

Georgia Green (Georgia Southern, Creole) (OP) 60-65 days.                  BOT BOU 
Especially valuable for sandy soil.  Open, loose heads are best                    BURP COM
harvested after frost when they are sweet and tender.  36” plants.                 GOU KIT
          NIC PAR
SOU

Morris Heading (OP) 70 days.  Produces loose heads with dark green,      JOHN NIC 
slightly savoyed leaves.  18-24” plant.                                                                  SHU SOU

Cucumber (Slicers)

Armenian  55 days.  Eastern European heirloom.  24” long twisting white   BOT BOU 
fruits.  Burpless and easily digested skin.                                                          BURP GOU
                                                                                                                                IRI JOHN
                                                                                                                                KIT NIC
                                                                                                                                SEED TER

Crystal Apple  Small 3” oval, bright, creamy white about the size of an       BAK SEED
apple.  Likely to have originated in China.  You can eat skin and all.

Lemon (OP)  58-70 days.  Dual purpose cucumber.  3-4” compact vine.     BAK BOT 
Size and shape of a lemon.  Crunchy white flesh.  Easy to digest.                 BOU BURP
    COM COO
GOU IRI
JOH JOHN
                                                                                                                                NIC

Marketmore (OP)  76 days.  8” long, non-bitter cuke.  Dark green with        ANN BAK
white spines.                                                                                                          BOT BOU
HAR IRI
                                                                                                                                JOH SHU
                                                                                                                                SOU STO

Orient Express  64 days.  Asian type.  Burpless.  12-14” long and              BURP COO 
1 ½” in diameter.  Dark green fruit.                                                                     STO

Spacemaster (OP) 52-75 days.  2-3’ vines, 7 ½” long green cukes.            BOT BURP 
Widely adapted.  Ideal for small gardens and containers.                               SHU SOU

Eggplant

Applegreen (OP) 62-70 days.  Apple-green color, 3 x 2 ½” fruits with          BAK SEED 
skin that doesn’t require peeling.  Grows in cool growing areas.                   SOU

Black Beauty  73 days.  Uniformly large-fruited eggplant 1 o 3 pounds.      ANN BAK 
Very deep purple-black.  18-24” tall plants.                                                       BOT BOU
                                                                                                                                BURG BURP
                                                                                                                                COM COO
                                                                                                                                GOU IRI
                                                                                                                                PAR SHU
                                                                                                                                STO

Blush (OP) 85 days.  Creamy-white inside and out with a lavender blush     SOU TERR
when ripe.  Long cylindrical shape.

Listada De Gandia (OP)  75 days.  French heirloom.  5-6” egg-shaped       ANN BAK 
fruits. Purple with irregular white stripes.  Drought tolerant, sets fruit well       JOHN SEED
under high heat.  Does best in long warm growing areas.  No need to           SOU
peel before cooking.

Little Green  Brilliant neon-green fruits.  Russian variety.  Does well in         BAK
cooler summer climates.

Garlic

Elephant (OP)  Large bulbs with 4-6 cloves and weigh up to ½ pound         BURG BURP 
or more.  Mild and sweet.                                                                                      GUR PAR
                                                                                                                                 SEED SHU
                                                                                                                                  VER

German Porcelain (Northern White) (OP)  Hardneck garlic.  Bright           IRI SOU
White bulb wrappers enclose red-tinged cloves.  5-7 cloves per bulb.

Inchelium Red (OP)  From Colville Indian Reservation, Inchelium, WA.       COO IRI 
15 cloves per bulb.  Bulbs in excess of 3” in diameter.  Stores 6-9 months.  JOHN SOU
 TER

Silverwhite Silverskin (OP)  This is the garlic seen in most grocery           SOU
stores.  Good for braiding and stores up to 12 months.

Spanish Roja  Hardneck garlic with true garlic flavor.                                   GUR JOHN     

Kale

Black Tuscan (Nero Di Toscana, Toscano, Palmizio Senza Testa,     ANN BOU 
Black Palm Cabbage, Dinosaur)  (OP)  50-60 days.  Italian curly kale.    COO GOU
Dark and meaty 2-3’ evergreen colored leaves.  Hardy.                                 JOHN TER
TERR THO

Dwarf Blue Scotch (OP)  55 days.    Hardy 15” plant spreads 2’,                ANN BOT 
producing blue-green, finely curled leaves.  Light frost improves flavor.         NIC PLA
SEED

Russian Red (Ragged Jack) (OP) 50-60 days.  2-5’ plant.  Hardy and      ANN BAK 
delicate  purple-red oak-type leaves.  Can overwinter.                                     COO IRI
                                              JOH NIC
                                                  PLA SHU
                                                 SOU SEED
TERR

Kohlrabi

Early White Vienna  50 days.  Old variety is the same as purple except      ANN BAK 
has pale green skin.                                                                                          COM GOU
IRI NIC

Early Purple Vienna (OP)  From Austria.  2” across and slightly larger       BAK COM IRI
than White Vienna.                                                                                                SHU STO 
TERR

Purple Vienna (OP) 60 days.  Tennis ball sized purple bulbs.  Begin           ANN GOU 
harvesting when bulbs are 2”.                                                                               NIC TERR

Leeks

American Flag (Broad London) (OP)  85 days.  Shafts average 1 ½” x     ANN BOT 
8-10” long.  Well-blanched from base upward.                                                   COM GOU
                                                                                                                                 GUR SOU
                                                                                                                                  VER

Blue Solaise (Blue de Solaise)  100-120 days.  19th century French          BAK COO 
heirloom.  Holds well in garden and even over winter.  Deep blue green        PAR SEED
leaves.

Giant Musselburgh (Scotch Flag) (OP) 105 days.  Winter hardy.              ANN BAK 
Produces thick white 12-18” long, 2-3” diameter stalks.                                  NIC SEED
SHU TERR

Lancelot  78 days.  Widely adapted.  12-16” high shanks.  Space 8-10”     JOH PAR                
apart.                                                                                                                      SHU TER

Mustard

Green Wave (Tendergreen) 50 days.  Upright habit grows 2’ tall and        BOU JOHN 
has a dark green curled leaf.  Bolt resistant.                                                    NIC TER

Mizuna (OP) 35 days.  Japanese heirloom.  Hundreds of tender, juicy       ANN IRI 
stemmed serrated leaves.  Tolerant to cold and rain.                                     JOH NIC

Southern Giant Curled (OP)  Large, thick, bright-green with crumbled      ANN BOT 
frilled edges.  Peppery flavor.  Cold tolerant.  Slow to bolt.                             BOU COO
                                                                                                                               GOU HAR
                                                                                                                               PAR SHU
                                                                                                                               SOU STO

Tokyo Bekana  44 days.  Enormous loose heads of light green, ruffled     JOHN NIC 
leaves.  Very mild.  Good frost tolerance.                                                         SOU

White Stemmed Pak Choi 45 days.  Tender, light green leaves are          SOU
spoon-shaped with thick, white ribs.  14-18” tall.  Cold resistant.

Okra

Burgundy (OP)  49-60 days.  Deep burgundy-colored pods.  Harvest at   ANN BAK
6-8” long.                                                                                                               GOU SHU
SOU

Clemson Spineless (OP)  56 days.  Dark green, slightly grooved,             ANN BAK 
straight pods without spines.  Best when picked at 3” long.                           BOU BURG
                                   GOU HAR
                                                                                                                               JOH SEED
                                                                                                                               SHU SOU

Hill Country Heirloom Red (OP) 64 days.  Texas hill country heirloom.     BAK SEED 
Very colorful red and green 4’ plants.  3” green pods with reddish tips         SOU
and ribs. Drought tolerant.

Penta Dragon  60 days.  25” tall dwarf plant from Asia.  Pods are                ANN GOU
pentagonal, deep green, spineless, almost free of fluting.

Onions (Slicing)

Alisa Craig (OP) 110-140 days.  Spanish onion. Very large 2 pounds          ANN BAK 
plus.  Globe-shaped, straw-yellow skin.  Long day type.                                   BOU IRI
                                                                                                                                 JOH SEED
                                                                                                                                 SHU STO
                                                                                                                                 TER TERR

Borrettana (Cipollini) 105 days.  Cipollini onion with classic button            ANN GOU 
shape and translucent yellow color.  Use as classic pickling onion.               IRI JOHN
Long to intermediate day type.  Italian heirloom.                                               NIC SEED
                                                                                                                                TER TERR

Exhibition (OP)  Very large, sweet, Spanish-type onion.  Mild flavor.           GOU NIC
Long to intermediate day.

Long Red Florence  100-120 days.  Italian heirloom.  Long bottle-              SEED
shaped bulbs, attractive color.  Mild and sweet.  Best used for fresh
eating.  Long day type.

Southport White Globe (OP) 65-120 days.  Medium-size globe, fine-        BOU COM
grained flesh, snow white with pungent flavor.  Good keeper.

Bunching/Scallions

Crimson Forest Bunching (OP) 70-90 days.  Brilliant red stalks,               BAK
flavorful and tasty.  Very unique and colorful.

Evergreen Hardy White (OP) 60 days.  Perennial onion in fall and             ANN JOH 
spring.  Forms long, slender onions with tender shoots.  Divide clumps
second year to produce new crop.

He Shi Ko Bunching   Japanese heirloom.  Perennial bunching onion.      ANN BAK 
Stalks grow and divide from the base.  Non-bulbing white type.                     TERR

Shallots

French Red (OP)  Reddish-pink bulbs and pale, purple-pink flesh.  COO SOU
Mature bulbs can range from ½” diameter.  Does not keep as well as
other shallots.

Grey Griselle (OP)  180 days.  French heirloom.  Small teardrop-shaped    SOU
1 x 1 ½” bulbs have a hard, gray skin and tender, pinkish-white flesh. 
Mild flavor.

Peas (sugar snap, snow peas)

Amish Snap Pea  60 days.  Heirloom with sweet flavor and tender pods     ANN
when picked young.  Climbing pea vine.

Dwarf Gray Sugar  60 days.  1773 heirloom snow pea.  30” vines have      ANN BOU 
pink and purple flowers that can be used in salads with the peas.                   COM JOH
JOH KIT
                                                                                                                                  SEED

Mammoth Melting Sugar  70 days.  Large sweet-flavored snow peas.       ANN BAK 
Pick before peas inside grow large.  4 ½” pods.                                               IRI KIT
SHUSOU

Peppers (Sweet)

Antohi Romanian  78 days.  Eastern European frying pepper.  Smooth      JOHN THE
4” long by 2” wide, tapered, pointed fruits are pale yellow and ripen to red.

Bull Nose   Very early heirloom grown by Thomas Jefferson.  Medium-       COM SOU 
large bell type pepper.  Still grown at Monticello today.                                    THE

California Wonder (OP) 70-75 days.  4-4 ½”, thick flesh, blocky, emerald   ANN BAK 
green peppers.  Good stuffing variety.                                                                 BOT BURG
BURP COM
                                                                                                                                  COO NIC
                                                                                                                                  PAR SHU
                                                                                                                                  SOU STO
                                                                                                                                  TER THE

Doux D’Espagne (Spanish Mammoth)  Pre 1860.  6-7” long cone-           BAK THE
shaped peppers used for frying or salads.

Golden Cal Wonder (OP) 78 days.  Golden bells are sweet and tasty.        BAK IRI 
Milder than green varieties.  4” by 5” fruits with thick walls.                               SOU THE
TOT

King of the North 70 days.  Red blocky bell pepper.  Great for stuffing.      ANN SEED
Sweet flavor.

Sweet Banana (Long Sweet Banana) (OP) 72 days.  Tapered 6-7”          BOU BURG 
long fruit goes from light green to orange to red in color.                                  BURP GOU
                                                                                                                                 GUR NIC
                                                                                                                                 SHU SOU
                                                                                                                                 STO TOT

Orange Bell (OP) 100 days.  Super sweet, brilliant orange.  Blocky             ANN BAK 
4” fruit.  Thick flesh.                                                                                               SEED SOU
                                                                                                                                 THE

Red Mini Bell (Baby Bell) (OP) 60 days.  Tiny version of red bell               BAK GOU 
peppers.  Red 1 ½” tall and wide.  Thick flesh and very sweet.  2’                 SEED TER
plant is ideal for small space gardens or containers.                                       THE

Peppers (hot)

Aji Amarillo (Aji yellow, Aji orange( (OP) 89-90 days.  From Peru. 3’       NIC TERR 
tall plants produce 3” long mildly hot green to yellow pepper.  1,000              THO
Scoville units.  Spicy fruity flavor.  Perennial in frost free areas.

Anaheim (OP) 80 days.  Mildly hot flavor.  Very large chili pepper.               BAK BOU 
Long, slender fruit.                                                                                                BURG COM
                                                                                                                                SOU TERR
                                                                                                                                TERR THE
                                                                                                                                TOT

Ancho Poblano  90 days.  Slightly spicy cooking pepper used in                BOT BOU 
Mexican cooking.  Use while green or allow to ripen to a deep brick-            BURP JOHN
red color.                                                                                                                TERR

Caribbean Red Habanero  Twice as spicy as the common orange            BAK BOU 
Habanero.  Rich smoky citrus taste.  2” lantern-shaped fruits.  Heavy            STO TOT
producer.

Fish Pepper (OP) 80 days.  An African-American heirloom used in            ANN BAK 
fish and shellfish cookery.  Colors range from green, orange, brown,           JOHN SEED
white and red.  Spicy and hot.  2’ tall plants have white and green                 SOU THE
mottled leaves.  2” long peppers.                                                                       TOT

Fresno   75 days.  Medium-hot 3” long chili primarily used in salsa.             THE
Pendant fruit, green to red.

Jalapeno (OP) 60 days.  Hot, cone-shaped fruit with distinctive meaty         ANN BOU 
flavor.  When smoked they become chipotles.  Use green or red.  24”           GOU IRI
plant.  Will produce in cooler climates.                                                                NIC SOU
                                                                                                                                 THE

Mexican Serrano  85 days.  30” bush-like plant.  Heavy crop of very            GOU
red or green peppers shaped like miniature jalapenos.  The standard
Serrano in Mexico.

Radish

Champion (OP)  20 days.  Red, silver-dollar size radish that is not too        GUR HAR
hot.                                                                                                                           IRI NIC
SHU STO

China Rose (Rose-Colored Chinese, Scarlet China Winter) (OP)           BAK COM 
55 days.  One of the oldest types of radish.  Very hardy fall/winter variety.      KIT SHU
Roots are 5” long and rose colored.  1850s heirloom.                                       SOU

Chinese Red Meat (Beauty Heart, Watermelon Radish, Mantanhong)  BAK BOT 
50-60 days.  Historic Chinese heirloom.  4” round roots with white and          BOU BURG
green skin, but has a rose-red center.  Must be grown in cool weather.          BURP GOU
    JOH KIT
                                                                                                                                 NIC TOT

Easter Egg (OP) 27 days.  Round radishes in colors of pink, purple,            BOT BURG 
White and red.                                                                                                        IRI JOH
NIC PAR
                                                                                                                                 SOU TER
                                                                                                                                 TERR TOT

French Breakfast (Radis Demi-Long Rose a Bount Blanc) (OP) ANN BAK 
25 days.  1873 heirloom.  Mild, spicy flavor, oval roots have red top               BOT BOU
and white tip.                                                                                                           COM GOU
                                                                                                                                  GUR HAR
                                                                                                                                  IRI JOHN
                                                                                                                                  NIC SEED
                                                                                                                                  SHU TER

Round Black Spanish (Noir Gros Ron D’Hiver) (OP) 53-80 days.            BAK BOT 
Large 5” diameter winter type.  16th century earlier.  Deep, near black          GOU GUR
skin and snowy white flesh.  Will keep all winter under the right                        TERR
conditions.  Fairly hot flavor.

White Beauty  25 days.  Round to flat globe-shape.  White skin, white        IRI
flesh.

Rutabaga

American Purple top (Golden Neckless)  95 days.  Mild and sweet,         ANN BAK 
great cooked or raw.  Pre-1920 heirloom.  Bright yellow flesh, dull                  BOT COM
reddish-color above ground.                                                                                  HAR IRI
JOHN NIC
                                                                                                                                 SHU SOU

Champion A Collet Rouge  1850 European heirloom.  Large purplish        BAK
red top and yellow on the bottom half of the root.  Sweet.

Joan (OP)  90 days.  Uniform purple top, round root with yellow flesh.           ANN IRI 
Sweet and milder than other types.  Hard frost improves flavor.                      NIC

Salad Greens (Chicory, Endive, Lettuce, Radicchio, Spinach, Micro-greens)

Chicory

Broad-Leaved Batavia  90 days.  French variety.  Broad, light-green         BOT COO
nearly plain leaves.  Heavy full head.

Grumolo Biondo   Small golden rosette head with rounded thick golden-    BAK GOU
green leaves.

Wild Garden Chicory (OP) 65 days.  A mix of about 8 heirloom Italian        GOU
Chicories.  Some have smooth texture, glossy leaves, red Speckles,
Rather than red leaves.  A variety of shapes.

Chicory (Cutting)

Asparagus (Puntarells, Puntarelle a Folia Stretta) (OP)  Italian                BAK NIC
heirloom variety.  Resembles a dandelion on steroids.  Hardy, excellent
greens.  Very long slender leaves.

Spadona da Taglio  Lance shaped cutting chicory.  Outstanding flavor.      GOU
Used in France and Italy for its rustic flavor.  Great for micro greens.

Endive, (Frisee) (Curled)

Frisee Endive  60 days.  Triple-cut curly heirloom from France.  Feathery  BOU TERR
fine-branched pale leaves.  Big head and blanched hearts.

Rhodos (OP)  65 days.  Extra frilly leaves are smooth and finely ribbed.      JOH TER
Tightly massed plants. Hearts naturally blanched to creamy white.

Endive, (Escarole) (Not curled)

Belgian Endive (Witloof) (OP)  160 days.  White to pale yellow, torpedo-  BOU
shaped romaine-like heads.

Full Heart Batavian  85 days.  Upright, broad, smooth dark-green leaves.  BAK SOU 
Yellow centers.  12” tall plants.                                                                              STO

Witloof Di Brusselles  This chicory (endive) is planted in spring, dug up     BAK
And forced to grow in a cool, dark place to mak “chicon heads”.

Lettuce (Iceberg/crisphead)

Iceberg  85 days.  Light green crinkled and fringed outer leaves,                 BAK BURP 
the inner leaves are silvery white.                                                                       COM IRI

Reine Des Glaces (Queen of the Ice, Ice Queen) (OP) 65-70 days.       BOU GOU 
French heirloom that thrives in cold.  Emerald-green, lacy leaves with         SEED TER
serrated edges.  Stays crisp in heat.                                                                 TERR

Lettuce (Buttercrunch, Bibb, Butterhead, Boston)    

Ben Sherman (OP) 60-70 days.  Butterhead from Israel.  Large, dark-        BOU
green compact heads are very sweet.  Heat resistant.

Bibb (Limestone Lettuce)  46 days.  Kentucky bred bibb.  Uniquely          COO GOU
textured.

Big Boston (Laitue Lorithois)   Originally from France.  Edges are           BAK COM
slightly brown.  Large, tender green heads.

Deer Tongue  28 days.  Attractive, smooth buttercrunch type.  Tongue-      JOH JOHN
shaped outer leaves.  Slow to bolt.

Tom Thumb (OP) 34 days.  Little butterhead that produces heads about    BAK BOT 
the size of a baseball.  Dark outer leaves, creamy yellow interior.                   NIC SOU
Excellent variety for containers or small space gardens.                                  TER TERR
                                                                                                                                 THO

Lettuce (French crisp, Batavia, Loose heads)

Merlot Batavian (OP) 50-65 days.  Open-headed with upright, waxy           JOHN
savoyed  leaves with wavy edges.  Heat tolerant.  Slow to bolt.  Good 
baby leaf lettuce or let grow to a crisp, full-size burgundy head.

Rouge Greneblois  55 days.  Red tinged green leaves.  Holds up               BOU JOHN
well in heat.  Resists bolting.  European favorite.

Lettuce (Romaine/Cos)

Cimarron Red (Cimarron) (OP) 60 days.  18th century heirloom.  Deep    ANN BAK 
red leaves.  Creamy yellow center.  Bolt resistant.                                             HAR IRI
NIC TERR

Forellenschluss (FlashyTrout’s Back, Speckled Trout) (OP)                  ANN  BAK 
58-60 days.  Austrian lettuce.  Green leaves with maroon markings.              BOU COO
Thick midribs.  Grows quickly in cold weather, but bolts in heat.                      GOU JOH
                                                                                                                                 JOHN SEED
                                                                                                                                 SOU TER

Little Gem (OP) 35-50 days.  Heads are about 4” across and 4-6” tall.        ANN BOT 
Miniature green romaine just right for small space gardens or container.       BAK BOU
COO GOU
                                                                                                                                IRI JOHN
                                                                                                                                NIC TER

Lettuce (Loose leaf)

Black Seeded Simpson (OP) 45 days.  Fast growing pale green leaves.  ANN BAK
   BOT BURP
                                                                                                                                 COM COO
                                                                                                                                 GUR HAR
                                                                                                                                 IRI JOH
                                                                                                                                 NIC PLA
                                                                                                                                 SHU SOU
                                                                                                                                 TERR

Green Oakleaf (Baltimore, Philadelphia leaf)  1880s heirloom.                 SEED
Withstands hot weather.  Never bitter.

