2014 Catalog Bountiful Gardens Heirloom, Untreated, Open-Pollinated Seeds for Sustainable Growing A Project of Ecology Action Bountiful Gardens is a non-profit. Since 1982 we have been educating gardeners about gardening organically and sustainably. All of our seeds are open-pollinated and untreated. New for 2014 VON-4589 Mill Creek Red Onion–115 days. We saw some red Contents onions at the farmer’s market and found About our work 4-7, 78-79 that they were the last of the onions that What the Seed Codes Mean 8 had been bred by local nursery owners Joe and Wanda Turi, who had since Spacing/Area Chart 8 died. We bought the whole box and How To Reach Us 76 took it to Ellen Bartholomew at Golden Rule Garden, who grew our seedstock. SEEDS 9-59 We could not meet the demand for this rare heirloom in 2012 and were unable to offer it last year, but Vegetables 9-32 thanks to Ellen, Jeff Myers, and Jason Menesini, we have been Mixes and Collections 33-35 able to multiply the seed to where we can offer it once again. Mill Compost Crops 36-39 Creek was the name of the Turi’s nursery. This is a Stockton Red Inoculants 63 type, bolt-resistant and very long-keeping. The USDA trials in our area found it to be the only onion they trialed that did equally well Grains and Fibers 40-45 planted either spring or fall. A very special heirloom onion. 100 Oil Crops and Forage Crops 46 seeds GB $2.50 Wild Trees and Shrubs 47-48 VLE-4127 Bronze Goldring Lettuce– Herbs 49-56 spring/fall 60 days. Widely recognized as Flowers 57-59 the very best-tasting romaine lettuce, this Mushroom Spawn 64 old English heirloom has never gotten the popularity it deserves. We are hoping that gardeners will now have a chance to discover BOOKS AND MEDIA 65-74 its rich, sweet, and nutty flavor. Glossy green Growing Vegetables 66-69 and bronze leaves are crisp and juicy. Kids love Grains, Herbs 71 the flavor. 300 seeds N $2.75 Composting, Soil Fertility, 69 VTU-5925 Gilfeather Turnip─85 days. An heirloom that Seeds, Seed Saving, 73 has become a New England classic, with a festival in its honor Mushrooms 66 in Wardsboro, VT. A farmer named John Gilfeather bred these in the late 1800’s. He prospered by selling these delicious turnips, Water 72 always cutting off the tops and bottoms so nobody else could Permaculture 72 propagate them. One night a neighbor sneaked into his field, Biodynamics, 73 stole some, and sold the seed to market gardeners who made them commercially available. Sweeter and later than other turnips Food 74 (They are probably actually a rutabaga, but who are we to quarrel Resilience and Self-Sufficiency 70 with the historic name?)Greens and roots both sweet and tender- Pests 69 textured; even better after frost. 100 seeds. O $2.50 DVDs and Videos 65 VTO-5731 Soldaki Tomato─If you’re ECOLOGY ACTION PUBLICATIONS 66-67 looking for an heirloom with big yields, try Soldaki. We had such a great harvest when we trialed this one that we sold the extras to a local TOOLS AND SUPPLIES 60-64 restaurant. The owner wanted to know what kind Tools 60 they were because, she said “They are just what we want--great color, great flavor, great texture, Compost and Soil Fertility 62 right size for sandwiches--perfect.”, Cherry-red, Plant Protection Supplies 62 slightly ribbed fruits average 3” across, “navel” on the bottom. 30 Seed Saving and Planting 63 seeds. C $2.50 Fungi Products 63 VRA-5060 Madras Radish─58 days. A radish grown for its sweet, juicy pods, like snow peas. Big branched plants covered ORDERING INFORMATION with pods. We are so happy to have this back. Unavailable for many years, we have it again thanks to Jason at Strong Mtn Farm. Order Blank for Seeds, Books and Supplies 76 Delicious fresh munching‒in Europe they serve them with beer as a snack. Also good for steaming, stir-fry, and pickling. 30 seeds. To place your order C $3.00 VPE-4828 Golden Sweet Snow Pea─60 or ask us questions: days Rare variety collected from a village market in India. Lemon-yellow pods show up www.bountifulgardens.org well against the foliage so that you don’t miss them. (Pea plants will stop producing if all the Phone 707-459-6410 pods are not picked.) Robust 6’ vines put the peas up where you can see them. Pretty pink FAX 707-459-1925 and purple flowers, too. 250 seeds. C $3.00 VCU-3451 Parisian Gherkin Cucumber–Little gherkins for email: [email protected] the very best sweet pickles and giardinera as well as traditional French cornichon pickles and baby dills. 