| Finally, a chance to peruse seed catalogs and plan for the new gardening season to come. Here are a few selections to consider, from some of my favorite seed sources.
Johnny's Selected Seeds
This Maine-based company introduces a new heirloom green tomato this year-- 'Cherokee Green' has medium size fruit that mature green with a hint of orange, and a bold, complex tomato flavor.
'Amethyst Improved' is a new dark purple basil with nearly-black leaves. They are thick just like the classic green variety, 'Genovese.'
John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seeds -
Scheeper's sources intriguing European selections, such as 'Gourmet Rainbow Radish Mixture,' which they suggest "for eye-popping salads and crudite extravaganzas." The mix includes seven of their most colorful (from purple to yellow) as well as crisp and delicious ones.
Lettuce Mix 'Torino Italian Misticanza' This classic Italian mixture includes eight varieties selected for complementary tastes and textures as well as closely matched growth rates. Can be harvested as baby leaves, or mature plants. Includes five different lettuces as well as arugula, chicory and cress.
Renee's Garden
Beet 'Golden' forms tender sweet beets that truly are golden-orange throughout.
Chard 'Italian Silver Rib,' with crinkled green leaves and wide silver-white ribs is favored by discerning Italian cooks.
Renee's list has always included wonderful greens and lettuce mixes. This year, they include 'Monet's Garden Mesclun,' 'Farmer's Market Blend' and 'Paris Market Mix,' presenting difficult, but tastychoices. Each blend is carefully balanced—on Renee's website you can see exactly what they'll look like when harvested—a very helpful feature.
Territorial Seeds
Territorial always has some good ideas. Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' is a color breakthrough featuring prolific burgundy flowers on drought-resistant plants.
Tomato 'Zebra Cherry' has striped skin, and dark pink interiors. Generously-sized for cherry-tomatoes, these are unusually full-flavored also.
Melon 'Alvaro' is a French Charentais type; its early-ripening, 5" fruit are tan with green striping and have flavorful, salmony-orange flesh.
Totally Tomatoes
Tomato 'Trucker's Favorite' is an heirloom variety grown by market-gardeners for over a century. It sets abundant quantities of 3" attractive and flavorful fruit.
'Bitonto' may be the ultimate patio tomato, with compact, dense-leaved, reliably productive plants that produce delicious, bite-sized fruit.
It's tempting to begin seeds too early—particularly when you have a whole greenhouse waiting. Just do the math first—most seed packets will give you the number of days to harvest, so if you're eventually moving plants outdoors, base those calculations upon the last frost date in your area! Fortunately, it's never too early to make plans…..
Article copyright by Alice McGowan written for http://www.hartley-greenhouses.com
The Hartley range of greenhouses offers free standing models with different widths and ridge heights to suit your individual requirements, plus a lean to model of the classic greenhouse is available.For more information ,please visit http://www.hartley-greenhouses.com/ . |
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