Planning for our vegetable gardens

Post your recommendations (let's keep it to varieties that you've grown successfully in the PNW) on this thread. I'll keep track of them by editing this post. If I haven't shown a category, I'll add it when you make your recommendation:

ARTICHOKE

ARUGULA
Sylvetta Wild Arugula (Boel)

ASPARAGUS

BEANS
Blue Lake Pole (Judi, Sharon)
Bush (Jim)
Bush Baby Filet (Sharon)
Bush Beans 'Maxibel' (Boel)
Dragon Tongue Bush Beans (Kris)
Helda & Kwintus Pole Beans (Kris)
Purpiat Romano Bush Beans (Kris)
Red Noodle yard Long Beans (Kris)
Scarlet Runner - great for hummingbirds (Boel)
Tendergreen Bush (Boel)

BEETS
Cylindra (Holly)
Cylindrical (Jim)

BROCCOLI
Calabrese Green Sprouting (Boel)
Early Dividend (Boel)
Liberty (Boel)
Packman (Boel)
Southern Comet Hybrid (Boel)
Umpqua (Holly)

BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Rubine (Kris)

CABBAGE
Charmant (Boel)
Danish Ball Head (Sharong)
Derby Day (Holly)
Parel Hybrid (Boel)
Red Dynasty (Julie)

CARROTS
Bolero (Holly)
Imperitor (Jim)
Napa (Holly)

CAULIFLOWER

CELERY
Utah 52-70 Improved (Boel)

COLLARD GREEN
Champion (Boel)
Georgia Southern Creole (Boel)
Morris Heading (Boel)

CARROT
Bolero (Boel)
Little Fingers (Sue)
Rodelika (Boel)
Tokita's Scarlet (Boel)
Yaya (Boel)

CORN
Bodacious (Boel, Holly)
Incredible (Boel)
Kandy Korn (Sharon)
Miracle (Boel)
Precocious (Sharon)
Sugar Buns (Sharon)

CRESS
Wrinkled Crinkled Curly Cress (Holly - this one is fun and spicy)

CUCUMBER
Lemon (Kathy)
Marketmore (Sharon)
Orient Express (Holly)
Summer Delight - Best Ever! (Boel)
Sweet Slice (Sharon)

EGGPLANT
Black Beauty (Boel)
Hansel Hybrid (Boel)
Nadia Hybrid (Boel)
Round Mauve (Boel)

GARLIC
Armenian (Holly)
Asian Tempest (Holly)
Chinese Pink (Kris)
Elephant (Kris)
Inchelium Red - a good all around cooking garlic, stores well, softneck so can be braided (Holly)
Kabar (Kris)
Lukak (Holly)
Music (Kris)
Purple Glazer (Krs)
Silver Rose (Kris)
Spanish Roja (Kris)

GREENS
Arugula Roquette (Michael)

KALE
Asparagus Kale (Boel)
Bok Choy (Jim)
Improved Dwarf (Boel)
Nero Di Toscana (Boel)
Redbore (Holly, Michael)
Russian Red (Boel)

KOHLRABI
Kongo (Boel)
Kolibri (Boel)

LETTUCE
Drunken Woman's Fuzzy-Headed (Linda)
Freckles (Linda)
Merveilles de Quatre Saisons/Continuity (Boel)
Red Fire (Holly)
Red Sails (Holly)
Valmaine (Holly)
Yugoslavian Red (Linda)

MUSTARD
India Mustard (Boel)
Mizuna (Michael)
Tah Tsai (Boel)

MELON
Georgia Rattlesnake (Boel)
Yellow Doll (Boel)

ONION
Borrettana (BB)
Copra (Boel, Holly)
Copra (Boel, BB)
Egyptian Onions (Jim)
Pacific Pearl (BB)
Redwing (Boel)
Walla Walla (Boel, BB)
Yellow of Parma (Boel)
Yellow Sweet Spanish Onion (Boel)

PARSLEY
Italian Flat Leaf (Michael)

PARSNIPS
Cobham (Boel)
Gladiator (Boel)

PEAS
Amish Sugar Snap (Kris)
Alderman Shelling Pea (Kris)
Dwarf Gray Sugar (Holly)
Oregon Sugar Pod II Snow Peas (Holly, Kris, Michael)
Snow Pea 'Sandy' (Boel)

PEPPER (HOT)
Cayenne Long Red Thin (Boel)
Jalapeno Early (Boel)
College Anaheim (Boel)
Sport (Boel)
Pepperoncini (Boel)
Kung Pao Hybrid (Boel)
Big Bomb Hybrid - My favorite! (Boel)
Trinidad Perfume (Boel)
Golden Nugget (Boel)
Rocotillo - very mild and flavorful (Boel)