40 seeds. C $2.50 2 These are just the vegetables. Watch for items marked NEW! New for 2014 throughout the catalog. VLE-4009 Blue Solaise Leek‒100 days VBE-2483 Shiraz Beet –58 Beautiful French heirloom, blue-green leaves days. Bred by organic growers who that turn violet in the cold. Medium-sized, and set out to select an open-pollinated the fastest maturity of all the overwintering types, with excellent flavor. Very cold-hardy, beet that could beat the modern very productive. Plant in spring for use the hybrids for yield, quality, and disease- next winter‒long slow growth is what makes resisstance. A fast growing, extremely leeks very cold-hardy. If you want to eat out vigorous red table beet with big tops, of your garden year-round, leeks are key. and a smooth, round purple root. Will overwinter in the ground, even in New Bred for resistance to Rhizoctonia England.150 seeds. C $2.50 dry rot, as well as big smooth round shape and sweet tender flavor in both root and tops. 160 seeds. O $2.50 VLE-4141 Italian Heirloom Lettuce–spring/fall 55 days. Romaine lettuce got its name because it is literally from Rome, VBE-2425 Butterbeans Edamame (Soybeans)–86 and Italian gardeners have been growing it for generations. This days for edamame Unequalled flavor and large yields set seed came to us when an Italian neighbor gave some seed to this one apart from other soybeans. 3 large beans per pod. Anne’s family‒we don’t know its official name. We like its fast Since soybeans mature pretty much at once, it is wise to maturity and good flavor. Goes well with early leaf lettuce like plant both an early and a later variety for fresh eating over Black-Seeded Simpson in spring salads.300 seeds N $2.75 a longer period. Also excellent for dry beans.A top-quality selection.40 seeds. C $2.50 VLE-4144 Kwan Yin Lettuce–spring/ summer/fall 55 days. Nice big hefty heads VBR-2631 Evesham Brussels with sweet flavor and crispy texture for summer Sprout– 100 days. Mid-season salads. A summercrisp type with great flavor, Brussels sprout gives a bountiful crop of texture, yield, and resistance to heat stress. fine sprouts through mid-winter. Less- In China, Kwan Yin is the embodiment of crowded stalks have fewer problems with abundance and compassion. This lettuce is not rot in rainy climates, but may need staking from China, but it is named for its generous, abundant nature. to prevent damage from wind or snow. 50 300 seeds. GB $2.50 seeds. C $2.50 VKA-3928 Thousand-Headed Kale─50-60 days. An VBE-2276 Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean─60 days. ancient heirloom kale that over winters to fill the “hungry gap” in A real piece of history, this heirloom bean has been famous spring before the first newly-planted spring crops. This kale has for over a century for flavor. Make sure they get enough many growing points instead of just one, so it puts out a lot more water, and keep picking the beans before they get too big, foliage and tender shoots in spring. Huge plants make lots of and you will have beans all summer. 85 seeds. O $2.75 food. A must for self-sufficiency. 50 seeds. C $2.50 VPE-4953 Red Pimento Pepper─80 VEG-3508 Ping Tung Long Eggplant– days. Pimentos, or cherry peppers, 68 days. We have tried a lot of the slender are round red peppers that are “sweet, “finger” eggplants, and this is the best, for succulent, and more aromatic than the red flavor, tenderness, and yield. Bright purple bell pepper..” (Wikipedia) They are from fruits are beautiful and don’t need peeling. A Spain originally, which is why you find winner. 40 seeds. C $2.00 them in green olives.The sweet, meaty VCO-3305 Pinky Popcorn─ Heirloom from the 1930’s 4” fruits are great for canning, freezing, Dustbowl. A good bet for for gardens in our present-day era of or eating fresh. Wonderful pickled or climate change and drought in many places. Pink kernels pop roasted. Amazingly, these peppers keep for weeks in the into fluffy white popcorn, an easy and fun way to be more self- fridge. 30 seeds C $2.50 sufficient. 100 seeds. C $2.75 VBE-2331 Yellow Wax Bean–50-60 days. We have VCO-3348 Tuxana f5 Sweet Corn ‒ 90 had numerous customer requests for these. Yellow color days. Open-pollinated corn varieties are rare shows up well for picking, and the texture is juicy, brittle, and anymore. That’s why we got so excited this succulent. Terrific for summer salads--just steam lightly and year when we got the chance to bring you a chill.