Arugula ‘Rocket Astro’

Very easy & quick to grow. Prefers a sunny location during the cooler part of the growing season.  To avoid it going to seed, harvest outer leaves as plant matures or cut it back to encourage growth. Keep well-watered during hot weather.

Basil

An aromatic popular herb. Grows in differing heights and textures. Periodically pinch back and use tops to extend the harvest period. Great for making pesto and seasoning a wide variety of gourmet dishes.

Current varieties: ‘Gourmet Blend’, ‘Italian Large Leaf’, ‘Lettuce Leaf’, ‘Purple Ruffles’, ‘Siam Queen’ (thai)

Beans

Beans grow best in a sunny location, where the soil is warm, loamy and lightly fertilized. Cultivate shallow and frequently until flowers appear. Avoid disturbing plants after that time, as it could cause the blossoms to fall off. Support with poles, trellis, string or fence. Water deeply by soaking soil. Pick when young for best flavor and texture.

Current varieties: ‘Blue Lake’ (pole), ‘Cherokee Golden Wax’ (bush), ‘Contender’ (bush), ‘French Gourmet’ (bush), ‘Jade’ (bush), ‘Kentucky Blue’ (pole), ‘Kentucky Wonder’ (pole), ‘Provider’ (bush), ‘Rattlesnake’ (pole), ‘Royal Burgundy’ (bush), ‘Scarlet Runner’, ‘Topcrop’ (bush)

Beets

Beets prefer light, sandy loam-type soil. Add lime to soil for better flavor and texture. Sow seed in July and August for fall and winter crops. Beet roots and greens are rich in vitamins and minerals and a good source of fiber.

Current varieties: ‘Bulls Blood’, ‘Crosby’s Egyptian’, ‘Cylindrical’, ‘Detroit Supreme’, ‘Early Wonder Tall Top’, ‘Gourmet Blend’

Broccoli

Grows best in a mostly sunny location during the cooler parts of the growing season. Prefers fairly rich soil kept somewhat moist. Cut the main head when buds are still tight. Continue to harvest side shoots for small heads ideal for salads or stir-fry. Broccoli can be sown mid to late summer for a fall or winter crop in mild weather areas.

Current varieties: ‘Calabrese Green’, ‘Waltham 29’

Brussels Sprouts ‘Long Island’

Grows best in a sunny location with fairly rich well drained soil. Harvest sprouts from bottom of plant up as heads mature. Do not grow in same area of garden where members of cabbage family were grown the year before. A rich source of many vitamins and minerals.

Cabbage ‘Golden Acre’

Plant cabbage in sunny location where no cabbage was grown the year before. Rich soil and regular waterings are to their liking. Delicious and rich in vitamins and minerals. Protect from cabbage moths with agricultural netting.

Carrots

Plant carrots at 2 to 3 week intervals for continuous harvest. Planting can continue until mid July for fall and winter harvest. Carrots are a rich source of many vitamins and minerals.

Current varieties: ‘Atomic Red’, ‘Black Nebula’, ‘Chantenay Red’, ‘Cosmic Purple’, ‘Danvers Half Long’, ‘Imperator’, ‘Ingot’, ‘Little Finger’, ‘Scarlet Nantes Coreless’, ‘Rainbow Blend’

Catgrass

A blend of organic wheat, oats, barley, and rye grains. Produces a safe and nutritious source of tender grass, enjoyed by most cats and many other pets. Also great for juicing!

Catnip

Cats love this herb. Catnip is a member of the mint family. It has silvery green leaves and fragrant lavender blue flowers. It also attracts bees and birds. Does very well in dry, poor soil areas.

Cauliflower ‘Early Snowball’

Large white, delicious solid heads are of excellent quality. This early variety is about 10 days ahead of most varieties normally grown here. Approx. 65 days from transplant to maturity. Serve cooked, steamed, or raw with dips.

Chives ‘Garlic’

Foliage has delicate onion-like flavor. Ideal for flavoring salads, soups or stews. Also used in dips, sauces or with cottage cheese. Cut leaves quickly grow back. Easy to grow.

Cilantro (Coriander)

Aromatic and flavorful herb sometimes also known as Chinese Parsley. It is used in a wide variety of different recipes, both for its flavorful leaves and its seeds. Uses include flavoring meats, soup, spicy dishes for the leaves, and pastries, pickles, and sausage for the seeds. Approximately 60 days to maturity.

Corn

To conserve space and for best pollination, plant in blocks made up of short rows, thinned to 8 to 12 inches apart in all directions. Fertilize and cultivate soil prior to planting. To preserve best flavor and tenderness, pick corn just a few minutes before use. Sweet corn benefits from rich soil, side dress with fertilizer just before tassels appear and water deeply.

