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The Edamame Green Soybean Tohya, ‘Glycine max’, is so high in protein, it is called “the meat without bones”. When boiled, the beans are popped out of the pod into your mouth for a culinary delight. Edamame means “beans on a brach” and has quickly become a favorite vegetable. They are 40% protien, high in vitamins A, B, calcium and iron. They are also very high in fiber and essential fatty acids. Soy products are credited with lowering cholesterol. Tohya is a short season variety that is perfect for growing anywhere in North America and it is currently the most popular variety in Japan. Plant after the last average frost date. Tohya prefers loamy, slightly acid, well drained soils. Harvest in the green shelling bean stage. Wait for the pods to get plump but while they are still green. If the foliage starts to turn yellow, pull up the whole plant and harvest.

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The Swiss Chard Italian White Ribbed, ‘Beta Vulgaris’, is almost the perfect vegetable. The Italian White Ribbed Swiss Chard will grow in heat and cold, is nutritious, and has a long harvest period. White Ribbed Swiss Chard can either be steamed, stir-fried, or eaten fresh. Swiss Chard is a green that many seasoned gardeners claim everyone must grow. The leaves can be harvested from late spring continuing all the way to the first frost. It will also tolerate partial shade. Swiss Chard is actually a beet without the beet. instead of growing beets, the plant grows wide, dark green, heavily crumpled leaves that are very tasty. Plant in early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before last frost or as late as 2 months before first fall frost. In warm climates, plant in late summer for fall/winter crop. Chard grows best in in well drained soil with lots of organic matter.

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The Sage Tricolor, ‘Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’, has green, white, and purple varigated leaves and the color intensifies in full sun. Tricolor Sage is beautiul in the garden. Salvia officinalis is the basic sage long famed for culinary and medicinal value, but it is also highly decorative in the garden. It one-ups the usual Purple Sage by mixing green, white, & purple foliage on a single pubescent-leafed plant. Tricolor Sage is an extremely drought-hardy evergreen groundcover, Tricolored Sage is a perfect plant for a low-maintenance sun-garden. Europeans believe sage helps digest rich foods, which might account for its association with duck and game recipes there. Today sage is familiar as an essential ingredient in turkey stuffing. Crush or grind leaves to release full flavor and use to season soups, dressings, teas, cooked vegetables, and fish. To encourage a plentiful supply of young red-purple foliage gather the leaves regularly and prune lightly in July after flowering. This eye-catching variegated sage makes a perfect evergreen edge for a sunny border.

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The Basil Italian Large Leaf, ‘Ocimum basilicum’, is a sweet basil that is particularly good for pesto and is also excellent for fresh use. There is nothing like the smell of basil, it is the smell of summer. There is no more useful herb. The Italian Large Leaf Basil has just that, a larger leaf than other basils. It is a good all “around basil” and it has very few pests. Basil is used in so many foods, it is hard to mention them all. It is used in Italian foods and pesto and pasta sauces. Fresh basil makes a nice tea, an excellent vinegar, and tastes great fresh with fish, poultry, rice, mild vegetables, eggplant and many others. Plant 1 to 2 weeks after the last average frost date. Place the Basil seeds in well drained soil with lots of organic matter.

Check Prices at Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.

Check Prices at Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.

Check Prices at Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.

The Micro Greens Mild Mix, ‘Asst. Genera and Species’, is the latest, greatest, tastiest, and healthiest trend in upscale restaurants. This plant is very easy to grow and adds crispy texture and fresh flavor when used as a garnish on soups, on crackers, in sandwiches or in salads. Micro Greens can be grown any time of the year, even inside during the winter. Sow seeds and harvest when plants are 1 to 2 inches high. Micro Greens is a term used for both individual varieties of greens and for mixes of vegetable varieties. The Mild Mix contains assorted varieties including, Beet Bulls Blood, Pak Choy, Cabbage Red Ace, Kohirabe, and Swiss Chard Lucullus. Plant seeds every couple of weeks to keep getting crops all year around. Micro Greens prefer light, fertile, moist, and well drained soil. Harvest by cutting just above the soil line, rinse and use immediately.

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The Mint Spearmint, ‘Mentha spicata’, is a hardy perennial mint that has more uses than most herbs, such as, teas, cooking, and baths. Ever tried mint water? It is much more refreshing than a soft drink. The Spearmint Mint has pale, pinkish purple flowers during mid to late summer. The mint spreads quickly and can be invasive if not controlled. Mint is commonly grown in pots stuck in the ground for control. Mint is used for a variety of culinary and medicinal uses. The Mint is used in wide range of foods and drinks including tea, mint water, a sprig in lemonade, chopped and added to fresh cooked vegetables, enhances fish, meats, veal, eggplant, beans, fruit salad and jellies. It is reputedly used for indigestion, flatulence and colic. A cup of mint tea is used for insomnia and the leaves can be chewed for bad breath. Plant in the spring in most any kind of soil. This plant can be grown inside in a pot.