PEPPER (SWEET)
Bell Boy (Sue)
California Wonder (Boel)
Golden California Wonder (Boel)
Italian Sweet
Jimmy Nardello (Michael)
Mini Red (Boel)
Mini Yellow (Boel)

POTATOES
Red La Rosa (Jim)
Yukon Gold (Jim)

PUMPKINS
Howden (Sharon)
Jack o' Lantern (Sharon)
Jack B Little (Sharon)

RADISHES
Cherry Belle (Michael)

SCALLIOS

He Shi Ko (BB)

SPINACH
Bloomsdale Savoy (Holly)
Monstreaux de Viroflay (Boel)
Olympia (Holly)
Red Malabar (Boel)
Space (Boel)
Spinach Space Hybrid (Boel)
Spinach Melody Hybrid (Boel)
Tyee (Boel)

SQUASH (SUMMER)
Cocozelle (Boel)
Crookneck Early Golden (Boel)
Early Prolific (Boel)
Yellow Crookneck Squash)
Yellow Scallop (Boel)

SQUASH (WINTER)
Delicata (Boel)
Delica (Boel)
Naguri (Boel)TOMATO - FULL SIZED
Aunt Ruby's German Green (Michael)
Black Krim (Holly)
Brandywine (Judi)
Early Girl (Holly)
Juliet (Kate)
Mortgage Lifter (Michael)
Moskvich (Holly)
Pineapple (Kris)
Sabra Ukranian (Kris)
San Marzano (Judi, Kate, Kris)
Siletz (Sharon)

STRAWBERRY

Mignonette (Boel)
Ranier (Holly)
Tristar (Boel, Holly)

SWISS CHARD
Flamingo Pink (Boel)
Oriole Orange (Boel)
Perpetual (Boel)
Swiss Chard 'Bright Lights' (Boel)

TOMATOES - FULL SIZED
Aunt Gertie's Gold (Boel)
Aunt Ruby's German Green (Michael)
Azoychka (Boel)
Big Momma (Linda)
Black Krim (Holly)
Black Prince (Boel)
Bloody Butcher (Boel, Linda)
Brandywine (Judi)
Caspian Pink (Boel)
Early Girl (Holly)
Eva Purple Ball (Boel)
Green Zebra (Boel, Sue)
Jaunne Flammee - favorite! (Boel)
Juliet (Kate)
Legend (Sue)
Lime Green Salad (Boel)
Limmony (Boel)
Marianna's Peace (Boel)
Mortgage Lifter (Michael)
Moskvich (Boel, Holly)
Pineapple (Kris)
Sabra Ukranian (Kris)
San Marzano (Judi, Kate, Kris)
Siletz (Sharon)
Silvery Fir Tree (Boel)
Tamina (Linda)
White Tomesol (Boel)
Willamette (Sue)

TOMATO - CHERRY/GRAPE SIZED
Anna Banana Russian (Kris)
Chocolate Cherry (Kate)
Coyote Cherry (Boel, Kris)
Dr. Carolyn (Boel)
Jelly Bean (Jim)
Jolly (Boel)
Juliette (Jim)
Small Fry (Boel)
Sprite (Boel)
Sungold (Boel, Holly, Judi, Kate, Kathy)
Sun Sugar Yellow (Jnette)
Sweet Baby Girl (Julie)
Sweet Million (Holly, Kathy, Sue)
Sweet 100 (Linda, Sharon)
Yellow Pear (Sue)


TOMATILLO
Mexican Strain (Boel)

ZUCCHINI
Italian Striped (Sharon)

HERBS

BASIL
Siam Queen (Boel)
Genovese (Boel)
Globe (Boel)
Sweet Basil (Boel)

CHIVES
Toothache Plant - for fun! (Boel)

CILANTRO/CORIANDER
Slow Bold Winner - Best Cilantro I have grown! (Boel)

DILL
Mammoth Dill (Boel)
Dill Dukat (Boel)

PARSLEY
Forest Green (Boel)
Krausa (Boel)
Moss Curled (Boel)
Triple Curled (Boel)


Photo is courtesy of Ballard Farmers Market Blog here: http://ballardfarmersmarket.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/july-12th-lavender-chicken-berries-tomatoes-wait-for-it-maybe-even-corn/

This message was edited Feb 9, 2010 1:07 PM

This message was edited Feb 24, 2010 11:27 AM

This message was edited Feb 24, 2010 11:35 AM

This message was edited Feb 25, 2010 9:06 PM

Tomatoes - full sized: Moskvich, Black Krim, and Early Girl

Tomaoes - cherry: Sungold (yellow) and Sweet million (red)

Onions: Copra (yellow keepers)

Broccoli: Umpqua

Beets: Cylindra (these look a little weird, but they do not get woody)

Cucumbers: Orient Express (or something like that) keeps producing, long twisty cukes.

