My Seed Order Is In!!!

I placed my seed order. I'm very excited about all of the varieties that I ordered. All are heirloom so I am hoping that I don't have to purchase seeds again. I am going to attempt to save seeds every season and put them up to plant the following year. I will take seeds from the largest plants and fruits that seem to be doing the best. Each season, my plants will become better adapted to my area and more tolerant to parasites and diseases that are common here. I also ordered two types of garlic bulbs from a separate company. I plan to order asparagus from another company, as well. I hope that I get my order soon! Many of the seeds that I ordered are cool weather varieties, so it is the perfect time to get them in the ground, if I hurry! 

I ordered from http://www.heirloomseeds.com/ which is a small family run business. 

Beans:
- FLORIDA SPECKLED BUTTER POLE LIMA BEAN   85 days - This very popular butter bean was first introduced in the 1840's.  The tall, 10 foot vines bear pods in clusters.  A wonderful buff colored bean with maroon speckles.   Does well in hot, humid weather!  

- RATTLESNAKE POLE BEAN   65 days - This heirloom has unusual, dark-green pods streaked with purple. This vigorous grower often grows to 10 feet tall, and is filled with 7 inch, great tasting pods.  Beautiful, light buff seeds splashed with dark-brown markings.  An old favorite!

 Lettuce: 

- PREMIUM LETTUCE BLEND   43-70 days – A delightful mix of our best selling varieties, especially blended for unique color, texture and flavor qualities.  A wonderful selection for the salad bowl.

Spinach:

- BLOOMSDALE LONG STANDING 46 days - This heirloom variety was first introduced in 1908 and still remains very popular!  The thick-textured leaves are of fine quality, very crinkled and dark green in color. A slow bolting spinach that is heavy yielding.  Excellent variety for either fresh or canned!

Swiss Chard:

- ORIOLE  60 days - The decorative coloring makes this variety a real stand-out in your garden. The green leaves have a beautiful orange stem contrast. Harvest the baby leaves for salads, or let mature for use in braising, stir-frys or cooking greens.

Pumpkins: 

- JACK BE LITTLE (Cucurbita pepo) 90 days   - These miniature pumpkins are great for decorating! The  2"x 3" pumpkins are dark orange in color, and tiny enough to fit in the palm of your hand! Grow your own unique Thanksgiving  decorations this year! 

CONNECTICUT FIELD (Cucurbita pepo) 110 days - This old heirloom variety weights 25 pounds or more, and is perfect for Halloween decorating!   A terrific choice for Thanksgiving pies!

Squash:

- SPAGHETTI  (Cucurbita pepo) 100 days-  This unusual variety is filled with strands of squash similar to spaghetti!   To serve, simply bake, then scoop the strands out, and serve just like pasta.  Unique!

 -WINTER HARVEST MIX  80-110 days - This nice mixture of winter squashes will provide you with the variety you crave. Whether they're steamed, sautéed, or roasted, this selection is sure to please your palate. A great way to have a wonderful selection of winter squashes to choose from this season. 

-BLACK BEAUTY SQUASH   60 days - This heirloom variety was first introduced to U.S. markets in the 1920's. The semi-upright plants produce a heavy crop of blocky, dark green/black fruits, with a creamy, white interior. Excellent all purpose zucchini.

Tomatoes:

-AMISH PASTE   82 days - Originally from the Amish of Wisconsin, we acquired our seed from the Amish farms in Lancaster, PA.  The deep red, 8 ounce fruit resembles an acorn, with thick flesh and few seeds. Makes an excellent canning tomato!   Indeterminate vines.

-CHEROKEE PURPLE 82 days - Originally grown by the Cherokee Indians, this has been a popular tomato for over 100 years!  This relatively disease free tomato has pink-purple flesh, with a smoky, sweet flavor,  and grows 10 to 12 ounces, while the vines provide dense foliage.  Very unusual!   Indeterminate vines.

 -STRIPED GERMAN  80-90 days - A West Virginia variety that produces very large (up to 2½ pounds), red and yellow skinned fruits. The bi-colored flesh has a nice, slightly tart flavor and looks very attractive when sliced. Indeterminate vines.

