Feb. 23 column: Gardening season and seed sources

gardening seasonHere is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Kick off to gardening season: Ready, Set, Plant! It’s the first column of the growing season — hooray! It’s always exciting to talk about our favorite subject, isn’t it?

Today’s column included a list of all of the veggies I’ll be growing this year. As promised, I’ve listed them below, along with where I got them. You’ll notice that each variety has a number listed after it, which corresponds to the legend at the bottom of this post for the seed sources.

Artichoke – Green Globe Improved 6

Basil – Italian Pesto 2

Beans, Bush – Marconi 7

Beans, Fava – Broad Windsor 8

Beans, Pole – Italian 3, Scarlet Runner 5

Beets – German Lutz 8

Brussels Sprouts – Long Island Improved 6

Cabbage – Caraflex 5, Early Jersey Wakefield 4

Carrots – Red Core Chantenay 6, Tendersweet 8, Purple Haze 5

Celery – Tango 3

Chard – Peppermint Stick 2

Cilantro – Slow Bolt 3

Corn – Peaches & Cream 6

Cucumber – Satsuki Midori 3

Garlic, shallots

Leeks – Bluegreen Autumn (from England)

Okra – Burgundy 4

Onions – Copra 9, Highlander 9

Parsnips – Cobham Improved 3

Peppers – Orange Gilboa 2, Red Yardenne 2

Potatoes – Viking Purple 10

Pumpkins – Casper 6, New England Pie 5

Salad greens – Flame 4, Outredgeous 3, Sylvetta Arugula 3, Patty’s Choice 2, Valentine 11

Spinach – Strawberry 4, Bordeaux 11

Squash, Summer – Costata Romanesco 5, Bush Yellow Scallop 2

Squash, Winter – Lakota 11, Sweet Dumpling 5, Sweet Meat 6, Cream of the Crop Acorn 4

Tomatillos – Toma Verde 5

Tomatoes – San Marzano 1, Sungold 2, Jet Star 12

Sources:

  1. Ferry-Morse
  2. Renee’s Garden Seeds
  3. Seeds of Change
  4. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
  5. Johnny’s Seeds
  6. Ed Hume Seeds
  7. Franchi/Seeds of Italy
  8. Nichols Garden Nursery
  9. Dixondale Farms (onion plants)
  10. Irish Eyes Garden Seeds (seed potatoes)
  11. Botanical Interests 
  12. Harris Seeds

*please note that Northwest Seed & Pet in Spokane has a huge selection and also carries seeds from many of the above sources.