Scotty's Heirloom Favourites
19/07/2012 12:50~TOMATOES~
BRANDYWINE:A perennial favourite that's considered the queen of the heirloom tomatoes.It's slow to mature but worth the wait for its highly flavored pink flesh.Not a heavy yielder but has large,Beefsteak size fruit.
BLACK PLUM:In recent years,this heirloom has appeared in the #1 position on several different lists for its outstanding flavour.A steady producer with a sweet tangy taste.It has thinner walls than most plum cooking tomatoes.
GOLIATH:Like them big?Look no further than this tomato that dates from the late 1800's.It's fully capable of producing 3lb monsters!
CHAMPION:This aptly named tomato has big yields with a big sweet taste.Meaty flesh making it great for sandwiches.
~BEANS~
TENDERGREEN(BUSH):Introduced in 1925,Tendergreen produces a strong bush that will reach about 22"s. Pods are meaty, tender and stringless. Disease resistant, heat tolerant, early, heavy yields with an excellent flavor.
1942 Schell's Seed Co. says about Tendergreen bush bean....
"Plants are erect and heavily productive. Pods are round, string-less, 6" long. It is ready to pick in 50 days.
KENTUCKY WONDER(POLE):Perhaps the best known pole bean,Kentucky Wonder has been pleasing gardeners since the 1850's.Very reliable,rust resistant and rich in flavour.This bean is fully capable of producing until a hard frost.
~ONIONS~
Onions are Scotty's favourite vegetable.He loves all the ways they can be used.The fact that they are an aphrodisiac may account for his fondness for them as well.It may also explain why he's always chasing Mossy around the kitchen.
WALLA WALLA:Many consider this heirloom the worlds best tasting onion.Very sweet and cold hardy giving the Southern Vidalia a run for its money.110-130 days
TOKYO LONG:A bunching onion(green onion)that's highly resistant to heat that can slow the growth of other bunching onions.It's also cold hardy enough for a Fall planting.68 days
~CAULIFLOWER~
Snowball Y Improved(70-80 days)~A self blanching heirloom with snow white,heavy,dense 6" heads.More flavourful than the average cauliflower.
~BEETS~
DETROIT DARK RED~ As much a favourite now as it was in the late 1800's.A very dependable beet that resists cold bolting so it can be sown early and yet holds up better than many beets in warmer weather.The globe shape roots average about 3" and are tender and sweet.Average tops.56 days.
LUTZ GREEN LEAF~If you love beet green/tops recipes like the ones in Mossy's cookbook than this is the beet you want to grow.A long season beet that can be left in the ground much longer than other beets without going woody.These type of beets are also called winter keepers.Lutz gets large roots,up to 6" but it's known for it's wonderful tops.Young leaves are fantastic in salads and the older,larger leaves are great for cooking.The roots of this beet are also wonderful for baked beet recipes.70 days.
~CARROTS~
TENDER SWEET~If you like coreless carrots than this one is sure to please.It can reach 9"long with no core to speak of.Rich orange colour and sweet flavour.75 days.
1935 Isbell's Seed Company. catalog says...
"Very sweet and nearly coreless, of good shape; cylindrical, very smooth and about 6 inches long. Of deep orange-red color; crisp, tender and of very fine flavor. Fine home garden sort, excellent for early market use."
Scarlet Nantes
A bright orange carrot that averages about 6 inches.Crisp and tender with a wonderful flavour.
1927 Henry Fields Seed Company Catalog says about Scarlet Nantes...
"The roots are bright orange, 5 to 6 inches long and very uniform. They have very small core and are exceptionally tender and sweet. The roots are rather slender, of even diameter and of early maturity. Very desirable for market, especially for bunching, and also splendid for the home garden."
~PEAS~
WANDO~Released in 1943,Wando is a cross between Laxton's Progress and Perfection.This pea can tolerate heat better than most making it a good choice for Southern gardeners or for extending the pea growing season.70 days.
THOMAS LAXTON~This pea has been around for over 100 years so it must have something to offer.It's a vigorous grower producing 4" pods holding 6-8 peas.Known for its wilt resistance.65 days.
1822-1920 Bricks High Grade Seeds says about Thomas Laxton Pea...
"This reliable pea is similar in type to Gradus, but has darker foliage and square-ended pods. Although a wrinkled sort of excellent quality, it may be planted about as early as smooth varieties."
~Brussel Sprouts~
Catskill(85-95 days)
Introduced in 1941,this Brussel sprout is rich in flavour and develops on a stout stalk.
Ideal fresh or for freezing.
~PEPPERS~
California Wonder(73 days)
Still as popular today as it was in 1928 when it was introduced.A great stuffing pepper with thick,crisp walls.
1937 MacFayden Seed Co. says...
"Large sized stuffing pepper with extremely thick, mild, sweet flesh. Fruit indistinctly 4 lobed, upright, shapely, glossy dark green, measuring 4 1/2 inches in length by 4 inches in diameter. California Wonder is the standard of excellence in sweet peppers but a little late."
Chocolate Beauty(82 days)
You have to see this pepper to believe it.A pepper with a rich brown colour that looks just like chocolate!Very sweet and another one great for stuffing.The kids will love it!
Hungarian Wax(65 days)
This banana type pepper starts out yellow and at that stage it has a sweet flavour with just a touch of heat but be warned,as it turns red it becomes hotter and hotter.This characteristic makes it quite unique among peppers.
~SQUASH~
Table King Bush Acorn(80 days)
This is one of my favourite heirloom winter squash to grow.It's a big producer with squash averaging around 2lb's.The flesh is light orange and very flavourful.
Early Prolific Straightneck(50 days)
This is a very popular summer squash.High yields of lemon yellow squash that have the most flavour when harvested young.
~ BROCCOLI ~
The broccoli you will probably see the most in grocery stores these days is the commercially grown Waltham 29.It's not a bad broccoli but folks,a lot of chemicals are used on commercially grown broccoli.Grow your own.
Early Purple Sprouting(60 days) This is a nice old English variety.You plant in the Fall and harvest in Spring. The heads are small but it's a monster broccoli capable of reaching 3 feet tall! And as Mossy mentioned,the leaves are edible. With it's size and attractive purple heads;it makes for a nice edible ornamental.
Di Cicco Broccoli (50-70 days) Your traditional green broccoli and a good alternative to that Waltham 29.
An Italian broccoli dating from around 1890.It has good size emerald green heads and very frost tolerant.
Kale
Brassica oleracea
Blue Curled Scotch Dwarf (56 days)
First mentioned in garden text around 1863.
Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch is an early kale that produces tasty greens when used in salads or steamed.
The blue-green leaves are finely curled and very attractive reaching 12-15" in high, and spread to 20-35" in width.
Extremely hardy and productive. Will over winter with little protection. This is one of the best frost resistant kales.
A perfect source of nutritional greens during the cool season.
Cabbage
Brassica oleracea
Golden Acre Cabbage Seed (62 days)
Golden acre cabbage produces 3-4 pound heads that are succulent, sweet and tender. Golden Acre Cabbage produces round, tight heads shaped like balls. Know for its early production and uniformity. Golden Acre is a great cabbage for coleslaw or stir fry.
1927 Henry Fields Seed Catalog says about Golden Acre Cabbage...
"It is claimed to be the earliest round headed cabbage and that it matures before Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage. The heads are firm with few outer leaves and average about four pounds."
SOURCE;SUSTAINABLE SEEDS
Scotty reccomends it :)