Lollo Rossa (Lollo Rosso) (OP) 53-60 days.  Italian variety.  Red,             ANN BOT 
fringed green leaves.                                                                                            BAK COO
                                                                                                                                GOU JOH
                                                                                                                                JOHN SEED
Red Salad Bowl (OP) 55 days.  Big, wine-red leaves.  Excellent fall            ANN BOT 
variety.                                                                                                                     COO GOU
HAR IRI
                                                                                                                                 JOH JOHN
                                                                                                                                 SEED SHU
                                                                                                                                 SOU STO

Lettuce (Mesclun, Blends, Microgreens)

Ann’s Lettuce Blend  Blend of heirloom lettuces, Forellenschluss,              ANN
Tango, Red Salad Bowl, Oak leaf, Salad Bowl, Amish Deer Tongue,
Rouge d’Hiver, Rossimo, and Cocarde.

Heatwave Blend 50-60 days.  Heat and drought resistant varieties.            BURP COO

Micro Greens Mix (OP) 12-21 days.  Includes Arugula, Bull’s Blood            BURP TER
beet, Winter red kale, Pink, Petiole mix mustard, Cherry Belle radish,
and Salad Burnett.

Spicy Mesculun Mix   20-50 days.  Spicy blends of greens.  Verte Mar,     IRI
Sierra and Rouge Grenobloise lettuces, verte de Cambrai mache,
Arugula, Red Giant, Kyona mustards, Tres Fine endive and Ruby Red
Swiss chard.

Wild Garden Lettuce (OP) 50-70 days.  Literally dozens of varieties,          SOU TER
including selections of lettuce that remain unnamed and not available
anywhere else other than this mix.

Radicchio

Castelfranco Variegated (OP) 80 days.  Italian heirloom.  Round slightly   BAK GOU 
open heads have creamy white leaves splashed with violet and burgundy.   NIC

Palla Rossa Special (OP) 85 days.  Dark red leaves and uniform 5-7”        BAK GOU 
heads.  Distinctive tangy taste without getting bitter.                                         TER

Rouge De Verone (Verona Red) (OP)  85 days.  Red-green colored         BAK BOU 
radicchio, if cut back in spring it will produce clusters of small apple size      BURP GOU
heads.                                                                                                                      IRI NIC

Spinach (Plain leaf)

Amsterdam Prickly Seeded  Grown by Thomas Jefferson in the early      BAK
19th century.  Flat, tender, medium-green leaves with red tinged stalks.
Slower to bolt.

Large Viroflay  1900s heirloom.  Very broad dark green smooth leaves.   COM

Spinach (Savoyed, Semi-savoyed leaf)

Bloomsdale (Ricco d’ Asti) 45 days.  Terrific 1826 heirloom.  Dark          BOT BOU 
green heavily savoyed leaves.  Best used in cool weather.                            SEED TER

Bloomsdale Long Standing  39-60 days.  Pre-1908 American                ANN BAK 
heirloom.  Glossy, dark green savoyed leaves.  Does better in hot               BOUBURG
weather than most.                                                                                              BURP COM
                                                                                                                               GOU GUR
IRI NIC
                                                                                                                               PLA SHU
STO TER

Giant Winter (Giante d’ Inverno)  50-70 days.  European heirloom           ANN BAK 
produces large, broad deep green semi-savoyed pointed leaves.                BOU GOU
From Italy.  Very cold hardy.                                                                                JOHN

Spinach substitutes

New Zealand Spinach  60-70 days.  1770s heirloom.  This variety              BAK BOT 
takes summer heat and keeps producing.  Not frost hardy.                             BURP COM
                                                                                                                                 GOU JOHN
                                                                                                                                 SEED SHU
                                                                                                                                 STO

Ruby Orach (Mountain Spinach)  60 days.  Tall, erect hardy annual.         TERR
Native to Europe.  Cultivated in America since the 1800s.   Tender, 
spinach-like leaves.  Tolerates heat, cold and drought, also does well
in salty and alkaline soils.

Squash (Summer, zucchini)

Black Beauty (OP) 50 days.  Classic dark green zucchini.  1920s              ANN BAK 
heirloom.  Best picked when young.                                                                    BOT BOU
                                                 GOU IRI
PAR SEED
                                                                                                                                 SOU STO
                                                                                                                                 TER TERR

Costata Romanesco  52 days.  Famous Italian/Roman zucchini.                 ANN BAK 
Long, fluted and ribbed.  Medium-green striped skin, rich flavor.  When        
Cut the slices are scalloped.

Ronde De Nice (Tonda Nizza)  50 days.  French heirloom.  Round,           BAK BOT 
Green zucchini.  Ideal for stuffing.  Great taste.                                                  COO GOU
IRI JOHN
                                                                                                                                 SEED TERR

Summer Sampler Zucchini Mix  Mix of colors, shapes and sizes.              GOU
Includes Round of Nice, Bianco di Trieste, Golden, Striatodi Napoli,
and Romanesco.

Yellow Zucchini  45 days.  Striking golden heirloom zucchini.  Semi-          IRI
spineless plant.

Squash (Straightneck)

Early Prolific  50 days.  All American winner.  Uniform yellow club-             ANN BAK 
shaped fruit.  Firm flesh.                                                                                      BOT BURP
                                                                                                                               GOU GUR
IRI JOHN
                                                                                                                               SHU SOU

Squash (Crookneck)

Yellow  55 days.  1770s heirloom. Yellow, bulb-shaped fruit with                ANN JOH 
Narrow, curved neck.  Skin becomes bumpy and warted on large               SOU TER
Fruit.  Best eaten at 6” long.

Squash (Patty Pan/Scallop)


Bennings Green Tint (OP) 50-63 days.  Colorful, light green, scallop-       ANN BAK 
shaped fruit.  Old favorite.  2-3” diameter.  3-4’ bushes yield up to 15           BOU JOHN
squash.                                                                                                                  SOU TER
TERR

Early Yellow  52 days.  1856 heirloom.  Early, flat, scallop-shaped.            COM IRI 
Deep orange-yellow, smooth skin.  Native Americans used to dry this         SHU SOU
squash and used as gourd-like rattles.

Patisson Panache Blanc Et Vert  Stunning pure white scallop with           BAK SEED
deep greed radial streaks.  Small fruit may not show streaking, and it 
can be variable.  Pre-1885 French heirloom.

Squash (Other)

Lemon Squash  The shape, size and color of a lemon.  Very tasty            BAK
squash.

Rugosa Friulana (Wrinkled of Friuli)  Common in Northeastern Italy.      BAK
Light yellow fruits are beyond wrinkled, they are warted.  Rich and full
of flavor.          

Zapallo del Tonco  60 days.  Huge bushy plants with large tropical           BOU IRI
looking leaves.  Glossy round fruits are crispy raw.  Almost like a 
cucumber.  South American heirloom.

Squash, Winter

Spaghetti Squash (Vegetable Squash) (OP) 88-100 days.  The only      ANN BAK 
winter squash recommended for this garden.  Stringy flesh is used like        BURG BURP
spaghetti.  No carbs, no fat.  Oblong, yellow 1934 heirloom.  May have        GOU GUR
originated in China.                                                                                              HAR IRI
KIT NIC
                                                                                                                                PAR SHU
                   SOU STO
                                                                                                                                TER TERR

Tomato (early to 70 days) (All colors)

Black Prince (OP)  70 days.  An heirloom from Irkutsk, Siberia.                   BAK GOU 
5 ounce, round, uniform tomatoes.  Deep blushed chocolate brown.             NIC SOU
Sweet, rich flavor.  2-3” diameter.  Indeterminate plant.                                   TER

Bloody Butcher (OP)  55 days.  Medium, round, 4 ounce fruits.  Deep        ANN TOT
dark red inside and out.  Indeterminate potato leaf plant.

June Pink (Pink Earliana)  68 days.  1900 heirloom.  Rose-pink color.        SOU
Indeterminate plant bears clusters of 4-6 tomatoes.

Lime Green Salad  58 days.  Heirloom 3 ounce tomato with apple green    IRI
skin that matures to yellowish, with lime-green flesh.  Sweet tangy flavor.
Short plants.

Marmande  70 days.  Semi-determinate.  French heirloom.  Scarlet,            ANN BAK 
lightly ribbed fruit is full of flavor.  Medium-large size fruit produce even         TOT
in cool weather.

Willamette (OP)  70 days.  Very smooth, mild, meaty, red 3” globes.           IRI NIC
Popular in the Pacific Northwest.  Bushy upright determinate plant.

Heirloom.

Tomatoes (Mid-season 71-89 days)  (All colors)

Ace (OP)  75 days.  Proven heirloom for vigor and large crops.  Red            BOT GOU
round, low in acid.

Arkansas Traveler  80 days.  Medium-size pink tomato with smooth           ANN BAK 
rose color skin.  Arkansas heirloom.  Tolerates heat and humidity.  Crack     BOU GOU
resistant.                                                                                                                  SOU TOT

Aunt Ruby’s German Green  85 days.  One of the largest green                 ANN BAK 
Beefsteaks.  Can grow to 1 pound.  Brilliant, neon-green flesh with                BOT BOU
strong, sweet, fruity flavor.  German heirloom by way of Greenville,                JOHN SEED
Tennessee.

Big Rainbow  85 days.  Huge fruit up to 2 pounds.  Sweet tasting.              BAK BURP 
Very striking.   When sliced, the yellow fruit has neon red streaking               COO GUR
through flesh.  Heirloom.  Indeterminate.                                                            JOHN PAR
SOU

Black Brandywine  85-100 days.  1920 Pennsylvania heirloom.                SHU SOU 
Indeterminate.  Large, dusky rose/purple fruit with rich sweet flavor.             TERR TOT

Black Krim (OP)  78 days.  Russian heirloom.  Very juicy with thin               ANN BOT 
skin and dark green shoulders.  Brown-red when ripe.  Slight saltiness        BOU BURP
that enhances the taste.  4” fruit.  Indeterminate.  One of my favorite             COO GOU
slicing tomato.                                                                                                      GUR IRI
NIC SEED
                                                                                                                               SHU TERR
                                                                                                                               TOT

Brandywine Red (OP)  85 days.  Large-lobes, beefsteak-shaped,             BOT COO 
16 ounces with thin pinkish-red skin.  Not acidic.  Best staked,                     GOU GUR
Indeterminate plant.                                                                                              IRI JOHN
NIC PAR
                                                                                                                               SEED SHU
                                                                                                                               SOU TER
TERR TOT

Cherokee Purple  80 days.  Cherokee Indian pre-1890 heirloom.             ANN BAK 
Deep dusky purple-pink color.  Very large tomato.  Sweet flavor.                 BOT BOU
10-12 ounces.  Indeterminate.                                                                           COO GOU
IRIPAR
PLA SEED
                                                                                                                               SHU SOU
                                                                                                                               STO TER
                                                                                                                               THE TOT

Costoluto Genovese (OP  75 days.  19th century Italian heirloom.              BAK BOU 
Determinate plant.  Flattened and quite attractive with deep ribbing.            COO GOU
JOHN PAR
                                                                                                                                TER TERR
                                                                                                                                TOT

Great White  80-85 days.  Large, 1 pound creamy white tomato.                  BAK GOU 
Has a tropical flavor.  Smoother than most beefsteaks.                                   TOT

Old Virginia  80 days.  Indeterminate Virginia heirloom.  Sweet/tart           SOU
flavor.  4-7 ounces, dark red fruit with few seeds.  Produces even in long
hot summers.

Ponderosa Red (Ponderosa Scarlett)  80-90 days.  1891 heirloom.        SEED SHU 
Meaty 10-24 ounce flattened beefsteak.  Deep red fruits.  Does well in         TOT
humid areas.  Indeterminate.

Tomato (Late 90+ days)  (All colors)

Rutgers  72-100 days.  Indeterminate.  Good canning variety.  Large           BAK BOU 
red 8 ounce globe tomato.  Large vine.  New Jersey heirloom.                        BURP

Tomato (Small)

A Groppoli d’ Invero  Old Italian heirloom tomato that resembles little         BAK
Romas.  Delicious.

Black Cherry  75 days.  Black cherries are dusky purple-brown and            BAK GOU 
look like grapes.  Large vines.                                                                             TERR THE

Lemon Drop  70-90 days.  ¾” elongated fruit, 3/8” diameter.                         COO IRI
Indeterminate wild South American tomato.                                                       SEED TOT

Pearly Pink  75 days.  Bright pink cherry tomatoes.                                          BAK

Red Cherry (Old Fashioned Red Cherry)  72 days.  Pre 1840 heirloom.   SOU
Indeterminate.

Red Pear  75 days.  1” pear-shaped fruits borne in large clusters.                   GOU TOT
Heirloom favorite.  Full of rich flavor.

Snow White   Small ivory-colored cherry tomato.                                               BAK

Tigerella  55-75 days.  2” round fruits are bright red with orange stripes.        BAK THO
High yields even in cool summers.

Turkish Striped  80-85 days.  2” fruit are striped red and gold.                       BAK

Yellow Pear (OP)  78 days.  Very sweet, 1 ½” yellow pear-shaped fruit.         BAK BOU 
Mild flavor.  Very productive indeterminate plant.  Pre-1800 heirloom.             BURP COM
                                                                                                                                   GOU IRI
                                                                                                                                   NIC PLA
                                                                                                                                   SOU TER
                                                                                                                                   TERR THE
                                                                                                                                   TOT

Tomato  (Paste)

Amish Paste  80 days.  Giant, blocky, Roma type tomatoes have                  ANN BAK 
delicious red flesh.  Wisconsin Amish heirloom.  6-8 ounces.                          BOU COO
Determinate plant.                                                                                                  GOU IRI
                                                                                                                                  NIC SEED
                                                                                                                                  SHU SOU
                                                                                                                                  TERR TOT

Pink Icicle  Bright pink fruit shaped like a pink icicle.  Ukriane variety.            BAK
Incredible producer of sweet, rich paste tomatoes.

Roma (OP)  76 days.  Determinate plant.  Thick flesh, good paste                 BAK BOT 
tomato.  Great yields.                                                                                             BOU BURG
                                                                                                                                  BURP GOU
                                                                                                                                  GUR HAR
                                                                                                                                  NIC SHU
                                                                                                                                  SOU STO
                                                                                                                                  TOT

San Marzano (OP) 80 days.  Long, blocky 4 ounces, 3” meat                       ANN BOT 
tomatoes.  Italian heirloom.  Intense flavor yields perfect paste.  Few             COO GOU
seeds.  Good for canning and drying.  Indeterminate.                                       HAR NIC
                                                                                                                                 SOU STO
                                                                                                                                 TERR TOT

Turnips

Purple Top White Globe (OP)  Pre 1880 heirloom.  Purple-white skin.      ANN BAK 
Easy to grow.  Nearly round, 5” across.  Harvest a 2-3”.                                   BOT BOU
GUR HAR
                                                                                                                                 IRI KIT
                                                                                                                                 NIC SHU
                                                                                                                                 SOU TER
                                                                                                                                 TERR

Red Round  50 days.  Bright red Japanese heirloom.  Small, tender            BAK KIT
globe-shaped roots.  Stems and roots are both red.  Fun and fast 
growing.

White Egg  48 days.  Pre-1800s heirloom.  Smooth, white turnip has           BAK SOU
mild white flesh.  Egg-shaped roots, 3 ½ x 2 ½” and grow partly above 
the ground.

The French make every meal a celebration.  They insist on absolutely fresh vegetables to complement the fresh meats and fish they serve with delicious sauces.  

French cooking isn’t always the fancy cooking that American have become accustomed to.  But the French always make the most of their vegetables; they don’t simply add butter to them and serve them as a side dish.  Broccoli, for instance, might be sprinkled with cheese and browned lightly, or potatoes might be sauteed with onions, red or green peppers, and herbs.   They might serve stewed green tomatoes, add potato puree to cod, or serve eggplant puree with tomato that is lightly flecked with tarragon.

More and more seed catalogs carry French varieties.  I encourage every kitchen gardener to plant a few of these varieties.  Bon appetit!

ARTICHOKES
Heirloom
Violet De Provence   French heirloom noted for its fine flavor and purple buds.   Source:  BAK

ASPARAGUS
Heirloom
Argenteuil A french variety that is traditionally raised for white asparagus.  It produces nice green spears if the stalks aren’t blanched.  Source:  ANN BAK BOU GOU

BEANS (bush)

Heirloom
Fortex  75 days.  Stringless French variety.  vigorous plant growth requires sturdy stakes.  Harvest when beans are 6-11″ long.   Source:  BURP

BEANS (pole)

Heirloom
Blue Coco (OP)  79 days.  French heirloom pods are bluish-purple, with chocolate-colored seeds.  Fleshy, slightly curved flattened pods, 6-7 1/2″ long.  Produces under hot dry conditions.   Source:  SOU

Purple Podded Pole (OP)  68 days.  Plants climb to 6′ feet tall.  Stringless 5-7″ red-purple pods that blanch to light green.  French heirloom.  Source:  GUR NIC JOHN SEED SHU

BEANS (French filet)

Hybrid
Crosse Violetto  55 days.  Purple podded French filet bean.  Brown seeds.   Source:  GOU

Heirloom
Fin Des Bagnols  45-55 days.  Fine green pods with intense flavor.   Source:  ANN COO GOU

Rocquencourt  54 days.  French heirloom.  Long thin pods.  Black seeded.   Source:  GOU

BEANS (wax)
Heirloom
Beurre De Rocquencourt   French heirloom.,  Bush plants set good yields in most climates.  Source:  BAK

Dragon’s Tongue  62 days.  Flat, stringless, French heirloom, 8″ long pods.  Yellow, striped with purple.   Source:  ANN IRI SHU

Roc d’Or (OP)  55-60 days.  French variety.  continuous yielder of slim, round, golden-yellow beans.  Shiny black seeds trap and absorb sunlight in cooler soils.  Source:  JOHN

BEANS (fava)
Heirloom
D’Aquadulce A Tres Longue Cross  85 days.  French variety.  3′ plant.  cold tolerant.  Use as salad greens, edible flowers, very young green pods, shell like edamame or as dry bean.   Source:  BAK

BEETS 
Heirloom
Crapaudine  Old French variety.  Carrot-shaped roots have rough dark colored skin that resembles tree bark.  Almost black flesh.   Source:  BAK

BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Hybrid
Half Dwarf  120 days.  French variety.  Medium size on compact plants.  Smooth sprouts have flavor improved with frost.   Source:  GOU

CABBAGE (pointed heads)
Heirloom
Bacalan De Rennes    French heirloom.  Oxheart-shaped early flavorful green heads.   Source:  BAK

Couer De Boeuf Des Vertus    French heirloom.  Bull-heart, tall pointed heads.   Source:  BAK

CABBAGE (savoyed)
Heirloom
d’ Aubervilliers  75 days.  French heirloom.  Large, closed head with crinkled leaves and excellent taste.  Source:  GOU

CARROTS
Heirloom
Juane Obtuse Deu Doubs   Bright lemon yellow carrot from France.  Big, thick sweet tasting carrot.   Source:  ANN BAK COM GOU

Little Finger  55 days.  Baby-type deep orange carrots.  French variety.  Sweet 3″ carrots.  Good canner and pickler.   Source:  ANN BOT BAK GOU IRI PAR SHU TERR

Parisienne   French variety.  Small, round orange carrots.  Source:  BAK

Tonde Di Parigo  60 days.  French heirloom.  Harvest deep orange roots when 1-2″.  Very sweet.   Source:  BAK BOT

CELERY
Heirloom
Giant Pascal  100 days.  Favorite of French chefs.  Large ribs are easily blanched.   Source:  GOU SHU

CHICORY
Heirloom
Broad-leaved Batavia  90 days.  French variety.  Broad, light-green, nearly plain leaves.  Heavy full head.  Source:  BOT COO

CHICORY (frisee) (endive curled)
Hybrid
Cour d’Oro (Heart of Gold)  45 days.  French frisee with fine golden center surrounded by rich green leaves.  Nice fullness.   Source:  GOU

Heirloom
De Louviers  Finely curled and deeply notched leaves produces blanched and curled yellow heart.   Source:  BAK

CHICORY (escarole) (endive not curled)

Heirloom
Cornetto di Bordeaux  65 days.  French endive.  Large upright escarole with full, crunching, white stems.  Heart is self-blanching.   Source:  ANN GOU

De Meaux   Broad, dark green heads with creamy-white blanched  hearts.  Very notched leaves.  Pre-1885 French heirloom.   Source:  BAK  

Spadona da Taglio   Lance shaped cutting chicory.  Outstanding flavor.  Used in France and Italy for its rustic flavor.  Great for micro greens.   Source:  GOU

CORN SALAD (mache, lamb’s lettuce)

Heirloom
Gros Graines   45 days.  Large seeded French heirloom.  Best grown early spring when it can handle the heat with less bitterness.    Source:  JOHN  

Verte A Coeur Plein 2   French heirloom.  Short, roundish, half-erect, stiff leaves.  Compact plant not as productive as other varieties.   Source:  BAK

Verte D’ Estampes   French heirloom.  Deep green leaves.  Small plant is fairly cold hardy.  Source:  BAK

Verte De Cambrai (OP)  55 days.  Cold weather salad green.  Mild flavor.  Round leaves that should be harvested at 4-6″.   Source:  BAK IRI JOHN NIC

CUCUMBERS (picklers)

Hybrid
Paris Pickling  61  Cornichon type in the Paris markets.  Huge production of tiny crisp cukes.   Source:  GOU

Heirloom
De Bourbonne  50 days.  Old French heirloom used to make the 2″ long Cornichon pickles.  High yielding vines.   Source:  BAK

Fin De Meaux   Small white French pickling cucumber.  Compact 2″ long, slender green fruit used to make Cornichon pickles.   Source:  BAK

