Redlands, 12 Jan, 16:45 hr, warm and sunny. Why we live here in Southern California!

By now, most of your mailboxes should be brimming with garden and seed catalogs for the upcoming  spring and summer planting seasons. If you are like us, you have been filling your quiet time pouring through the pages of these catalogs, highlighting and circling plants and ideas that catch your eye, dreaming of spring.

Perhaps you have gone as far as to begin a list. You know the list needs revising, but heck, we have plenty of time for that, don’t we? Yes and No.  For the home gardener, yes there is still plenty of time to get your list finalized and your seeds ordered. For us as growers, we have already begun sowing the seeds of 2011. 

But not all of them, which gives us time to have this chat.  We have spent the past several weeks reviewing what plants were hits last year and those that fell by the wayside. Who knew we would constantly sell out of large leaf basil and  almost all varieties of mint? Who knew that melon sells would a flop? [really don't understand this one - we grew varieties one never sees at grocery stores and seldom at farmers markets, except that they do take a lot of space]

 Friends, we would love it if you would share with us what is on your list.  It’s a win /win situation for us both. We will focus on  growing  exactly what the community is looking for and you have a local source of naturally grown heirloom vegetable and herb starter plants to fill your warm season gardens!

Our focus this year when selecting seed was to offer you more varieties to try. Some of these varieties were only available to us in very small quantities [sometimes less than 1/8 ounce] versus the ounce or pound size we normally choose. This means that some plants will be in very limited quantity from the beginning. We suggest that after browsing our list for 2011, if something catches your eye, please email us.  

Speaking of emailing us, from now through 3/1/2011, we are offering you, our local customers and garden buddies a 10% discount. Simply email us with your wish list, drop us a check [we will email you with your discounted balance and mailing address] and your plants will be waiting for you at our booth at the Redlands Saturday Morning Farmers Market at the date of your choosing. It’s that simple.

And what varieties of herbs and heirloom have made their way onto our top-secret growing list? Okay, it’s not top secret but know there will be more available come spring and summer than what is on this list. [followers of our online newsletter will always have first peek so do sign up ]

Drum roll, please! Here are some of the heirloom we are growing  for 2011: [*Note: List is subject to change. Plants may vary due to pest, weather and seed viability. Some varieties are going to be VERY limited as only a small amount of seed was sourced.] 

Artichoke: Globe

Garlic: Inchelium Red

Pole Beans: Rattlesnake, Old Homestead, Cherokee Trail of Tears 

Broad Beans: Extra Precoce A Grano Violetto

Long Bean: Chinese Red Noodle

Edamame Beans: Black & Envy

Beets: Golden, Bassano, Bull’s Blood

Cucumbers: De Bourbonne, Fin de Meaux, Poona Kherra, Mexican Sour Gherkin, Boothby Blonde & Lemon

Eggplant: Listadi di Gandia, Rosa Bianca, Little Fingers

Oriental Greens: Japanese Giant Red Mustard, Mizuna, Tatsoi

Specialty Greens: Creole collards, Garden Cress, Mustard Greens, Arugula, Burgundy Amaranth, Savoy, Shungiku, Mache. Mesclun Salad Mix

Kale: Lacinato, Red Russian

Chard: Ruby Red, Rainbow, Fordhook Giant

Lettuce: Red Salad Bowl, Green Salad Bowl, Amish Deer Tongue, Oak Leaf, May Queen, Little Gem, Forellenschluss, Mervelle des Quatre Saisons, Rouge d’Hiver, Freckles

Melons: Ananas, Crenshaw, Crane, Bidwell Casaba, Gaucho, Melon de Castillo, Sakata, Tigger,  Thai Pai Sai. Ogen

Peppers: California Wonder, Corno Di Toro, Hungarian Hot Wax, Joe E. Parker, Purple Beauty, Corne de Chevre, Italian Pepperocini

Snow & Snap Peas: Corne de Belier, De Grace, Oregon Sugar

Summer Squash: Costata Romanesco, Tondo Scuro di Piacenza. Ronde di Nice

Pumpkins: Black Futzu

Spinach: Bloomsdale Savoy

Tomato: Yellow Perfection, Cherokee Purple, Yellow Brandywine, Brandywine, Red Pear, Grandma’s Oliver Green, Green Zebra, Golden Jubilee, Henderson’s Pink Ponderosa, Pink Oxheart, Black Prince, Creme Brulee, Sara Black, Beefsteak, Cour di Bue, Principe Borghese, Thessaloniki,  St. Pierre, Anasas Noir, Hawaiin Pineapple.

Herbs:

Basil: Lettuce Leaf, Siam Queen, Dark Opal, Lemon, Cinnamon

Fennel: Florence

Parsley: Flat Leaf Italian

Chives: Garlic

Lemon Balm

Marjoram

Oregano: Greek, Italian, Hot  & Spicy, Zaatar

Cilantro: slow -bolt,

Chamomile: Roman & German

Chervil

Calendula

Cumin

Dill: Dukat & Vierling

Epazote

Rue* non-edible, use as a companion plant or flea, fly stinging insect repellent

Geranium: Rose, Lemon, Nutmeg, Apple

Lavender: French, Provence, Grosso. Ms. Katherine, Hidcote

Bay Laurel – one gallon size

Aloe Vera – one gallon size

Feverfew

Lemon Grass – one gallon

Lemon Verbena

Mint: Peppermint, Spearmint, Chocolate, Corsican

Rosemary: Tuscan Blue, Kebob

Sage: Berggarten, grey, purple, golden, tangerine

Savory: Winter & Summer

Sorrel: Blood Veined, Garden

Stevia

Aztec Sweet Herb

Tarragon: French & Spanish

Thyme: French, English, Caraway, Lemon, Lemon Rose

Vietnamese Coriander

Fenugreek

Lovage

Edible Flowers