Thanks, Holly!

Ok, let's start with what I can remember and as I get organized I'll add from our notes in the folder what worked.

Beans: Red Noodle Yard long beans, Purpiat Romano Bush Beans, Dragon Tongue Bush Beans, Helda & Kwintus Pole Beans

Peas: Amish Sugar Snap, Alderman Shelling Pea, Oregon Sugar Pod II

Brussle Sprouts: Rubine

Tomato: Coyote Cherry (yellow), Anna Banana Russian, Pinapple, Sabra Ukranian, San Marzano

Garlic: Elephant, Silver Rose, Music, Spanish Roja, Kabar, Chinese Pink, Purple Glazer

Carrots: Napa and Bolero

Peas: I second Oregon Sugar Pod II
also, Dwarf Gray Sugar

Cress: Wrinkled Crinkled Curly Cress (this one is fun and spicy)

Garlic: Armenian, Asian Tempest, Lukak

Corn: Bodacious

Thanks, Kris. I carefully avoided Brussels Sprouts, since I don't like them, but it seems that I won't be able to get away with that.

Holly, I know you had a thread going with lots of garlic information. Do you want to put a link to that thread in this one? Then you wouldn't have to repeat anything if you got questions . . .

Here is the garlic link. Everyone is more than welcome to add their garlic growing experiences, opinions, questions, tips, etc.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1051174/

I have grown more varieties successfully, but the 3 above were my personal favorites. I should add one more to your recommendation list though:
Garlic: Inchelium Red (a good all around cooking garlic, stores well, softneck so can be braided)

Kathie, I keep it pretty simple, I grow 2 tomatoes; Jelly Bean, Juliette. from John Scheepers catalog. Beets, Cylandrilical. Potatoes, Red La Rosa, Yukon Gold. Egyptian onions. white onions sets. Bok Choy. Carrots, Imperitor. and the perenial fruits. June bearing strawberries. Blueberries, 12 plants. Raspberries, Tulamen. some bush green beans for pickling. that's it. Jim

Thanks, Jim. I've added the specific varieties where you've noted them.

Kathy, I don't know if others have experienced this. but I started germinating my own Tomatoe seed, because of the ones I bought at the nurseries would get different diseases late in the season. then I got the idea to buy them out of the catalogs, germinate the seed in April, put out the plants in late May and since then I don't have any problems with disease. also I order the 60 day varieties. like Juliette, Jelly Bean. there are other short season ones. but I can only eat so many and give the rest away, Jim

Good to know, Jim. Thanks!

Kale: Redbore
Lettuce: Valmaine, Red Sails, Red Fire
Spinach: Bloomsdale Savoy, Olympia
Cabbage: Derby Day

Mizuna mustard
Redbor Kale
Roquette (arugula)
Sage
Italian flat leaf parsley (you will never go back to the curly stuff)
Oregon sugar pod peas II
Cherry Belle radishes
Mortgage lifter tomatoes
Aunt Ruby's German Green tomatoes
Jimmy Nardello pepper
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Dill (Dukat)
Dill (fernleaf)
Chives

I might add more as my memory improves

Thank you!

Sungold and San Marzano. The Marzanos make are great roasted and the Sungolds never make it inside the house because I eat as I pick. Brandywine heirlooms were good.

Katie59 thank you for this thread. A great idea!

Also spinach and Blue Lake green beans. Italian parsley, spring lettuce mix. All the herbs did well except for the tarragon. Purple basil was great.

Not so good - lemon cucumbers. They were not as good as last year - very small with really really thick skins. I won't plant them this year.

This message was edited Jan 3, 2010 9:00 AM

Judi - give the lemon cucumbers another chance. They're usually awesome. You might need to harvest them a little earlier. By the time the skins are darkening, they are starting to get a little tough.

Thanks for the other recommendations - I'll add them in.

Everybody - Feel free to add a post with your favorite seed sources here, too, for gardeners who haven't shopped online for seeds before.

Kathy

Kathy, thank you so much for starting this thread. Would it be too much to ask for a thread also on what did NOT work well????