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The Squash Summer Early Yellow Crookneck, ‘Cucurbita pepo’, has a taste that has been described as creamy, mild, sweet, and buttery . The Early Yellow Crookneck is a versatile vegetable. It can be steamed, grilled on the barbecue, sauteed, added to salads, stuffed with lots of tasty delights, and made into bread. This compact plant produces lots of squash. This summer squash has a smooth light yellow skin with white flesh. Plant in the spring, 2 to 4 weeks after the last average frost date. Squash prefers well drained, rich soil with lots of organic matter. Harvest as soon as squash reaches at least 1 inch in length and up to 4 to 7 inches in length. Squash are most tender and flavorful when young.

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The Eggplant Little Fingers ‘Solanum melongena’, produces an abundance of slim long, dark purple, 6 to 8 inch fruits. Little Fingers is unique because of the fact that they can be harvested when they are no longer than your little finger. If left to grow longer, the flavor and thier sweet, mild taste are unaffected. Eggplant is a very international vegetable. The unique and tasty dishes cooked in japan, China, Italy, Russia and other countries make eggplant a useful and tasty vegetable for your garden. Try eggplant dipped in flour and sauteed in olive oil, stir fried with bean sprouts, peppers, and tomatoes, or roasted and combined with olive oil, chopped onions and tomatoes Plant in the spring, 3 to 4 weeks after the last average frost date. Warmer ground temperature promotes faster growth. If nighttime temperatures drop below 60 degrees, the fruit will not set. Eggplant prefers rich, deep, loose soils with large amounts of organic material. Provide 1 inch of water a week if it does not rain.

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The Basil Thai Siam Queen, ‘Ocimum basilicum citriodorum’, is a 1997 All America Selection. The Siam Queen has a delicious sweet and spicy flavor. The leaves are very aromatic with a licorice basil aroma. Thai Basil is known to the Vietnamese as “Hung Que”, and eaten raw with noodle soup and in Thailand as “Horapha”. The Siam Queen Thai Basil has leaves that are twice the size of other Thai Basils. The compact plant has beautiful pink and purple flowers on red purple stems which makes this basil a great container plant. Basil is used in so many foods, it is hard to mention them all. It is used in Italian foods and pesto and pasta sauces. Fresh basil makes a nice tea, an excellent vinegar, and tastes great fresh with fish, poultry, rice, mild vegetables, eggplant and many others. Plant 1 to 2 weeks after the last average frost date. Place the Basil seeds in well drained soil with lots of organic matter.

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The Orach Red Burgandy, ‘Atriplex hortensis ‘Burgandy’, a stunning dark raspberry color that will stand out in any garden. The Burgandy Orach makes a pretty backdrop in flower beds and it has the mild, edible spinach-like leaves. Orach is an old kitchen garden vegetable grown by American settlers, deserves more attention. It has a mild flavor that does not get bitter when the plant bolts. Orach is used in salads, cooked like spinach, or used to stuff leaves. Italians used it in pasta and the French and English used it as a side dish and in stews and soups. The Orach is also known as Mountain Spinach or French Spinach. Plant in early spring, 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date. Successive plantings can be made every 3 weeks for continuous fresh greens. Orach prefers light, textured, fertile, moist, and well drained soil. The leaves taste better when the soil is kept evenly moist. The best and most tender leaves are the ones from the top of the plant and/or from young plants.

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The Turnip Purple Top White Globe, ‘Brassica rapa’, is a vegetable you may not have tried. Turnips are sweet and mild and are grown by some for the very tasty greens. The very tasty, sweet and mild roots are eaten fresh or cooked like potatoes. The greens are even more nutritious and are considered one of best flavors in the greens category. Purple Top White Globes store particularly well. Plant in early spring, 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost or when ground temperatures reach 45 degrees. Successive plantings every 3 weeks until mid-summer can provide continuous greens. Purple top prefers well drained soil with lots of organic matter. Harvest when turnips are no larger than 2 inches in diameter. Greens can be harvested when young and tender.

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The Squash Summer Black Beauty Zucchini, ‘Cucurbita pepo’, has very tender, creamy white, flavorful flesh. The Black Beauty Zucchini plant is compact and bush like. This squash is a very versatile vegetable. They can be steamed, grilled, sauteed, eaten raw in salads, made into relish, and made into breads. If left on the vine, they can grow very large. Very large squash can become too pithy to eat. The Black Beauty squash has a dark green skin. Plant in the spring, 2 to 4 weeks after the last average frost date. Squash prefers well drained, rich soil with lots of organic matter. Harvest after the first or second light frost. Squash is ready to harvest when the stem and skin hardens. Winter squash cannot be overripe, but they can be under ripe.

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The Mustard Greens Southern Giant Curled, ‘Brassica juncea’, has a zippy, spicy flavored foliage. The Southern Green Curled Mustard has a very nutritious leafy green that should be in everyone’s garden. Southern Giant is known for its desirable flavor when cooked in stir fry and soups or when young leaves are used in fresh salads. Mustard can tolerate light frost and actually tastes slightly sweeter after a light frost. Mustard Greens is an annual cool season vegetable with 10 to 12 inch tall, large, long, oval, bright green leaves that are curled on the edges. Plant in the early spring, 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost or in late summer for fall harvest. Mustard Greens prefer rich, moist, and well drained soil with lots of organic matter. Mustard likes cool roots, so mulching will help keep the roots cool. If allowed to flower, the yellow flowers are also edible. The Southern Giant can also be grown in a container.

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