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(AAS): denotes an All-America Selections 2006 winner, chosen for adaptability and great garden performance
: denotes an OG favorite, meaning it got raves for taste and/or looks from our testers.
Ornamentals
'Black Pearl'
Ornamental pepper Capsicum annuum *AAS winner
Time of fruiting: mid-summer to frost
Description: 18-inch plant sports black leaves and clusters of shiny round black peppers that turn red at maturity.
Seed sources: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Park's Seeds
'Hulk' China aster Callstephus chinensis Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Park's Seeds, Underwood Gardens
'Evolution' Salvia Salvia farinacea Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Park's Seeds
'Supra Purple' pinks Dianthus hybrid *AAS
Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Park's Seeds
'Diamonte Coral Rose' Diascia Diascia hybrid *AAS
Seed sources: Johnny's Selected Seeds, J. W. Jung Seed Company, Park's Seeds
'Perfume Deep Purple' Flowering tobacco Nicotiana hybrid 'Perfume Deep Purple' Time of bloom:early to mid summer
Description: 18-inch plants were filled with lightly fragrant blooms, but only though mid-summer. AAS winner
Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Nichols Garden Nursery, Park's Seeds
African Foxglove Ceratotheca triloba Time of bloom: summer Description: Elegant spikes of light purple flowers grow to 4 feet tall.
Seed source: Select Seed
'Jester' Ornamental millet Time of bloom: Mid summer to fall
Description: Red-green grass with spiky, erect seedheads grows to 4 feet.
Seed sources: Johnny's Selected Seeds, J. W. Jung Seed Company, Nichols Garden Nursery, Park's Seeds
'Petit Bouquet' Sunflower Time of bloom: summer
Description: Compact, pollen free, multi-toned, branching sunflower that grows to 16 inches
Seed source: Nichols Garden Nursery
TOP TOMATOES VARIETIES 'Ceylon' Days to maturity: 75 days from transplant
Description: Small, ruffled tomatoes are very tender and easily bruised. Flavorful and long-producing. Indeterminate.
Seed sources: High Mowing Seeds, Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Cupid' Days to maturity: 75 days from transplant
Description: Produces clusters of medium-size grape tomatoes that resist cracking. Indeterminate
Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Park's Seeds
'Dafel' Days to maturity: 75 days from transplant
Description: Small round fruits are early, crack-resistant and tasty. Indeterminate.
Seed source: Johnny's Selected Seeds
'Tiffany' Days to maturity: 80 days
Description: Very vigorous indeterminate plants. Medium-small round, juicy fruit.
Seed source: Tomato Grower Supply Company
'Valencia' Days to maturity: 85 days
Description: Large, round, golden fruits are mild in taste. Vigorous indeterminate plant.
Seed source: Seeds of Change
'Copia' Days to maturity: 90 days
Description: Highly decorative tomato with red, yellow and green stripes. Indeterminate.
Seed sources: Natural Gardening Company, Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Maremmeno' Days to maturity: 75 days
Description: Small tasty fruits are among the first of the season. Determinate.
Seed source: Seeds from Italy
'Rhodia F1' Days to maturity: 90 days
Description: Indeterminate hybrid beefsteak, slightly ribbed and very flavorful
Seed source: Harvest Moon Farms
'Sun King' Days to maturity: 85 days
Description: Firm, medium-large fruit on vigorous plants. Determinate.
Seed source: Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Dawson's Black Zebra' Days to maturity: 90 days
Description: Small fruit with striped, purple-brown skin and dark flesh. Indeterminate.
Seed source: Underwood Gardens
'Gigante Liscia' Days to maturity: 90 days
Description: Flavorful, medium-large red slicer. Classic tomato taste and long-lasting in the garden. Indeterminate.
Seed source: Seeds from Italy
'Mayo's Delight' Days to maturity: 85 days
Description: Large, late tomato. Indeterminate.
Seed source: Underwood Gardens
'Pink Plum Rosa' Days to maturity: 90 days
Description: Pink, pointy-ended fruits are medium-large, and meaty. Indeterminate.
Seed source: Underwood Gardens
'Variegated' Days to maturity: 80 days
Description: Variegated leaves make this an interesting choice for a front-yard garden. Indeterminate.
Seed source: Seed Savers Exchange
Peppers
'Carmen' *AAS
Days to maturity: 75 days to red, from transplant time
Description: 6-inch long, tapered, peppers are very sweet when allowed to ripen. Plants are over 2 feet tall and should be lightly staked.
