The Cherokee Purple tomato is said have originated more than 100 years ago with the Cherokee people. This beefsteak-type fruit is deep purple with green shoulders, is densely textured and has a mild, sweet tomato flavor. Because it is an open-pollinated heirloom variety, seeds are easily saved from year to year and return true to type.
The fruits of Kellogg’s Breakfast are a brilliant orange and have a tangy flavor. They are thin-skinned and meaty with very few seeds. This tomato variety is the favorite of many gardeners. An open-pollinated heirloom, it hails originally from West Virginia, but was acquired by a Michigan breeder named Darrell Kellogg. Plants must be properly trellised or staked as the fruits are very heavy and the vines alone cannot support them.
The Sweet 100 cherry tomato is a hybrid variety that bears hundreds of super-sweet bright-red fruits all season long. Because the plant can grow quite large, a good staking system or tomato cage is necessary.
Known as a sauce tomato, this productive, egg-shaped heirloom is one of the largest paste tomatoes.
Hailing from Italy, these thin and pointy plum heirloom tomatoes are preferred by many for its saucing and canning qualities. Prized for its sweet flavor and low acidity, the San Marzano is the only tomato that can be used for Neapolitan pizza.
Lettuce becomes bitter as the weather warms and will bolt (or flower) as the days grow longer. If slugs become a problem, use an iron phosphate bait to control them.
Swiss chard is easy to grow, highly productive, beautiful, tasty and totally underappreciated. Plants may bolt (or flower) during hot summer weather. Use leaves as a spinach substitute in any recipe or sautéed in olive oil with a bit of garlic.
Kale thrives in cool weather and is very frost tolerant, making it a great veggie for four-season gardens. Most varieties sweeten after a hard frost, so late-season harvests are often most flavorful. It’ a beautiful and nutritious vegetable that can be used in soups or stir-fries. It’s also delicious braised and sautéed.
Cabbage is an easy-to-grow, dependable vegetable that is useful for soups, slaws, stirfries and many ethnic dishes. Many different cabbage types and colors are available, making this vegetable as diverse as it is nutritious. Cover plants with floating row cover to deter cabbage worms, loopers and aphids.
Broccoli is an easy-to-grow, nutritious plant. Protect plants from aphids, cabbage worms and loopers by covering with a floating row cover until harvest. For an added splash of garden interest, grow purple or chartreuse varieties.
Cauliflower gets a purple tinge when the blanching process is delayed. It’s harmless and doesn’t affect the taste, but it will turn an unappetizing grayish cast when cooked. Orange and purple varieties (like Cheddar and Graffiti) are delicious show-stoppers that retain their beautiful colors when cooked.
Collards are a fairly disease- and pest-resistant cool-season crop grown in spring and fall. As a winter-hardy crop, they are often sweetened by frosts. They are vigorous growers, high in many nutrients. Use in soups and stir-fries or sauté with a bit of olive oil.
