2013 Vegetable Varieties

11 years ago

Well I've ordered most of my seed for the upcoming year, but still considering some other varieties. I'm expanding my garden from a 40x30 plot to 60x40 this year so I'm trying some new varieties, plus I have a lot of family members and co-workers that are always willing for any extras. I was hoping someone may give me some suggestions on varieties they really enjoy versus one I had selected. I'm growing a little bit of everything else to so if you had a favorite of another vegetable not listed, I'd appreciate the advice.

Beans (planning for either 2 or 3 60' rows): Emerite, Fortex, Kentucky Blue, Rattlesnake, and Asparagus (Yard Long)

Trying a few different types since I wasn't to happy with the bush variety I tried last year. I'm unsure of the name, but the weather may have had something to do with it in the Midwest.

Corn (8-9 60' rows total): Early Sunglow, Lancelot, Silver Queen; Potentially 277A/Sun & Stars

I'm open for suggestions here. I'm thinking of switching Silver Queen out for the 277A and/or Sun & Stars (Burpee Exclusive) since I have been seeing good reviews on here.

I know I have to space the the different types of corn apart to avoid cross pollination. I've read they need to be around two weeks apart, so Early Sunglow (SU) is ~63 days and Lancelot (SE) is ~79 days which should allow me to plant them at the same time. The others would be spaced two weeks apart in small blocks (4-5 rows) to continue to have fresh corn all season. Also I will probably try an SH2 variety once I pick the Early Sunglow block since the soil should be warmer by that time in June.

Peppers (1-2 plants each of the hot varieties): California Wonder, Flavorburst, Pine Tree Seeds Hot Pepper Mix, Italian Pepperoncini, Pepperoncini (Greek)

Squash: Ambassador, Eightball, Horn of Plenty

This are all new, but the Eightball zuchini looked interesting for stuffed recipes.

Tomato: Black Cherry, Supersweet 100, Sungold, 4th of July, Brandywine (Pink & Yellow), Mortgage Lifter, Porterhouse Hybrid, Cherokee Purple, Better Boy, Early Girl

A few of these are simply to try so I'm only planning one or two plants, but others I want for slicing and making salsa/sauce. What has everyone else had good luck using for salsa and tomato sauce? I've thought about trying the new Supersauce variety available through Burpee. I normally just use early girls, better boys, and big boys, but thought I may as well try something else this year.

Watermelon: Ruby & Tom Watson Watermelon

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Comments (8)

digdirt2
11 years ago
That is an awfully lot of stuff for a 40x60 plot. If I understand your plan correctly then the beans and some corn will fill it up to over-flowing. So how do you plan to fit 3 60' rows of pole beans and 8-9 60' rows of corn into the space and still have room for the peppers, squash and tomatoes?

Do you do food preserving - freezing and canning? One 60' row of Fortex pole beans will give you plenty of beans for canning. The corn, consider shorter rows and more of them. Silver Queen is a personal favorite so I'd keep it and forget the Lancelot but that is just my opinion.

As for the tomatoes, you'll get 100's of differing personal opinions. Personally I'd skip all the cherry types except for Sungold and plant more of the larger varieties to use for sauce etc. Early Girl and 4th of July are a waste of garden space IMO when there are so many better ones out there but again that is just one opinion. And instead consider one of the great paste or heart tomatoes to use with the ML and Porterhouse for sauce making.

JMO

Happy gardening! :)

Dave
User
11 years ago
Viva Italia (hybrid) tomato is one of my favorite paste-types. It's rather heat tolerant and cans well. Determinate type...decent amount of natural sweetness.
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Rollen
Original Author
11 years ago
Digdirt,

I guess I should've clarified that I did not mean that many rows of each type.I'm planing 2-3 total rows of beans and 8 total rows of corn mixed with those types. So I was thinking of doing multiple 15 foot sections 4 rows deep for corn spaced two or so weeks apart. This would allow me around 8 "plots" of corn. This would allow fresh corn throughout the year and be able to freeze leftovers in smaller, more manageable quantities at a time.

Yes, I do pressure can as well. The reason I was trying Lancelot is a friend has suggested it.
fusion_power
11 years ago
IMO, there are a lot of improvements you can make.

The bean selections are decent, you will like Emerite and Fortex. Rattlesnake is a heat tolerant workhorse. Ky blue and Asparagus are IMO, overkill.

Silver Queen corn is still preferred by millions, but you might consider Silver King which is an se variety with most of the good traits of SQ. I would grow Breeders Choice or Early Choice instead of Early Sunglow. While some people love the extra sweetness of the sh2 varieties, you might consider a synergistic variety instead. They combine the sweetness of an sh2 with other traits that improve flavor and texture.

Peppers get personal. Orange Bell is the best flavored bell pepper I've grown. If you like a sweet Italian type, look at Stocky Red Roaster from wildgardenseed.com For hot peppers, choose them by use instead of by quantity. Here are a few mixed varieties worth looking at: Poblano, Italian Frying, Chapeau de Frade (wonderful flavor!), and Trinidad Seasoning. The pepperoncini's are good peppers so include them.

I won't mess with the squash, there are lots of good varieties, but you might as well grow what you have listed and see if you like them.

Tomatoes like Supersweet 100, Better Boy, and Early Girl are somewhat limited. Better Boy is decent, but you could easily get seed of Ramapo and Big Beef which will outperform in your climate and have excellent flavor. Fourth of July is an early variety, don't grow more than 1 or 2 plants. I would suggest Bear Creek, Kellogg's Breakfast, Black From Tula, and Eva Purple Ball to expand your flavor potential.

DarJones
foolishpleasure
11 years ago
Have you ever tried 'Molokhia' It is an ancient Egyptian vegerable when cooked it turns into green soup. It was the favorite food of the Egyptian kings. Some people call :Jewish spinish. I grow it here and I love it. You can buy green drinks from Health food stores I do not know if this plant is included within the ingredients or not.
tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM
11 years ago
On stuffing squash, I really like Ronde de nice for stuffing, the squash themselves are smaller than eight ball and therefore do better as an individual serving versus the larger eight-ball. The plants are fairly compact as well.
MrClint
11 years ago
I recommend Costata Romanesco zucchini. It has the best texture and flavor of any other summer squash, IMO.
emgardener
11 years ago
Sweet Million cherry tomato is the best I've grown. The supersweet 100s are too watery for me and they crack to easily. Sweet million's are sweet and still retaining a rich tomato flavor. And they don't crack as easily.

Kentucky Wonder beans are my favorite. Although a minority opinion, they taste better to me than Kentucky Blue's. I'll try Fortex again next year, but they never have produced as much as the Kentucky Wonders.

2013 Vegetable Varieties

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digdirt2

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2013 Vegetable Varieties

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digdirt2

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tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM

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Rollen
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