Season’s End Sale - 40% Off Remaining "Packed for 2011" Seeds

We’re having a sale of our remaining "Packed for 2011" seeds to clear our shelves for the upcoming 2012 season.

To take advantage of this offer, use our special "Seeds on Sale" Order Form
Order now while supplies last!
 

"Crispy Colors Duo" Kohlrabi"

"Gourmet Golden" Heirloom Beets

Time to Plant a Second Season Garden

Mid to late summer months are a perfect for sowing seeds of short season varieties which tolerate cooler nights and shorter days and provide tasty fall harvests. We call this "Second Season Gardening". Read this month's feature article Gardening for a Second Season for planting information to extend your garden's production this year. For fall planting suggestions, also refer to our Kitchen Garden Plans  for both short and long season areas.

Vegetables and Herbs for Second Season Planting:

Cut and Come Again Mesclun Lettuce

"Neon Glow" Chard
 

"Perfuma Di Genova" Basil comparison trial -
Renee's variety in front
 

Bonsai  Container Tomato

August in the Trial Garden
 by Lindsay Del Carlo, Trial Garden Manager

Basil Extravaganza
The scent of sweet basil in the garden is something we look forward to every summer. This season, we are trialing our own ‘Profumo di Genova’ basil alongside two similar varieties from Dutch and Italian seed vendors. Once again, we are always searching for the best varieties to offer in the Renee’s Garden line. All three of these Genovese type basils germinated and grew well from seed. Now that the plants are maturing, it's clear that compared to the other two, our own Basil ‘Profumo di Genova’ has the best color with lovely deep green, large leaves and the most uniform and attractive plant habit. And most important, the flavor is outstanding; very clean tasting with a warm, well-balanced deliciously spicy-sweet fragrance. Renee confirmed this conclusion last weekend, with a big pesto making session using all three varieties followed by a tasting dinner. Comparing it to the other two varieties, we are glad to see that we are still offering the most handsome, productive and best tasting basil we can find, so we will stick with what we’ve got!

Bonsai Tomatoes and Golden Spaghetti Squash
We are also trialing some really interesting new container vegetables. One variety we are excited about like a “Bonsai” tomato, bred in England from Eastern European stock. These amazingly small and compact plants are loaded with fruit and produce very early. They perform nicely in a hanging basket or small containers and would enable any patio or apartment balcony gardener to have productive plants in a very small space. We'll see how they rate flavor-wise as they ripen up.
Another great container variety this season is our mini spaghetti squash trial. We have found a variety that grows nicely in a container, setting several pretty per plant, and appears to be quite early to harvest. If it tastes as good as it looks, then we will call this variety a winner and offer it in the future.

Cone Flowers in New Colors
This is the 2nd season that we have been evaluating a brand-new Echinacea (a.k.a. Cone Flower) mix that features all the new colors that have recently been developed in these beloved summer flowers. This variety is easy to grow and even begins flowering the first season from seed. Then in their second season, the plants get very full with lush basal leaves, and burst into bloom in a mix of lovely colors all summer. The large, bright flowers on their long stems make a focal point display in the garden and we will definitely offer them in the future.
 

Spaghetti Squash

Cone Flower Mix

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