With this lovely spring weather in California comes the excitement of planting seeds for spring and summer vegetables and flowers. What better way to spend the weekend than in the dirt, turning rows of composted soil and building trellises for peas and beans to come. Now is a great time to plant seeds, whether from those saved from last years crops or a simple purchase online from organic heirloom & open pollinated sources. While there are plenty of vendors with fine quality seeds, we suggest some of our favorite seed sources: Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa, Bountiful Gardens in California, and Seeds Of Change in California.
If you have an Amazon account, you can also support 'Taproot Garden Design' by purchasing from our online store 'Brand Taproot' by visiting our site and clicking on the 'seeds' section @
BrandTaproot.com.
If you are unable to find what you are looking for, you can also visit these seed companies directly:
Seed Savers Exchange -
http://www.seedsavers.org/
Bountiful Gardens -
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/
Seeds Of Change -
http://www.seedsofchange.com/
We've already begun our yearly garden tasks and are providing a well composted environment for our seeds. Our menu this spring and summer includes (and in no means limited to) seeds from Seed Savers Exchange:
Bean, Purple Pod Pole Organic
(Phaseolus vulgaris) Heirloom variety discovered by Henry Fields in an
Ozark garden in the 1930s. Plants climb vigorously
to 6' and are extremely productive. High quality,
meaty, stringless 5-7" reddish-purple pods that
blanch to light green. Pole habit, snap, 68 days.
Tomato, Gold Medal
(Solanum lycopersicum) Introduced as Ruby Gold by John Lewis Childs of
Floral Park, New York, in his 1921 catalog. Ben
Quisenberry renamed it Gold Medal and listed it
in his 1976 catalog: “The sweetest tomato you ever
tasted. The yellow with streaks of red makes them
very attractive and a gourmet’s joy when sliced.” Our
finest bi-colored tomato—orange-yellow splashed
with tomato pink. Winner of the 2008 SSE Tomato
Tasting. Indeterminate, 75-90 days from transplant.
Cucumber, Longfellow Organic
(Cucumis sativus) Introduced in 1927 by Jerome B. Rice Seed
Company of Cambridge, New York. Preferred
by market growers as a “straight pack” sort for
shipment to high grade markets. Green-black
tapered fruits are 12" long by 2½" in diameter.
62-80 days.
Bean, Climbing French Organic
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
This was once the most widely grown French climbing bean in England
according to The Beans of New York (1931). Lilac flowers, 4-7"
stringless pods. Excellent fresh eating qualities. Shiny dark purple
seeds. Pole habit, snap, 65-75 days.
Pea, Asparagus
(Lotus tetragonolobus) (aka Winged Pea) A legume not related to either
asparagus or peas; most likely from northwest
Africa. Mentioned as early as 1734 by celebrated
gardener and botanist Philip Miller. Beautiful red
flowers on low growing plants that spread laterally
along the ground. Uniquely flavored pods are best
steamed whole when small. Thrives in poor soil.
Edible podded, 60-75 days.
Squash, Burgess Buttercup Organic
(Cucurbita maxima) Introduced in 1932 by Burgess Seed & Plant Co.
of Bloomington, Illinois. Buttercup has set the
benchmark over the years for all other small
winter squash. Flattened dark green turbans with a
distinctive button on the blossom end. Typical fruits
weigh 3-5 pounds. Super sweet brilliant orange
flesh with very fine eating qualities. Rind is thin but
very hard, medium length keeper. 85-100 days.