Parisian  (Bourbonne)  50 days.  Dark green French heirloom gherkin with firm thick flesh.   Source:  ANN BAK BURP JOHN

EGGPLANT

Heirloom
Listada De Gandia  (OP)  75 days.  French heirloom.  5-6″ egg-shaped fruits.  Purple with irregular white stripes.  Drought tolerant, sets fruit well under high heat.  Best in long warm growing areas.  No need to peel before cooking.  Source:  ANN BAK JOHN SEED SOU

Long Purple (Violette Longue Hative) (OP)  70-80 days.  22-38″ plants.  4 or more 8 x 2″ fruit.   French heirloom.   Source:  BAK BOT BOU COM GOU IRI SOU TERR

Ronde De Valence   French heirloom, perfectly round and the size of a grapefruit.  Deep purple.   Source:  BAK

LETTUCE  (iceberg, crisphead)
Heirloom
Reine Des Glaces (Queen of the ice, Ice Queen) (OP)  65-70 days.  French heirloom that thrives in cold.  Emerald-green, lacy leaves with serrated edges.  Stays crisp in heat.   Source:  BOU GOU SEED TER TERR

Rouge Grenoblaise (OP)  55 days.  16″ heads have glossy, ruffled red leaves and is bolt resistant.  French heirloom.   Source:  BAK COO

LETTUCE (butterhead, bibb, buttercrunch, Boston)

Heirloom
Big Boston (Laitue Lorithois)   Originally from France.  Edges are slightly browned.  Large, tender light green heads.   Source:  BAK COM

Blonde Du Cazard   French butterhead that forms 12″ across heads.  Big wavy green leaves.   Source:  BAK

Brune D’ Hiver   Compact, hardy French heirloom butterhead.  Crunchy green leaves blushed in reddish brown color.  Requires little space.   Source:  BAK

Continuity (OP)  (Merveille des 4 Saisons, Fours seasons, Marvel of 4 Seasons, Merveille Des Quatre Saisons)  54-56 days.  Deep burgundy leaves outside, creamy green leaves inside.  Compact 12-16″ heads.   Source:  ANN BAK BOT BOU GOU JOHN SEED TER

Divina (OP)  60-70 days.  Chartreuse-green, slightly savoyed leaves.  Densely packed butterhead produces a 1 pound head.  French variety.  Slow to bolt.  Source:  JOHN

Montpellier Red  50-60 days.  French heirloom is a small butterhead with glossy, deep bronze leaves marbled with green tinge and slightly savoyed.  Cold tolerant but bolts in heat.   Source:  JOHN

Winter Marvel (Merveille D’Hiver) (OP)  55 days.  French heirloom.  Large green heads. For late summer and fall planting.   Source:  BOU COO

LETTUCE (French crisp, Batavia, loose heads)

Heirloom
Arianna Batavian (OP) 50 days.  French beauty with thick, shapely mint-green leaves, adorning tall, open rose-shaped heads.  Widely adapted, tolerant to heat.  Source:  JOHN

LETTUCE (romaine/cos)
Hybrid
Ballon  77 days.  Hardy, adaptable to a wide range of climates.  Tall head.  French variety.  Fairly heat tolerant.  Source:  GOU

Heirloom
Rouge D’Hiver (OP) (Red Winter)  60-62 days.  French heirloom has red and green leaves, deep red tips.  Forms semi-open romaine.  Best color comes in cooler weather.   Source:  ANN BOT BAK COM IRI JOHN SEED SOU

LETTUCE (loose leaf)

Heirloom
Cocarde  49 days.  French oakleaf has large dark green leaves edged in dark red.   Source:  ANN

LETTUCE (mesclun, lettuce blends, microgreens)

Heirloom
Mesclun Lettuce Mix   Traditional French heirloom mesclun salad mix.  Salad Bowl, Red Salad Bowl, Rouge d’Hiver, Paris Island Cos, Lollo Rossa, Chervil, Rocket Salat Arugula and Endive di Ruffec.   Source:  ANN

MELONS (cantaloupe, muskmelon)
Heirloom
D’ Alger   Colorful French heirloom.  Ribbed fruits are dark green, almost black with silver splashes.  When ripe they turn yellow with red splashes.  Compact vines.  Flesh seems bland.   Source:  BAK

Noir Des Carmes  75 days.  A true French heirloom.  Rich black-green skin when mature.
Ripens to orange mottled with green.  Orange flesh.  Tends to split when ripe.  3-6 pounds.  Deeply ribbed with smooth skin.  Source:  BAK SEED

Obus Or Kroumir  75 days.  A true French heirloom.  Rich black-green skin when mature. Ripens to orange mottled with green.  Orange flesh.  Tends to split when ripe.  3-6 pounds. Deeply ribbed with smooth skin.   Source:  BAK

Petit Gris De Rennes  80-85 days.  Name translates as “little grey”.  2-3 pounds and have a mustard and olive speckled rind.   Sweet orange flesh.  Source:  JOHN SEED

Prescott Fond Blanc  85-95 days.  1883 French variety.  4-9 pounds.  Warted skin and dense, sweet flesh.  Prescott will not slip from the vine.   Source:  COM SEED

MELONS (honeydew)
Heirloom
White Antibes Winter Melon  100 days.  French heirloom has small seed cavity.   Source:   JOHN

MELONS (charentais)
Heirloom
Charentais  75-90 days.  French heirloom.  Smooth, round melons mature to a creamy gray with faint ribs.  From France’s Poitou-Charentes region.  2-3 pounds.  Orange flesh.  Source:  BAK BOU COO GOU JOHN NIC SEED

Petit Gris De Rennes  85 days.  Dense, 2 pound, orange flesh melon.  French variety adapts to cool climates.  Grey-green rind.  Source:  BAK JOHN

MELONS (canary)
Heirloom
Yellow Canary  73 days.  French canary melon with smooth yellow skin.  Very aromatic flesh.  Can be used as a melon for cooking.   Source:  BAK GOU

MELONS (specialty melons)
Heirloom
Boule D’ Or  (Golden Perfection)  95-110 days.  1885 French heirloom.  Sweet, smooth winter melon with a hard rind.  Pale green flesh.  Fruits will keep several weeks if kept cool and dry.   Source:  SEED

Melon De Luneville  85 days.  Historic old French variety.  Oval to oblate, lightly ribbed.  1 1/2-4 pounds.  Sometimes netted and comes in unusual patterns.  Orange flesh.   Source:  BAK

Napolentano Verde (Napoletano Verde Precoce, Valenciana Precoce)  85 days.  Green skinned melon common to French and Italian cuisine.  Early winter melon.  Oval dark skin that is slightly wrinkled.  Thick, pale white flesh.   Source:  GOU

Prescott Fond Blanc  70 days.  French melon.  4-9 pounds.  Very flattened and ribbed with warts and bumps.  Grey-green rind turns straw colored.  Salmon-orange flesh.  Heavy fragrance.   Source:  BAK

Verte Grimpant (Green Climbing)  A very old, green-fleshed French melon.  1-2 pound fruits.  Slightly oblong.  Good cooking melon.  French heirloom.  Source:  BAK

ONIONS (slicing, bulbing)
Heirloom
Cevenne  135 days.  Heirloom variety from the Cevennes mountain range in France.   Satin yellow skin with pale, soft flesh.  Bulbs store well.   Source:  THO

ONIONS (shallots)
Heirloom
Grey Griselle (OP) 180 days.  French heirloom.  Small teardrop-shaped.  1 x 1 1/2″ bulbs have a hard, gray skin and tender, pinkish-white flesh.  Mild flavor.   Source:  SOU

PEAS 
Hybrid
Morli  50 days.  French mangetout.  Deep green, tender 2″ long pods.  Semi-bush habit, 20″ high.   Source:  PAR

Heirloom
Sweet Provence  65 days.  French heirloom, ‘petite poi’.  Small tiny peas.  Nice and sweet.   Source:  GOU

PEAS (sugar pods, edible pods)
Hybrid
Norli Sugar Pod  69 days.  Small deep green pods.  Semi-bush.  True French green mangetout.  Source:  GOU

PEAS (snow peas)
Heirloom
Carouby De Maussne  65 days.  Large pods for snow peas, 5-6″ long.  5′ plant.  Originated in Mausane, in Southern France.  Bi-colored flowers are borne in pairsmaturing to purple to nearly sky blue.   Source:  BAK

Corne De Belier    Predates 1860.  French snow pea.  Large flat pods.  Creamy-white blooms.  Source:  BAK

POTATOES (yellow flesh)
Hybrid
Princess ™ La Ratte Fingering  100 days.  French gourmet potato.  Smooth, buff-colored skin with golden-yellow flesh.  Creamy custard texture.   Source:  JOHN

Heirloom
Berlle De Fontenay  60-80 days.  French origin.  Pale yellow skin, brilliant yellow flesh.  Firm texture.  Stores well.  Source:  POT

PUMPKINS
Heirloom
Fairytale  125  days.  French heirloom.  15 pounds.  Heavily scalloped or ribbed and mature to buckskin color.   Source:  HAR JOHN STO TER

Galeux D’ Eysines  95-100 days.  French variety.  Peach-colored pumpkin shaped like a wheel of cheese covered in bumps.  Firm, sweet bright orange flesh.  10-20 pounds.  Long keeper.   Source:  ANN BAK COM GOU JOHN SEED SOU TER TERR

Juane Gros De Paris  100 days.  French heirloom.  Giant, big, pinkish-yellow pumpkins can grow to over 100 pounds.  Round, flattened and have light ribbing.  Good for pies, soups or baked.  Source:  BAK GOU JOHN

Musquee De Provence (Potiron Bronze De Montlhery)  120 days.  Big, flat pumpkins are shaped like giant wheels of cheese and heavily lobed and ribbed.  The skin is rich brown when ripe.  Deep orange, thick flesh.  Fruit grow to 20 pounds each.  Traditional variety from Southern France.  Source:  BAK JOH SEED

Rouge Vif D’ Etampes (Cinderella Pumpkin, Bright Red Estampes)  95 days.  Very old 1880s French heirloom.  Large, flattened and ribbed fruit.  Deep red.  This variety is tasty in pies or baked, but can be picked small and fried.  Source:  ANN BAK BOU BURP COM COO GOU HAR JOH JOHN NIC SEED SHU SOU TER TOT

Tours (Citrouille de Touraine, French Tours)  90-100 days.  1856 French heirloom field pumpkin.  17 pounds with distinctive large oil seeds with wide margins.  Great carver. Source:  SEED

RADISH (round)
Heirloom
Juane D’ Or Ovale  1885 French heirloom.  Starts out a pale tannish-white and turns a yellowish-tan as roots grow.  Egg-shaped roots.   Source:  BAK

RADISH (long)
Hybrid
D’ Avignon  21 days.  French radish is nearly cylindrical 3″ roots.  Bright red with white tips.   Source:  COO JOHN

Heirloom
French Breakfast (OP) (Radis Demi-long Rose a Bout Blanc)  25 days.  1873 heirloom.  Mild, spicy flavor oval roots have red top and white tip.  Source:  ANN BAK BOT BOU COM GOU GUR HAR IRI JOHN NIC SEED SHU TER

Violet De Gournay   French heirloom can grow up to 10″ long.  Deep violet purple skin and pungent white flesh.  Can be sown in the spring in northern states.  Used in cooking, pickling or grated into salads.  Source:  BAK

RUTABAGA (swede)
Heirloom
Collet Vert  Old standard, bright green top and yellow bottom.  Popular in France since the 19th century.  Source:  BAK

Vertus  60 days.  French heirloom.  Very tender white cylindrical.  5-6″ roots are 2″ wide.  Mild and sweet.  Source:  GOU

SPINACH (savoyed, semi-savoyed leaf)
Heirloom
Monster of Viroflay  40-50 days.  19th century French heirloom.  Plants grow up to 2′ in diameter.  Huge dark green crisp savoyed leaves.  Sweet and complex flavor.  Very cold hardy for winter.   Source:  ANN BOT BOU GOU NIC

SQUASH (summer, zucchini)
Heirloom
Ronde De Nice (Tonda Nizza)  50 days.  French heirloom.  Round, green zucchini.  Ideal for stuffing.  Great taste.   Source:  BAK BOT COO GOU IRI JOHN SEED TERR

SQUASH (summer, scallop, patty pan)
Heirloom
Patisson Golden Marbre  Unique French squash, bright golden-orange color.  Tall bush plants.  Also makes a good winter squash.   Source:  BAK

Patisson Panache Blanc Et Vert  Stunning pure white scallop with deep green radial streaks.  Small fruit may not show streaking, and it can be variable.  Pre-1885 French heirloom.   Source:  BAK SEED

Patisson Strie Melange  French scallop.  This mix contains fruit in many colors, some being striped and warted.  Fruits are picked young and cooked.  When they become hard they can be used as decorations.  Source:  BAK GOU

SQUASH (winter, buttercup, flattened globe, turban shaped)
Heirloom
Turks Cap (Turban)  90 days.  French heirloom, striped in red, orange, green and white.  Thick orange flesh.   Source:  BAK SEED

SQUASH (winter, other types and shapes)
Heirloom
Mosque de Provence  (Muscat de Provence)  80 days.  French heirloom.  Flattened, 5-10 pound orange-brown color when ripe.  Deep ridges and low moisture, sweet flesh.  Long storage.   “Cheese Wheel” squash.   Source:  GOU

Potimarron (Courage Chataigne)  85-95 days.  French variety.  Pear-shaped with flavor like chestnuts.  3-4 pounds.  Superb table quality.  Source:  SEED

Sucrine Du Berry  French heirloom.  Has sweet, musky fragrance.  Delicious, sweet flesh is used in jams, soups and many French recipes.  3-5 pound fruit.  Deep orange flesh.  Oblong, bell-shaped fruit are tannish-orange when mature.  Source:  BAK

TOMATOES
Hybrid
Carmello  75 days.  French hybrid.  5-7 ounces, medium-large tomatoes with rich, sweet flavor.  Thin, non-cracking skin.  Indeterminate.  Source:  JOHN

Delizia  French beefsteak.  Indeterminate.  1 pound, large, succulent, pumpkin-shaped tomatoes.   Source:  COO

Heirloom
Marmande  70 days.  Semi-determinate.  French heirloom.  Scarlet, lightly ribbed fruit is full of flavor.  Medium large sized fruit.  Produce even in cool weather.   Source:  ANN BAK TOT

St. Pierre (OP) 78 days.  French heirloom.  Full, rich tomato flavor.  Produces even in bad conditions.  Popular in Europe.  Source:  ANN BAK GOU

TOMATOES (paste, plum)
Heirloom
Andes  (Cornice Des Andes)  70-80 days.  French heirloom.  3 x 6″ , true-red, long, square tomato.  Meaty, bull-bodies, few seeds.  Fruits fall from vine when ripe and skin fall off easily.  Indeterminate.   Source:  TERR

TURNIP
Heirloom
Boule D’ Or (OP) (golden Ball, Orange Jelly)  65 days.  150 year-old French heirloom.  Yellow flesh is sweeter and milder than white varieties.  Fine flavor.  Source:  BAK BOU GOU TER TERR

Navet Des Vertus Marteau  1880s French heirloom.  Very tender white roots are cylindrical 5-6″ long and 2″ wide.  Mild sweet flavor.  Source:  ANN BAK

Asian cooking has always fascinated American cooks since it emphasizes fresh vegetables, or a combination of vegetables and meat.  For centuries China has been famous for its variety of cuisine.  

The only difficult part of Asian cooking is in understanding which vegetables go with names like  dai gai choy, bok choy, siew choy, and gai lohn.  All of these vegetables are relatives of mustard, broccoli, and cabbage.  Freshness is absolutely essential in preparing Asian dishes, especially with stir-fry.

Some Asian vegetables are available in supermarkets, but if you really want to know what Asian vegetables taste like, you need to grow your own.  Asian vegetables make a wonderful fall and winter garden.

I would like to thank the Kitazawa Seed Co. for their outstanding source for Asian vegetable seeds.  They have made it easy to understand each variety.

Each variety has a seed source code next to it.  See SEED SOURCES in the directory for the list of seed catalogs.

BEANS (mame)

Adzuki Bean
(azuki, hong xiao dou)

Late Tamba  90 days.  In Japan, azuki bean rivals soybean in popularity.  Dwarf-type variety with rose-colored flowers and red beans.  Sprouts can be used in salads.  Dried azuki beans are often cooked with a sweetener.  Cooked sweetned beans can be mashed into a red bean paste and put inside mochi or manju.  The red beans are also cooked with sticky sweet rice.  Source:  KIT

BEANS

SHELL BEAN
(ingenmame, hung fa tsoi tau, parda)

Akahana Mame  85 days.  This rare and beautiful Japanese bean is also called “flower bean.”  Grown as a pole bean, this variety produces red flowers and pods up to 8″ long.  1″ beans are deep-red dappled with purple and back,  Best if wrinkled beans are soaked before boiling.  After cooking, rinse beans, and add sugar and salt.  Dissolve sugar by heating again.  Toss with spoon as to not break the beans.   Source:  KIT

Shirohana Mame  80 days.  Has snow-white flowers and pure white beans that distinguish it from similar varieties.  Pole bean produces pods up to 8″ long and 1″ beans.  Prepare as you would Akahana mame.  Source:  KIT

BEANS (long beans)

Long beans are always associated with Asian cooking and hot weather.  Some pods grow up to three feet long, yet still stay tender and mild tasting when fully grown.  There is a variety of colors to choose from.  

Hybrid
Asparagus Bean Bocello  73 days.  Edible pods are dark green.  Young pod has thick meat with crisp texture and very small seed cavity.  Widely grown in Asia.  Source:  JOH

Gita  78 days.  Widely adapted.  16-20″ long, dark green pods no bigger than the diameter of a pencil.  Stringless.  Black seeds.   Source:  JOH

Liana  72 days.  Vines are 10-12′.  Black-seeded variety that does well in the North and the South.   Medium green pods up to 23″ long, but best picked at 18″ or smaller (less than a pencil width)  Source:  SOU

Purple Podded Yard Long  90 days.  Dark-purple pods that retain color when stir-fried.  Red-brown seeds. 10′ plants.   Source:  SOU

Stickless wonder  54 days.  A rare dwarf type.  Bushy 30″ plant don’t require staking.  12″ long light-green pods, best harvested when 10″ long.   Source:  SOU

Heirloom
Akasanjaku  75 days.  Sweet tender light-green pods with red seed in 12-16″ long pods.  Stringless.  Thrive in heat.  Source:  KIT

Chinese Green Noodle  Early variety imported from China.  20″ long pods are straight and smooth, bright-green.  Easy to grow almost anywhere.   Source:  BAK

Chinese Mosaic   Lavender-pink pods measure 12-18″ long.  vigorous vines.  Source:  BAK

Chinese Red Noodle  80 days.  Deep-red, 18″ long pods are full of nutrition, keep their color when cooked.  Long vines produce all summer.  Pods have small red seeds.   Source:  ANN BAK JOH KIT NIC SOU TER

Dark Green  70 days.  16-18″ long dark -green, slender, round, stringless pods.  Easy to grow plant.  Source:  KIT

Green Pod Red Seed  75 days.  Pre-1860.  Light green pods, seeds are maroon-brown with darker brown streaks.  Trouble-free variety.  Source:  SOU

Kurojuroku  75 days.  Fast growing, high yielding variety thrives in heat.  Long dark-green stringless beans with black seeds are highly prized for their sweet, crunchy pods.  Source:  ANN KIT

Mosaic  80 days.  The 16″ long pods are purple, red and green, and prized for their sweet, tender pods.   Source:  JOH KIT

Orient Wonder (OP)  70 days.  Rich green, long, slender, round stringless pods.  This variety thrives in warm humid areas, but sets fruit better in cool or drier weather.  Source:  GUR JOH KIT TER

Red Noodle (op)  50-80 days.  Have an unusual purple-red color and are a well-known variety in southern China.  They can grow up to 22″ long.  The color fades when cooked.  Vigorous plant is heat tolerant.   Source:  KIT TER

Red Seeded Asparagus  75 days.  24″ long pods have no strings and small seeds.  12-14″ long pods are delicious.  Resistant to heat, humidity and insects.  Great for the Southern gardens.   Source:  BAK BOU BURP NIC SHU

Taiwan Black Seeded   Light green 38″ long pods with black beans.  Superior flavor to common beans.   Source:  BAK

Thai #2 Red Seeded   Lime-green pods have brownish-red seeds and is late-maturing.   Source:  BAK

Thai #3 Extra Long  Very long, green pods can reach 30″ long.  Has unique red and white-spotted seeds.   Source:  BAK

Thai Khew Dok   Light green 20-25″ pods are smooth and meaty.  Pods have red seeds. Source:  

Thai Purple Podded  High yields.  Deep purple pods have green tips and can reach 20″ long.   Source:  BAK

Thai Suranaree Bush   Bush variety.  Easier to grow in small gardens.  Produces 12″ long green pods with dark reddish-maroon seeds.   Source:  BAK

Thai White Seeded   Smooth, light green 25″ long pods have creamy white seeds.   Source:  BAK

Tsu In  75 days.  Beautiful purple color pods.  16-20″ long beans are soft textured.  Tender and stringless.  Young leaves and stems are also edible when steamed.   Source:  KIT

White Seeded  60 days.  Light green, 24″ long pods have white seeds.  Heat tolerant.   Source:  KIT

Yard Long  70 days.  Vines are rampant and produce an enormous crop of long, slender, round pods the thickness of a pencil. Pick  at 12-15″ for tenderness.   Source:  BURG NIC SHU TERR

SOYBEAN
(eda mame, daizu, da dou, utaw, dau nanh)

