Fruit & Vegetable Seeds
While it might seem impossible to improve Big Beef, in fact, it just got better. A new selection of Big Beef is available—Big Beef Plus. Big Beef was already a favorite, and one of the world’s most popular indeterminate beefsteak tomatoes.
The original Big Beef already has resistance to TMV, Asc, F 0-1, St, V1 and N (nematodes). The new Big Beef Plus is supercharged with all the original resistances, plus added resistance to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV), Tomato torrado virus, and Fusarium Crown and Root Rot. In certain parts of the US where TSWV is common, home gardeners are not able to successfully grow the original Big Beef. But, they can now grow Big Beef Plus.
We are also pleased to learn that the Big Beef Plus has a deeper red color which indicates increased lycopene levels, a potent anti-oxidant. And remember, all of the original great flavor, yield potential, and disease resistance is preserved in Big Beef Plus. Indeterminate. 73 days.
A new Celebrity tomato is now available with added resistance to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. If your garden has experienced this disease, you are well aware of the dramatic impact it has on Celebrity.
Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) is an increasing threat to gardeners throughout the United States and Canada. It is spread by tiny insects called thrips, which are hard to control. If you like Celebrity, but hate the damage from TSWV, then your solution is Celebrity Plus tomato.
You get the same great tasting 8 ounce tomatoes, and plenty of yield with wide adaptability. The total disease resistance package for Celebrity Plus is Tobacco Mosaic Virus 0-2, Alternaria stem canker, Fusarium 0-1, Stemphylium, Verticillium Wilt, Root Knot Nematode, plus Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. What a great new combination! Strong Determinate. 70 days.
Lemon Boy tomato is among the best-selling tomatoes in the US and Canada. It has many wonderful features, including great flavor, mild yet sweet and tangy fruit, and good productivity. We are proud to present a new and improved generation of Lemon Boy.
The original disease resistance package for Lemon Boy included, Alternaria stem canker, Leaf Mold, Fusarium 0, Stemphylium, Verticilium Wilt, and Root knot nematode. Lemon Boy Plus has all of the original resistances PLUS, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Tomato torrado virus, and Fusarium Crown and Root Rot. The fruit is sweeter, from 5.7 (Brix) to 6.6, while maintaining the 8 ounce or larger fruit.
This new garden powerhouse has all the characteristics of the original Lemon Boy plus a sweet treat. And don't be surprised if Grandmother prefers the Lemon Boy Plus more than the original. Indeterminate. 73 days.
This big sister of Green Zebra green is mild and tasty with the same color and shape, but fruit reach 5- 6 inches and 8 to 9 ounces. Plants are very productive. Indeterminate. 80 days.
This may be just what you are looking for - a much hotter Thai hot pepper having between 75,000 and 85,000 scoville units of heat. You can grow Thai Scorpion in a container, but you will need support for the 26 to 30 inch tall plants that have very impressive and heavy yield. Peppers are pendant with good leaf cover protecting them from sunburn. The 5 to 6 inch fruit start as a dark green color and progress to a brilliant glossy red. 75 to 85 days.
Ancho Ranchero offers large fruit that are 5 – 5.5 inch, by 3 – 3.5 inch fruit. The plants are large with plenty of cover to protect the fruit. The dark green fruit ripen to bright red. You can use either color for fresh cooking (poblano),and the red fruit can be dried for making powder (ancho). Pungency is 1000 to 2000 scoville units – which is a mild heat. TMV resistant. 70 to 77 days.
Fruits are oblong with light skin and delicious red flesh that is very sweet. Plants are productive, with strong vines and good leaf cover. Large fruit reach 20 to 30 pounds each. Resistant to anthracnose and fusarium wilt. 80 to 85 days.
You will be impressed with this bicolor tomato, which is one of the best tasting from our trial visits this year. It has heirloom eating quality, but it has been selected for better yield, larger fruit, and mouthwatering taste. You can take one step back in time to taste the heirlooms of years gone by, and then you can step into a breeder’s breakthrough for greater productivity. It is simply a great selection from heirlooms. Indeterminate. 85 days.
This high-yielding beefsteak has a bush growth habit and can be grown in a container. A sister of Better Bush, the dense foliage helps protect fruit from sunburn. Flavor is excellent with the right balance of sugars and acids. Fruit set is somewhat concentrated, weighing 10 ounces on average. Plants benefit from support. Disease package F1,F2,Ss,TMV, V, S. Determinate. 68 days.
If you love Sun Gold or Sun Sugar, you will also love Sun Orange. It has unbelievably good flavor. The breeder has taken the same great flavor package, but increased the size of the fruit, and improved crack resistance. High yield potential is obvious once you see the elegant trusses brimming with fruit. Indeterminate. 65 days.
