Southern Gardeners' Collection
SOUTHERN COLLECTION
plants are
$3.00 each, plus shipping. All
plants
are shipped Priority Mail. Plants are well established in 2½"
square
pots that are 3½" deep to provide our customers with larger,
healthier plants. NOTE: Number of days from transplanting
until harvest is only for comparison purposes between varieties. Actual
number of days varies with location and growing conditions.
| CUSTOM
GROWING: Don't see that "must have" variety in our regular
offerings? We're happy to do custom sowings of unlisted
varieties, often at no extra charge! But you must order early
enough to
allow the plants to reach shipping size. More
Information |
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| Since
early shipping is the
point of these offerings, items ordered elsewhere on the site will
usually have to be shipped separately, and an additional shipping
charge
will apply. (Sweet potatoes may be combined with Southern Collection
orders, however, and will be shipped separately several weeks later.) Available
starting
early March. |
Southern
gardeners have different needs from those in the rest of the
country.
Their plants must withstand scorching heat, intense humidity, and
greater liklihood of pests and diseases. Summers in the South are
often
too intense for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants: gardeners there
frequently start an early planting in late February or early March, in
an effort to get a crop before summer shuts the plants down. Many
Southern growers like to plant again in late summer when the worst heat
has passed, for harvest into the autumn, and we'll offer a few
varieties
for the autumn garden as well. Ordering for fall plants begins in
June-email us for details.
We have
compiled the following list of varieties for spring planting for our
friends in the Deep
South. We've attempted to identify varieties that are well
adapted to
intense heat and humidity. All are open-pollinated, non-hybrid,
non-GMO
varieties. Most are either products of old-school
Southern university breeding programs, the rest are local Southern
heirlooms. Either way they have a good prospect of yielding in
the
intense conditions found nowhere else in the nation.
We offer these
varieties earlier in the spring than our main listings. We
anticipate availability on these varieties to run from early March to
early April 2012. Items marked "Southern Collection exclusive"
will be
offered only from this one advance sowing; these may not be available
outside of the listed Southern Collection ship season.
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Shipping
starting early March. Early
ordering is recommended. E-mail
us if you have questions.
abundantacres@yahoo.com
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TOMATOES
Arkansas
Traveler (Pink) $3.00
76-90
days
- Indeterminate, slicing.
Properly known as "Traveler" but more widely known as listed here. This
is a variety with a dubious history, having been released in 1971 by Joe McFerran of the
University of Arkansas Horticulture Department, which makes it
not
quite an heirloom to some, according to a UA publication.
Other
aficionados as stoutly maintain that the variety was released by
UA,
but over one hundred years ago! We don't know for sure as we
weren't
there in any case, but here's what we're sure of: Crack
resistant, blemish-free, nearly spherical
fruits are 8 to 16 ounces. Rose pink-to-red tomatoes have
superior
flavor. Large vines (to 7 feet) are productive, moderately disease
resistant and really take
the heat and humidity!
A Southern favorite, and indispensible in gardens here in Southern
Missouri as well.
Atkinson
(Red) $3.00
Southern Collection exclusive
75
days - Indeterminate. Bred by
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama and originally carried
by Corneli Seed Co. of
St. Louis, this Southern variety can grow up to 1 pound. It
has a
small core and meaty flesh. Green shouldered. Has good
resistance
to nematodes and fusarium wilt.
 Black
Cherry (Black)
$3.00
65-75
days -
Indeterminate, 1/2"-3/4", regular leaf, cherry
Beautiful
black cherries, look like large, dusky-purple grapes; they have that
rich flavor that makes black tomatoes famous. Large vines yield very
well.
Very unique and delicious.
Bonny
Best (Red) $3.00 Southern Collection
exclusive
75
days - Indeterminate. Introduced in 1908 by the Bonny Plant Farm
in Union Spring, Alabama; this fine all-purpose variety does well in
the South. The fruit is medium-sized and very meaty, with
few
seeds. While a wonderful table variety, this tomato is excellent
for canning.
Cherokee
Purple (Black) $3.00
80
days - Indeterminate. A favorite with everyone. This large
purple
tomato is juicy and sweet-flavored but with just enough acid for a
complex, smokey flavor. An old Cherokee Indian variety from the
1800's.
Depp's Pink Firefly (Pink)
$3.00 Southern Collection
exclusive
85
days - Indeterminate. Potato-leaf plants yield up to 1 lb of
dusky-pink
beefsteak tomatoes. Creamy, sweet tasting flesh. An old variety
from Glasgow, Kentucky; grown by Emily Depp Coy from
family-held
seed since 1890. Some cracking on shoulders looks like
fireflies. Very productive and beautiful.
Floradade
(Red) $3.00
80
days - Determinate. From
Dade County, Florida, comes a winning tomato for the humid
South;
developed by the University of Florida to be resistant to many of the
particular problems that afflict tomatoes in southern states.