Adyu Edammame  85-90 days.  Heirloom edamame type from Japan.  Plump, pale green soybeans are produced on small to medium-size plants.  Source:  BAK

BeSweet 2001  95 days.  Protein filled sweet beans are nutritious and easy to grow.  boil whole pods, pot the beans out and eat them like candy.  Source:  BOT

Beer Friend  70 days.  Popular Japanese variety that yields prolific quantity of pods containing 3 to 4 beans each.  Whitish pod.  Most pods mature at the same time.  Bushy plants need warm day and cool night temperatures for good results.  Prepare by boiling fresh pods for 3-4 minutes in salted water and serve them as a healthy appetizer or snack.   Source:  KIT

Butterbean  90 days.  Nutritious, buttery sweet beans.  Use fresh or dried.  Source:  BOT

Early Hakucho (OP)  Early, dwarf variety growing 12-14″ tall.  Plants set fuzzy, 2 1/2″ long, bright-green pods in thick clusters.  Each pod holds 3-4 yellow/green beans.  Reliable producer even in short season growing areas.  Source:  TER

Envy  75 days.  Short season variety.  Incredible taste.  Easy to grow.  Source:  BOT

Kabouli Black garbanzo   Heirloom variety from Kabul, Afghanistan.  2′ plants produce unusual dark purple beans.  Perfect variety for short season areas.  Used for hummus and other Middle Eastern dishes.  Source:  BAK

Kodaizu  90 days.  Small seeded soybean is used for making natto and for sprouting.  Bushy plants need warm day and cool night.  Especially popular as a breakfast food.  Source:  KIT

Korean Black  100 days.  Very sweet flavor.  Immature beans are harvested when bright-green with splotches of purple.  Pods can be left on the bush to mature for dried beans that have a black seed coat with green interior.  These are used to make numerous Asian bean dishes.  Prized in Korea for its health benefits.   Source:  KIT

Kouri  85 days.  Brown-seeded soybean.  Highly prized in Japan for sweeter, nuttier flavor.  Even though the seed for planting is brown, you will find the color of the bean dark-green at harvest and it retains this color when cooked.  Light-brown pod.  Semi-upright 2′ plant habit.  Needs warm day and cool night temperatures.   Source:  KIT

Lanco  120 days.  Large green seeds, mild nutty sweet flavor.  Harvest beans when the tops of the plants start to lose their deep green color.  3-4′ tall plants.  Source:  SOU

Lucky Lion  75 days.  Prized for its high yield and excellent nutty flavor.  Typically 3 beans per each bright-green pod with white pubescence.  Bushy plants need warm day and cool night.  Source:  ANN KIT

Midori Giant (OP) 80 days.  Large seeded traditional edamame soybean.  consistently heavy producer with over 90% of the pods holding 2-3 seeds.  Adaptable to all regions of the US.  Source:  BURP KIT TER

Moon Cake ((PVP)  120 days.  5-6′ tall stalks that outgrow the weeds.  Large seeded pods bred for taste, flavor and nutrition.    Source:  SOU

Owen (PVP)  120 days.  Dark, elegant soybean with hearty flavor.  Compact, 2′ plants.  Dark brown seeds.  Source:  SOU

Sayamusume (OP)  85 days.  Grows two’ tall and produces 3-3 1/2″ pods with 2-4 light-green seeds per pod.  Source:  TER

Shinonome  80 days.  Ideal for making tofu, soymilk, miso, soy sauce and other soybean products.  Bushy plants need warm day and cool nights.  Source:  ANN KIT

Tamba Kuro Otsubu  150 days.  Popular in Japan and has a rich flavor.  Black soybean.  In Japan, the raw, shelled beans are cooked with rice.  Source:  KIT

Tankuro  85 days.  In Japan the black-seeded soybeans are noted as having a richer and sweeter flavor compared to the traditional green/tan seeded soybeans.  Seed for planting is black, but at harvest the bean is dark-green and retains this color when cooked.  2 1/2′ semi-upright growing habit.  Source: ANN KIT

White Lion  70 days.  Soybeans are called edamame in Japanese and mao dou in Mandarin.  This variety grows vigorously and has an excellent nutty flavor.  The pod has white pubescence.  Prepare as an appetizer as you would “Beer Friend”.  Source:  KIT

SWORD BEAN
(tachinata mame, dou tau, pataning, dagat)

Akanata Mame  70 days.  This sword bean cultivated in Japan produces pinkish-red flowers and beans.  The beans, which have a ridged edge, are harvested when they are still immature,or when they are roughly 4″ long.  Prepare as you would snap beans.   Source:  KIT

Shironata Mame  70 days.  Japanese sword bean produces white flowers and green beans with a ridged edge.  Pick at 4″ long and prepare like snap beans.  Source:  KIT

WINGED BEAN
(shikaku mame, yi dou, sigarillas, dau rong)

Asian Winged Bean  Produces delicious pods with four winged edges, the leaves are cooked like spinach and the roots have a delicious nutty flavor.  High-protein bean is so useful in the kitchen.  The plants are tropical and do best in warm areas.  Source:  BAK

Winged Bean (Asparagus pea, Goa bean, Four Angled bean, Manila bean, Princess bean, Dragon bean)  75 days.  Almost every part of this tropical plant is edible.  the beans are used as a vegetable, the leaves are cooked like spinach, the roots are similar to potato, and the dried seed are used for flour.  High protein and rich in vitamin A, C, calcium and iron.  Source:  KIT

CHINESE BROCCOLI
(kairan, kailaan, gai lan, pahakkhana, cai ro)

Hybrid
Green Lance   45-60 days.  White flowers, green leaves and stalks.  Looks like small version of broccoli.  Used in stir-fry, soups, sukiyaki and tempura.   Source:  KIT

Ryokuho  45-50 days.  Vigorous growth and high yields.  16″ upright plants.  Smooth dark- green leaves have short petioles.  Thick stems, heat tolerant and moderate bolt resistance. Use steamed, stir-fry and in soups.  Source:  KIT

Suiho  50 days.  Has round medium green leaves that are slightly wrinkled with 3/4″ thick stems.  14″ tall plant is semi-spreading.   Source:  JOH KIT

Wan Shen  65 days.  Late maturing and late to bolt during cool seasons.  Large green leaves with thick stems.  Leaves are tender and stems crisp.   Source:  KIT

Heirloom
Guy Lon (Kailaan)  Sometimes called Chinese kale.  Grown during cooler weather.  Sturdy green stems, large flat leaves and loose buds that do not form a head.  Source:  STO

Kailaan (OP)  60-70 days.  Grown for its stalks and leaves.  Deep-green color and good flavor.  Use in stir-fry, soups, sukiyaki and tempura.   Source:  JOHN KIT

Te You (OP)  50 days.  Dark-green leaves are smooth with long thick stems.  Heat tolerant and can withstand cool temperatures.  Cool temperature slow plant growth and will be smaller in size.   Source:  KIT

CABBAGE (Chinese)
(nappa, hakusai, da bai cai, pechay, bagullo, cai bac)

Hybrid and Heirlooms
(Fluffy top type)
Kaisin Hakusai  70 days.  The frilly outer leaves are light-green.  They surround the core leaves, which are soft-yellow.   Source:  KIT

(Head type-barrel heads-napa)

Aichi  70 days.  Produces large barrel heads with succulent midrib.  Source:  ANN KIT

Bilko  54 days.  12″ dark-green.  Widely adapted.  Slow to bolt.   Source:  JOH

Blues 50-60 days.  Hybrid.  Mature head can weigh over 4 pounds.  Extra-slow bolting.  Source:  HAR KIT STO

China Gold  65 days.  Dark-green, compact frame, barrel shape, golden/white internal color with good weight.  Slow bolting.  Source:  STO

Chorus  65 days.  Hybrid.  Disease resistant, bright-green heads weigh up to 5 pounds.   Source:  KIT

Jazz  65 days.  6 Pound head can be stored for 12 months.  Source:  KIT STO

Koboko  54 days.   Hybrid.   Large, dense 16″ tall and 12″ diameter heads.   Source:  PAR

Koyoto No. 3  80 days.  Mild flavor crisp cabbage will keep in a cool place for 2 to 3 months and can be frozen.   Source:  KIT

Matsushima No. 2  80 days.  Well-suited for close planting.  Hardy against cold temperatures.  Source:  BOU KIT

Mini Kisaku 50 50 days.    Hybrid .  Weighs only 2-3 pounds.  Head interior is yellow.   Source:  KIT

Minuet  48 days.  9 x 7″ dark-green outer leaves and attractive yellow interior.  Space 12″ apart.  Upright, well-packed head.  Slow to bolt.  Source:  JOH

One Kilo 50-55 days.  Hybrid.  Japanese variety.  Small, elongated head is green with a soft, crinkly, lemon-yellow heart.  Favors cool weather.  Firm, well-packed heads..  Cut at ground level with a sharp knife.  Source:  JOHN

Qingdao 65  65 days.  Mild, sweet flavor.  Napa-type.  Easy to grow.   Source:  BOT

Rubicon  52 days.  11″ tall head weighs 5 1/2-6 pounds.  Dark-green leaves with broad white ribs with creamy-yellow blanched interior.  Source:  JOH

Soloist  40-50 days.  Baby cabbage.  Heat tolerant.  1 1/2-2 pounds. Golden-hearted, tender, sweet head.  Source:  TER

Tenderheart  50 days.  Hybrid.  Miniature cabbage is perfect for container garden or small space gardens.  Upright with crinkly light-green leaves growing from a smooth white base.  Compact 2 pound head.   Source:  KIT SOU STO TER

Tender Gold  60 days.  Produces crisp, savoyed leaves wrapped into extra-dense head.  Golden heart.  White midrib and jade-colored outer leaves.  11″ tall and 5″ across.  Upright plant.   Source:  TER

Wa Wa Tsai  60 days.  Hybrid.  Weighs 10-18 ounces.  Baby cabbage great for small space gardens or containers.  Set out 10-12″ apart.    Source:  PAR

Wong Bok (OP) 80 days.  10″ tall, 6-7″ in diameter.  Head grows blanched tender oval heads.   Source:  BAK NIC

WR-70 Days  70 days.  Hybrid.  Medium-green Napa has wide adaptability.  Head weighs over 5 pounds at maturity.  Good cold tolerance.  Source:  KIT PAR

Yuki  70 days.  Medium-size Napa with dark bright-green, barrel shaped heads.   Source:  STO

CYLINDRICAL TYPE (Michihili)

Green Rocket  70 days.  Hybrid.  Known for its sweetness.  28″ tall cylinders made of frilly but crisp green leaves.  Sow seeds in mid to late summer.  Has long shelf life.  Source:  KIT

Greenwich  69 days.  Dark-green, medium-size, tall cylindrical.  Slow to bolt.  Source:  STO

Michihili   (OP)  70 days.  1870 heirloom.  14-24″ long and just 6″ across.  Slightly savoyed, pale-green outer leaves cloak the white interior.  Mild, almost sweet, yet tender and crisp-crunchy leaves.  Source:  BAK BOT JOHN

Monument  80 days.  Hybrid.  Bright dark-green, upright head.  Cylindrical shape, textured outer leaves surrounds a sweet, tender white core.  Semi-heading.  Weighs up to 4 pounds.  Harvest in fall and early winter.   Source:  KIT

LOOSE-HEAD TYPE

Beka Santoh  25 days.  Widely grown throughout Japan.  Leaves are light-green, slightly serrated, and frilly white stalks are 8″ tall.  Sow in spring.   Source:  KIT

Chirimen Hakusai  50 days.  Old variety from Japan.  Crepe-textured light-green leaves.  12″ tall plants.  Sow in spring or fall.   Source:  KIT

Green Seoul  70 days.  Korean loose-head type with narrow yellowish-green leaves.  Excellent for Korean Kimchee recipes, this type of cabbage is also very popular in China and Japan for pickling.  Delicious in salads.   Source:  KIT

Hiroshimana  45 days.  Medium-green, glossy leaves with pale midribs.  For larger heads harvest in 60-70 days.  Often used for pickling.   Source:  KIT

Ip Ssam Hong  65 days.  Semi-heading, 12-16″ across.  Oval, purple-red leaves lighten to green at the base, highlighted with bright white midribs.  Perfect choice for Kimchi.  Source:  TER

Maruba Santoh Round Leaves  30-40 days.  Mild flavored.  Heat tolerant and suitable for year round growing.  Tender, smooth, round, light-green leaves and stalks.  Harvest at any stage.   Source:  KIT

Osaka Shirona  40-60 days.  Japanese greens.  Medium-sized bright-green leaves atop wide and firm white petioles.  Fast growing.  Tolerant to cold and heat.   Source:  KIT

Tokyo Beana  20-45 days.  Japanese greens.  Leaves are ruffled and curled at the edges.  At full size tender leaves extend from slim white stems that widen at base.   Source:  KIT

Vitaminna  45 days.  Japanese variety.  Dark-green leaves are crinkled and thick.  Highly tolerant to cool temperatures.   Source:  KIT

Yukina Savoy  24-45 days.  Thick, dark-green, shiny, spoon-shaped leaves grow upright on pale-green stalks.  Source:  KIT

FLATTEN SHAPE
(kyabetsu)

Wakamine  65 days.  Japanese hybrid is easy to grow and has good heat tolerance.  Medium size deep-green head weighs 3-3 1/2 pounds and has a slightly shape.  Can be planted intensively and harvested summer through fall.  Use in salad, sukiyaki, ohitashi, yosenabe, stir-fry.  Source:  KIT

CARROT

Heirloom
Kuroda Long 8″  75 days.  Deep orange, stubby roots.  Mild and sweet.  Good juicer.  Popular in the Oriental markets.   Source:  BAK BOT GOU SHU

Kyoto Red 70-90 days.  Japanese traditional heirloom that is grown in the Kyoto area.  Japanese kintoki-type sweet red carrot.  Glossy deep scarlet roots are tapered and grow 10-12″ long, tender and sweet. The dark red color develops when about 3″ long.  Great for carrot juice.  Source:  KIT

Mini Sweet 60 days.  Japanese variety that yields sweet and tender cylindrical, coreless 4″ carrots.  Smooth skin is a rich orange-red hue.  Can be eaten fresh or added to stir-fries, curries and soups.   Source:  KIT

New Kuroda  110 days.  A sub-tropical variety.  Deep orange and sweet and grows about 6″ long.  Keeps well for use in winter.  Source:  KIT

Skin Kuroda 5″  75 days.  Baby Japanese variety.  3-5″ tender carrots.  Source:  BAK BOU

CELERY (Chinese)
(seri na, qin cai, kinchai, teng chai, rau can tau, ajmond)

Kintsai-Dark Green  30-50 days.  Grows small dark-green leaves with green aromatic stalks.   Source:  KIT

Nan Ling-Light Green  30-50 days.  Strong celery flavor and aroma.  Moisture loving plant.   Source:  KIT

White Queen  60 days.  Flavor and aroma is stronger than Western celery.  Long white stems, jagged green leaves.  Source:  KIT

CORN 
(tomorokoski)

Bonus (su-type) 45-75 days.  Hybrid baby corn is used in Chinese cuisine.  Each stalk of this variety grows to 5′ tall and produces up to 4 mini-cobs 2-4″ long.  Fresh cobs are delicious in salads and are perfect for pickling or stir-frying.  Can be frozen too.  Source:  KIT

CUCUMBERS (Oriental)

Hybrid
China    58 days.  Slender 12″ long, 1 1/4″ thick.  Dark-green, moderately ribbed and high spined.  Small seeds.  Dual purpose cucumber.  Can be grown in small spaces.   Source:  BURG

Lucky Dance  57 days.  Unique white and green color.  6″ long and 2″ diameter.  Crisp and firm flesh.  Source:  KIT

Mongkut  40 days.  Small specialty cucumber from Thailand.  Grows up to 4″ long and 1 1/2″ diameter.  Bitter-free mottled green/white skin and thick flesh with very small seed cavity.  Multipurpose cucumber.   Source:  KIT

Orient Express  64 days.  Burpless.  Asian-type.  12-14″ long and 1 1/2″ diameter.  Dark-green fruit.   Source:  BURP COO STO

Palace King  50-60 days.  12″ long, ribbed type.  Prolific over a long season.  Defined ribbed 10″ long with white spines.  Burpless, thin skin that doesn’t need to be peeled.  Multipurpose cucumber.  Source:  BURP KIT

Palace Pride  50-60 days.  Sooyow variety yields a prolific crop of  glossy dark-green fruits with defined ridges and fine white spines.  Harvest when 10″ long.  Have relatively small seed cavity and sweet flavor.  Popular for its heat tolerance.  No need to peel since the white spines are easily removed by washing.  Source:  KIT

Progress  50-60 days.  Japanese cucumber.  Smooth, glossy, green skin.  Burpless crisp flesh.  8″ long and 1″ diameter.  Very heat tolerant.  Multipurpose cucumber.   Source:  KIT

Soarer  60 days.  Japanese burpless cucumber. 8″ long and 1″ diameter.  Fine-white spines and smooth deep-green skin.  Heat tolerate.  Source:  KIT

Southern Delight  50-60 days.  Japanese variety.  9 x 1″ with deep-dark skin and small white spines.  Burpless.  Multipurpose cucumber.  Source:  KIT

Suhyo Cross  50-60 days.  Northern China variety.  10-12″ long, dark-green skin has defined ribbing and white spines.  Small seed cavity.  Multipurpose cucumbers.   Source:  KIT

Suyo Long  61 days.  Traditional Chinese long fruited variety.  Up to 15″ long.  Ribbed fruit.  Widely adapted.  Butter-free.  Needs to be trellised.  Source:  ANN BAK  BOT COO JOH

Summer Dance  60 days.  Mild tasting, deep-green fruit are near perfect-straight with fine white spines on glossy skin.  9″ long and 1″ in diameter.  Source:  KIT

Summer Top  60 days.  Burpless.  9-10″ long, dark-green.  Multipurpose cucumber.  Source:  KIT

Tasty Green  50-60 days.  9″ long, dark-green with smooth skin and white spines.  Easy to grow.  Multipurpose.   Source:  KIT

Tasty Jade  54 days.  Slender Japanese cucumbers, 11-12″ long.  Needs trellis.  Can be greenhouse grown.  Source:  JOH

Tasty King  60-70 days.  Japanese burpless variety.  Can grow up to 18″ long by 2″ thick. vigorous vines.  Very dark, thin-skinned and have small seed cavities.  Best when picked at immature stage of 12″ for pickling.

Tasty Queen 10  60 days.  8 x 1 1/2″ Japanese variety.  Glossy dark-green smooth skin with few spines.   Source:  KIT

Tsuyataro  50-60 days.  Burpless Japanese variety.  Glossy dark-green smooth skin with few spines.

