Lifestyle

Fruit, vegetable gardeners select exotic varieties

Posted January 29, 2010 10:00 pm

By Deborah Donovan

Tendersnax carrots grow 5 or 6 inches long, says Park Seed. Parkseed.com

So what beauty did Burpee Gardens put on the cover of its 2010 catalog? A new dahlia? The exclusive Señora zinnia? Or the Fancy Dress petunia?

Of course not.

The Tye-Dye tomato garnered the place of honor for the venerable company.

The Burpee catalog presents pages of tomatoes, not to mention a two-page spread on peas, the same for peppers and potatoes, and we could go on and on.

Burpee also touts The Cook's Garden as a source for more exotic choices, including Piquillo pepper, which is an heirloom from Northern Spain, and the artistically gorgeous broccoli named Romanesco.

And of course, this company is not alone. Local garden centers as well as mail-order businesses are stocking up on seeds and plants so you can grow your own food.

Many trends combine to dot apartment balconies with containers of vegetable plants and to expand plots in large suburban yards.

These trends include a desire for hard-to-find gourmet varieties, a need many of us feel to save money, the move toward sustainability and eating food grown locally, and concerns about food safety.

And lush-looking raspberry bushes plucked up at your favorite garden center will start producing fruit this season, said Kathy Koral, sales representative for Zelenka Nursery, a wholesale grower in Grand Haven, Mich.

You don't need huge acreage to grow raspberries, blackberries or that antioxidant favorite, blueberries, she said.

Burpee's Piñata Mix of peppers gives cooks a choice of colorful heat. Burpee.com

Here's the cover tomato-Tye-Dye from Burpee. Burpee.com

Piquillo pepper is an heirloom from northern Spain, available from The Cook's Garden. cooksgarden.com

Do you eat Broccoli Romanesco or decorate with it? The Cook's Garden says either plan works. The Cook's Garden

Plant Cherries Jubilee in a container on your patio and enjoy as many as 500 mini tomatoes, says Burpee. Burpee.com

Park Seed calls it Pumpkin on a Stick, but it's an ornamental eggplant. Parkseed.com

Catalogueuena Garnet Stem endive scores well in taste tests, too, says George Ball, owner of The Cook's Garden. The Cook's Garden

Burpee recommends getting double duty by planting Triple Crown blackberries as a hedge. Burpee.com

Burpee promises spring, summer and fall yields from the new Seascape strawberry. Burpee.com

Dove melon is sweet, sweet, sweet, says Park Seed. Parkseed.com

Pea shoots from Taiwan give you yummies in two to four weeks, says The Cook's Garden. Cooksgarden.com

RSVPea grows fast enough for cooler climates, says Burpee. Burpee.com

If you want your watermelon orange and seedless, Park Seed recommends Orange Sweet. Parkseed.com

Growing guides Here are some catalogs and Web sites where you can gather ideas for your edible garden. • Burpee, <a href="http://burpee.com" target="new">burpee.com</a>, (800) 333-5808. • The Cook's Garden, <a href="http://cooksgarden.com" target="new">cooksgarden.com</a>, (800) 457-9703. • Johnny's Selected Seeds, <a href="http://johnnyseeds.com" target="new">johnnyseeds.com</a>, (877) 564-6697. • Logee's Tropical Plants, <a href="http://logees.com" target="new">logees.com</a>, (888) 330-8038. • Park Seed, parkseed.com, (800) 213-0076. • Renee's Garden, <a href="http://reneesgarden.com" target="new">reneesgarden.com</a>, (888) 880-7228. • Seed Savers Exchange, <a href="http://seedsavers.org" target="new">seedsavers.org</a>, (563) 382-5990. • White Flower Farm, <a href="http://whiteflowerfarm.com" target="new">whiteflowerfarm.com</a>, (888) 466-8849. Information on more companies is available from the Mail Order Gardening Association at <a href="http://mailordergardening.com" target="new">mailordergardening.com</a>, (410) 540-9830.

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