Vegetable

Imagine slicing that first, big, beautiful bunch of celery from the earth in your garden. Homegrown celery is crisp, juicy, and flavorful fresh from the garden. Leafy tops are delicious in soups and stews. Harvest outer stalks when they are at least 6" tall or harvest entire bunch when stalks have reached 10"-12". Cut with a sharp knife at the base. Harvest in the morning. Dunk celery in ice water and drain before storing to reduce field heat. If celery is bitter, refrigeration for 2 to 3 days will reduce bitterness. Plant in a place where it is shaded in the hottest part of the day.

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A staple in the South, collards are a nutritious and versatile vegetable that grows in hot or cold regions with ease. 'Georgia Southern' has been enjoyed since the 1800s. The large leaves not only make delicious steamed greens, they also make fantastic wraps (a low-calorie substitute for tortillas), and when young, hearty salad greens. Fall frosts make them sweeter, and they may overwinter, as they can survive temperatures down to 20°F. Excellent container variety.

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A gardener's favorite since 1894 but hard to find in grocery stores, this unusual, eye-catching, lemon-sized cucumber has excellent flavor and is a great slicer or pickler. It is scrumptious eaten with the skin and all just like you would an apple; non-bitter and burpless. Plants are more drought tolerant than other varieties.

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Introduced in 1968 by Cornell University, 'Marketmore' is a beautiful, dark green cucumber that's ready to pick when 6"–8" long. Fruits keep their size and shape even under poor weather conditions unlike other varieties that may curl and become misshapen. The 4'–6' long vines continue to produce with regular picking. Disease resistant.

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Vigorous dark green to black leaves of this 18th century heirloom are traditionally used in soups and stews, or sautéed with olive oil and garlic and tossed with pasta. Delizioso! Sown in the spring, you can harvest the first shoots as tender young salad greens or achieve full-sized plants in two months. Try kale in a pesto! Also known as dinosaur kale, black Tuscan kale, black cabbage, and black palm. Can be grown in ground or in containers.

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Originally developed at Clemson University and improved in 1980 for an earlier, more productive harvest. These heat-loving plants produce dark green, grooved, straight pods with a full-bodied flavor that okra lovers find utterly delectable. Related to hollyhocks, the plants' beautiful flowers make them a pretty addition to the flower garden and they attract pollinators. Okra pods can grow up to 9" long, but are best harvested at about 3"–4" for culinary use, before they become tough. The pods of 'Clemson Spineless 80' are dark green, straight, and slightly grooved.

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'NuMex Joe E. Parker' is the ideal pepper for roasting, stuffing, or canning, in addition to using fresh. This pepper has thick walls, uniform, 6"-8"-long fruit, with few seeds and big yields! Very productive plants. Peppers turn red when mature. 500-2,500 Scoville heat units (mild).

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One of the most popular chiles in Mexico! The green, 3"-6" poblano is most often stuffed with cheese or meat for chiles rellenos (recipe inside this packet), and the dark, reddish-brown dried ancho is used in a variety of sauces, such as the traditional "mole poblano". 1,000-2,000 Scoville Heat Units (mild).

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Lots of bold flavor in a small, 3" pepper, 'Early Jalapeño' is better adapted to cooler climates than other jalapeños. Incredibly versatile, they're hot enough to add a little kick to your favorite dish, but mild enough for any meal. Enjoy green or allow to ripen to red for a sweeter, bolder flavor. Jalapeños rate 2,500–5,000 Scoville heat units (medium hot).

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Uniquely beautiful, as these peppers grow, they change from a creamy lime color to deep purple and eventually red, with a contrasting lime-green interior. Productive, very early, compact plants. 'Purple Beauty' is sure to deliver no matter your climate! Also grown for its ornamental quality; great in containers.

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This sweet red pepper from Italy has somewhat elongated fruit up to 12" long and 3" across at the shoulders. Ideal for frying and tasty green as well as red. An early variety known for its high yields.

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Decorate with paint or glitter for pretty accents, or fill with your favorite stuffing, casserole, soup, or custard for a fun appetizer. These tiny, delicious pumpkins are 3"–4" across and 2" tall. Compact vines (3'–5' long) grow 6–10 fruits on each plant. Can be grown in a large container and trellised to grow vertically. When growing in containers, use one that is at least 5 gallons, and 18" deep; only 1 plant per container.

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A superb pumpkin for carving since 1956! 10" tall, 10" diameter, 10–18 pounds, and stores for months. It has a fine taste as well.

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This 100-year-old heirloom favorite hailing from the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas produces goodly numbers of rich flavorful tomatoes. Deep pink when ripe, the round 6-8 oz. fruits artful balance of sweetness and tartness accounts for its standing as one of the very best heirloom varieties. Disease-resistant, indeterminate (will continue to produce fruit through frost) vines.

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San Marzano' may very well be the mother of all paste tomatoes, as it is believed by some tomato aficionados to be the parent of almost all the paste tomatoes bred in the U.S. since the 1920s. For generations, Italians have cherished this large, paste tomato as the very best for sauce and canning, and when it comes to sauce, Italians would know! Vigorous vines reach 6' or more. Indeterminate (will continue to produce fruit through frost).

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Rare in grocery stores, 'Sun Gold's' plump, tangerine-colored fruits are a special treat at the peak of flavor in the garden-very sweet and juicy! Provide support for vigorous vines that easily reach 6' long. Pick a bit early and ripen indoors at room temperature. Low-acidity tomato. Disease resistant. Indeterminate (will continue to produce fruit through frost).

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Cherry tomatoes bursting with sugary flavor. The scarlet, cherry-sized fruits are produced in long pendulous clusters right up to frost. Grow on stakes or a fence. Indeterminate (will continue to produce fruit through frost).

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Max's Gold' zucchini has a beautiful color outside and flavorful, firm squash inside. Long, straight fruits have a small seed cavity, meaning there's more delicious squash to eat. It's ideal for grilling, snacking on fresh, or adding to salads. Harvest frequently so that plants continue to produce throughout the summer months.

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This highly productive bush-type heirloom from the 1920s takes up relatively little garden space. Dark green, shiny fruits with tender skin and creamy, white flesh are very versatile in the kitchen. They are ideally picked when 6-8" long, but can be picked as a baby vegetable. Can be steamed, sautéed, added to soups, omelets, and breads, made into relish, and eaten raw in salads or with dip.

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