Heirloom
Brocade (OP)  60 days.  Old Asian variety.  Thin, ridged peels.  15″ long, 1 1/2″ diameter. Heat tolerant.  Widely adapted.   Source:  NIC

Chinese Yellow   10″ long, yellow-orange cucumber from mainland China.  Slice or pickle.   Source:  BAK

Hmong Red  White to pale green, turning golden-orange as they ripen.  Very productive.  Stays mild even when large.  Heirloom from Hmong tribe who live on the borders of Thailand, China, Burma, Laos and Vietnam.  Source:  BAK

Japanese Climbing  58 days.  Black-spines, 3 x 9″ fruit.  Source:  BURG

Japanese Long  68 days.  Long, slim fruit are crisp and mild.  Easy to digest, very productive plant.   Source:  BAK

Long China (Delle Cine, Sangen)  58 days.  Light-green, white spines, very crisp texture.  Source:  BAK GOU

Long De Chine  Type of China cucumber.  Long, bright-green fruit are mild and tasty.  Sweet oriental type.  Vines produce well.   Source:  BAK

Mandurian Round  60 days.  Originating in Asia.  Short, squat plants do not vine.  Round, light and dark-green variegated skin, crisp and juicy.  Best eaten when no larger than the size of a baseball.  Source:  GOU

Sagami Hanjiro  Traditional Japanese variety used for slicing.  Dark-green and lime- green.  Source:  BAK COO

Sikkim Cucumber  Historic cucumber of Sikkim.  Fat, large fruit can reach several pounds.  Ripe fruit is rusty red color and good eaten cooked or raw.  Grown in the Himalayas of Sikkim and Napa.  Discovered in 1848.  Source:  BAK

Sooyow Nishiki  60 days.  11″ long with ridges and white spines.  Japanese variety.   Source:  KIT

Suyo Long  61 days.  Traditional  northern Chinese long fruited variety.  Up to 15″ long.  Ribbed fruit.  Widely adapted.  Bitter-free.  Needs to be trellised.    Almost seedless and burpless.  Heat tolerant.   Source:  ANN BAK BOT  COO JOH IRI TERR

Thai “Mae Sai”   From Thailand, on the border of Myanmar.  8-10″ long, smooth, medium- green fruit with slightly bitter taste.  Used in cooking and pickling.   Source:  BAK

White Emerald   From Thailand.  Light-green colored skin.  Thick, cylindrical shape.  Widely adapted.  Does well in hot, humid areas.  Source:  BAK

Yak Kao   Greenish-yellow, short 5″ fruit.  Thai variety.  All-purpose variety.   Source:  BAK

Yamato Sanjaku (Nippon Sanjaku Kiuri)  75 days.  Sanjaku means 3 feet.  Japanese variety.  This long, narrow fruits is best picked when up to 2 feet long and 2″ in diameter.  Light-green skin with few white spines.  Small seed cavity.  Multipurpose cucumber.  Source:  KIT SEED

EGGPLANT (Oriental)
(nasubi, ngai gwa, si kwa, ca, talong, makhua terung, cai tim, cai phao, bringjai)

Hybrid
Black Shine  65 days.  Japanese variety.  8″ long and over 8 ounces.  Black skin and purple calyx.  Source:  KIT NIC

Bride  58-70 days.  8″ long, rose, light-rose/white stripes and pure white.  Chinese variety.  Source:  JOH JOHN KIT STO

Choryoku  80 days.  Japanese variety.  12″ shiny, bright spring-green.  Source:  KIT

Gretel  55 days.  4″ pure white Japanese variety.  All American Selection winner.   Source:  STO TOM

Hansel  55 days.  Clusters of 4″ dark-purple Japanese variety.  Source:  STO TOM

Kermit  60 days.  Green and white Thai specialty.  2-2 1/4″ long by 2-2 1/4″ diameter.  White blossom end with a deep-green, striped shoulder.   Green calyx.   Source:  JOH

Kyoto Egg  65 days.  Japanese variety. Round 3″ diameter, deep purple-black color.  Upright plant.   Source:  KIT

Machiaw  65 days.  Asian type.  9-10″ long by 7/8-1″ diameter.  Prune and stake plants for straighter fruit.  Green calyx.  Source:  JOH TOM

Managan  60 days.  Dark-purple Japanese type.  4-5″ long, 1 1/2-2 1/2″ diameter.  For cooking or pickling.  Purple calyx.  Source:  JOH

Masego  70 days.  Thai variety.  Firm, oblong with glossy cucumber color that is variegated milky white at the blossom end.   Source:  KIT

Millonaire  55 days.  Japanese variety.  Long and slender.  10-12 1/2″ purple-black eggplant.   Source:  KIT SHU STO TER

Mizuno Takumi  80 days.  Japanese variety.  Shiny, purplish-black oval shaped eggplant that grows to a plump 1/2 pound.   Source:  KIT

Money Maker #2 (Senryo Ni Gou)  60 days.  Japanese variety.  Glossy-black oval shape, and up to 5″ long.  Weighs 3-4 ounces.  Good pickling variety.   Source:  KIT

Orient Charm  65 days.  Asian type. Pink and green fruit, 8-10″ long, by 1 1/2-2″ diameter.  Green calyx.  Source:  JOH

Orient Express  58 days.  Asian type.  Slender, 8-10″ long by 1 1/2-2″ diameter.  Glossy fruits.  Sets in cool weather as well as heat stress.  Quick cooking.  Purple calyx.  Source: JOH TOM

Ping Tung (Long)  (OP)  75-90 days.  Slender, rosy-mauve fruit grows on 1′ high plants.  Harvest at 8″ long.  Perfect for stir-fries and in Thai-style red curry.   Source:  JOHN SOU TOM

Roleks  60-70 days.  Thai variety.  Straight, glossy-green 12″ long fruits that weigh 7-8 ounces.  Source:  KIT

Ruffled Red  65-75 days.  From Thailand, brought to American as an ornamental in the 19th Century.  Grown extensively for flower arrangements where they are miniature pumpkins or pumpkin tree.  Ribbed, red-orange fruits are about twice the size of a quarter, produced abundantly on 2-3′ stalks.  Well-known in Asian cuisine and used in stir-frys.  Pick green and prepare as you would other eggplant.  Source:  TERR

Shoyo Long  60 days.  Japanese variety.  Grows up to 14″ long.  Slender, purplish-black with purple calyx.   Source:  KIT STO

Swallow  51 days.  Cold tolerant.  7 x 1 3/4″, glossy, deep-purple.   Source:  PAR

Tango  60 days.  Asian type.  7-8″ long by 2-2 1/2″ diameter.  Cylindrical white fruit.  Green calyx.  Source:  JOH

Tiger  60 days.  Thai variety.  Small round eggplants are a variegated green and white color.   Source:  KIT

Yasakanaga  60 days.  Japanese variety.  7″ slender fruits, glossy, purplish-black skin with purple calyx.   Source:  KIT

Heirloom

Black Champion  Delicious and tender, Chinese variety.  Long and slender, 14″ long x 2″ wide with black skin.  Heavy yields.  Source:  BAK

Cambodian Green  Giant   From kingdom of Cambodia.  Pale-green with dark stripes and lightly ribbed.   Source:  BAK

Dewako One Bite  50-60 days.  Japanese variety.  Purple-black, firm, small fruit is excellent for pickling.   Source:  KIT

Early Black Egg (OP) 65 days.  Japanese variety.  Small, egg-shaped 5″ fruit.  Does well in cool, short season areas.  Source:  SOU

Fengyuan Purple    16″ long, slim lavender-purple eggplant.  Taiwan heirloom.  Mild and sweet.   Source:  BAK TOM

Japanese Pickling  16″ long, Japanese variety.  Glossy-purple skin with pure-white flesh.   Source:  BAK

Japanese White Egg  65 days.  2-3 white fruits.  Heavy yields.   Source:  BAK

Kamo  65 days.  Japanese variety.  Round with a flat bottom, purple-black skin, purple calyx and weighs up to 1/2 pound.  Source:  ANN GOU KIT

Konasu  60 days.  Japanese variety.  Shiny dark-purple skin that looks almost onyx in color.  Perfect for pickling when small.  Source:  KIT

Korean Red  3′ tall plant.  4-6 ounce fruits take on a red-orange color when mature.   Source:  BAK

Kurume Long (OP)  60 days.  Japanese variety.  9-10″ long, shiny black with a purple calyx.  Upright growth habit.   Source:  KIT

Lao Green Stripe  Green, white and purple striped, 2-4″ ball-shaped fruit.  Laotian variety.  Source:  BAK

Lao Purple Stripe  90 days.  Ping-pong sized eggplant.  Pale lavender with deep-purple stripes.  Laotian variety.  Source:  BAK

Lao White  White 2″ ball-shaped fruit.  Laotian variety.  Source:  BAK

Malaysian Dark Red  Violet-colored fruit are long and slender.  Malaysian variety.   Source:  BAK

Ma-Zu Purple Chinese   Taiwan variety.  8-12″ long and 2″ diameter.  Deep-purple fruit.  Grows well in warm areas.  Source:  BAK

Ping Tung Long  Purple fingerling OP) (Pingtung Long)  65 days.  Heirloom from Pingung, Taiwan.  Slender long, shiny dark-lavender skin.  Hardy.   Source:  BAK JOHN KIT NIC SEED SOU

Red China  Upright plants produce loads of small, flattened fruit that look similar to ‘Jack-Be-Little’ pumpkins.  Fiery-red when mature.  Slightly bitter which is milder when only slightly orange,  Great for Asian foods.  1870 heirloom.  Source:  BAK

Red Ruffled (Humong Red)  Bitter tasting Vietnamese variety.  2″ fruit are flattened, ribbed and bright red.   Source:  BAK

Round Mauve  80-90 days.  Chinese variety.  Round, mauve, thin skinned with white flesh.  Not bitter.  Compact plants well -suited to containers and small gardens.   Source:  BAK SEED

Thai Chao Praya   Fruits are round and creamy-green.  2-3 ounces.   Source:  BAK

Thai Dark Round Green  2 1/2″ dark-green fruit striped white.  Bushy plants.  Easy to grow.   Source:  BAK

Thai Lavender Frog Egg  80 days.  Collected in central Thailand where the natives refer to many colors of these small eggplant as “frog eggs.”  Tiny fruits about the size of a cherry tomato, lavender splashed with cream.  Robust flavor.  Source:  BAK

Thai Purple Egg   Small, purple egg-shaped fruit.   Source:

Thai Green (OP)  (Thai Long Green,  Green Elephant Trunk)  70-80 days.  Thai heirloom.  Light-green, elongated 2 1/2 ounce fruits, 1 1/2 x 10″ long.  2′ plants.   Source:  BAK SEED SOU

Thai Light Green Round  Light-green with stripes.   Source:  BAK

Thai Round Green “Petch Parisa”  2-3″ round, light-green with cream stripes.   Source: BAK

Thai Round Green  2-3″ dark-green and light-green striped fruit.  Source:  BAK

Thai Round Purple  Grape candy-colored fruits marbled in lilac streaks.  3-4″ diameter.  Source:  BAK

Thai White Ribbed  Pure-white, flat and deeply ribbed.  Mild and tasty.  Source:  BAK

Thai Yellow Egg  Egg-size fruit are picked when bright golden-yellow.   Source:  BAK

GARLIC  

Asian tempest  Originated in Korea.  Large bulbs with 89-10 cloves.  Purple-striped skins, with brown and purple clove wrappers.  Fiery hot when eaten raw, the taste mellows when baked.  Source:  SOU

Bai Pi Suan  Late season, extremely rare marbled purple stripe variety that most likely originated from the far west China province of Xinjiang.  Delicious rich taste and just the right amount of spice.  4-6 very large cloves per bulb.  Source:  TER

Blossom Brought to the U.S. from the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China.  Large bulbs with dark stripes.  Smooth and mild when baked, hot when raw.  Early maturing turban type.  Source:  SOU

KALE (Chinese)

Heirloom
Green Leaf Gailan  Large delicious stems and flower buds are cooked like broccoli, but easier to grow and thrives in warmer weather.  Very tender texture.  Source:  BAK

LEEKS (Chinese Chive)
(nira, jiu cai, kutsay, kuichai, he)

Flowering Chinese Leek  70 days.  A vigorous perennial.  It is grown for its young flower buds, long stems and slender flat deep-green blades that grow up to 14″.  All parts are edible.  Needs 1-2 years, plus low temperatures in  winter and long summer days are needed for flowering.  Source:  KIT

Hiro Haba  100+days.  Japanese variety has deep green, broad, thick leaves that have a garlic-onion flavor.  Tolerant of heat and cold.  Likes full sun and will thrive in half shade.  Once established, it can be divided and raised for several years.  Source:  KIT

LETTUCE 
(stemuretasu, woo chu, woo sun, chisa, retasu)

Lau’s Pointed Leaf  Collected from Lau, the highlands of Malaysia.  It produces star-shaped plants with long, thin, bright-green pointed leaves.  Sweet flavor.  Fast growing and vigorous.  Source:  BAK

Manoa  55-60 days.  Semi-heading variety.  Nice, uniform, compact upright shape.  Heat tolerant and very popular in Hawaii.  Use fresh in salads.   Source:  KIT

New Yu Mai  50-60 days.  This special Taiwan lettuce has long, bright-green, sword-shaped leaves that have a delicious, mildly bitter flavor.  Easy to grow, disease resistant and productive.  Source:  KIT

Okayama Salad  55 days.  Butterhead lettuce is a Japanese variety known for its delicate flavor and resistance to heat.  Deep-green leaves form small heads.  Moderate cold tolerance and moderate resistance to bolting.  Source:  KIT

Taiwan Sword Leaf  (Pointed Leaf Lettuce)  85 days.  From Taiwan.  This Asian lettuce has long pointed bright green leaves.  Harvest at an early stage when leaves and stems are young and crispy.  This variety is used in Cantonese cuisine.  Source:  KIT

MELONS (Oriental)
(makuwauri, meron)

Hybrid
Ginkaku  50 days.  Korean variety averages 1 1/2 pounds.  Rind ripens from green to a rich-golden color with whitish stripes.  Thick, white flesh.   Source:  GOU KIT

Hakucho  65 days.  French Charantis melon from Japan.  Salmon-orange flesh.  1 pound, round, yellowish-gray skin with no netting.  16% sugar content.   Source:  KIT

Hime Kansen  30-40 days.  Japanese icebox watermelon.  Firm dark red flesh and green skin with dark green stripes.  Extremely thin rind.  5-6 pounds.  Slightly oblong shape.  Source:  KIT

Ichiba Kouji  55 days.  Japanese netted melon.  3 pounds, round shape, green skin, green flesh.  Widely adapted and easy to grow.  Source:  KIT

Kincho  50 days.  3-4″ smooth, thin-skinned and are very fragrant with white crispy flesh.  Small seed cavity with tiny seeds.  Classic throughout Japan.   Source:  KIT

New Melon  120 days.  Round Japanese melon.  Smooth green skin and white to pale- yellow flesh.  Produces 6-8 melons per plant.   Source:  KIT

Summer Dream  90 days.  Silvery rind with deep-salmon interior.  In Japan this is in “platinum melon” category.  2 1/2-4 pounds.  6-8″ melons.   Source:  NIC

Sun Jewel  78 days.  Korean specialty melon.  7 x 3 1/2″ oblong, lemon with shallow white sutures.  White flesh is crisp when ripe and sweet.  Slip off vine when ripe.   Source:  JOH

Heirloom
Delica Thorn   Light-green variety has large thorn-like projections.  7″ long fruit.  Chinese variety.   Source:  BAK

Early Silver Line  75 days.  Oval, yellow fruit with silver stripes.  12-2 pounds.  White sweet flesh.  Good choice for northern gardens.  Source:  BAK BOU IRI SEED

Giant Katsura   Known in Japan as Ushiro Uri, this melon if a pickling type.  Medium-green fruits reach 14″ long and 4-5″ in diameter.  They are used for stuffing, stir-frying and eating raw, as well as for the traditional salt-pressed pickles.  Very vining plants.  Source:  BAK

Golden Sweet  Early melon with lemon-colored rinds and small size.  White, crisp flesh.  An easy to grow variety from Taiwan.  Source:  BAK

Green Skin  8″ green-skinned fruit.   Source:  BAK

Japanese Cream Fleshed Suika  85 days.  Small Japanese type watermelon.  6-12 pound fruits have crisp, cream-colored flesh.  Source:  BAK

Long Ex Snake  12-20″ long fruit are green with white stripes.  At maturity they turn bright-red inside and out.  Grows well in warm summers.   Source:  BAK

New Melon  Small round to slightly tear-drop shaped melons with smooth pale-green skin.  Juicy yellow to white flesh.  A Japanese variety.  Fragrant and sweet flesh.  Source:  BAK

Sakata’s Sweet  85 days.  3-4″ round melons are sweet and have a sugar content.  Has edible skin.  Light, golden rind.  Japanese variety.   Source:  BAK SEED

Takii Gem  Japanese small icebox watermelon.  Sweet red flesh and a grayish-green rind.  Very early and great for short growing seasons.  Source:  BAK

Thai Baby Watermelon  This variety is used in Thailand when fruits are about 3″ long.  Can be cooked in many ways; stir-fried or in curries, soups, and more.  Easy to grow.  Source:  

Thai Golden Round  6 pound fruit looks like glowing orange pumpkins.  Green flesh is sweet with a tropical taste.  Source: BAK

Thai Long Muskmelon (Tang Thai)   Popular in Thailand.  Medium-sized melon.  Oblong shape.  Flesh is only slightly sweet.  Young fruit are used for canning and pickles.  Mature fruit is used for desserts.  Excellent for hot, humid areas.   Source:  BAK

Thai Pai Sai Muskmelon   Unusual melon collected from Thailand.  Elongated fruits weigh 4-6 pounds, whitish flesh is bland and soft.  Orange-striped skin.   Source:  BAK

Thai Rom Dao  80 days.  Watermelon has striped green rind and bright red flesh that is sweet and tasty.  5 pounds.  From Thailand.  A great choice for hot and humid climates.  Source:  BAK

Tigger Asian Melon (OP) 80-90 days.  Radiant lemon-yellow skin with brilliant fire engine-red spots and stripes and creamy white flesh.  Small, grapefruit-size melon.  Sweet. Will grow in scorching heat as long as you keep them watered regularly.  Delicious and beautiful.   Source:  JOHN

MELON (Bitter Melon)
(niga uri, reishi, ku gua, fu kwa, ampalaya, mara, muop dang, karela)

Hybrid
Ant 40-45 days. This small bitter melon is common in Thailand and India.  Disease resistant.  The skin of these uniform 3-4″ fruits is dark-green and covered with pointy warts.  Does best in a warm climate with some humidity.    Use in soup, stir-fries and stuffed.  Young leaf shoots are edible.  Recommended by the American Diabetic Association.  Source:  KIT

Bitter Melon  56-63 days.  Produces a generous crop of large, heavy and uniform fruits with distinctive vertically scored, shiny and warty green skin.  The flesh is crunchy and juicy, somewhat like a cucumber in texture.  Use in soup, stir-fries and stuffed.  Young leaf shoots are edible.  Recommended by the American Diabetic Association.  Source:  JOHN KIT

Foo Gwa (Long Green bitter Melon)  Extra long slim fruit, 8-12″ long with darker green, smooth ridged skin and  thick white flesh.  Popular in Taiwan.  Harvest young.  Source:  STO 

Foo Gwa  (Medium Spindle Bitter Melon)  Very popular in China and Hong Kong.  Shaped like cucumbers and average 6-8″ long.  Light greenish/white skin is smooth and ridged.  Glesh is very bitter.  Cantonese use for stuffed port dishes.  Source:  STO

India  40-55 days.Dark green skin is heavily warted.  6-8″ long.  Spindle-shaped melons taper at both ends, and overall they are narrower than a Chinese bitter melon.  Popular in Indian dishes.  Often prepared with potatoes and served with yogurt to offset the bitter flavor.   Recommended as a healthy food by the American Diabetic Association.  Source:  KIT

Indra  80 days.  Small bitter melon from Thailand is suitable for a wide range of growing conditions.  Medium green, small and spiny, and is best harvested at 3″ long and weighing about 3 ounces.  Vigorous, strong branching plant is resistant to common diseases.  Excellent in soup, steamed and delicious added to a stir-fry.  Bitter flavor is an acquired taste.  Source:  KIT

Heirloom
Bitter Gourd Long  60-70 days.  Japanese variety bitter gourd has green heavily warted skin and best flavor when harvested at 10-13″.  The fruits are crisp and tender.  Climbing vine can reach 12′ and has yellow flowers.  Prefers a warm climate and some humidity.  Recommended by the American Diabetic Association.   Source:  KIT

Delica Thorn  Light-green variety produces fruit that have large, thorn-like projections.  Fruit grows to 7″ long.  Early variety from China.  Source:  BAK

Futo-Spindle  60-70 days.  Japanese variety is easy and vigorous grower.  Large climbing vine produces yellow flowers and 6-8″ dark green fruits with heavily warted skin.  Can grow to 12′ and has high tolerance to heat.  Widely grown in Japan and other tropical Asian countries.  Recommended by the American Diabetic Association.   Source:  KIT

Green Skin (OP)   70 days.  Produces 8-10″ long and 3″ in diameter.  Green skin with large smooth warts.  The leaves and leafy shoots are also edible.  Recommended as a healthy food by the American Diabetic Association.   Source:  BAK KIT

MELON (wax)

Heirloom
Canton Giant  The famous giant variety this is very popular in South China.  Large, long fruit can grow to 40 pounds.  Mild, tasty, white flesh and a deep green rind.  Etnic treasure that is hard to find.  Source:  BAK

MUSTARD (mixes)

Asian Greens Mix  20-40 days.  Mix of Tat Soi, Toykyo Benkana, Mibuna, Red Streaked Mizuna and Red Giant Mustard.  Source:  BURG

Baby  Mustard Mix  Segal, Lahav and Sefiron.  Source:  COO

Cook’s Custom Mix  Mix of mustard varieties lets the small-space gardener enjoy a wide diversity of types:  ‘Mizuna’, ‘Osaka Purple’, Florida Broadleaf’ and ‘Red Giant Indian’.  Source:  COO

Purple Rapa Pop Mix (OP)  55 days.  Contains purple mustards, Wong Bok and red turnip.  Source:  NIC

Raising Mix   Mixture of mustard and other greens.   Source:  BOU

Cook’s Custom Tangy Mix  Mizuna, Osaka purple, Florida Broadleaf and Red Giant Indian.  Source:  COO

Wild Garden Pungent Mix  30-40 days.  Mix of unusual, spicy mustard greens.  Colors include gold, green, striped-red and solid purple.  Leaves can be smooth, glossy, or savoyed while edges range from plain to toothed and frilly.  Flavors from sweet to pungent, even hot.  Source:  TER TERR

MUSTARD (Oriental)
(takana, gai cai, mustasa, phakkat khieo, cai xanh, rai)

Even’ Star Tender Tat   Hardy winter variety, bred from Tendergreen and Tat Soi.  Leaves are dark-green when small, lighter as they grow.  Best planted in the fall.  Source:  SOU

Giant Red (OP)   35-45 days.  Magenta leaves infused with fuchsia, hot pink and a touch of chartreuse-green.  Makes mild tasting baby greens.  Holds well.  Source:  BAK JOHN KIT SOU STO

Jiu Tou Niao  Leafy heirloom mustard from South China.  16″ tall plants have bright green serrated leaves that are tender and have excellent mustard flavor.  A “Sher Li Hon” type of Chinese mustard.  Source:  BAK

Komatsuma Tendergreen  Japanese mustard greens.  Tasty, slightly spicy, mild flavor, great for stir-frying or salads.  Good for hot or cold weather.  Source:  BAK

New Star  Cold hardy.  Unique, fern-leafed mustard.  Very pungent raw, milder when cooked.  Heavy leaves and stems grow up to 24″, plants grow to 36″.   Source:  SOU

Sawtooth Mustard  Dark green leaves are very curly, tear-drop shaped and free of the prickles so often found on mustards.  Upright plants.  Baby greens can be harvested at 21 days.  Grow larger and enjoy the robust, spicy flavor at about 40 days.  Source:  BAK

Tainong Emperor Heading Mustard  Large, very crisp heads that are a medium green color and have delicious flavor. For pickling, frying or in soups.  Source:  BAK

Tokyo  Bekana  44 days.  Enormous loose heads of light-green, ruffled leaves.  Very mild.  good frost tolerance.   Source:  JOH NIC SOU