Peppers:

-YOLO WONDER  75 days - A larger and more mosaic resistant variety than the California Wonder pepper.  The 2 foot plants grow thick walled peppers that mature to a beautiful red color, with dense foliage to help protect against sun scald.  A good choice!
-JALAPENO  70 days - A very popular hot pepper, used often in Mexican cuisine. The green, sausage shaped fruits are abundant on these 24-36 inch plants.   Excellent variety for pickling! 

-PEPPERONCINI (Italian)   72 days – These small, very mild peppers are 2-3 inches long and ½ inch wide.  Pick the fruit when green and use either fresh or pickled.  These small, bush type plants are originally from southern Italy, and are very fine flavored!    A gourmet's delight!

Eggplant:

-LONG PURPLE   80 days - This Italian favorite has plants that grow 25 to 35 inches, and bear 4 or more fruits per plant, each growing 8 to 10 inches.  A productive variety, with dark purple fruit.  A delight to eat!

Broccoli:

-DE CICCO   50-60 days - An old reliable European variety first  introduced in 1890.  The small, blue/green heads are delicious, and deliver lots of side shoots once the central head is harvested.   Excellent flavor!

Brussel Sprouts:

-LONG ISLAND IMPROVED   80-115 days – Was formerly the most widely grown brussels sprout in the United States!  The 20-24 inch plants produce a heavy set (50 to 100) of small dark green, 1½ inch diameter heads over an extended season.  Excellent choice for freezing.   More flavorful than the hybrid varieties!

 Cabbage:

-CHARLESTON WAKEFIELD 70-74 days - This Southern favorite produces very uniform, dark green, 4-6 pound, conical heads. Crisp and crunchy for cole slaw, but equally tasty cooked. Delicious when sauteed with bacon and onions.

Cauliflower:

-ALL THE YEAR ROUND  70 days - A good choice for cold frame planting. The large, tight heads are wrapped in dark-green leaves, and keep longer than many other varieties. Nice, delicious taste eaten raw or cooked. Excellent choice for freezing.

Beets:

-BULL'S BLOOD  55 days - This remarkably sweet variety looks as good as it tastes! The beautiful, dark red-purple tops make delicious baby greens, while the tasty roots are a good choice either fresh or canned!

Carrots:

-TENDERSWEET   75 days - This variety delivers a very uniform crop of 8-10 inch, red/orange carrots. A very sweet and nearly coreless carrot, that has finely grained, crisp flesh.    A good choice for freezing!

Onions:

-RED CREOLE   95-190 days - This medium sized onion has flat, red colored bulbs with red-purple flesh.   A short day variety of onion for growing in the south.  An excellent storage onion for warm climate areas!

-CRYSTAL WAX   90 - 185 days - This is a short day, white bermuda type onion for southern growers!    Use this medium- large sized onion  for fresh use, as it does not store well.  The white, coarse flesh is delicious and mild tasting.   An excellent choice for pearl onions!

Rutabaga: 

-AMERICAN PURPLE TOP  80 -120 days - This variety has long been the standard for both home and market!  The nearly globe shaped roots grow 4 to 6 inches in diameter, and have a light yellow skin with a purple top.  The flesh is a light yellow color, finely grained and sweet tasting.  A great choice for winter storage!

Peas:
- SUGAR SNAP  65 days – The original sugar snap pea!  An "All American Selection" winner in 1979.     The long growing vines can reach up to 6 feet and need support.  Use the 2½ to 3½ inch pods just like snap beans.  A very good producer that  freezes well!

Kale:

- EARLY SIBERIAN   65 days - This hardy and fast growing variety grows 14 inches tall, and has huge, slightly curled, blue/green leaves.   An excellent choice for southern states.

 - RUSSIAN RED  55 days - An heirloom favorite of many!  The red, frilly leaves with purple veins are oak-leafed shaped and are very tender and tasty.  An old, rare variety that dates back to 1885.

Melons:

 - SWEET SUMMER MIX  80 - 110 days - A wonderful selection of our best selling varieties. All sweet and juicy, this nice assortment will produce a crop of varying sizes, colors and flavors. A delicious taste of summer!