Sweet Golden Roma caught our attention in trials, not just for the beautiful bright yellow color, but also for the fine eating quality. It is really tasty. It is also very productive. It looks beautiful in a salad, or on a sandwich. Can it or turn into a yellow paste tomato. Fruit are 4 to 5 ounces. Resistant to F2 and V. Determinate. 78 days.
This is a bush tomato that tastes wonderful and has big 8 to 10 ounce fruit. The flavor is great, and the there is plenty of juicy goodness. The blossom scar is somewhat larger than other tomatoes, but what it misses in looks, it makes up for it with productivity and great flavor. VFF Determinate. 74 days.
One of the earliest tomatoes for your garden is also one of the best tasting – mild and sweet with good texture. Golden Nugget offers one inch fruit that are borne on compact plants (20 to 26 inches) and have a concentrated fruit set. Fruit weight 1/2 to 3/4 of an ounce. Developed by James Baggett at Oregon State University, for cooler growing conditions. Determinate. 55 days.
Jolene is more than just a beautiful tomato with smooth shoulders and a pretty petite blossom scar. She offers large, 8-10 ounce fruit, that have excellent flavor, and beautiful deep red color. She also has a hidden strength - resistance to Fusarium Crown Rot, Verticillium wilt, and intermediate resistance to Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl virus. Trialing in a dozen states has proven the productivity potential of this new tomato, and particularly in the South Eastern US. Roadside farmers will appreciate the marketable yield potential. Determinate. 73 days.
It is not unusual to grow a giant 300 pound pumpkin from this seed, originally selected by Howard Dill of Nova Scotia. It is also the pumpkin seed that broke the 1000 pound record in 1996. And today, the record stands at 2,624 pounds. Direct seed after the last frost in your area. Space 3 to 5 feet apart. 115 to 125 days.
We love hot peppers, and we hope you will love the Dragon Cayenne. It can be used for fresh or dried fruit. It offers that kind of kick that lingers on your tongue. Strong plants produce an abundance of fruit, that are fiery finger-size pods. Good production over a long growing season. 15,000 to 25,000 scoville units. 65 to 70 days.
This ornamental pepper has dark purple foliage. It is similar to Twilight pepper, with the exception of the foliage color. Each plant produces multiple upright multi-colored pods. The contrasting fruit colors and foliage color provide an attractive display. Plants reach up to 22 inches in height. 65 to 85 days.
Diamond pepper has thick flesh, with wonderful crisp flavor. The 3 to 4 lobed bell turns from a translucent ivory color, to slightly yellow, and then a scarlet red. Great for salads or fresh cut. The 24 inch plants are strong and productive. 75 days.
A traditional serrano heirloom that has three times more heat than an average jalapeno. However, the heat value is variable from plant to plant and it tends not to overpower your food, although it can be very hot. Fruit are 3 to 4 inches in length and change from green to red while maturing. Good for salsa, sauces and soups. 75 days.
This extremely hot pepper (1.2 million scoville units) with some individual plants reaching 2 million scoville units. It was the world record holder in 2012. Fruit are blistering hot with a fruity background flavor. Be sure and use caution when handling fruits, and make sure children do not handle them. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, the pointed tip of the fruit looks like a scorpion stinger. Germination takes a long time. 90 days. 70% germination.
This pepper is big, with thick flesh - 4.5 x 1 inch. Pungency is 2000 to 5000 scoville units and perfect for poppers, stuffed with cheese and fresh cilantro. They tend to set fruit for an extended period. Resistant to PVY and TMV. 70 to 75 days.
This early maturing banana pepper averages 9 inches in length and 1.75 to 2 inches in width. It produces a large and heavy set of peppers on a strong plant that protects the fruit. With excellent resistance to races 1-3 of bacterial leaf spot, you have a better chance of harvesting a large crop. 3,000 to 6,000 scoville units of pungency. Great for soups, stews, salsa, grilling and for a deli style sandwich. 70 days.
Biquinho yellow peppers are sometimes pickled and used in salads, or on pizza, or in sandwiches. They are great for eating fresh, or in soups. The Brazilian word Biquinho means little beak, and it refers to the tip of the 1 inch ripe fruit. The fruit turn from green to yellow as they mature. 500 to 1000 scoville units of pungency. Plants grow up to 24 inches tall. 85 days.
Biquinho red peppers have a smoky and fruity taste and are perfect for pickling or garnish. Add them to some of your favorite dishes and wait for your guests to ask what the interesting flavor is. Fruit are 1 inch in length, turning from green to red. Plants grow up to 24 inches tall. 500 to 1000 units of scoville pungency. 90 days.
