Squash

Early Golden Crookneck ($3.50) – 45 days.  Old time favorite summer squash producing creamy yellow fruits with a curved neck.  When picked young 4” it has a smooth skin and a tender interior.  Can be used ornamental when allowed to mature, it then has a warted golden skin.

Winter Squash  ($3.50) - Squash is native to North & South America.  Squash today is still an important staple and can be used all year round. Winter squash is an excellent source of beta – carotene, vitamin A, healthy carbohydrates and minerals.  The seeds are high in vegetable proteins & healthy fats.  Culture:  They can be started indoors or outdoors.

Waltham Butternut  ($3.50) – 95 days, Organic, most popular winter squash variety.  Very productive.  Waltham produces medium large 12”, blocky pear shaped squash with tan – yellow skin.  Dark orange flesh with fine flavor.

Squash is native to North and South America.  During the late 1700’s squash became an important staple to New England because it was well adapted to the climate and stored throughout the winter.  Today squash is still an important staple and can be used year round.  Winter squash is an excellent source of vitamin A, carbohydrates and minerals.  Seeds are high in vegetable proteins and fats.

(Tip) Winter Squash -  They can be started indoors or outdoors.  Indoors – start in peat pots or 4” plastic pots 3-4 weeks before the last frost.  Sow 3-4 seeds per pot.  Outdoors – Sow direct when soil is warm to touch and there is not danger of frosh.  Soil – Squash likes well drained, sandy loam soil.  PH 5.5 – 7.5.  Enrich with compost or well rotted manure before planting.  Moisture is needed when forming fruit.  Germination – 5-7 days at 70F.  Seeds will rot if soil temperature is too cool and wet.  Plant bush varieties in hills 3 – 4 feet apart, rows spaced 6 feet apart.  Full vined varieties plant hills 4-5 feet apart, rows spaced 8-10 feet.  Cucumber beetle will damage young seedlings and flowers causing disease and poor pollination.  Control with a mixture of Diatomaceous Earth and Rotenone.  Broad crop rotation also reduces chance of attack.  Pick after vine dies or rind hardens and dulls in color.  Cure in high temperatures and humidity 80F for a week, then store at 50 -59F, humidity of 60%.  Most winter varieties can be stored for 6 months. 

Swiss Chard

Rhubarb Chard / Ruby Red ($3.50) – Excellent for baby leaves or bunching.  Dark green, crumpled leaves with crimson stalks and veins that are sweet in flavor.  Plants grow 18” high.  Organically grown seed.

Tomatoes

Standard Bush Tomatoes: Heinz ($3.50) – 72 days, old open pollinated variety developed for canning and process industry.  It produces a strong determinate, productive, wilt tolerant plants.  A good mid-season variety that produces large, firm, globular, red fruits that grow to about 16oz / 170g.  Fine taste.

Heirloom & Unusual tomatoes: Red Currant ($3.50) – 68 days, organic, tiny little fruits with intense sweet flavor.  It is an old tomato native to Mexico that produces currant sized fruits on clusters.

Burpees Longkeeper SOLD OUT($3.50) – 78 days, a golden orange – red variety suited for storing.  Under proper conditions they will keep from 6 – 12 weeks with fairly good flavor.  Longkeeper is medium red inside when ripe.

Pasta Types: Roma V.F.N ($3.50) – 80 days, one of the most popular paste tomatoes.  Roma produces high yields of 2 ½ “ long red, blocky pear – shaped tomatoes, very productive.  Determinate compact vines are strong and vigorous producing good cover.

Cherry Types: Red Pear ($3.50) – 65 days, organic, small fruited red salad type.  This variety bears and abundance of small 1 ½”, pear shaped red fruits which are used for salads and preserving.  Popular with children of all ages for fresh eating.

Tomatoes were unknown to the world until Spanish explorers returned from South America and introduced them to Spain in the 1500’s.  For many years tomatoes were thought to be poisonous.  It was not until the 1800’s that people started to consume them as a food product.  Since then the tomato has become the second most important vegetable crop, exceeded only by the potato.

(Tip) Tomato: Tomatoes are a warm season crop.  Best started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost.  Soil – Tomatoes prefer deep, well – drained fertile loam, but will grow on most types of soil free from a hardpan.  PH 6 – 6.5.  Tomatoes need moderately high amounts of fertilizer throughout the growing season 1-2-1 ratio for most soils.  Regular yearly applications of rotted manure is beneficial.  Calcium and magnesium are usually needed where tomatoes were grown before.  Consistent watering reduces foliar and fruit problems.  Germination 5-10 days at 70-75F.  Keep in light to prevent stretching.  Transplant at ‘true 4 leaf stage’ into bigger containers.  Transplant out to 24” between plants, 6 feet between rows.  Use wider row spacing when you do not stake or prune the plants.  Tomatoes need steady moisture and fertilizer to keep stress and disease free and to produce large fruit.  Mulching helps to retain moisture and keep weeds down.