MUSTARD (Oriental)

Pac Choi
(shakushina, chingensai, tatsoi, tasai, bai cai, wu ta cai, pechay, phakkaat farang, cai thuong hai)

Green Stem Type
(chingensai, shanghai pak tsoi, cai ngot trang nho)

Hybrid

Black Summer  45 days.  Hybrid.  Broad, flat, light-green stalks are topped with oval, dark-green leaves.  Vase-shaped even when small.  10-12″ tall.  slow bolting.   Source:  JOH

Choko 45-55 days.  Baby pak choi.  Rich, dark-green leaves with contrasting lime-green stems.  Harvest no larger than 4″ tall for the best flavor.  Source:  JOHN

Feng Quing Choi  45 days.  Thick, tender, delicious green petioles.  Excellent heat tolerance.  Slow to bolt.   Source:  STO

Hanakan  45 days.  Hybrid.  Compact Japanese Pak Choi hybrid known for its uniformity and early maturity.  Has very short green petioles that are thick and sturdy.  Dark-green oblong leaf.  Tolerates heat very well, but cannot take the colder temperatures and may bolt eary in spring when the weather is cold.  Grown to be used for baby Shanghai Pak Choy (Shanghai Miao).  Source:  KIT

Mei Quing Choi  45 days.  Hybrid.  Flat, pale misty-green stems form a thick heavy base with broad, oval, rich-green leaves.  Compact, vase-shaped plant at full growth is 8-10″ tall.  Bolt resistant.  Tolerant to heat.  Space 6-8″ apart.  Source:  JOH KIT STO

Red Choi  45 days.  Hybrid.  Dark-green leaves with green underside.  Thin green stalks.   Source:  JOH

San Fan  35-40 days.  Popular green pak choi or Shanghai pak choi.  Thick dark green leaves and light green petioles that are shaped like an hourglass.  Uniform plant growth and excellent tolerance to head.  Excellent flavor and texture.   Source:  KIT

Violetta  30-50 days.  Perfect choice for baby green or as a full-headed pac choi.  Rich violet leaf tops contrast with green undersides and stems.  Source:  TER

Heirloom
Shanghai  40-50 days.  Green stem variety popular in South China.  Attractive hourglass shape with glossy dark-green leaves and thick petioles that are tender and delicious.  Heat tolerance.   Source:  BAK KIT

Tatsoi  20-25 days.  Forms a flat rosette close to the ground with tender dark green, spoon-shaped leaves and short light green stalks.  Vigorous grower is cold tolerant and has mild and mustard flavor.  Tatsoi is popular as a salad green.  Can be harvested at any stage.   Source:  BAK BOT JOHN KIT SOU STO

Tatsoi Savoy  20-45 days.  Tatsoi Savoy appears more like a spinach than a pak choi.  Heavily savoyed leaves are dark-green and grow atop thick bunches of pale green stalks.  1′ high.  Individual leaves can be picked continuously for several weeks.  Heat and cold tolerant.  Grows in a rosette shape close to the ground in colder weather.   Source:  ANN KIT

White Stem Type
 (shakushina)

Hybrid

Da Cheong Chae  35-40 days.  Dark green leaves and an upright growth habit.  Harvest individual leaves for salad or the whole plant for cooking.  Can be grown year round in mild climates.  An excellent juicing vegetable.   Source:  KIT

Joi Choi  40-50 days.  Hybrid.  12-15″ tall, broad, heavy bunch with dark-green leaves and thick, flattened white stalks.  Tolerant to heat and cold.  Space 10-12″ apart.   Source:  HAR JOHN KIT STO TER

Kantong White  45-50 days.  Large, fast-growing, non-heading with thick, crisp, snow-white stalks topped with glossy dark-green leaves.  1′ tall.  Hardy.  Source:  JOHN

Shiro  30 days.  Baby white stem pac choi.  Single serving 4-5″ tall.  Mild flavor.  Bolts in warm weather.  Hybrid.   Source:  JOH

Win-Win Choi  52 days.  Good for mini choi.  White-stem, vase-shaped is bulky and uniform.  10-12″ tall.  Hybrid.  Source:  SOU

Heirloom

Canton Bok typical Nai-Pe Tsai type pak choy.  Semi-upright plant produces thick, white stems and deep green leaves.  Heat tolerant.  Source:  BAK

Chinese Pak Choi  40-50 days.  Widely grown Asian green, also called bok choy, has smooth green leaves and thick white leaf stalks.  One of the most popular Asian vegetables and main ingredient in chow mien and stir-fries.  Source:  BAK

Ching Chang 50 days.Baby bok choy  with small heads are harvested when 5″ tall.  Tender and mild.  Source:  BAK

Dwarf Pak Choi 4″  40 days.  Often referred to as a nai pe tsai type or dwarf type with thick white spoon-shaped petioles and wrinkled dark-green glossy leaves.  Delicious, crisp flavor.  Heat tolerant.  Source: ANNKIT

Dwarf Pak Choi  40 days.  Often referred to as a nai pe tsai type or dwarf type with white spoon-shaped petioles and dark-green glossy leaves.  Grows best in mild climates and can tolerate heat.  Source:  KIT

Extra Dwarf Pak Choi  30 days.  Specialty pak choi variety is smaller than baby pak choi.  Fast growing variety with curled, glossy, dark-green leaves with short thick white stalks.  Can be grown year-round in sub-tropical areas.  Source: BAK KIT

Tah Tsai  (Taisai)  (OP)  40-50 days.  Dark-green, 6″ spinach mustard that is mild and easy to grow.  Glossy, spoon-shaped leaves.   Source:  KIT  STO TER

Toy Choi  (Toy Choy) 30-35 days.  5″ pak choi with white stalks and dark-green leaves.  Suited for summer growing.   Source:  BOT BURP JOHN KIT STO TOT

White Flash  50 days.  Full-size, upright pack choi.  Stems are upright and heads are less open.  Source:  JOH

White-Stemmed Pak Choi  45 days.  Tender, light-green leaves are spoon-shaped with thick, white ribs.  14-18″ tall.  Cold resistant.  Source:  ANN BOT SOU

Specialty Pak Choi

Hybrid
Fun Jen  35 days.  Very popular frilly leaf pak choi or “Bok Choy” in Taiwan.  Semi-spreading splant and weighs about 1/2 pound at maturity.  Leaves are green, frilly and wrinkled with smooth white stalks.  Can be grown year-round in sub-tropical areas.  Source:  KIT

Golden Yellow  25 days.  The leaves are bright yellowish-green that adds color contrast to fresh and cooked dishes.  The leaf texture is much softer than other pak choi (bok choy) types but flavor is similar.  Plants have uniform fan-pattern shape and growth.  Heat tolerant.  Adds delicate flavor to salads.  Source:  KIT

Purple Choi  45-55 days.  A baby leaf pak choi in Japan.  Dark-purple leaf has green petioles.  Uniform and easy to grow, the plant is tender, mildly flavored and can be harvested at any stage.  Source:  JOHN KIT

Red Choi  20-50 days.  Specially bred pak choi has dark-red leaves with green undersides.  At maturity the stalks are light green.  Has a delightful flavor.  Colorful addition to a microgreens mix.  Source:  KIT

Red Tatsoi  20-50 days.  Has medium-sized, spoon-shaped red-violet leaves and a mild, sweet mustard flavor.  Harvest from baby leaves to full maturity.  Source:  KIT

Red Violet Tatsoi  20-40 days.  Spoon-shaped leaves of tatsoi and a more upright habit that makes harvesting easier.  Slightly rumpled leaves range in color from red-violet to dark-purple and have a mild mustard flavor.  Cold tolerant.  Harvest from baby leaves for salads to full maturity.  Source:  KIT

FLOWERING PAK CHOI TYPE
(beninabana, kosaitai, salshin, cai xin, hong cal tai, yu choy sum, tsoi sum)

Kosaitai  50 days.  Flowering purple stem choy sum, also known as kosaitai or hon tsi tai, a popular Chinese specialty vegetable.  The leaf stalks and veins are purple while the leaves are dark green and the flowers are yellow.  Low temps intensify the colors.  Kosaitai can be cut young and will re-grow for additional harvests.  The young flowering shoots add a mild mustard flavor to fresh salads.  Source:  KIT

Yu Choy Sum 40 days.  Heirloom.  Fast growing flowering brassica called yu choi when harvested for the leafy greens.  It is harvested as yu choi sum when the pant sends up a flower stalk and sets buds.  Harvest the florets with the tender young leaves for great flavor and texture.  Prefers mild temperatures.  Source:  KIT

Yu Choy Sum, Hybrid  35 days.  Flowering pak choi is considered the best of all stem vegetables.  Stem and leaves are dark-green with a beautiful luster.  The flowering shoots are best when flowers begin to appear.  Especially suitable for sub-tropical regions.  Source:  KIT

Mibuna
(mibuna, ren sheng cai)

Hybrid
 Green Spray  30 days.  Japanese variety.  Produces a cluster of long, narrow, rounded dark-green leaves.  Will tolerate cool weather.  Japanese green has a mild mustard flavor.   Source:  KIT

Heirloom
Mibuna Early (OP)  21-40 days.  Traditional Japanese heirloom.  Dense cluster of long, narrow, rounded, dark-green leaves.  Leaves have mild mustard flavor.  Cold tolerant.   Source:  ANN JOHN KIT NIC PAR TERR

MISOME
(komatsuna, bar tsai, tatsoi, tsai)

Hybrid
Choho  25 days.  Japanese variety has dark-green semi-wrinkled leaves with an upright growth habit.  All-season crop.   Source:  KIT NIC

Green Boy 30-50 days.  Popular traditional Japanese green has tender deep green leaves. Sturdy petioles and a mild flavor that tastes like a combination of spinach and Asian mustard.  Cold tolerant.  Source:  KIT

Komatsuna  30-50 days.  Traditional Japanese-green has tender deep green leaves and mild flavor that resembles spinach.  Quick growing, upright type.  Heat and cold tolerance.  Delicious eaten at any stage.  Use in soup, salad, pickling, stir-fry, ohitashi, sukiyaki, yosenabe.  Rich in calcium.  Source:  BAK KIT

Misome  30 days.  Crinkly, dark glossy-green leaves and upright growth habit.  Used in a variety of Japanese and Chinese cooking styles.   Source:  KIT NIC

Natsu Rakuten-Summer Fest  28 days.  Traditional Japanese komatsuna.  Glossy, thick dark-green leaves.  Upright growing habit.  Young leaves are delicious in salads, and in Japanese dishes.  Source:  KIT

Red Komatsuna  21-35 days.  Dark-maroon leaves with bright-green underside.  Upright plant with rounded leaves and green stems.   Source:  ANN JOH

Summerfest Komatsuna  35 days.  Mild tender Japanese greens.  Uniform, upright plants with rounded leaves and green stems.  Source:  JOH STO

Vitamin Green  21-45 days.  For salad mix or bunching.  Mature leaves are 12 x 4″, smooth and brilliant deep-green. Slow bolting.  Will grow for a second harvest.  Not at all mustardy. Tolerant to both cold and heat.   Source:  JOH

Heirloom
Choy Sum Hon  40-60 days.  Mustard with purple-red flowers.  Source:  JOH NIC

Tatsoi  43 days.  Rosettes of dark, thick green, oval-shaped leaves.  Cold-hardy.  Good for all seasons.   Source: BAK IRI JOH SOU STO TERR

Yukina Savoy  21-45 days.  Large crinkled, savoyed leaves.  Plant habit similar to Tatsoi.  Thick, savoyed leaves are held upright on pale-green petioles.  Space 12-18″ apart.  Full-sized branches are 10-12″.  Source:  JOH

MIZUNA
(mizuna, kyona, shui cai)

Hybrid
Red Mizuna  20-50 days.  Small broad leaf mustard has a mild pungency and good red leaf and vein color that intensifies in col weather.  Vigorous salad green that is well adapted for baby leaf production.  Source:  KIT

Heirloom
Ethereal Red-veined Mizuna (OP)  35-45 days.  Verdant green leaves accented with crimson-red streaks and characteristic mild, zingy bite of Kyoto.  Source:  JOHN

Mizuna (OP)  35 days.  Japanese heirloom with hundreds of tender, juicy stemmed serrated leaves.  Tolerant to cold and rain.   Source:  ANN BAK IRI JOH NIC

Mizuna Early (Kyona Kyoto)  40-50 days.  Japanese mustard has long slender stems and dark green, serrated leaves.  Both cold and heat tolerant and slow to bolt.  This is a cut-and-come-again variety.   Source:  JOH JOHN KIT SOU STO TER TERR

Mizuna Green Streak  20-45 days.  Has a delicate and lacy green leaf.  Adds an appealing testure and refreshing spicy flavor to salads.  Source:  KIT

Mizuna Lime Streaks (OP)  45 days.  Wide, very flat, ornately  fringed leaves in clear bright-green.  Grows best in cooler weather.  Source:  BAK COO JOHN

Mizuna Purple  21-40 days.  Purple stem with serrated leaves.  Leaves are mostly green with a purple-tinge.  Matures as a baby leaf mustard in about a month.   Peppery mustard flavor.  Japanese variety.   Source:  JOH KIT

Mizuna Red Rain  21-40 days.  Deeply toothed leaves.  Mild mustard flavor.   Source:  JOH

Mizuna Red Streak  20-45 days.  Ornately fringed purple and green leaves have peppery flavor and packed with nutrients.  Thin green stalks are tasty.  Makes perfect baby leaf salad green.  Source: BAK COO KIT

CHRYSANTHEMUM GREENS
(shungiku, kikuna, tung hao, tan o, khee kwai, guladaudi)

Garland Round Leaved  40-50 days.  Highly valued Japanese green is an edible chrysanthemum.  Large, medium green oblong leaves have a milder flavor than the serrated-leaf varieties.  An easy to grow plant that can also be used for sprouting and baby greens.  The closer to flowering the more pungent the flavor becomes.  Used in tempura, sukiyaki, ohitaski, yosenabe, and shabu-shabu.  flower petals can be used as a garnish for soups and salads.  Young leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in salads.   Source:  KIT

Garland Serrate Leaved  40-50 days.  Edible chrysanthemum has serrated, dark-green aromatic leaves.  The serrated leaf type has a flavor that is stronger than the round leaf type and intensifies with maturity.  Easy to grow, cool weather plant with high yields and many side shoots.   Source:  KIT

Komi Shungiku Salada  30-50 days.  The leaves are thin and finely serrated with an almost lace-like appearance.  The stem grows upright and the bright green leaves cascade from the top of the stalk.  Fast growing plant that produces many side shoot as it matures.  Mild chrysanthemum flavor and aroma.  Nice addition to salads.   Source:  KIT

Large Leaf Tong Ho  Produces large, smooth leaves with tremendous flavor.  Popular Chinese heirloom.  Use in stir-fries, soups and salads.  Lovely yellow flowers.  Source:  BAK

Oasis  40-50 days.  Edible chrysanthemum green is traditional vegetable in Japan.  Has small, deeply serrated, dark-green aromatic leaves and is more productive, vigorous, and branched than other varieties.  Easy to grow plant can be used for sprouting and baby greens.  Source:  KIT

Shungiku  21-45 days.  Aromatic, edible chrysanthemum greens.  cut greens when about 4-8″ tall for salads, vegetables, pickles, and sushi.  Plant more thickly than other greens.  Edible, small, orange and yellow chrysanthemum flowers appear later on unharvested plants.  Fine leaf strain.   Source:  JOH

BABY LEAF SALAD MUSTARD
(salada takana)

Hybrid
Crimson Red  20-45 days.  Red mustard green from Japan.  Harvest when young for salads.  Very dark red, attractive leaf shape and mildly spicy baby mustard.   Source:  JOH KIT

Scarlet Frills  20-45 days.  Specialty purple mustard green from Japan.  Intense scarlet-colored lacy leaves are deeply cut and have mild spicy flavor.  Harvest at any stage.   Source:  JOH KIT

Spicy Green  20-45 days.  From Japan.  Wasabi-like flavored frilly leaves.  Very cold tolerant.  Use baby leaves for tsukemono, ohitashi, stir-fry, and pickling.  Use baby leaves for salad and fresh eating.   Source:  KIT TER

Heirloom

Cho Kara 5 days for microgreens.  This mustard variety is bred especially for microgreen production and is a hot tasting microgreen.  Have to be a hot mustard lover to eat this one in salads.   Source:  KIT

Garnet Giant  20-45 days.  Solid, rounded leaves of this baby leaf are deep purplish-red.  Mild but distinct flavor.  Baby mustard.   Source:  JOH KIT

Golden Frills  20-45 days.  Spicy flavor.  Leaves and stems are a uniform light-green color.  Frilly, delicate appearance.  Baby mustard.  Source:  JOH KIT

Golden Streak  20-45 days.  Bright spring-green color and a delicate lacy habit.  Mild spicy taste.  Baby mustard.   Source:  KIT TER

Jeok Gat  20-50 days.  Attractive mustard is popular in Korea and North China.  Vigorous deep purple-red leaves with ruffled edges and a green mid rib.  Thick young leaves are tender and spicy with an excellent flavor.  Harvest at any stage.  Good for mild climates.  Very popular kimchi mustard in Korea.  Source:  KIT

Mizuna Green Streak  20-45 days.  Delicate and lacy green leaf.  Baby mustard.   Source:  KIT 

Mizuna Red Streak  20-45 days.  Ornately fringed purple and green leaves deliver peppery flavor.  The green stalks grow throughout season.  Baby mustard.   Source:  KIT

Ruby Streak (OP)  20-45 days.  Baby leaf mustard.  Green-stems with fine, lacy thread-shaped leaves that can range in color from green to maroon.  Source:  BOT JOH KIT NIC TER

Spicy Brown  5 days for microgreens.  Medium hot variety of mustard bred for microgreen production.  Seed leaves are medium green with white stems.  Robust mustard flavor.  Source:  KIT

Wasabi 10 days microgreens.  This is not true wasabi mustard, it is a variety bred for microgreen production and has a sharp, peppery flavor.  Seed leaves make it showy and flavorul in salad, soups, sushi or as an edible garnish with sashimi.   Source:  KIT

Wasabina  20-45 days.  Light-green serrated leaf mustard has spicy wasabi-like flavor.  Leaves are large, ruffled, with curly edges.  Very cold tolerant.   Source:  KIT

BROAD LEAVED MUSTARD
(aka, ao takana)

Heirloom and Hybrid
Chirimen Hakarashi  55 days.  Japanese winter curled leaf mustard.  Round stalks erupts into curly, crisp, green leaves with serrated edges.  Leaves grow spicier and hotter as the plant matures.  Mildly piquant variety.   Source:  KIT

Hatakena  35 days.  Popular Japanese mustard leaf that is bright-green. Leaves are hairy with slender stems.  Mustard pungency increases as plant size increases.  Source:  KIT

Jeok Gat  40-50 days.  Popular in Korea and North China.  Vigorous deep purple-red leaves with ruffled edges and a green mid rib.  Thick young leaves are tender and spicy with an excellent flavor.  Harvest at any stage, microgreens, baby leaf or at  full maturity.  Good for mild climates.  Source:  KIT

Miike Giant  40 days.  Large aromatic light-green leaves with red veins.  Mildly pungent leaves.  All parts of the plant are used-root, shoots, stems, and leaves.   Source:  KIT

Osaka Purple (OP)   Round, crinkled leaves are reddish to dark purple.  It will tolerate cold weather.  Grows fast in warm weather.  Individual leaves or the whole plant may be harvested.   Source:  COO KIT NIC

Red Giant  45 days.  Deep-purplish, large broad-leaf mustard has mustard-like pungency.  When leaves are cut they re-grow rapidly.  Let the plant go to seed and make your own mustard.  Japanese variety.  Source:  BAK BOU BURG GOU IRI JOH KIT NIC PAR SOU STO TERR

Yanagawa Takana  40 days.  Large aromatic bright-green leaves and medium ribbed stems.  Leaves are mildly pungent.  All parts of the plant can be used.   Source:  KIT

CHINESE MUSTARD 
(ha karashina, gai choi)

Heirloom
Dragon Tongue (OP)  40 days.  Sweet, frilly, crinkled leaves are vibrant green with purple veins and thick, brilliant-white midribs.  Source:  TER

Gai-choi  57 days.  Shiny-green broad leaves have light green stalks.  Vigorous growing, semi-heading plant.  Pungency increases with maturity.  One of the main types of Chinese mustard grown.   Source:  KIT

Jiu Tou Niao  Wonderful leafy mustard that is an heirloom from South China.  16″ tall plants have bright-green serrated leaves that are tender and have excellent mustard flavor.    Source:  BAK 

Small Gai Choi  34-45 days.  Very vigorous and productive non-heading type.  Medium- green leaves have good flavor.  Tolerant of heat and may bolt in spring and cold together.  Source:  KIT

GREEN IN SNOW MUSTARD 
(setsu ri kon, hsueh li hung)

Serifon  40 days.  Winter-hardy mustard has green leaves with jagged margins and a slightly pungent flavor.  The spicy flavor increases with age.   Source:  KIT

HEAD TYPE/WRAPPED HEART MUSTARD
(kekkyu takana, bao xin da jie cai)

Bao Sin (OP) 55 days.  Wrapped heart or heading mustard.  Mild and sweet.  Touch of spice taste.  Source:  NIC

Kekkyu Takana  55 days.  Wide hairless leaves curl inward to form a small head, which is prized for pickling.  Mild mustard pungency increases with maturity.   Source:  KIT

Tainong Emperor Heading  Large, very crisp heads are medium-green.  Superb for pickling, frying and in soups.  Source:  BAK

