Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress

Annual. Try this garden cress with curly ruffled leaves for its tangy peppery crunch that gives a crisp zing to salads and sandwiches - a great way to jazz up meals. Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress has been an overwhelming hit with many cress connoisseurs and baby leaf lettuce producers since it was developed by Frank Morton's creative organic breeding. Similar to watercress, it is a cross between a broad leaf and a curly cress, but with more intense piquancy. Its crisp upright leaves make for easy cutting. Forget about using parsley as a garnish! Replaced it with these frilly beauties. Very unique! Baby leaves can be cut as early as 21 days after sowing. Very slow to bolt. May also be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill.

When to plant outside: After average last frost date.

When to start inside: Spring, 3-4 weeks before average last frost. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. May also be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill.

Special Germination Instructions: Requires light to germinate. Do not cover seeds. Press lightly into soil.

Harvesting: Harvesting of baby leaves can begin as soon as the true leaves appear. Snip off with a pair of scissors. In mild winter climates, it’s best to harvest during the cooler parts of the year. Plants growing during warm temperatures or plants that have bolted (produced a flower stalk) may be too bitter to eat.

Purple Top White Globe Turnip

These organic turnip seeds produce sweet, colorful, mild-tasting roots that add flavor to a variety of dishes. High in Vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients, they can be cooked like mashed potatoes, added to soups, shredded or sliced fresh for salads, and can even be eaten raw like apples. The leafy green tops of turnips are even more nutritious than the roots and are considered to be one of the best-flavored greens you can eat. With so many uses, the turnip is unjustifiably a forgotten vegetable that should be in more gardens! For the most tender texture and best flavor, harvest the greens when they are young and tender and the roots when they are no more than 2” in diameter. Leave 4” of foliage remaining to allow the roots to continue to grow. This variety of turnip stores particularly well, adding even more length to your cool-season vegetable repertoire.

When to plant outside: RECOMMENDED. Early spring, 3 to 4 weeks before the average last frost or when soil temperatures reach 45 degrees. You can do successive plantings every 3 weeks until heat of summer in warm climates. In USDA zone 8 or warmer, plant in early fall through early spring for a winter supply.

Big Mountain Parsley

Dark green, finely curled voluminous leaves on long thick stems. High yielding and stays green longer than any other parsley, without yellowing. Its robust habit allows for all the year round production, as 'Big Mountain' withstands both hot and cool conditions, also over-winters extremely well.

Golden Sweet Snow Peas

67 Days. HEIRLOOM from India. This heirloom variety produces vigorous vines 6' long. The very attractive two toned purple blossoms yield lemon-yellow pods that are best picked when small. Flavor is sweet and nutty.

Mache

Also known as Cornsalad this member of the Valarian family is very popular in France. Its fine, nutty taste enhances salads. It is very cold tolerant, so it's a great early or late season green.

Buttercrunch Lettuce

53 days. This Bibb type produces a loose head, 8 to 9 inches across. Dark green and slow to bolt, it has been rated one of the dozen best vegetable introductions by a panel of garden experts. It was developed at Cornell in 1963.

How to Grow:

Buttercrunch lettuce can be sowed directly into the garden, or started indoors. Direct sow seeds outdoors, spreading the small seeds as thinly as possible. For indoor starts, sow a few seeds in each cell of a seed tray. Cover very lightly with a fine starter soil. Keep soil moist during the germination period. Fast sprouting seedlings should emerge in about 5-10 days.

Tip: When beginning transplants, stagger the start of your seedlings to spread out the crop. For example, if you are going to grow 24 plants, sow six in the seed tray today, sow six more 3-4 days later, etc.

Transplant into the garden after all danger of frost has past. Ideally, transplant them on a cool or cloudy day. Water well after transplanting. Space plants 8"-10" apart, in rows 18" apart. The soil should be rich, fertile, and well draining. Keep the soil moist. Frequent use of nitrogen-rich fertilizer is recommended. The plants respond well to regular applications of liquid fertilizer.

Transplanting Tip: When transplanting any type of lettuce in hot weather, place some form of sun shade over the plant for a couple of days. Any makeshift shade will do.

It's important to time the crop to mature prior to the onset of hot dry weather. In these conditions, the plant is bolt...go to seed. It can also split or rot.

For your fall crop, an indoor start is best. Lettuce seeds do not germinate well in the hot soil of mid-summer.

Di Cicco Broccoli

This very tasty broccoli from Italy produces an abundance of small to medium heads. The very productive plants produce lots of various sized florets throughout the season, giving you a long harvest period. We recommend harvesting the main head when it is 3” in diameter – this will encourage more side shoots. Sowing seeds every two weeks throughout the cool growing season will ensure a continual harvest. Excess harvest can be blanched and then frozen (instructions inside packet). Di Cicco Broccoli is also an excellent broccoli seed for sprouting.

