How timely that the first of the 2010 garden catalogs appeared in the mailbox today. I’ve been busy choosing my favorite heirloom vegetable performers of the year and making final selections of varieties to grow next season. I hope to include a few heirloom flowers and ornamentals as well.
With July’s non-stop rain and August’s cooler than normal temperatures, these plants amazed me with their vigor. Late blight devastated tomato crops along the Northeast early this year, but the heirlooms in the garden remained untouched and the yields were tremendous. ( I thank God for that.) The peppers and beans were prolific in production and warm fall temperatures allowed a second harvest. Heirloom French winter squashes were the star performers of the garden this year… abundant and truly beautiful as well as delicious. They’ve earned a perennial spot in the line-up.
2009 Best Performers:
- Trionfo Violetto pole bean
- Chiogga beets
- Dragon Tongue bean
- Forellenschluss, Merlot, Lolla Rossa lettuces
- Rhubarb Chard
- Sunburst pattypan, Patissons Panache scalloped squash
- Rosa Bianca eggplant
- Rouge Vif d’Etampes pumpkin
- Galeux D’Eysine winter squash
- Corno di Toro pepper
- Mammoth Red Rock cabbage
- Cherokee Purple tomato
- Brandywine Pink tomato
- Amana Orange tomato
- Golden Ball turnips
- China Rose radishes
- Jenny Lind melon
- Amish Paste tomato
- Hungarian pepper
- Sweet Banana pepper
- San Marzano paste tomato
- Pepperoncini
- Blue Podded Pea
- Yellow Snow Pea
2010 vegetable garden:
- Musquee de Provence squash
- Jarrahadale Blue squash
- Telegraph Improved cucumber
- Prescott Fond Blanc melon
- De Bourbonne cornichon (gherkin) cucumber
- Navet Des Vertus Marteau turnip
- Boothby’s Blonde cucumber
- Moon and Stars watermelon
- Ancho Gigantea pepper
- Mini chocolate, yellow, red bell peppers
- Feher Ozan paprika pepper
- Tequila Sunrise pepper
- Chervena Chushka sweet pepper
- Beaver Dam pepper
- Waspsipinicon Peach tomato
- Great White tomato
- Vintage Wine Striped tomato
- Black from Tula tomato
- Silvery Fir Tree tomato (indoor growing now)
- Manyel tomato
- Black Cherry and White Currant cherry tomatoes
- Rattlesnake pole beans
- True Red Cranberry pole beans
- Christmas Lima pole bean
- Hutterite Soup bean
- Black Valentine bush bean
- Broad Windsor fava bean
- Red Garnet amaranth
That’s it! I’m looking forward to having more beans in the garden as well as trying new pepper varieties. Naturally, grinding fresh paprika and red pepper is appealing and right at home in the herb garden. For now, though, back to the indoor garden where it’s time to pot up the eggplant and peppers.