SEAWEED MUSTARD
(oak hijiki)

Oka  Hijiki (Seaweed on Land, Saltwort) (OP)  30 days.  Considered to be one of the healthiest greens eaten in Japan.  Green stick leaves are 2″ long.  Harvest the young, slightly salty shoots by cutting each plant about 1″ above soil level.  Source:  JOHN KIT

STEM MUSTARD
(kobu takana, jing yong jie cai)

Chinese Thick-Stem (OP)  Superb winter-hardy mustard.  Mild mustard with an enlarged rib.  Good tolerance of poor soil drainage.   Source:  SOU

Horned Mustard  45 days.  Chinese stem mustard is a vigorous grower with bright-green, frilled leaves and mustard pungency.  Forms a distinct “horn” in the center of the stem.  Native to Southern China.   Source:  KIT SOU

Tsa Tsai Round (Szechuan, Sichuan Vegetable)  120 days.  Popular and unique mustard variety from Southwest China.  It is also known as swollen stem mustard or pressed stem mustard because the stem enlarges into thick tuber-like bumps just below the stems.  Stems will grow 4-6″ in diameter and weigh up to 1/2 pound.  Cool season crop.  Source:  KIT

OKRA

Cee Gwa (Chinese Okra Ridged)  Best tasting, no peeling necessary, use young, 6″ or longer.  Immature flesh is very tender and sweet.  Source:  STO

Cee Gwa (Chinese Okra Smooth)  Can be eaten at 6″ stage or left to over mature as a 20″ fruit, dry and use as a dish cloth or sponge.  Source:  STO

Heirloom
Burmese (OP)  From Burma.  18″ tall plant continues to bear until frost.  Leaves are 16″ across.  9-12″ slightly curved, spineless pods.  Pods mature from light green to creamy yellow-green.  Pods are less slimy than others.  Best picked at 10″ long.   Source:  BAK SOU

Jing Orange  60 days.  Deep reddish-orange and are quite colorful.  Asian variety produces lots of 6″ pods early, even in dry conditions.  Source:  BAK

Penta Dragon  60 days.  25″ tall dwarf plant from Asia.  Pods are pentagonal, deep green, spineless, almost free of fluting.   Source:  ANN GOU

Philippine Lady Finger  10′ plants.  Extra-long, smooth round pods can be cooked at larger size.  Filipino variety requires long growing season.   Source:  BAK

Tokyo Gokkaku  60 days.  Japanese okra.  3″ long, dark green pentagonal pods.  Compact plant.   Source:   looking for source

ONIONS (Oriental)
(negi, nebuka, da cong, xiao long, sibuyas, hark korm, hanh ta)

Evergreen White Nebuka  60 days.  Splitting type onion with long, slender white stalks in tight clusters.  Hardy and cold resistant.  Source:  KIT STO

Feast  68 days.  Improved Tokyo Long White type.  A single stalk type, upright plant habit.  16-20″ long, white shafts, dark-green leaves.  Heat tolerance.  Source:  STO

Gallop  60 days.  Traditional Japanese non-bulbing type.  Deep-green, straight upright shafts are thick and very uniform medium branching.  Excellent heat tolerance.   Source:  STO

Hardy White Bunching  70 days.  Improved strain of He Shi Ko.  Hardy, non-bulbing type, long, slim pure-white stems.   Source:  STO

He Shi Ko  (Heskiko)  60-80 days.  Japanese heirloom.  Perennial bunching onion.  Stalks grow and divide from the base.  Non-bulbing white type.  Mild flavor.   Source:  ANN BAK KIT TERR

Ishikura Bunching (Ishikura)  75 days.  Japanese bunching onion, fleshy white stalks topped with green.  Mild flavor.   Source:  BAK KIT PLA STO THO

Ishikura Improved  40-50 days.  Traditional Japanese bunching onion.  At maturity the single stalk has white stems up to 20″ long with 7″ green leaves.  The stems can grow to 1″ diameter.   Source:  KIT NIC PLA STO

Kyoto Kujo Negi  80 days.  Splitting stalk type, non-bulbing Japanese green onion.  1800s variety.  Tapers to a height of 24″, modulating in color from white to light green, then dark-green.  Has nice flavor.   Source:  KIT

Menegi  25 days.  Delicate white onion.  specially cultivated to produce young shoots that are used as sashimi and suski garnish.  Harvested at 3-4″.  Menegi looks very much like chives.  Source:  KIT

Nabechan  60 days.  Upright plants with uniform, thick shafts.  No bulbing.  Japanese variety.   Source:  JOH

Red Beard (OP)  40-50 days.  Red stalk.  Mild flavor and tender leaves.  27″ tall plant at maturity with the red stalk about 12″ long.  Source:  KIT TER

Shimonita Negi  The short and fat white root looks more like a leek than a scallion.  Popular throughout Japan.  Gets sweeter when cooked.   Source:  KIT

Tokyo Long White Bunching  65 days.  An old-favorite Japanese bunching-type.  Looks like a long slender leek.  Sweet and mild.  20-22″ long.  resistant to hot weather.   Source:  BAK BOT KIT STO TERR

PEAS (Oriental)
(endo, tobyo, saya endo)

Ho Lan Dow  Sow in March or August, harvest in May or October.  Snow peas.  Smaller podded bush strain that needs no staking.  Edible podded pea should be eaten raw in salads or stir fry with barbecue pork, onion, or crab meat.  Source:  STO

Kurume Hi-Crop  70 days.  Winter hardy and highly  tolerant of cold temperatures.  Shelling pea.  Large pods with 8 medium-size bright-green peas per pod.   Source:  KIT

Taichung II  60-70 days.  Chinese edible podded pea.  Well-branched compact plant.  3-4″ long flat pods.  1-2 pods on each node.  Pink flowers.   Source:  KIT

Taichung 13  70 days.  Edible podded sugar pea.  White flowers produce many pods that are round, plump, crispy and sweet.  Source:  KIT

Taiwan Sugar  60-70 days.  Large sweet pods originated from Taiwan.  Source:  TERR

USUI  65 days.  Snow pea cultivated for its pea shoots, the tendrils and the top leaves at the tip of a pea stem is considered a true delicacy.   Source:  KIT

PEPPERS (sweet)
(ao tograshi, ching jei, sili peaman, ot)

Heirloom and Hybrid
Fushimi  65 days.  Sweet Japanese variety is thin-walled and glossy bright-green.  Slender, tapered 6″ fruit is perfect for pickling.   Source:  KIT

Kim Chi  65 days.  5″ long green to red.  Used in Korean dishes.  Vigorous plant.  Source: THE

Mellow Star  80 days.  Shisito-type popular in Japan.  3 1/2-4″ heavily wrinkled fruits with thin walls.  No heat.  Slightly sweet when red.  Large upright plants.   Source:  JOH

Santaka  65 days.  Ornamental upright Japanese favorite for stir fries and soups.  Good container plant.   Source:  BOT THE

Shisihito  (Wrinkled Old Man, Japanese Shishitou) 60-80 days.  Old Japanese variety.  3 x 3/4″ long, slightly wrinkled fruit used for making tempura and in other traditional recipes. Emerald green color, mildly flavored with a hint of spice.  Sweet pepper.   Source:  BAK KIT TERR THE

Slim Pim  60 days.  Hybrid.  Slender and thin-walled up to 4″ long.  Sweet pepper.  Source:  KIT

Thai Long Sweet   Light green fruits about 6″ long, tapered and pointed.  From Thailand.  Great for grilling or frying.  Sweet pepper.  Source:  BAK

PEPPERS (Hot)
( togaraski, loat tsiu, siling, ot bi)

Heirloom and Hybrid
Balada (Kung Pao)  85 days.  30″ tall plants.  4 1/2″ long peppers that mature from green to red.  Thin walls dry quickly.  About 10,000 Scoville units.  Source:  TOT

Bangkok 75-95 days.  Small, very hot Thai chile.  Small, fiery-hot 3″ fruits.  Set heavily on big, upright plants.  Suitable for using green or red or for making hot pepper flakes or mini ristras.  commonly grown in Southeast Asia and China.  Source:  JOH 

Birdseye Chili  69-80 days.  From Sri Lanka and is hot.  18″ compact plants.  Smooth tapered 1″ long very hot peppers.  55,000-80,000 Scoville units.  Source:  KIT THE

Blaze  80 days.  Highly pungent 6 x 1/2″, smooth skin pepper.  Well-branched erect plant.   Source:  THE

Chi-Chien  80 days.  Popular in the Orient.  Very hot, thin red skin.   Source:  THE

Etna  80 days.  3/4 x 6″ long with smooth thick walls.  Green to red.  Very pungent, long shelf life.  Popular in Asian gardens.  Hybrid.  Source:  THE

Garden Bird  70-80 days.  These Thai chili peppers are considered medium hot.  Smooth, glossy green skin that turns red at maturity.  5-7″ long.  Mature fruits are best dried.  Source:  KIT

Goat Horn Hot  75 days.  Grows well in containers.  Extra-hot, long horn-shaped fruit is perfect for pickling.  Popular in Asian cooking.   Source: ANN BAK THE

Korean Dark Green 55 days. Korean heirloom.  2′ tall plants have dark green foliage and produce 3-4″ slender peppers that are green to red in color.  Very spicy and hot, used in Korean dishes.  Source:  BAK BOU TERR

Kung Pao (Thai Dragon)  90 days.  Thin walled red peppers.  10,000 Scoville units.  30″ plants.  4 1/2 x 3/8″ long peppers.   Source:  THE TOM

Orange Thai  80-90 days.  2 1/2″ cayenne-type peppers.  Can dry and use for seasoning. fruits turn from green to orange.   Source:  SEED

Prik Chi FAA  100 days.  Thai pepper meaning “pointing to the sky”.  3/4″ long.  Slight sour taste.  Spicy.   Source:  KIT

Purple   Japanese variety.  Knee high spreading plant.  White and purple leaves.  Very pungent purple to red fruit.  Spicy.   Source:  KIT

Santaka Hot  70 days.  Heirloom.  Zesty, pungent and very hot.  Beautiful enough for containers or borders.  Source:  BOT

Sapporo Hot  60 days.  Medium-hot Japanese specialty.  Tapered fruits grow to 5″ long.  Start out medium-green and mature to red.  Mature fruits are best dried.  Source:  KIT

Takanotsume  60 days.  Very hot specialty pepper 1 1/2-2 1/2″ long.  Used mainly for drying.   Source:  KIT

Thai  75 days.  Small hot pods, 1-1 1/2″ long, thin, upright, green to bright red.  Dries easily.  Source:  PAR THE

Thai Bankok  90 days.  Upright 3′ plant.  2 x 1/4″ purple-tinged fruit.   Source:  THE

Thai Burapa   Fiery little red, pointed pepper popular in Thailand.  Tall bushy plant.  Thin flesh variety is great for drying.   Source:  BAK

Thai Demon Red  80 days.  Dwarf plants produce loads of small searingly hot Thai peppers.  Bred for container culture.   Source:  NIC

Thai Super Chili  75 days.  2-3″ colorful peppers.  Thai Dragon-type that bear up to 300 fruits per plant.  Matures to fiery-red with intense heat.  Source:  GUR

Thai Hot  70 days.  Bushy plants produce large numbers of tiny, tapered “firecrackers” 2″ long and 1/4″ wide.  Ripen from green to red.   75,000 to 150,000 Scoville units.  Source:  BOT HAR JOHN PAR SEED TOM TOT

Thai Red Chilli  90 days.  Hot heirloom from Thailand.  Small pointed fruit is easy to dry.  Bright red.  Pungent heat.  1-3″ long peppers.  16″ compact plants.   Source:  BAK KIT

Thai Super Chili 75 days.  Hybrid.  Upright clusters of 2-3″ hot peppers.  Mature to a bright dark-red.  Compact 16″ plants are suited for containers or small gardens.  Dark-green foliage.  Thai Dragon-type.  Source:  NIC THE

Thai Yellow Chilli   Golden-yellow version of Thai Red.  Very hot and flavorful.  Thai heirloom.   Source:  BAK THE

Vietnamese   Multicolored hot.  Tall plants produce lots of upright cone-shaped 1-1 1/2″ hot fruit that turn from purple to cream, to lemon, to golden to bright red.  Stems and leaves are purplish.   Source:  BAK

Yatsufusa  60 days.  Popular Japanese hot specialty pepper.  Fruits set upward growing 2-3″ long with 5-6 fruit per cluster.  The hotter mature fruits are typically dried.   Source:  KIT

SWEET POTATO

Heirloom
Murasaki   Japanese sweet potato with distinctive nutty flavor.  Soft white flesh.  5-10 sweet potatoes per plant.   Source:  BURP

PUMPKINS (Oriental)

Heirloom and Hybrid
Bliss  125 days.  Asian hybrid.  10-15 pounds.  Highly textured, mottled dark-green with orange.  Edible dark yellow to orange flesh.   Source:  JOH

Casper  This 10-16 pound heirloom is silvery white.  sweet, dark-orange flesh bakes into pies.   Source:  COO

Chinese Miniature White  Tiny 3-4″ flat white pumpkins.  Chinese variety used as decorations or eating.   Source:  BAK

Japanese Pie  A Japanese heirloom.  12 pound black fruit has creamy white flesh.  Introduced in Pennsylvania in 1884.   Seeds are marked or sculptured like Chinese letters.  This pumpkin is also known as Chinese Alphabet Squash.  Source:  BAK

Kikuza  (Sweet Kikuza)   Japanese heirloom.  Small, tan colored pumpkins that are heavily ribbed.  Orange flesh is sweet and dry and has a spicy flavor.   Source:  BAK SEED

Noob Taub  100-110 days.  6-8 pounds spotted fruits start out grey-green, turning yellowish when ripe.  Shapes vary from a round, slightly flattened pumpkin to a bottle shape.  Thick flesh, grading from intense orange nearest the skin to very pale in the interior.  Not particularly sweet, use in savory dishes, not desserts.  Originated among the Laotian Hmong people.  Rare variety.  Source:  BAK

Shishigatani  (Toonas Makino)   Unique Japanese pumpkin was developed in the Edo period, 1804-1818.  Shaped like a gourd, ribbed and very warty.  Dark-green, turning to tan when mature.  Fine-grained flesh has a delicious, nutty flavor.  Famous in Kyoto cuisine.  Source:  BAK

Turner Family Pumpkin  A small, warted, jack-o-lantern-type that weighs 4-7 pounds.  Develops unique warts as the fruit matures.  Deep-orange rind and orange flesh.   Source:  BAK

RADISHES (Oriental)
(daikon, luo bo, labanos, hua piahs, cuai trang, muli)

Heirloom and Hybrid
Alpine  55 days.  Hybrid Korean daikon.  Half-long 5-6″ by 2-2 1/2″ roots.  Smooth roots are white with green shoulders.  Bolt resistant.   Source:  JOH

April Cross  60 days.  Daikon radish.  16″ long, 2 1/2″ diameter.  Harvest can begin at 8″.  Mild.  Good storage radish.   Source:  HAR KIT PAR SHU STO

Aka Karaine  60 days.  Hybrid.  Pungent flavor.  Small, pink-red color presentation in “daikon oroshi”.  6″ long cylindrical roots.  Tolerates long storage of 6 months or more.  Spicy hot flavor.   Source:  KIT

Big TIme  65-80 days.  Korean hybrid radish.  6-8″ long, 2-3″ diameter, and has green shoulders.  Good heat tolerance.   Source:  KIT

China Rose (OP) (Rose Colored Chinese, Scarlet China Winter)  55 days.  1850s heirloom.  One of the oldest type of radish.  Very hardy fall/winter variety.  Roots are 5″ long and a rose color.   Source: BAK COM KIT SEEDSHU SOU

Chinese Green Luobo (Qingluobo)   Popular radish from Northern China.  Bright-green flesh and shaped like daikons.  These only grow in cool weather.  Chinese heirloom.  Source:  BAK

Chinese Red Meat (Beauty Heart, Watermelon Radish, Mantanhong, Round Red Core Shrinmei)  50-60 days.  Historic China heirloom, 4″ round roots with white and green skin, but has a rose-red center.  Must be grown in cool weather.   Source:  ANN BAK BOT BOU BURG BURP COO GOU JOH JOHN KIT NIC SEED TERR TOT

Chinese White Winter   7-8″ long, white winter radish with a blunt tip.  Good raw or cooked.   Source:  BAK

Daikon (Giant German Beer Radish)  65 days.  12-18″ long, pure-white roots.  Can be hot.   Source:  IRI SHU

Discovery  60 days.  All-white daikon root.  Hybrid.  Japanese-style roots.  15″ long and 2 1/2-3″ wide.   Source:  JOH

Dragon  40 days.  Chinese radish with fiery red skin and white interior.  4-5″ long.  elongated shape.  Source:  TER

Everest  65 days.  Hybrid Chinese radish.  14″ long and 2 1/2″ diameter, snow white roots.  Carrot shaped.  Tolerates heat well.  Not suitable for spring sowing in cool areas.  Source:  KIT STO

Formosa Giant Luo Buo  75 days.  Taiwan heirloom.  Big, fat oval-shaped roots weigh about 2-3 pounds.  Mild.   Source:  BAK KIT

Giant Luo Buo  80-100 days.  Large oval white radish grows 8-10″ long and 5-6″ in diameter and very popular in Taiwan.  Sweet, mild flesh.  It can weigh 2-2 1/5 pounds.  This variety is often added to soups.   Source:  KIT

Giant Sakurajima  80 days.  Often weigh 15 pounds or more.  Nearly round, solid, firm white flesh.  Keeps in storage for fall and winter use.   Source:  BURG KIT

Good Luck  75-70 days.  Korean hybrid.  9-10″ long, white root with green shoulders.  Heat and disease tolerant.  Does better with less nitrogen fertilizer.    Source:  KIT

Green Meat  60 days.  Chinese radish has an oblong shape and dark green colored neck with green flesh.  10″ long and 3″ diameter.  Harvest when 6″ long.  Keeps exceptionally well.  Sweet and juicy.   Source:  KIT

Icicle Short Top  32 days.  4-5″ long straight crystal white roots with a mild flavor.  Source:  HAR

Il Shim 60-65 days.  Hybrid Korean radish.  12″ long and 5″ diameter.  Stores well.  Dark greens are edible.   Source:  KIT

Iwai Daikon  50 days.  Small size, white root grows to a slender 1″ diameter.  Perfect for a number of traditional Japanese New Year’s recipes.   Source: ANN KIT

Japanese Long Scarlet  25 days.  Popular in Japanese gardens.  Scarlet outside, 6″ slender white radish.  Source:  KIT

Japanese Minowase Daikon  Old Japanese favorite.  Giant white roots grow to 24″ long and 3″ wide.  Sweet.  Source:  BAK TERR

Karaine  60 days.  Hybrid.  Hot daikon.  firm white flesh.  6″ long and 3″ in diameter.  Good storage radish.   Source:  KIT

Mantanghong  65 days.  Hybrid.  “Beauty heart” type Chinese radish.  Grown in the middle and northern parts of China.  Flesh ranges from intense red to bright magenta.  Perfect radishes to carve into flower shapes as garnish.  Round, white skin with green shoulder.  Mild and sweet.  Source:  BOTKIT

Mino Early (OP)  40-50 days.  Japanese variety.  Good heat tolerance.  14-16″ long, tapered white roots have mild pungency.  Can weigh 1 3/4 pounds.   Source:  KIT

Minowase Summer Cross  55 to 60 days.  Hybrid.  Popular Japanese daikon.  They can reach 16″ long and weigh 1 3/4 pounds.  White tapered root.  Mildly pungent.  Source:  KIT

Minowase Summer Cross #3  50 days.  Japanese hybrid daikon.  16″ long, 2 1/2″ thick, pure white roots with white neck.  Pungent, hot.   Source:  STO TER

Misato  Green (OP)  60 days.  Green flesh, 8″ long.  Light frost may enhance flavor.   Source:  NIC

Misato Rose (OP)  60 days.  3-4″ roots are recommended for fall sowing.  Skin is light- pink to green, but the flesh is bright-pink, spicy and sweet.  Large dark-green leaves set this variety apart.  Source:  BAK NIC SOU

Miyashigi Daikon (OP)  50-65 days.  White daikon type from Japan.  Long white roots grow to 15″ or more and very mild.  Plant in late summer for fall harvest.  Source:  ANN BAK BOT JOH SOU

Miyashige, Green Neck  60 days.  Medium-size white root with a green neck.  Most popular for pickling.  Mild flavor.  Source:  KIT

Nerima  70 days.  Large, long, white stumped daikon.  Harvest when roots reach 10-16″ long.  Suited to deep rich soils.   Source:  ANN KIT

New Crown  50-55 days.  Hybrid.  Grows 12-14″ long and about 2″ wide, with snow-white skin and pale-green shoulders.  Nice mild heat.  Need to prepare soil to a level of at leave 1 foot down.   Source:  JOHN

Oharu  60 days.  Popular Japanese hybrid daikon.  White root has green shoulders and grows 15″ long.  Can weigh over 1 1/2 pounds.  Slow to bolt.   Source:  KIT

Passion Altari  50-60 days.  Hybrid Korean radish.  Almost no pungency.  2-3″ long and 1″ diameter.   Source:  KIT

Pink Summercicle  Classic daikon taste.  5″ long, carrot-shaped root.  Vivid-pink.  Low in calories.   Source:  COO

Rat’s Tail (OP)  (Mongri, Snake Radish)  58 days.  Asian heirloom is an edible-podded radish which produces loads of tender, large seed pods that are added to salads and stir-fries.  They are also good pickled.   Source:  BAK BOT BOU SEED