Seed sources: Johnny's Selected Seeds, J. W. Jung Seed Company, Park's Seeds, Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Mariachi' *AAS
Days to maturity: 65 days from transplanting
Description: Medium hot, 3 to 4-inch cone-shaped peppers are pale yellow blushing to orange, then red.
Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Nichols Garden Nursery, Park's Seeds, Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Socrates' Days to maturity: 65 days to green, 80 or more to red, from transplant
Description: Thick-walled blocky bell pepper, early. Satisfying to grow and eat!
Seed source: Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Sweet Spot' banana pepper Days to maturity: 65 to 75 days from transplant
Description: Good producer of 6 to 8-inch, slender, mild-tasting fruits of creamy yellow, maturing to red. Bred for resistance to bacterial spot.
Seed sources: J. W. Jung Seed Company, Nichols Garden Nursery, Park's Seeds, Tomato Growers Supply Company
'Padron' Days to maturity: 60 from transplant
Description: Three-foot tall plants yielded large numbers of tiny tangy-mild peppers.
Seed sources: Harvest Moon Farms, Nichols Garden Nursery, Tomato Growers Supply Company, Underwood Gardens
Beans
Pretzel Bean (cowpea) Description: Twining vine with pairs of small beans that curl like a pair of goats' horns!
Seed source: Underwood Gardens
Cucumbers
Pepinex Dutch Type Cucumber Days to maturity: 65+ days
Description: Distinctive look (long, light and ribbed); mild taste.
Seed source: Kitchen Garden Seeds
Cucumber 'Improved Bourbonne' Cornichon Cucumis sativus Days to maturity: 60+
Description: Small to medium prickly fruits.
Seed source: Kitchen Garden Seeds
Cucumber 'Richmond Green Apple' Cucumis sativus Days to maturity: 70
Description: Small oval light green fruits with lots of crunch.
Seed source: Seeds of Change
Squash
Floridor Round zucchini Cucurbita pepo Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days from seed
Description: bush plant produces yellow, round fruits over a long period
Seed sources: Harvest Moon Farms (sold as 'One Ball'), Johnny's Selected Seeds
Success PM Yellow Straightneck Cucurbita pepo Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days from seed
Description: High-yielding, powdery mildew resistant, bush plants yield uniform smooth, pale yellow fruits.
Seed sources: High Mowing Seeds, Territorial Seed Company
Greens Chard 'Rhubarb Supreme' (not available)
Days to maturity: 60 to 70
Description: Red-ribbed chard with leaves also tinted dark red.
Seed source: At the time this was written, seeds were not available.
'Oaky Red Splash' lettuce Days to maturity: 50 to 60
Description: Vigorous, red-flecked green leaf lettuce. wildgardenseed.com.
Seed source: High Mowing Seeds
'Eiffel Tower' Romaine lettuce (no photo — eaten by deer)
Days to maturity: 65 days from seed
Description: Sweet, vase-shaped, productive romaine-type lettuce
Seed source: Territorial Seed Company
Herbs and More
Cilantro 'Delfino' *AAS
Coriandrum sativum *AAS
Days to maturity: 20 to 30 days from seed.
Description: flavorful cilantro leaves have an unusual lacy texture
Seed sources: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Nichols Garden Nursery, Park's Seeds, Territorial Seed Company
Darki Triple Curled Parsley Description: Lush, green parsley is excellent for edging and eating
Seed source: High Mowing Seeds
'King Sieg' leek Allium ampeloprasum Days to maturity: 85 days (for baby leeks) to 125 days (larger leeks) from seed
Description: cross between 'King Richard' and 'Siegfried Frost' leeks
Seed source: look for this seed in future years. As of this date, the seed is not available.
Basil 'Napolitano' Ocimum basilicum (no photo—chewed up by Japanese beetles)
Description: Plant stays relatively small (18 inches) but leaves are large and lettuce-like.
Seed sources: Harvest Moon Farms, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Kitchen Garden Seeds, Nichols garden Nursery, Seeds from Italy
Basil, Sicilian Ocimum basilicum (no photo—chewed up by Japanese beetles)
Description: Classic basil taste. This 2-foot basil was late to bolt.
Seed sources: Harvest Moon Farms, Nichols Garden Nursery, Seeds from Italy, Underwood Gardens
SOURCES
Fedco Seeds P.O. Box 520
Waterville, ME 04903
207-873-7333
www.fedcoseeds.com
: denotes an OG favorite, meaning it got raves for taste and/or looks from our testers.
'Black Pearl'
'Perfume Deep Purple' Flowering tobacco
Chard 'Rhubarb Supreme' (not available)
*AAS