- LOUISIANA SWEET   90 days – This fine melon is known for its outstanding flavor.  The flesh is crisp, red and has a high sugar level, while the rind is green with darker green stripes.  The melons average 20–25 pounds each, and have some tolerance to Fusarium wilt and Anthracnose.  Very sweet!

Corn:

- LADY FINGER 105 days  - An Amish heirloom that produces short, stalky plants with multiple long, slender, 6½ inch ears of deep yellow kernels, with an occasional red and purple sprinkled in.  A very good flavored popper that also can be used for autumn decorating. 

- TRUCKER'S FAVORITE YELLOW 100 days - Yellow dent corn that can be eaten fresh as roasting ears. The stalks grow 8 to 9 feet, and have 8-10 inch ears with 14-18 rows of kernels. The dried kernels can be ground for flour or used as livestock feed.

Herbs:

- BASIL, SWEET  (Ocimum basilicum) -  A very popular herb, sweet basil can be used in tomato dishes, as well as soups, meat, vegetable and fish dishes.  Sow the seeds directly in the garden after the soil has warmed, or to get an early start, the seeds may be started inside 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost.  Basil grows rapidly and is a heavy feeder, so plenty of compost should be worked in the soil before planting.  Harvest often to ensure a continuous supply all summer long.  Basil loves a hot, sunny location in the garden, with a regular watering routine. The delicious leaves can be used either fresh or dried.  Height - 2 feet.   Annual.

 - CHIVES, GARLIC (Allium tuberosum) – The thin, flat leaves of this variety have a mild, garlic flavor.  An easy-to-grow herb for either a sunny or partially shaded location.  Height-12".  Perennial.

 - CORIANDER/CILANTRO (Coriandrum sativum) - The seeds of this herb can be used in flavoring candies, beverages, sauces and soups, while the crushed seeds are often used in cakes, custards and jellies. The fresh leaves are delightful additions in both Asian and Mexican cuisine.  Sow the seeds outside early spring, in a sunny location (the plants can withstand cold weather).  Harvest the leaves at any time for fresh use, as drying the leaves  will diminish their flavor.   Height - 1 to 3 feet.    Annual.

- DILL (Anethum graveolens) - The flower heads of the dill plant add a delicious flavor to pickles, or use the leaves of the plant to add zip to sauces, coleslaw, potato salad, or even fish!  Sow the seeds outside in early spring, around the time of the last frost, in a sunny, well drained location.  Gather the leaves while still young; pick the flowering tops just as fruits begin to form.   Height  - 2 to 3 feet.    Annual.

 - OREGANO, GREEK (Origanum vulgare hirtum) - The leaves of this delectable herb are a must in tomato sauces, pizza and other Italian dishes. Europeans often used it medicinally to treat coughs and bronchitis.    Prefers rich, well drained soil in a sunny location. Sow directly into the garden after the last spring frost; germination can be slow.  Can be dried for longer storage.   Height - 18 inches.     Semi hardy perennial.

 - PARSLEY, ITALIAN (Petroselinum crispum) – Dark green, flat leaf variety.  This parsley has a stronger flavor than the curled variety, and is used for more intense flavoring.  Excellent choice for drying and storing. Soaking the seeds overnight prior to planting will help speed germination, which  is otherwise slow, taking up to 3 weeks to sprout. Choose a sunny or partially shaded location, with rich, well drained soil.  Will regrow after it is cut.   Height - 15 inches.   Biennial, but grow as an annual.

 - SAGE (Salvia officinalis) -The traditional herb used to season poultry, pork, and tasty stuffings! The leaves can also be used to make a tea which may help relieve colds and sore throats. Start the seeds inside 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost, transplanting outside in a sunny, well drained location. The leaves can be used either fresh, or dried for longer storage.   Height - 18 inches.   Perennial.

Cucumbers:

- DELIKATESSE  (Cucumis sativus)  60 days – A German favorite that bears an abundant supply of delicious, pale green, 10 inch fruits.  The medium sized, rounded cukes have excellent taste and make great pickles when small, or use as slicers when larger.

Sunflowers:

-  SKYSCRAPER SUNFLOWER
Strong, 12 foot stalks with cheerful, 14", bright yellow flowers. Shows some heat and drought tolerance. Large, edible seeds! Annual. Sun.