Nice sized
fruit are round and smooth; plants are quite productive.
Georgia Streak
(Bicolor) $3.00
90 days -
Indeterminate. Introduced by Southern Exposure Seed
Exchange
in 1990. A stunning bicolor beefsteak type; a study in red
and yellow
inside and out! Red becomes more predominant as the fruits ripen
to perfection.
Luscious fruits may reach 2 lb! Flavor is mild and fruity.
Homestead (Red) $3.00
80
days - Semi-determinate.
Developed in the 1950's for growers in Florida
and the southern states, this 8 ounce tomato is wilt-resistant
and
productive.
At one time this was a very popular shipping variety. Firm, tasty
flesh, blemish-free under most conditions.
Lillian's Heirloom (Yellow) $3.00
80 days -
Indeterminate. From Lillian Bruce of Tennessee, this
wonderful and rare Yellow Beefsteak is rich and complex in flavor, but
produces very few seeds. Fruits can weigh up to 20 oz.
Plants are potato-leaved, not common in yellow varieties. Pale
yellow color and considered one of the best.
Old
Virginia (Red) $3.00 Southern Collection
exclusive
80 days -
Indeterminate. A great variety for the South. This variety
does very
well in the heat and can produce large crops of 8 to 12 ounce
fruit.
Wonderful full and rich tomato flavor from the past; smooth and
crack resistant. A
favorite from Southern Virginia.
Porter
(Red)
$3.00 Southern Collection
exclusive
75
days - Indeterminate. Developed by the V.O. Porter & Sons
Seed Company of
Texas. Reputed to do well in the humidity of East Texas; this red
tomato produces in drought conditions as well. The fruits are
small,
round and sweet. Excellent in salsas, sauces and juice.
Tennessee
Black (Purple) $3.00 NEW for
2012 Southern Collection
exclusive
80 days,
indeterminate, regular-leafed tomato. Gorgeous slicing-type fruits are
a as close to a true purple as can be found in tomatoes. Smooth skins
are nearly blemish-free. And the flavor is superb. There are scores of
local varieties emanating from the region of Tennessee and Kentucky; in
our opinion this is one of the best.
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PEPPERS
Cayenne, Long Thin $3.00
(Capsicum
frutescens) Hot - 90
days. Slender,
long peppers turn bright red and
are very hot.
The 2'-tall plants are vigorous and productive. This heirloom has been
popular many years for drying, using as a spice, and also
medicinally.
Adds heat to many a Chinese dish.
Charleston
Belle $3.00
Sweet,
bell - 70
days . The first nematode-resistant bell pepper. Large,
beautiful fruit
are smooth and of good quality. A great pepper for the south and
any
areas where nematodes are a major problem. Attractive, compact
plants
produce fairly early. Developed by the USDA at Charleston, South
Carolina.
Jalapeño,
Tam $3.00
70
days. A very tasty mild Jalapeño type, with the same unique
Jalapeño flavor but a lot less
heat. Great yields. Use in mild fresh
salsas.
Fish $3.00
Hot - 80 days.
Multi-colored,
striped fruits include
shades of brown, orange, white, red, and of course they all start out
green. Was used in
the Baltimore area before 1950. An African-American heirloom used
in
the fish and shellfish dishes of the region. Very ornamental
white and
green variegated leaves, often quite dramatic.
Tabasco $3.00
(Capsicum frutescens) Hot - 90 days. This
famous heirloom was introduced into Louisiana in 1848 and became the
main ingredient in Tabasco Pepper Sauce. This pepper is very hot
and
has a delicious flavor. The magnificent plants grow up to 4’ tall
and
are covered
with small, thin peppers. Needs a warm summer or can be grown as
a
potted plant. Fruit ripen from green to orange, then red.
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EGGPLANTS
Florida
Market $3.00
70-90
days. Productive plants to 38" tall are good for Southern
gardens.
Black-skinned 9" bell-shaped fruit fruit hold up well in the
sun.
Resistant to fruit rot and phomopsis blight, two maladies that are
prevalent in Southern gardens.
Listada
de
Gandia $3.00
75-90
days. Italian type 6-10" fruits are teardrop-shaped, white with
purple
stripes. Very popular heirloom originating in France in
1850.
Especially recommended for Southern gardeners.
Little Fingers $3.00
68
days - These fruits grow in clusters of 3 or more. They can be
harvested when no larger than your little finger. But if you choose to
let them grow, they will be as good as when harvested small, retaining
their mild flavor. Dark purple fruits.
Rosita
$3.00
70
days. Developed in Puerto Rico in the 1940's, Rosita is one
of
the loveliest eggplants around. Pink-Lavender skin and white,
mild
flesh. The fruit grows to 8 - 9 inches long and 3 -4 inches in
diameter. No need to peel these tender-skinned fruits.
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