Current varieties: ‘Bodacious’, ‘Early Sunglow’, ‘Jubilee’, ‘Kandy Korn’, ‘Peaches & Cream’ (bicolor), ‘Silver King’ (white), ‘Sugar Buns’, ‘Sweetness’ (bicolor), ‘Trinity’ (early bicolor)

Cucumber

Rich, well-drained soil is ideal for cucumbers. Excellent soil additive: processed manure or compost. Water deep and feed every 3 weeks. Can be grown on trellis or fence for support. Pick fruit carefully and regularly for continued harvest.

Current varieties: ‘Garden Sweet Burpless’, ‘Homemade Pickle’, ‘Marketmore 76’, ‘Muncher’, ‘Poinsett 76’, ‘SMR 58’, ‘Straight Eight’, ‘Tendergreen Burpless’

Dill

Popular aromatic plant for flavoring purposes. Also valuable for medicinal uses. Can be grown in the vegetable garden or as an ornamental garden plant. Approximately 60 days to maturity.

Eggplant ‘Eclipse’

A relatively early eggplant variety, ideal for cool, short-season climates. Its fruit is glossy, dark purple and a slightly elongated oval shape. Twilight is vigorous and disease resistant, yielding abundantly on a 3 foot bush. Delicious baked, fried, in casseroles, and a variety of other dishes. Approximately 65 days to maturity from transplant, depending upon growing conditions.

Kale

Kale grows and tastes best when planted in a sunny location in a moderately moist rich soil during cooler weather. Harvest outer leaves as plant becomes well established, pick younger leaves for fresh use. Harvest late crops during fall and winter months. A rich source of vitamins and minerals.

Current varieties: ‘Blue Curled Scotch’, ‘Lacinato’ (tuscan), ‘Portugese Sea Kale Cabbage’, ‘Russian Red’, ‘Siberian’ (dwarf)

Kohlrabi ‘White Vienna’

Above ground, bulb-like vegetable. Sweet, tasty flavor. Excellent raw in salads or as a cooked vegetable. Easy to grow. Approximately 58 days to maturity.

Leek ‘Large American Flag’

An easy to grow, mild-flavored member of the onion family. Excellent for flavoring soups, salads and stews. Approx. 130 days.

Lettuce

Keep soil moderately moist. Well fertilized soil produces quickly grown, sweet, crisp leaf lettuce. Sow seeds every two weeks March to August for continued harvesting. Lettuce grows best during the cooler part of the growing season.

Current varieties: ‘Black Seed’, ‘Bon Vivant Blend’, ‘Buttercrunch’, ‘Corn Salad’, ‘Gourmet Blend’, ‘Grand Rapids’, ‘Great Lakes 118’, ‘Prizehead’, ‘Red Romaine’, ‘Salad Bowl’, ‘Summer Bib’

Melon, Cantaloupe ‘Minnesota Midget’

A prolific producer of small, 4-inch fruit. Its flavor is sweet, its vines compact, and it is resistant to many diseases. An early, novel cantaloupe for the home garden. Approximately 85 days to maturity.

Microgreens ‘Flavorful Mix’

A healthy and tasty mixture of greens meant to be harvested when young. Usually grown indoors, microgreens are becoming popular with people that do not have garden space.  Plants are ready to eat 2 to 4 weeks after planting, usually after true leaves develop.

Mustard Greens

Grows best during the cooler parts of the growing season but will take some heat. Harvest outer leaves when young for best flavor leaving inner leaves to grow out. Prefers fairly rich well drained soil kept somewhat moist.

Current varieties: ‘Pak Choi’ (chinese), ‘Southern Giant Curled’, ‘Tendergreen’

Onions

A sunny location with well-drained, well-fertilized, moderately moist soil assures a successful crop. At maturity, bend over tops to hasten ripening before harvest. Let young onions grow and use for scallions, thinning until final spacing is reached.

Current varieties: ‘Evergreen Bunching’, ‘Evergreen White Bunching’, ‘Scarlet Bandit Red Bunching’, ‘Walla Walla Sweet’

Oregano ‘Greek’

A very nice perennial herb. Use flavorful leaves fresh or dried in sauces, soups, salads, with meat, fish and poultry dishes. Grow plants in the vegetable garden or in landscape beds. Approximately 90 days till maturity.

Parsley

Soak seeds overnight prior to planting to hasten germination. Parsley grows best in a mostly sunny location with relatively rich, moist, well drained soil. Harvest larger sprigs off plants as they mature. Plants are quite cold hardy and can usually be harvested into the winter.

