I finally finished buying/ordering my seeds! I really get myself into a tizzy trying to decide what varieties to get, particularly when it comes to tomatoes and peppers. I go back and forth from one website to another, trying to choose which one has the most varieties I want. I want to get as many organic, heirloom seeds as possible, but still get varieties I think will do well. I don’t want to pay shipping to too many places, so I want to keep it to just one, if possible. I also like to buy locally. Sheesh!
I bought most of my seeds from Botanical Interests, who are located not far from here. After searching through their selections online, I purchased a large amount of seeds from my local nursery the other day. (On Tuesdays it is Senior Day, and I get 10% off.) What I couldn’t get from them, I ordered from High Mowing Seeds and Tomato Growers. My criteria? Besides wanting organics and heirlooms, I’m a bit picky about what I want.
Tomatoes: I want a variety that will produce well in my climate and mature at different times, based on the types of tomatoes. I have a trellis structure to use for a limited number of indeterminates, but I prefer determinate varieties for my paste/saucing tomatoes, so they’ll ripen pretty much at the same time for large pots of sauces and canning. SO! I’m getting 4 indeterminates: one cherry, one early slicing variety, and two paste varities. I’m getting 6 determinates: 3 paste varieties for sauces/canning, 1 paste that should be good for drying, and 1 early slicing variety. What did I choose? San Marzano, Amish Paste, Sugar Sweetie, Red Siberian, Bush Beefsteak, Oroma (these I did last year and they were very good for sauces & canning!), Rio Grande, Martino’s Roma and Principe Borghese. For sauces & canning diced tomatoes, I like large paste varieties that have more meat and few seeds.
Peppers: I love red, yellow & green sweet peppers, which I freeze and roast and eat. Last year I grew some anaheims, which were great to roast and freeze, and I love the ability to reach into the freezer and dice them up for Mexican dishes at a moment’s notice. I also like jalapenos made into jelly and frozen, pepperoncinis canned for sandwiches and salads. So this year I’m getting: California Wonder, Canary Bell, Mini Belles, NuMex Joe E. Parker, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Golden Greek Pepperoncini, Hot Cayenne.