All America winning bell pepper with mild pungency – yes it is a hot bell (100 to 1000 scoville units). Plants grow up to 24 inches tall, producing plenty of 3 and 4 lobed fruit that measure 3.5 by 3.75 inches. TMV tolerant. 70 days.
Step the heat up a notch with the Cienfuegos Red, packing 300,000 to 400,000 scoville units. Break new ground and make a hellfire chili that only a true chilihead can appreciate. 2 x 1 inch fruit turn a brilliant red and complement the Cienfuegos series of kicking hot habaneros. And like the others, you will be impressed by the yield and early maturity. 80 to 85 days.
Cienfuegos comes in two other colors milder in heat: orange and yellow.
Cienfuegos literally means "100 fires", but you should consider that this variety is 200,000 to 300,000 fires (scoville units); a very hot pepper. Fruit are 1½ by ¾ inches. This hybrid is earlier than open pollinated habaneros and has bigger yields. Make your favorite salsa or hot sauce using this pepper.
Cienfuegos comes in two other colors: the much hotter red and the fruitier yellow.
Cienfuegos yellow is the perhaps the most fragrant and fruity of the series. It still has the heat, ranging from 250,000 to 350,000 scoville units. High yield potential and early maturity are the hallmark of this impressive series. 80 to 85 days.
Cienfuegos comes in two other colors: orange, the mildest of the series, and red, the hottest of the series.
Cayenne Sweetness looks hot and you will be tempted to think it is even after harvest, but it has neither heat or pungency, only the sweet taste of the true flavor of a cayenne. Bright 5 inch pods can be eaten fresh, or mixed in a salad. Cut them up and add to an omelet, or saute them with onions or shallots for a special side dish. 75 days.
This rare pepper is was discovered by journalist Frank Tolbert while he was working for the Dallas Morning News. He had an interest in chili peppers of all kinds. One of his favorites had an unusual shape. Some believe the fruit look anatomical. Frank made what he called some of the best chili in Texas using Red Peter peppers. Flavorful and fruity, Red Peters are good roasting peppers. They are also hot - 10,000 to 25,000 scoville units. The fruit are 4 to 6 inches in length and mature from green to red. Plants grow 20 to 30 inches in height. 80 to 85 days.
This is the first-ever All America winning echalion shallot. It has a beautiful copper-pink outer skin, and an even more attractive rosy-purple inner skin. French chefs love this type of shallot because they are easy to peel, have more interesting flavors, and caramelize easily when heated. Perfect to plant in the garden, or sell at a farmers market. Plants reach 24 to 30 inches, and the bulb is 4-5 inches in length. Can be grown in a container as well. Space 3 to 4 inches apart. Transplant in March, or direct seed in April or May. 90 to 100 days.
Scarlet Bandit is a bunching variety that you will enjoy growing and eating. Some call it the most beautiful onion in the world. Scarlet bulbs with red and white speckles that will dazzle and impress you when dressing up a salad. The bandit can overwinter in mild climates. Direct seed just after final frost, or seed indoors and transplant. 69 days direct seeded.
A short-day, mid-sized onion that is great on burgers, salads, sandwiches, and any dish that requires a spicy and pungent onion. Widely adapted and with impressive productivity. 110 days.
Attractive purple and white stripes adorn the exterior of the 3 to 4 inch fruit. Some people say this eggplant is too beautiful to eat. But once you taste them, you will gladly grill them, or you might stuff them with chopped tomatoes, basil and cheese before baking them. Plants reach 24 to 28 inches and can be grown in a container. 57 days.
Another variation of the Armenian cucumber is the light green type. Harvest from 10-12 inches and enjoy the mild, sweet and crunchy flesh. Grows well in warm weather. 60 to 70 days.
Sweeter Yet is known for great flavor and it has been popular for many years. It is early to mature and can be harvested between 10 and 12 inches. It is completely non-bitter with a thin skin, and it is burpless. In order to have straight fruit the plants should be grown on a trellis, but they can also be grown on the ground. 48 days.
Champion is an improved Vates type collard. It holds quality 2 weeks longer, and has improved bolting tolerance, and is more cold tolerant. Cook them in a stir-fry, add them to chili, put them in salads and slaws. Or just cook in oil with some black pepper and your favorite meat dish. 75 days.
Many cats have a great affection for catnip. Its essential oils can frenzy a cat as they are seduced by the chemical nepetalacton. The excitement is short-lived, and those who are susceptible will need to recuperate before indulging again. Keep in mind, not all cats like catnip. Transplant after the last frost in your growing area. Some people have recommended soaking the seed in water the night before planting.