When to plant outside: RECOMMENDED. As soon as soil can be worked in spring or 4-6 weeks before the average last frost. You can also plant it in late summer for fall harvest. In mild winter climates, it can be sown in late fall for winter or early spring harvest.

When to start inside: 6 weeks before transplanting outside. (3-4 weeks before average last spring frost.)

Special Germination Instructions: None. Easy to grow from seed.

Sprouting Instructions: Broccoli Di Cicco is only offered right now in a small packet, basically for growing out full-sized plants. But, you may also grow the seeds as sprouts if you would like to sample the wonderful nutritional benefits of broccoli sprouts. Many studies have shown that broccoli sprouts are high in many nutrients, including vitamins A and C, and cruciferous phytochemicals that may have anti-cancerous benefits. (Please note that, if not properly disinfected, all seeds have the possibility of carrying E. coli bacteria. Please disinfect the seed prior to sprouting by soaking in a 2% bleach solution (1 tsp. bleach to 1 cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.) There are several ways to grow sprouts, the most popular, easiest, and least expensive is the jar method. All you need is a sterile glass canning jar and a lid - either a special sprouting lid or simply a piece of muslin, cheesecloth, or nylon screen secured with a rubber band. Place seeds in jar and cover with water. Soak for 4-6 hours. Then, rinse with clean water and invert jar. Rinse with clean water and drain 2-3 times a day until sprouts are of desired length. When leaves appear, place the jar in indirect sunlight to help them green up. When sprouts are mature, make sure they are thoroughly dry then you may store them in the refrigerator.

Lutz Beet

80 days. HEIRLOOM This old time variety remains the best for both storage and beet greens harvested at any time. The roots are half long, deep purple and will retain their sweetness if properly stored throughout the winter.

Special Directions for Short Season Climates

SOWING: Sow seed from early spring through late summer. Cover seed with 1/2 inch of fine soil firmed down.

SPACING: Space rows 12 to 16 inches apart or plant seeds 4 inches apart in all directions.

THINNING: Thin 3 to 4 inches apart when seedlings are a few inches tall. Enjoy the removed young greens in a salad.

GERMINATION: 2 to 3 weeks depending upon weather and soil temperature, Keep soil moderately moist during germination.

Ed's Special Advice

Sow seed In July and August for Fall and Winter crops. Beets prefer fairly rich yet light sandy loam type soil. Add lime and fertilize soil prior to planting for best growth, flavor and texture. Space sowing times several weeks apart for longer harvest season.

Blue Solaize Leek

Beautiful French heirloom, truly blue-colored leaves that turn violet after a cold spell. Very large, 15-20" stalks, sweet medium-long shaft, extremely hardy. Good for short-season areas and winter harvest. 100-120 days from transplant.
Planting Instructions: Start seedlings indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting. Sow seeds in flats 1/4" deep and spaced 1" in all directions. Transplant as soon as soil can be worked in early spring.
Seed Saving Instructions: Biennial. Onions cross-pollinate and should by isolated by 1 mile from other onions going to seed. Select only the best bulbs for seed. Bulbs store 3-6 months at 32-45 degrees F. Plant out bulbs in early spring and allow them to form seed heads. when heads start to dry, cut off, dry further and thresh.

Green Fortune Baby Pak Choi

Crispy, sweet, vase-shaped 6 by 8 inch mini-heads with pale lime green crunchy stalks and dark green leaves. Compact, fast growing and delicious braised, steamed, or stirfried. Full sun. Plant Aug.-Oct. Plant 1/4 inch deep, 2 inches apart. Germinates 7-10 days, Days to harvest: 45.

Belgian Endive

HEIRLOOM VARIETY: A European delicacy, Chicory Witloof, Belgian Endive is now very popular in America and this Heirloom variety is well suited for home garden production. Sweet and delicious, they are a welcome addition to any garden. Grow all season to produce sturdy roots. After tops die back in fall or winter, dig entire tap root and replant in moist soil deep enough to just cover the top of the root. Belgian Endive is excellent raw or lightly cooked.

SOWING ... Sow Chicory Witloof seed in early spring after danger of frost is past. Plant seed thinly in rows 24 inches apart.

THINNING ... Thin Chicory Witloof to 12 inches apart when plants are 2 inches tall.

GERMINATION ... Chicory Witloof seed germinates in 6 to 10 days depending on soil and weather conditions.