I will add more as my fuzzy head finishes recovering from the weekend party that has just been concluded. (I prefer my guests to stick around rather than tackle this hill after a celebration up here.)

Tomatoes: Sielitz, although it is determinate
Cherry t's:::: Sweet 100 still my taste favoirte

Pumpkin Jack'o'Lantern is great for that as is Howden, Jack B Little is good for decorations and can be eaten like squash later.

Cucumbers Marketmore is always reliable and plentiful, also Sweet Slice but they are stingier. I will tell you later which one I grew that was just huge but petty tasteless.

Corn: Bodacious, of course, But also Kandy Korn and Sugar Buns. Precocious is a very good early variety but very hard to find also.

Do I assurme you also are not fond of zucchini? The Italian striped varieties are by far my favorites for flavor.

I will get more specifics when I get back down to the green house where I store my seeds.

Jim, I hope your theory about germinating tomatoes is correct. I have germinated my own for several years now and had problems anyway with blight a few of those years. I have not had that problem for the last couple of seasons, though, and I think the weather has played the most significant part in this.

I'd be happy to start a thread about what didn't go well. Look for it.

I didn't add zucchini probably because I've never heard of any variety that didn't grow well. I'll add your recommendation!

Territorial Seed has been my most trusted source for seeds that grow well in the Pacific Northwest, though I also buy Ed Hume Seeds which are more commonly available at the hardware store. Last year, a local store was offering a 20% discount on pre-ordered Territorial seeds. That was a great deal, since I could get exactly the varieties I wanted from the catalog.

Portland - I wonder if the extreme heat you had last summer caused the lemon cucumbers to suffer - they are part of the cucuribita family (that spelling isn't quite right - think pumpkin, some melons, and cucumbers), and consequently need lots of water. They are also very hungry plants - feeding fortnightly with a good balanced feed (I use seaweed meal and bokashi juice for mine) is a good idea.

Do try them again - they are marvellous in thin cool slices with chilled white wine - nice alternative to olives. They would be lovely to have at the wedding party.

And I meant to ask have any of you grown vegetables for winter harvest: I just made up a salad from the garden (marvel of 4 seasons, can't remember the other lettuce, oregano, parsley, chives, red cabbage), picked radishes (French breakfast), and harvested leeks (don't know which - saved seed). They have all held up well against freezing temperatures and snow cover.

This message was edited Jan 4, 2010 4:26 PM

Good idea for a thread! I don't have a lot to contribute because most of our vegie gardening is done in our family garden, and Mom has already covered those plants. I will make it a point to second her comment about the zuchini though.... I am not really a zuch. fan, but I absolutely LOVE the itallian striped one that we have grown for the last couple of years. It truely has flavor...you can cut it up and eat it raw with dip and actually enjoy it!!

My tomatoes are grown in pots, and one of my favorite cherries that hasn't been mentioned is Sweet Baby Girl.

I am also a fan of red cabbage, and have had wonderful success with Red Dynasty.

Well who could turn down a cherry tomato plant named Sweet Baby Girl! I must have it!

I have a very small area in which to grow produce, and last year I planted flat-leaf parsley under the tomatoes with western exposure and both it and the tomatoes did really well.

Parsley makes a reliably good neighbour.

I am going to have to try that Italian Striped zucchini. Sounds delicious!

Laurie, I have tried winter vegetable gardening, using bed-wide hoop cold frames made with pvc pipes covered with plastic sheeting. I have been somewhat successful some years, but other years I have not taken care of it well enough due to an overly busy life in the wintertime and grew some amazingly big weeds under there.

Yes, MHF, the weeds are a definate problem. I grew purslane this year - first time - and I have to say I'm still not sure whether I'm eating weeds or 'salad'. Not a crop I am overwhelmed by - that one won't be sown again. The other lettuce is Colcarde - and I do find that parsley is incredibly hardy (curly better than flat). great in winter salads. What I also found is that the winter lettuces taste much better after the first hard frost - before that they are really blah.

The Italian Striped Zucchini I grew last was a Lily Miller product.

If you just want eating green beans, I like the French Variety Bush Baby Filet. I second Blue Lake pole for pickling.

Cabbage Danish Ball Head

ohhhhm, I love blue lake straight off the plant as a walking round the garden snack - how do you pickle them? Sounds marvellous. What else can I pickle?