Pictured is Jude, who owns one of our catalog designers and has agreed to have her picture taken for the catalog.
Sylvia has a compact plant that can grow in small spaces in your garden – 18 to 24 inches in height. And surprisingly, those compact plants produce up to 50 sprouts per stalk. Roasted, grilled or sauteed, you can’t beat the flavor of this powerhouse. A cup of them will give you nearly all of the vitamin C & K that you need in a day. Harvest after the first fall frost for best flavor. 140 to 145 days.
Yardlong beans arose in Africa, and were domesticated in Asia. Their ability to thrive in sandy soils with low moisture made them an important crop in hot arid regions. They do not tolerate cold, so be sure and plant in warm soil – above 65 degrees. Plant 1 inch deep, and 4 to 5 inches apart. The vines grow up to 3 feet and do best on a trellis. Yardlong beans can reach 25 inches, but they taste better when harvested at 19 inches. Unlike green beans, the tender, stringless pods taste the best when sauteed, stir-fried, or deep-fried. Harvest in 70 to 80 days.
These fast growing basil plants have a unique flavor that makes for an excellent tea leaf, poultry or seafood herb spice. If you really like the flavor, use in place of basil in your other menu items. Can be grown in containers and reaches 24 to 28 inches. 75 to 80 days.
Asparagus was depicted in Egypt nearly 3000 years ago. It was a common vegetable early in European history.It is a perennial crop that can live as long as 20 years once it becomes established. Plant your seeds inside and put plants out after the last frost in your area. Start the seeds about 14 weeks before the last frost and allow up to 3 weeks for the germination process. Harvest begins in year 3. Mulch them well in the fall, and allow them to grow without harvesting during the first 2 growing seasons. They can be grown in zones 2 – 11, but they prefer temperate climates. Space 2 – 3 feet apart.
An ornamental piquin-type chile with green leaves and purple fruit that ripens to yellow, orange, and then red. This variety has fruit in all four color states at the same time. Very striking and great for containers. 120 days.
Compact plants bear lots of pure white 7-in. long eggplant with tender, mild flesh. Plants seem to perform well even in cool weather, so gardeners in short-season areas can also expect large harvests. If you have never grown white eggplant before, you will be pleasantly surprised how sweet and delicately textured they are. Let their mild flavor and meaty texture stand out in dishes where vegetables are the centerpiece. 70 days.
Until recently stem cauliflower was only available in upscale restaurants and fancy markets. Fortunately, we are able to offer the latest innovation in gourmet cauliflower. This new stem cauliflower is one of the best tasting we have trialed. As the flowering head opens, the stems are exposed to sunshine and the color of the stem changes from white to green. At the same time the stem grows increasingly sweet. The 8-inch flowering shoots will delight your taste buds and enrich your dining experience. Due to its adaptability in a wide range of growing regions, you are likely to have success growing Dolce Vita. Only one harvest, so it is best to stagger your plantings. 65 days to mature from transplant.
The origin of this tomato is believed to be from Dr. Harold Martin, who was a hobby gardener and a dentist. He did not release the tomato in the 1920s when it was first selected, but it was released later by a person who inherited Dr. Martin’s collection. Initially there were some concerns about the variability of the variety, and it has taken time for people to judge the plant. It is indeterminate and purple-maroon in color, weighing 5 to 8 ounces. It has a sweet fruity flavor. The current selection from the collection is a regular leaf type. 85 days.
Intermediate day onions like Cabernet can grow in latitudes from 35 to 45 degrees and provide medium to large size bulbs. They offer earlier harvest than long day onions. Direct seed early spring when soil is workable, or transplanted in late February to March in short season areas, the bulbs reach up to 8 ounces and can store for up to 4 months. Perfect for burgers, salads, or soups. 93 days.
This tomatillo has a sweet, fruity taste that reminds you of a pineapple. Short, spreading plants yield plenty of these tasty fruit which is wonderful in salsas, especially those made with fruit as an ingredient. 75 days.
Very early, colorful bell peppers start out as ivory, turn persimmon orange, then finally mature to red. Fruit is typically in all 3 color stages at one time, making for a striking appearance in the garden. Peppers are 4 to 5 inches long and very sweet. Great production and continuous fruiting on short, compact plants. 60 days.
Wow. These smooth, giant, meaty peppers grow up to 5 inches in length. Fruit are meaty with medium heat. Great for stuffing or grilling or salsa. Plants reach 18 to 24 inches. 70 days.