In December and January, the seed catalogs start showing up in my mailbox. In this posting, I highlight some new varieties that caught my eye as I thumbed through the pages of these various catalogs. Some are new varieties, some are just new to me, and some are just plain wacky. Here are ten varieties that might interest you:
- Wasabi Arugula - this variety offered by Renee's Garden Seeds is supposed to have a spicy flavor profile that is similar to wasabi paste that is used to make sushi. I love hot hit of wasabi and am excited to try this in my garden this year. In the spirit of fair disclosure I want to let you know that Renee's sent me a sample packet of this variety at no charge.
- Amsterdam Seasoning Celery - When I first saw this, I thought it must be an herb that has a flavor that is similar to celery, but when I checked the taxonomic name, it's clear this is a true celery (Apium Graveolens). What makes this variety unique is that it has a growth habit that is similar to parsley. There are no thick stems - you eat the leaves and these are reported to have an intense celery flavor. You can find this variety offered by Renee's Garden Seeds.
- Patio Star Zucchini - half the size of a standard squash plant, this variety was bred specifically to be grown in a container. If you have a container garden, this compact plant may be the way to add zucchini without having the plants take over the whole patio. The plant produces full sized zucchini in 50 days and is offered by Territorial Seed Company.
- Rutgers CS Space Select - OK, this one was just so weird I had to mention it. As part of an experiment during the 1980's, NASA put tomato seeds into space and exposed them to cosmic radiation for 6 years. I assume NASA tested these upon return to the Earth to determine what impact an extended space flight would have on their germination and growth. Obviously not much, because the 12 million seeds that had been placed into orbit were subsequently distributed to schools for children to grow in the US and 30 foreign countries. These seeds offered by Territorial Seed Company are the direct descendants of that experiment. This tomato is a red slicing variety (2 inch diameter) that is open pollinated and matures in 75 days. Territorial does not specify this, but I believe this is a determinate tomato.
- Jetsetter VFFNTA Hybrid Tomato - If you're plagued by diseases that kill your tomato plants this short-season hybrid may provide a solution that allows you to grow tomatoes at home. This is a quick maturing (64 days), red, slicing tomato, but what makes it unique is that it is its outstanding disease resistance -- verticillium wilt, 2 strains of fusarium wilt, nematodes, tobacco mosaic virus and alternaria. That pretty much covers it. You can purchase seeds for this indeterminate variety from Tomato Growers Supply Company.
- Princess Larette Potato - A french potato that Burpee claims has a mildly nutty flavor that is similar to chestnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Burpee's description of this variety bears a very strong resemblance to a French variety that made a sensation in the US a number of years ago when served by chef super stars Charlie Trotter and Thomas Keller. That potato was called "La Ratte" and I believe that Burpee is selling the same potato under a name that is more appealing to U.S. consumers.
- Indigo Rose Tomato - Reddish purple tomatoes, often called "black" tomatoes, have been the rage for the past several years. I've grown a number of these including Black Krim, Paul Robeson, and Black Cherry and can attest to their excellence. Indigo Rose is a new introduction that is being sold by both High Mowing Organic Seeds and Johnny's Selected Seeds. This new variety makes other black tomatoes look pale by comparison. It really is amazingly black. The tomato produces 2 inch fruits on indeterminate plants in about 80 days.
- Chinese Green Luobo Radish - Over the past few years, I've seen an unusual variety of radish showing up in farmers markets and also in seed catalogs. This root vegetable is sold under a variety of names including Watermelon Radish, Chinese Red Meat, Shinrimei, and Rose Heart. These large, round, radishes are white on the outside with a green top and when you cut into them the center is red. I grew these several years ago and like them primarily for the beautiful presentation they make on a salad plate. As I looked through the Baker Creek catalog, I found a similar variety that I find even more visually appealing -- the Chinese Green Luobo. This cylindrically-shaped heirloom radish is white on the outside with a green top section. When you cut into the radish, the center is emerald green.
- Black Elephant Tomato - On the other end of the spectrum is perhaps the ugliest tomato I've ever seen. This Russian heirloom is misshapen, cracked and is brownish-purple in color. However, it is reported to be quite tasty. This indeterminate tomato matures in 80 days. Only Baker Creek could bring this tomato to the US market!
- Lina Sisco's Bird Egg Bean - This is an heirloom bean variety that was brought to Missouri in the 1880's. It was passed down to Lina Sisco, a founding member of the Seed Saver's Exchange, who donated it to the group in 1975. This large, tan shelling bean with maroon markings is now in the Seed Savers Exchange catalog. Planted in Spring, it will provide heirloom beans in about 85 days.
If you've seen a new variety that you think is appealing, please post a comment about it so that other readers of this blog can check it out.
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