Current varieties: ‘Forest Green’, ‘Italian’

Parsnip ‘Harris Model’

Very productive, improved variety. Uniform shape, large roots, tender, high quality. A delicious table vegetable when fried, boiled, or creamed. 130 days to maturity.

Peas

Peas grow best in moist, rich soil throughout the cooler parts of the growing season. Water by soaking soil, avoid spraying foliage. A delicious source of many vitamins and minerals. When possible plant rows in a north-south direction for best sun exposure and good air circulation.

Current varieties: ‘Alaska’, ‘Cascadia’ (snap), ‘Green Arrow’, ‘Lincoln’, ‘Little Marvel’, ‘Mammoth Melting Sugar’, ‘Oregon Giant’ (snow), ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’, ‘Sugar Ann’ (bush snap), ‘Sugar Lace II’, ‘Sugar Sprint’ (stringless), ‘Sugar Snap’ (pole), ‘Super Sugar Snap’, ‘Tall Telephone’

Peppers

Plant peppers in sunny, well drained spot in the garden. Cover with hot-caps when young if cool nights are expected. Feed lightly with vegetable food every 4 weeks. Carefully cut off short piece of stem with fruit to avoid damaging plant.

Current varieties: ‘Early Jalapeno’, ‘Jupiter’ (bell), ‘Serrano Purple’, ‘Sweet Banana’

Pumpkins

Pumpkins grow best in full sun in fairly rich well drained soil. Soak soil at first sign of wilting, but avoid spraying foliage, fruit or blossoms. Pumpkins start out green and gradually turn orange as they mature. To conserve space, grow pumpkins between shrubs in the landscape beds or let vines run between rows of corn.

Current varieties: ‘Connecticut Field’, ‘Jack O’ Lantern’, ‘Jack Be Little’, ‘Small Sugar’

Radish

An excellent cool weather variety for short season climates. A good choice for early or late plantings. Popular for eating fresh, in salads, or for garnishes.

Current varieties: ‘Champion’, ‘Cherry Belle’, ‘Early Scarlet Globe’, ‘French Breakfast’, ‘Sparkler’

Spinach

Sow in full sun in the cooler parts of the growing season. Early Spring and Fall are ideal. Prefers somewhat rich soil kept fairly moist. Rotate planting beds to avoid pests. Snip off outer leaves at 2 to 3 inches as plant grows. Rich in vitamins, easy to grow, enjoyable in salads.

Current varieties: ‘Bloomsdale’, ‘Imperial Green’, ‘New Zealand’, ‘Nobel Giant’, ‘Olympia’, ‘Seaside Baby Leaf’

Squash

Plant in sunny location in rich, well-drained soil. Keep fairly well watered and fertilize monthly, but avoid constant over-watering and continual use of high-nitrogen fertilizers. For continued harvest, pick fruit regularly and carefully when young. Avoid over-thinning to keep best mix of types.

Current varieties: ‘Acorn Table King’, ‘Black Beauty’ (zucchini'), ‘Butternut’, ‘Crookneck Summerpac’, ‘Grey’ (zucchini), ‘Harvest Blend Winter Squash’, ‘Scallop Bush Mixed Colors’, ‘Summer Squash Medley Mix’, ‘Vegetable Spaghetti’, ‘Zucchini Round’

Swiss Chard

Start cutting outer leaves when plants are 8 inches tall for extended harvest, new leaves will grow out from the center. Plants grow best in relatively moist fertile soil. Grow during the cooler part of the growing seasons. Plant in late summer for fall crop. Use leaves from young thinned plants in salads.

Current varieties: ‘Flamingo’, ‘Large White Rib’, ‘Rainbow Blend’

Thyme

Popular ornamental landscape herb. Aromatic odor with pleasant taste. Used in meat dishes, soups and stews.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes prefer rich soil kept moderately moist. Fertilize monthly if necessary and avoid spraying foliage when watering. Cover young transplants with hot caps or cloches if late spring weather turns chilly. Plant in full sun, if possible against a south facing wall or fence where sun reflection will provide additional heat.

Current varieties: ‘Early Red Chief’, ‘Gold Nugget’, ‘Heirloom Rainbow Blend’, ‘Legend’, ‘Siberia’, ‘Siletz’, ‘Stupice’, ‘Sweetie’

Turnip ‘Purple Top’

Versatile garden vegetable. Tops can be eaten as greens and roots are excellent for storing, canning or freezing. Excellent vitamin content. Large, sweet, fine-grained root crop. Easy to grow. Approximately 50 days.