REMARKS ... Sturdy roots are essential to produce top quality chicons (Belgian Endive). Use deeply dug fertile soil. The leaves form a loose head similar to lettuce and should be left on throughout the season. When replanting roots for the winter, a black trash bag with holes punched in makes a good container. Tie off bag and store roots at 65 to 70 degrees F., periodically checking for soil moisture and growth. Harvest chicons when 4 to 8 inches long by cutting off just above the roots. Leave roots in place for possible second crop.

Sorrel

Oseille in France, Sorrel is a popular vegetable there. In the US it is sometimes known as dock. The flavor is somewhat acidic, reminiscent of citrus fruit. In France, it is often pureed and served with a cream sauce or fresh in salads with a vinaigrette. It also makes a splendid soup. It is easy to grow and nutritious, providing ample harvests throughout the seasons.
Plant Type: Perennial (Hardy)
When to Sow Outside: Two weeks before last frost date.
When to Sow Inside: Four weeks before last frost date.
Seed Depth: 1/4"
Seed Spacing: 4"
Days to Emerge: 5 - 10
Thinning: When 2" tall, thin to 18" apart.

Harris Parsnip

Pure white perfectly straight roots. The slightly sweet flavor is unique in our experience. Parsnips store well and should comprise at least a small part of every northern garden. We keep looking at other parsnips but it is tough to improve on this one. 100 days.

When to Plant

Plant seed in early April or May in a deep, fertile soil that is well prepared. Because parsnip seed is very short-lived, you must obtain a fresh supply each spring.

Spacing & Depth

Plant seeds 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep. Because germination of even the freshest parsnip seed is often mediocre, seed thickly, at least two or three seeds per inch to ensure a good stand. Space rows 18 to 24 inches apart or plants 8 to 10 inches apart in a bed. Parsnip seed is slow to germinate and some gardeners drop a radish seed every foot in the furrow to mark the row and help break the soil crust. Once parsnip seedlings are up and growing, pull the radishes and thin parsnip seedlings to 2 to 4 inches apart.

Care

Keep young parsnip plants free of weeds by shallow hoeing or cultivation. Watch for swallowtail-butterfly caterpillars, which feed on most members of the carrot family. Handpicking the caterpillars from the leaves normally gives adequate control. Water thoroughly once a week in periods of extended dry weather to keep growth from slowing in summer.

Harvesting

Dig the roots (usually 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and 8 to 12 inches long) with a shovel, tilling spade or spading fork. Yields frequently exceed one pound per foot of row (single roots may weigh more than one pound each).

Mache

Also known as Cornsalad this member of the Valarian family is very popular in France. Its fine, nutty taste enhances salads. It is very cold tolerant, so it's a great early or late season green.

Arugula

Tender smooth leaves with robust, peppery flavor. Cook mature leaves with other greens. Ready to harvest in 35 days. Zesty accent in salad.

GARDEN HINTS: Grows best in cool weather. Can also be grown as a fall crop. Sow early in spring. Protect from heat with shade cloth. Likes fertile soil, ample water. Best when picked minutes before your meal. Thin plants 8" apart. Grows best in full sun, will tolerate light shade.

Claytonia

This interesting salad green can be eaten raw or cooked, like spinach. The round, fleshy leaves are high in vitamin C. Miners during the California gold rush ate it to prevent scurvy--also called Miners' Lettuce. The leaves have a distinctive peppery flavor.

Cold-hardy salad green. Quantities of heart-shaped leaf pairs, each "wrapped" around a white-flowered stem. Hardiest of the winter salad greens, can tolerate moderate frost and can be grown all winter in mild regions or in cold greenhouses. The taste of the young leaves is wild and fresh. Suitable for multiple cuttings. Direct seed about 1/2" apart, covering 1/4", rows 12" apart, or transplant carefully from containers. Thin to 4-6" apart. MINI: 0.2 gm., avg. 300 seeds, sows 12’. Avg. 47,000 seeds/oz. Mini: 300 seeds.

Plant Cycle: (A) Days to Maturity or Bloom: 40

Tauro Radicchio

(Cichorium intybus) Variegated, pastel leaves. Large, creamy yellow heads with lovely pale pink and green-veined leaves splashed with occasional red speckles. Widely adapted and sure-heading. Less finicky than Castelfranco types. Good, mild flavor for elegant salads and garnishes. Can be grown spring, summer, and fall. Days to Maturity or Bloom: 69 Growing Information: CULTURE: For North American production, these are vast improvements over older types, but are still not very uniform or completely predictable. Although bred for specific seasons, it is still best to trial more than one, using succession plantings to determine which variety suits your conditions. PLANTING/GROWING: Very similar to raising lettuce (see Lettuce). Specific instructions supplied with seeds. NOTE: Radicchio grows best in cool or mild weather, i.e. fall, winter, and spring. Summer crops can be successful if nights are cool (below 60°F/16°C).