Relish Cross  60 days.  Hybrid Japanese variety.  Root grows up to 15″ and weighs 1 1/2 pounds.  Root is white with green shoulders.   Source:  KIT NIC

Resist Riso  85 days.  Hybrid.  Snow-white daikon.  Slender 18″ long roots.  Slightly blunted pointed tip.  Source:  KIT

Rok Cheon  60-65 days.  Hybrid Korean radish.  Root is H-shaped, 10-11″ long and 4-5″ diameter.  Weighs between 1 3/4-2 pounds.  Tolerates slightly cooler temperatures.   Source:  KIT

Sakurajima Mammoth  80 days.  Mammoth, round, white root has a mild, sweet flavor.  Harvest when roots reach 10″ diameter.  Japanese radish that sometimes reaches 100 pounds.  Origingated in the very southern tip of Japan.  Does not store well.  Source:  KIT

Seoho-West Lake  65-70 days.  Hybrid Korean radish has green shoulders, is 6-7″ long and 3-4″ diameter.  Source:  KIT

Shirahime  Hatsuka Daikon  20-50 days.  Like tiny little icicles, these miniature white radishes grow to be 4″ long and a narrow 1/2″ diameter.  Hardy enough to grow year round.   Source:  KIT

Shogoin Globe  70 days.  A large, round white daikon with green neck.  6″ diameter radish.  Mild taste roots develop mainly above ground.  Suited to heavy soils.   Source:  KIT

Shunkyo  30-40 days.  From northern China.  Red-pink skin and white flesh.  Hot, sweet flavor, and tops are tender and delicious.   Source:  JOH KIT

Summer Cross No. 3  55 days.  Hybrid.  Japanese-style variety.  Long, tapered white roots, 16″ by 2 1/2″.   Source:  JOH

Super Luck  65-70 days.  Hybrid Korean radish.  Green shoulders, 7-8″ long white roots.  3-4″ diameter.   Source:  KIT

Tae Baek  70 days.  Hybrid Korean radish.  Uniform shape with green shoulders.  Crisp and sweet flesh.  Source:  KIT

Tokinashi (All Seasons Omny)  65 days.  18″ long, white, mildly pungent.  Japanese heirloom daikon used in cooking, pickles and eating raw.  Unfazed by heavy clay soils.   Source:  BOU KIT NIC STO

Wakayama White  70 days.  Giant white radish with long rounded, 12-14″ long root.   Source:  KIT

White Chinese Celestial   60 days.  Pure white roots grow 6-8″ long by 3″ across.  Source:  SHU

White Gem  65-70 days.  Hybrid Korean radish.  8″ long white root with green shoulders.  Can weigh over 2 pounds.   Source:  KITSTO

White Icicle  29 days.  5″ white radish very popular in Japan’s home gardens.  Highly tolerant of heat.  Stores well and perfect for pickling.   Source: BAK KIT

White Rat  40 days.  Hybrid Korean radish. Ideal for pickling.  Greens are edible.   Source:  KIT

RADISH LEAF

Hattorikum  24 days.  Japanese hybrid.  Leaves are tender and almost hairless.  Developed specifically for its leaves.  Source:  KIT

Saisai Purple  15-45 days.  Japanese hybrid.  Red stemmed radish leaf.  Tender green leaves are rounded with slightly scalloped edges and are used still attached to the stem.   Source:  KIT

RADISH FOR SPROUTS & MICROS
(kaiware)

All Purple  7-10 days.  Sprouting radish yields a harvest of approximately 3-4″ seedlings which are a uniform eggplant-purple, which is more intense in cooler weather.  Perfect for salads.  Source:  KIT

Hong Vit 10 days microgreens, 20 days baby leaf.  One of the most popular radish varieties grown for microgreens.  Has green leaves with red stem.  For baby leaf greens, harvest the whole plant as the green leaves have minimal hair and red roots are very small.  Mild radish flavor.  Source:  KIT

Purple Stem  10 days.  Pretty radish sprout has lavender violet color at the top near the dark green leaves and turn a reddish plum color toward the bottom.  The leaves have a hint of red.  Bred specifically for their color.  Source:  KIT

Red Stem  10 days.  Daikon sprout variety makes the perfect edible garnish that will add a touch of color and spice to any dish.  Seedlings have crisp pink-red stems with green leaves.  Popular in Japan.  Source:  KIT

White Stem  10 days.  Seedlings have crisp white stems with green leaves.  Crisp, tender, and have a nice flavor and pungency.  Source:  KIT

SQUASH (summer, Oriental)
(ho bak)

Hybrid
Early Bulam  65-70 days.  Korean summer squash nicknamed avocado squash because of its appearance.  Oval fruit with thin, glossy, light-green skin and flesh.  They are ready to harvest 8 days after flowering.  Ripe fruits measure 4″ diameter and 5-6″ long, and weighs 14 ounces.   Source:  KIT

Teot Bat Put  65-70 days.  Glossy deep-green skin, light-yellow flesh and sweet flavor.  Ripe fruits are 4″ in diameter and 6″ long.   Source:  KIT

SQUASH (winter, Oriental)
Heirloom
 Black Futsu  Rare black Japanese squash.  Fruit is flattened, round, and has heavy ribbing.  Black fruit will turn a rich chestnut color in storage.  Flesh is golden color and tastes like hazelnuts.  3-8 pounds.  Source:  BAK

Chiriman  Japanese heirloom was popular in the Edo period (1603-1867).  Flattened and ribbed, deep greenish-black color.  Turns more tan in storage.  Sweet, deep orange flesh.   Source:  BAK

Japanese Pie (Chinese Alphabet Squash)  Japanese heirloom.  12 pound black fruits have creamy-white flesh.  The seeds are marked or sculptured like Chinese letters.  Source:  BAK

Palav Kadu  125 days.  Hourglass-shaped, 3-4 pounds.  Starts out green with cream colored spots, which turn a dull buff-orange as the fruits mature.  In the Tajik language, the name means “squash for pilav’,” a well-known dish from Central Asia.  Superb flavor and an excellent keeper.  Source:  BAK

Red Kuri (Hokkaido) 92 days.  Red-orange Japanese winter squash.  5-10 pounds and are teardrop-shaped.  Smooth golden flesh is dry, sweet and rich.  Source:  BAK

Thai Kang Kob   A lovely sea-green colored squash that turns chestnut color in storage.  Pumpkin-shaped, very ribbed and warted.  6-8 pounds  Thailand variety.  Great for curries, soups, stir-fries, and more.  Source:  BAK

Thai Rai Kaw Tok  Green 8 pound fruits have tan spots on the rind.  Yellow-orange flesh is sweet with smooth texture.  Rock-hard rind makes for great keeping.  Thailand variety.  Source:  BAK

Yokohama  1860 Japanese heirloom.  Very flat, ribbed  and dark-green to tan.  Orange flesh is dry, fine-grained and sweet.  Source:  BAK

SPINACH 
(horenso)

Hybrid
Akarenso  50 days.  The leaves are pointed with a slight serration, typical Japanese characteristics, but it is the attractive red-purple stems and leaf veins that make it interesting.  Soft-textured spinach.  Mild flavor.  Source:  KIT

Alrite  60 days.  Has broad, smooth, dark-green pointed leaves.  Upright plants are adaptable to many growing conditions.  Heat and cold tolerant.  Source:  KIT

Joker  40-50 days.  Asian-type spinach from Japan.  Dark emerald-green plants are held upright off the ground on long stalks with smooth, thick, arrow-shaped leaves.  Source:  JOHN

Okame  53 days.  Japanese spinach for summer harvest.  Dark-green, thick, serrated leaves.  It will tolerate hot and dry conditions and is slow bolting.  Source:  KIT

Python  35 days.  Smooth, dark-green leaves are arrowhead-shaped.  Uniform plants have an upright habit.  Bunching, Asian leaf spinach for fall harvest.   Source:  JOH

Torasan Komatsuna  (Japanese Mustard Spinach)  25-45 days.  Glossy, dark-green leaves.  Harvest at any stage.  Younger leaves have more of a mustard flavor and older leaves have more of a cabbage flavor.  Tolerant to heat, but thrives in cool weather too.  Source:  JOHN

SQUASH (summer, Oriental)
(ho bak)

Hybrid
Early Bulam  75-70 days.  Korean summer squash nicknamed avocado squash because of its appearance.  Vigorous vine produces oval fruit with thin, glossy, light-green skin and s\flesh similar to zucchini.  Ripe fruits measure about 4″ diameter and 5-6″ long and weigh about 14 ounces.  Source:  KIT

Teot Bat Put  65-70 days.  Nicknames avocado squash.  Glossy deep-green skin, light yellow flesh, with sweet flavor.  Ripe fruits measure 4″ diameter and 6″ long.  Source:  KIT

SQUASH (winter, Oriental)
(kabocha, nan gua, kalabasa, bio ro, vilayati kaddu)

Hybrid
Okehime  85-95 days.  Hybrid.  Bright orange baby-sized Kabocha squash.  1 pound when ripe.  When cooked the bright orange flesh is very sweet and powdery soft.  Flavor is cross between sweet potato and pumpkin.   Source:  KIT

Baby Delica  45-47 days.  Small Kabocha or Japanese pumpkin.  2 pounds and is harvested at 5″ in diameter.  skin ripens to a deep-green with lighter stripes.  Yellow-orange nutty flesh.  Short vine.   Source:  KIT

Delica  105 days.  Hybrid “Edisu” type in Japan.   Flattened globes with dark-green skin.  Very sweet yellow flesh has nutty flavor.  Harvest when 6-8″ in diameter.  Stores well.   Source:  KIT

Fairy  90 days.  Rich golden-orange flesh has the dense texture of a potato.  Compact oval fruit weighs about 2 pounds.  Grows on a long vine with small leaves.  Skin is a muted orange and variegated green alternating loosely in vertical stripes.  Source:  KIT

Grey Ghost  100 days.  Kabocha.  112-15 pounds, flat globe, cupless, uniform hybrid fruit.  Stores well.  Amazing taste.  Source:  STO

Hokkori  100 days.  Hybrid globe-shaped, 3-3 1/2 pound fruit has dry sweet, deep-yellow flesh.  Dark green skin.  Freezes well.  Good shelf life.   Source:  KIT

Hokkori 133  45-90 days.  Slightly flattened globe-shaped fruit has black-green skin and sweet tasting orange-yellow flesh of a Japanese pumpkin.  Weighs 3 3/4-4 1/4 pounds.  Vine squash.  Source:  KIT

Kuribo  Use 40 days after flowering.  Hybrid.  One serving Japanese winter squash.  1 pound, perfect for stuffing.  Golden dry, powdery flesh.  Kabocha variety.  Source:  KIT

Kurinishiki  Use 45 days after flowering.  Hybrid.  Uniform dark-green fruit with vertical light-green stripes and marks.  Globe-shaped and somewhat flat with small cavity.  Bright yellow sweet flesh.  Can grow on a trellis.  Source:  KIT

Naguri  80-100 days.  Kabocha-type Japanese hybrid.  Resembles a small, flattened, dark-green pumpkin with light-green markings.  Flesh is dry and nutty, yet extremely sweet.  2 pound fruits grow on short or trellised vine.    Ideal for small gardens.   Source:  JOHN

Papaya  90 days.  Incredibly smooth and thick fleshed, sweet and nutty flavored papaya-shaped squash that is vibrant yellow.  Ideal for stuffing.  One of the most popular Asian winter squashes.  Vining plants bear abundant 2-4 pound squash that keep well.  Source:  TERR

Rumbo  95-100 days.  Korean variety.  Burnt-caramel fruit looks like a pumpkin.  Super sweet and never stringy.  14-15 pounds, slightly flattened fruits are about 1′ wide and 4-5″ deep.   Source:  PAR

Special Export  100 days.  Hybrid Kabocha-type.  3-4 pounds.  Flat, globe-shaped dark-green fruit with orange flesh.  Excellent storage type.  Source:  STO

Sunshine  95 days.  Hybrid, round, flattish, scarlet-orange, 4 pound fruit.  Sweet, nutty, stringless flesh.  Needs 6-8′ growing space.  Source:  PAR NIC THO

Super Delite  110 days.  Hybrid.  Dark-green skin with dry, sweet and fiberless flesh.  Globe-shaped, 8″ diameter.   Source:  KIT STO

Sweet Mama    Hybrid, 45 days after flowering.  Japanese Kabocha squash.  All American Selection winner.  3-4 pound fruits.  Dark-green skin.  Dark-yellow flesh is dry, sweet and nutty.  Produces a vine with almost no side branches.   Source:  KIT STO

Tetsukabuto  45-50 days.  Nearly round hybrid fruit.  4-5 1/2 pounds.  Dark black-green mottled skin, deep yellow-orange flesh with nutty flavor.  Vine requires pollination.   Source: KIT

Heirloom

Black Futsu   Rare black Japanese squash.  Fruit is flattened, round and has heavy ribbing.   Source:  BAK

Blue Kuri  Japanese hubbard-type.  Globe-shaped with blue-green skin, weighing about 2 1/2 pounds each.  Very sweet yellow flesh.  Long term storage squash.   Source:  GOU KIT

Chiriman  100 days.  Japanese heirloom was popular during the Edo period (1603-1867).  Fruit weighs 5 pounds.  Flattened and ribbed and deep greenish-black.  Bright-orange, sweet flesh.  Turns more tan during storage.   Source:  BAK BOU KIT

Japanese Pie (Chinese Alphabet Squash)  Japanese heirloom.  12 pounds black fruit has creamy -white flesh.  The seeds look like Chinese letters.    Source:  BAK

Kikuza (Sweet Kikuza Chrysanthemum Seat)  120 days.  Early 1880s Japanese heirloom.  Tan, deeply ribbed, 2-4 pounds.  Sweet dry, slightly nutty, smooth, orange flesh.  Vigorous vines.   Source:  SOU

Kogiku   Use 30 days after setting fruit.  Japanese pumpkin squash weighs 2 pounds each.  Green shiny skin is so dark it almost looks black.  Dark-yellow flesh has sweetness popular with Japanese caterers and chefs.   Source:  KIT

Noob Taub  100-110 days.  6-8 pounds spotted fruits start out grey-green turning yellowish when ripe.  Shapes vary from a round, slightly flattened to a more unusual bottle shape.  Thick flesh is intense-orange nearest the skin to very pale in the interior.  Not particularly sweet.  Use in savory recipes, not desserts.  Originated among the Laotian Hmong people.   Source:  KIT

Red Kuri (Hokkaido)  92 days.  Japanese winter tear drop-shaped orange fruit.  5-10 pounds each.  Golden flesh is smooth, dry, sweet and rich.  Source:  BAK JOH TER

Rumbo  95-100 days.  Korean variety.  Burnt-caramel fruit looks like a pumpkin.  Super sweet and never stringy.  14-15 pounds, slightly flattened fruits are about 1′ wide and 4-5″ deep.  Source:  PAR

Shishigatani (Toonas Makino)  110 days.  Heirloom since the Edo period, 1800s.  Japanese pumpkin Kabocha squash is used in shojin ryori.  Skin is ribbed and warted and ripe when the skin turns light-brown.  Yellow flesh.  Source:  GOU KIT

Thai Kang Kob  Sea-green colored squash that turns chestnut colored in storage.  Pumpkin-shape, very ribbed and warted.  Weighs 6-8 pounds, orange flesh is sweet and fragrant.  Thailand variety.   Source:  BAK

Thai Rai Kaw Tok  Green 8 pound fruit has tan spots on the rind.  Yellow-orange flesh is sweet and flavorful with smooth texture.  Rock-hard rind makes this a great keeper.  Thailand variety.   Source:  BAK

Uchiki Kuri  90 days.  Japanese hubbard-type squash.  Orange-red skin.  Yellow creamy flesh is sweet and nutty.  2-3 pounds.  7″ size.  Needs plenty of water during growth.   Source:  GOU KIT

Yokohama  1863 heirloom.  Flat, ribbed and dark green to black in color.  Dry, fine-grained, orange flesh.   Source:  BAK

SWISS CHARD 
(fudanso, tojisa, kwoon taat tsoi, paak tim tsoi)

Umaina  55 days.  Tender Japanese variety has broad leaves that are deep-green, slightly savoyed, and have short pale green midribs.  Can withstand both heat and cold.  Very slow to bold.  Source:  KIT

TOMATOES

Heirloom
Bali   Oriental favorite.  Flat, ribbed, 2-3″ delicious fruit.  Raspberry pink color.  Sweet and spicy.  Large plants.  From Island of Bali, Indonesia.  Heirloom.   Source:  BAK

Fantome Du Laos  Originates in Laos.  Glowing creamy-white fruit with a hint of yellow.  Ribbed, flattened and medium size.  Low acid flavor.   Source:  BAK

Hssiao His Hung Shih  Chinese heirloom.  Crisp little yellow grape-sized tomatoes.  Vines are very productive.   Source:  BAK

Thai Pink Egg  75 days.  Grape tomatoes from Thailand.  Brilliant pink, grape-shaped, 2 ounce fruit are nicely uniform.  Good yields.  Delicious taste.  Source:  BAK

Topaz (Huan U)   Named for the beautiful yellow Topaz stone. 1-3 ounce fruits.  Light yellow with golden speckles.  Mild tasting, and firm.  Chinese introduction.  Source:  BAK

Tsungshigo Chinese  Small grape-shaped reddish-chocolate tomatoes.  Chinese variety.   Source:  BAK

Violet Jasper (Tzi Bi U)  Little Oriental jewels have violet-purple fruit with iridescent green streaks.  1-3 ounces.  High yielding plants.  Source:  BAK

Hybrid

Grandeur  70 days.  Japanese variety.  Uniform, firm, deep-red tomatoes with green shoulders.  1/2 pound each.  Hardy plants produce 5 to 6 fruits per cluster.  Resistant to heat and cracking.   Source:  KIT

Katana  60 days.  Uniform, firm, beefsteak fruits with smooth shoulders.  Semi-determinate.  Source:  KIT

Momotaro  70 days.  Japanese variety.  Named after a hero of Japanese folklore.  Sweet and tangy flavor.  Radiant, dark-pink slicers weigh 6-7 ounces.  Durable, heat tolerant and crack resistant.   Source:  KIT TER

Odoriko  70-75 days.  Large Japanese-type pink flesh tomatoes.  Exceptional flavor and blemish-free.  Strong plant.  Source:  KIT

TURNIPS  (Oriental)
(kabu, kabura, wu jing)

Hybrid
Hakurei  35 days.  Hybrid Japanese turnip is sweet and mild.  Slightly flattened round roots are crisp, smooth and white.  Smooth dark-green tops.  Plants tolerates cool temperatures.   Source:  KIT

Hidabeni  40-50 days.  Japanese traditional vegetable grown in the Hida region of Gifu.  Scarlet-skinned turnip produces a flattened semi-globe shaped root.  White, mild flesh.  Source:  KIT

Tokyo Cross 30-60 days.  Can be harvested at any stage.  Small to large roots, up to 6″ diameter without getting pithy.  Perfect globe shape with smooth skin and sweet, mild, crisp flavor.  Late bolting.   Source:  KIT 

Tsugaru  Scarlet  55 days.  Hybrid scarlet-skinned, globe-shaped Japanese turnip.  Pure white flesh is tender and crisp.  Asian turnips are mainly eaten when they are young.  Source:  KIT

Heirloom

Hinona Kabu  40 days.  Japanese heirloom.  1-1 1/2″ diameter, 14″ long roots.  Cherry blossom color.  Used to make sakura zuke cherry pickle.   Source:  GOU KIT

Nozawana  40 days.  Traditional turnip green grown in the mountains of Japan.  Frost tolerant with long, dark-green leaves.   Source:  KIT

Red Round  50 days.  Bright-red Oriental turnip.  Small, tender globe-shaped roots.  Stems and roots are both red.  Fun and fast growing.  Traditional Japanese heirloom turnip.  Source:  BAK KIT

Scarlet Ohno (OP) 50-55 days.  Bright-red roots are flattened in shape.  Mild flavor.  Leaves often have red to purple discoloration.   Japanese variety.   Source:  BOU NIC SOU

Shogoin  70 days.  Popular Japanese heirloom.  Smooth, white roots.  Delicious, mild-tasting greens.  Harvest greens in just 30 days.  Source:  BAK KIT SHU

Tennouji Kabura  45-50 days.  The oldest traditional turnip.  Thrived during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.  Large leaves are appreciated for the aroma and flavor.  Source:  KIT

Tokyo Market (OP) 30-50 days.  All white, smooth turnip.  Baby turnips can be harvested in 30 days.  4-5″ diameter when mature.  Source:  BOU GOU KIT NIC

WATERMELON (Oriental)

Hybrid
Ashi Miyako  75 days.  Hybrid that has very sweet flesh.  11-15 pounds.   Source:  GOU

New Queen  75-80 days.  Taiwanese import.  Bright orange-yellow fleshed watermelon that is fragrant and juicy with few seeds.  12% sugar content.  Globe-shaped, icebox type.  Source:  JOHN

Pony Red Mini  80 days.  5-6 pounds.  Japanese hybrid.  Little, light green globes marked with dark-green stripes.  Thin rind encases delicious, firm, sweet red-pink flesh.  About 10 melons per vine.  Source:  JOHN

Heirloom
Japanese Cream Fleshed Suika  85 days.  6-12 pounds.  Cream-colored flesh is mild tasting.   Source:  BAK

Takii Gem  Small icebox melon has sweet red flesh.  Grayish-green rind.  Great for short season areas.  Source:  BAK

Thai Baby Watermelon  Used in Thailand when fruits are about 3″ long.  Can be cooked in many ways.   Source:  BAK