Author: Jim
Kellogg’s Breakfast Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
100 Days
25 Seeds
Originally grown in West Virginia and introduced by Darrell Kellogg of Redford Michigan. These indeterminate tomatoes grow 1-2 pounds of brilliant orange slicing tomatoes with a fantastic sugar to acid ratio and have a great rich tomato flavour.
Growing Directions
Sow seeds 1/4″ deep, indoors, 6 weeks before last frost. Transplant or sow directly outdoors, 3-4 feet apart, when all chance of frost has passed. Benefits from organic compost or manure amended soil. Stake or cage for support.
Lincoln Pea
Pisum sativum
67 Days
25 Seeds
Originally introduced in 1908, this heavy yielder produces 4” pods with 5-7 peas per shell. This sweet, tender pea is easy to shell and is heat & wilt tolerant and grows on compact vines 20-28” tall.
Growing Directions
Sow seeds 1” deep, 4” apart in full sun, in early spring, 4 weeks before last frost. Trellis or support for best results. Benefits from compost amended soil.
Red Malabar Spinach
Basella rubra
85 Days
25 Seeds
Originally from the continent of Asia, this spinach like vine tastes similar to Swiss Chard. This heat lover produces new shoots of green leaves with red stems, when leaves are harvested and is great for stir fries or salads.
Growing Directions
Soak seeds for 48 hours prior to sowing. Sow seeds 1/4″ deep, 2″ apart in full sun, when ground is warm and all chance of frost has past. Thin to 6″. Harvest small tender leaves to initiate continual growth. Thin to 6″ apart. Support with trellis.
Emerald Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus
60 Days
25 Seeds
Introduced by the Campbell Soup Co. in 1950, this prolific producer of edible pods is fantastic for soups, gumbos and stews. These pods are spineless and if harvested often, will produce all season long. Plants can sometimes reach heights of 7′ and the flowers are a true spectacle of beauty.
Growing Directions
Sow seeds 1/2″ deep, 12″ apart in full sun, when soil is warm and all chance of hard frost has past. Soaking seeds for a day can help with germination. Plants can grow tall and may need support in windy areas with no shelter. Benefits from well drained soil, compost or manure.
Spaghetti Squash
Cucurbita pepo
90 Days
10 Seeds
This winter squash originated in Asia, and was introduced to the Americas around 1915. This unique squash grows pale yellow spaghetti like strands that are used like other squashes or like spaghetti with pasta sauces. very easy to grow, stores well and doesn’t take up alot of room in the garden like some squashes.
Growing Directions
Sow Seeds 1″ deep indoors, 3-4 weeks before last frost. Transplant outdoors,3′ apart, in full sun, when all chance of frost has past. Harvest when skin turns a pale yellow and you can’t make dent with your thumbnail in the skin. Cure outside in the sun for 6 days to prolong storage. Benefits from compost or manure amended soil.
Jimmy Nardello Pepper
Jimmy Nardello Pepper
80 Days
25 Seeds
When Jimmy Nardello’s parents emigrated from the Basilicata region of Italy in 1887, they like many others brought seeds.These Italian sweet peppers are probably one of the best tasting peppers you’ll ever taste. Fry them with some seasoning in olive oil and you won’t be able to stop eating them. These easy to grow, prolific 3′ plants produce amazing amounts of elongated red sweet peppers, that are great for salads, salsas, stir frys and even pickling.
Growing Directions
Sow seeds 1/4″ deep indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Transplant outdoors in full sun 3′ apart in a sheltered area or greenhouse. Harvest often for continued pepper production all season. Benefits from manure or compost amended soil.
Royal Burgundy Bush Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
60 Days
25 seeds
This bush bean was originally bred at the University of New Hampshire in 1957. This easy to grow bush type plant produces copious amounts of stringless, 6″ tasty beans all season. Great for colour in salads and snacking, or for enjoying cooked covered with butter. Cooking or blanching will turn the beans green.
Growing Directions
Sow seeds 1″ deep, 6″ apart, in full sun when all chance of heavy frost has past. Harvest often for continual harvest. Sow seeds every 3 weeks for season long harvesting. Benefits from compost amended soil.
Cream of Saskatchewan Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
80 Days
10 Seed
Originating in Russia, and then brought to Saskatchewan in 1903 by immigrants coming to Canada, this 5-10 lb. 10″ diameter, crisp, white to pale yellow fleshed watermelon is a favourite for growing in our colder Canadian climates. Growing 3-5 melons per vine, this watermelon is delicious and has surprised many gardeners with it’s taste, and sweetness.
Growing Directions
Sow seeds 1″ deep indoors 3 weeks before last frost or sow directly outdoors 6′ apart in full sun, when all chance of frost has passed. These vines will take up 10′ in whatever direction they decide and do better in compost amended well drained sandy soil. When harvesting be gentle with the skin/rind, and consume the melon within a few days.
Quadrato d’asti Giallo
Capsicum annum
80 days from transplant
25 Seeds
Originally from Asti, Italy, this sweet yellow pepper, grows on 3′ tall bushes and is a heavy producer. A favourite of chefs and garden markets, this blocky thick fleshed pepper offers an abundance of flavour for any pepper lover. Grows well outdoors in a sheltered warm location and even better in a greenhouse. Peppers ripen from green to yellow and can be enjoyed either colour.
Growing Directions
Start indoors 1/4″ deep 6 weeks before transplanting outside. Transplant outdoors to soil temperatures of 15+ degrees with an ambient temperature of 20 degrees. Space18-24″ apart in full sun. Minimum 6 hours of sun per day, and organic fertilizer/compost are beneficial.