Watermelon

Sugar Baby ($3.50) – 75 days, popular open pollinated variety for short season areas.  8-10lb, round variety with pink-red flesh that is sweet and not too seedy.  Dark green thin, tough rind.  Ripens almost black.

Nature does not produce anything sweeter than a ripe exotic melon.  Canada has had great success with growing melons.

(Tip) Watermelon: In Canada, watermelons are best started indoors 3 – 4 weeks before the last frost.  Start 3-4 seeds in a 3-4” pot.  Do not break clumps apart.  Soil – Watermelons like well drained sandy – silty loam, high in organic matter PH 6 – 6.8.  Enrich with compost or well rotted manure in spring.  Watermelons are heavy users  of nitrogen, potassium and calcium.  For proper germination soil must be at least 72F for 5 days.  Cooler soil temperatures will result in poor germination.  Plant in clumps 3-4 seeds per clump, 24” apart in rows 4-7ft apart.  Close planting will result in smaller fruit size.

Herbs

Voyager Arugula ($3.50)SOLD OUT -  Selection from England.  Very slow to bolt, more uniform and vigorous than common wild rocket.  Voyager’s leaves are thick, dark green in color with very uniform shape.  It also has a more refined ‘sweet with a punch’ flavor.

Genovese Basil ($3.50) – Basil for pesto sauce!  Organic, a large dark green leaved basil with a heavy clove like scent.  Excellent choice for Italian cooking.  Slow to bolt.  Ht 45cm/8”.  Organically grown seed. The sweet scent of summer!  It is easily grown in warm soil.  Basil is the most popular herb used in all areas of cooking.  It can be dried or preserved in oil. Try growing some on a sunny window sill to chase away the winter blues.

Chamomile ($3.50) – The small white flowers are steeped to make a soothing tea.  Spreading annual that re-seeds itself.  Ht 60cm/24”.Wonderful herb, great for tea.  Can be used dried or fresh.

Garlic Chives ($3.50) – Flat leaves give a mild garlic taste to any dish, edible white flowers can also be used as a cutflower.  It is a long lived perennial with a late summer blooming period.  Ht 30cm/12”.

 Polyvit chive SOLD OUT ($3.50) -  Uniform bunching chive, organic.  This chive has vigorous and upright growth, early, uniform sprouting, dark green, medium – strong blades, high yields.  Good mild chive taste.  

Bouquet ($3.50) - tall dill producing many flower heads.  Ht 120cm/48”.

Lavender Lady ($3.50)SOLD OUT – Beautiful color, blooming reliably the first season from seed.  Ht 25cm / 10”.

Grown for its use in sachets and potpourri, Lavender is a well loved herb with a light purple spiky flowers and delicate leaves.  It is edible and adds a delightful flavor to biscotti.  Half hardy perennial – mulch during winter.

Forest Green ($3.50) - 65 days, excellent buncher, finely double curled, medium green leaves with longer stems for bunching purposes.  Recovers fast for multiple cuttings and is less prone to bleaching or browning.

 Days ($3.50) – Top German bunching variety.  Produces heavy densely filled, dark green, double curled leaves on strong stalks.  Green pearls slow bolting quality makes it ideal for forcing and summer production.  Also has excellent cold tolerance for over-winter production.

Sage ($3.50) – Culinary use, sage dries very well retaining its color and aroma.  Has spiky mauve flowers and grey – green leaves.  Perennial.  Ht 70cm/28”

Rosemary ($3.50) – As well as being an attractive border plant, Rosemary is a robust herb that can be used to flavor lamb and other meats.  Start indoors since it is slow to germinate.  To overwinter, take plants indoors or mulch heavily as it is a tender perennial.  Antiseptic medicinal qualities.  Ht 60cm/24”.

German Winter ($3.50) – Produces a strong aroma and dries well for culinary use.  Pleasing plant form with fine leaves.  Ht 30cm/12”.Thymus one of the basic herbs to include in your garden.  Thyme is a hardy perennial that can be sheared to harvest and promote fresh growth.  It is one of the French ‘fins hebes; an essential in the kitchen that can be used with many dishes.  Lovely with seafood.  Start indoors for best results.

Russian Tarragon ($3.50) – Not to be confused with French tarragon which has a different flavor.  Russian Tarragon is hardier and grows taller.  It can be used with many dishes and enhances the flavor of mushrooms.  Perennial.  Ht 120cm/48”