Vegetable seeds worth trying

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Most of the vegetables I grow are open pollinated, and heirloom. I rarely grow hybrids at all, and often regret it when I do. One of the exceptions of late to this rule is the Fourth of July tomato by Burpee. This is an absolutely fabulous tasting, and producing tomato. It is also the earliest tomato I have ever grown. Here are some of my favorite seeds of all time.

1)Tomato- Black Krim: This tomato is special. Although the fruit is tender, bruising easily, the plant is tough. This tomato has produced well in drought for me. It was the only tomato that did well in Southern California when husband didn't water while I was gone visiting my Mom. This tomato is rather ugly sliced, but what it lacks in beauty, it makes up in flavor. It looks wonderful on a plate with a selection of other oddly colored tomatoes.

2)Tomato- Green grape: This is a lovely cherry tomato that stays green even when it is ripe. It has a wonderful flavor, almost fruity.

3)Watermelon- Carolina Cross: This a very good watermelon, producing even in severely droughty conditions. It also tastes good

4)Okra- Burgundy: In my opinion this is the absolute best okra variety. It is less slimy than other okras. The plants are simply beautiful. The plants don't get real tall and are a landscapers dream because they are so beautiful. People who walked through the garden this year were very impressed with this okra.

5)Pole bean- Louisiana Purple Pod: This bean takes drought, and produces beautifully. I love this bean as much for it's beauty, both on the vine and in the pot, as I do for it's taste. Absolutely wonderful bean!

6)Pole Lima -Christmas: I love these "speckled butterbeans". These beans are awesome, although sometimes a little difficult to get started. Here are some tips that helped me in the past. With a hoe make a trench. place the beans into the trench and fill the trench with potting soil. These beans are big and have a hard time breaking crusty ground. However, their flavor is worth the trouble at planting time. Also these beans do not do well when they have to compete with weeds. Mulch plants well.

7)Blackeye pea- Queen Ann: This is a new one for me this last year. A very nice pea, that I got from Southern Exposure seed exchange. Produced very well. Nicely flavored. I liked this pea very much.

8)English pea- Alderman: These are my very favorite english pea. The pease are good sized, and the pods are gigantic. Because the plant is a pole variety they produce so much more than bush peas. This is my favorite sheller.

9)Snap pea- Super sugar snap: This is my favorite pea to grow for eating shell and all. These are absolutely wonderful, and taste like candy.

10)Lettuce- Lolla Rossa: I just love this lettuce for it's beauty and crispness. This lettuce looks so wonderful in a salad. To me it is more like a flower than a lettuce.

Check out some heirlooms here:

Heirlooms

-- Little Bit Farm (
littlebit@itlnet.net), November 12, 2003

Answers

I wanted to add that it would be great if everyone would check out the heirloom watch list and plant something from that list. These varieties need to be grown and saved.

Little bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), November 12, 2003.


I am glad you enjoyed the list. I think the problem I am facing with the canning is how much is left after all that work. With six people in the house, things don't hang around long. LOL. We're getting there though! Next year is on it's way. I just love homesteading! This next year i am focusing on mulch and soil amendment. My goal is to get my several thousand square foot garden all under mulch. Wish me luck! By the way i left out another favorite tomato. "Delicious". These will not produce many tomatoes, however the ones they do produce are awesome. I hope to further select this tomato to get one that produces a little better.

Little bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), November 22, 2003.


Thanks for the list, Littlebit! I need to concentrate more on growing heirloom varieties and saving the seed. It's helpful to have some recommendations of what did well, and what didn't. Sounds like you did pretty well with your canning, even tho you didn't do as much as you wanted too. Even a little bit helps! Jan in CO

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), November 22, 2003.

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