Laurie, I will be happy to send the recipe when I get back home. My uncle used to pickle baby beets and they were excellent. Pickled asparagus is also great, but I believe I have heard rumors that that should be processed in a pressure cooker as opposed to a water bath that I give the beans. I wish I had an inexpensive source for the asparagus so I would be motivated to try that anyway. We are working on that as the kids bird hunt in wild asparagus fields in Eastern WA. It also grows wild in the apple orchards there if the orchardists allow it. I haven't given up hope.

Most vegetables can be pickled safely in a water bath, provided you follow an approved recipe and pay close attention to the vinegar:water ratio. Vegetables are generally low-acid and it is the vinegar which increases the acidity to allow for safe water bathing. Any recipe from the USDA and/or the Ball Blue Book are reliable. I've pickled beans and asparagus in water bath, both delicious (especially in Bloody Marys).

Using the correct strength of vinegar is also important. Commercial food grade vinegar is typically 5% - check this carefully if you make your own or buy bulk from a co-op.

An interesting tidbit I learned in the Master Canner program years ago was that botulism poisoning is most common from dill pickles. Cukes are extremely low acid, and if the vinegar:water ratio is too weak, there is a risk of the botulism spore growing in the jar. Something to keep in mind. I've always been quite cautious when making pickles for that reason.

Another tidbit: Start filling your dill jar with a washed grape leaf on the bottom and up the sides. Makes a lovely presentation and adds crispness.

Ohhhwww, beetroot, asparagus, greenbeans - I always have way too much. Being able to pickle them would be wonderful - AND PICKLING grapeleaves!!!! To make the lovely stuffed greek grapeleaves (name escapes me right now) - soooo yummy. This is good, very good. I am picturing my larder full of lovely jars with shiny screw on lids - and christmas presents, in baskets! And no more wastage. YUM YUM.

Bonehead, that's so interesting. "Master Canner" Program: I had no idea there was such a thing.

I had only ever heard about botulism from green beans, not anything about cucumber. Admittedly, it's not a topic I heard a lot about, since I grew up in Alaska. But, still, that corrects a big misconception I had.

Thank you.

Katie - Botulism in green beans is caused from canning them in a hot water bath, something a lot of the 'old timers' did apparently on a regular basis. The temperature does not get high enough to kill the botulism spores, which then thrive in a low-acid anaerobic environment.

I think it is now commonly accepted that any vegetable should be canned in a pressure canner. The exception is tomatoes, which can be water bathed, but you do need to watch your acidity. Some tomatoes are bred to be low-acid, in which case you need to add citric acid or lemon juice. I used to just pressure can my tomatoes to be on the safe side, and then I could also safely add in chopped onions and peppers for flavor.

Canning is a very satisfying activity - I rather miss it, but don't grow a large vegetable garden anymore.

Beans:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1069594/

Laurie, I am finally at a point where I can type a bit. Here is my

Dill Pickled Green Beans recipe

makes 8 pints

Put in bottom of each jar:

Slice of sweet (or hot, if you prefer, I do not) red pepper
1/4 tsp mustard seed
1/4 tsp dill seed
1 clove garlic
1 pickling onion
1 peppercorn

pack beans tight in jar

Heat brine:

5 c cider vinegar
5 c water
sm 1/2 c pickling salt

Make certain brine is hot and canner water is hot but not quite boiling
Fill packed jars with brine and close with canning lids which are also very hot.
Put the filled jars in water bath canner and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool and seal.

Do not be alarmed if the beans look wrinkled when they come out. They will plump back up. Takes about 6 months for the beans to be really good.

Enjoy your Bloody Mary with them!

Whoops, I sent the picture of the beans growing. Here they are cooling from the canning process.

Oooooh, I love dilly beans.

Thank you Sharon -
They look gorgeous, and sound delicious. I love the idea of putting sweet pepper in - I will do that this summer. Do you store them in a cool larder or refrigerate?

Questions - is pickling salt different from regular salt?

Have you tried this with baby artichokes? We get such a glut of them I'd love to be able to preserve some.

Canning salt is recommended over any other type of salt for preserving purposes, because it has no iodine or anything else added.

My "Preserving the Harvest" book has a pickled artichoke recipe, I think ... will dig it out & look.

Laurie, Summer is right about the salt. They usually sell it here in a one pound box.

I just keep them in the pantry until needed. Once they are open (the vacuum is broken) I refrigerate the jar I am using.

Summer, do you do a lot of "preseving"? I am teaching Julie as I believe it is a somewhat forgotten art and something that should be carried forward just like all of the other favorite recipes. The satisfaction of looking at the finished product is hard to describe if you have never been there and, as I mentioned above, storage is easy and makes the pantry shelf look great.