Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Catalog and Garden Guide Dear Gardeners and Farmers, Welcome to our 2005 catalog! Thank you all for making our 21st year our best ever. In spite of record rainfall and four hurricanes we grew some great seed—a testament to the vitality and adaptability of our heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. We are introducing several exciting new varieties this year, along with a few old favorites that have been unavailable for some time. We're happy to have a much better supply of Kaskaskia Garlic (in 2004 it sold out in June!) as well as more perenni- al onions. For you organic market gardeners we now offer many more bulk packs of your favorite organic seeds. Our cooperative will miss Cricket Rakita, our hard-working manager for the past five years. Cricket now coordinates the Saving Our Seed project (www.savingourseed.org), which works on seed saving with farmers, gardeners, and extension agents to increase the availability of certified organic seed in the southeast. Southern Exposure has co-hosted several exciting and pro- ductive seed-saving workshops with them. We hope you will join us in supporting a cooperative and self-reliant seed movement. When you buy seed from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, you are helping to support our mission of genetic preser- vation, seed saving, ecological agriculture, and local food production. If you like our seeds, please give your Southern Exposure catalog to a gardening friend or neighbor! We'll be happy to send you another copy for free. Our entire catalog is also available on the internet at www.southernexposure.com. Once you’re an SESE member, you get a discount on all on-line orders. Have you any comments or questions about our seeds and other products? Please call or e-mail with your input. We hope you enjoy our catalog and that our seeds bring abundance to your gardens! About Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Ira Wallace Our mission is to ensure that people retain control of their food supply, that genetic resources are conserved, and New and Returning Varieties that gardeners have the option of for 2005 saving their own seed. Three new garlics: after the wonderfully high We are committed to genetic preservation. We demand for garlic this past fall, we’re adding are well-known for our outstanding introduction of Loiacono, Music, and German Extra-Hardy. heirloom varieties. We will never knowingly buy or sell genetical- ly engineered seeds or plants. Cherokee White Eagle Corn: many people can see a white eagle on the mixed blue and white kernels! Much of our seed is certified organic. Much of the rest is pro- duced ecologically by small growers who have opted to forgo the Boston Pickling Cucumber: a very reliable and high-yielding costly certification process. heirloom introduced in 1880. We encourage seed saving. We specialize in open-pollinated Whopper Peanut: remarkably large peanuts—another winner varieties, and offer supplies and information of interest to seed from grower Merlyn Niedens. savers. Butte: the tasty russet baking potato you’ve been asking us for. All of our seed is free of chemical treatment. It is safe for chil- Golden Jenny Muskmelon: a vigorous, compact, and produc- dren and the Earth. tive variety with sweet orange flesh. We grow at least 40% of our own seed, on our own certified Big Red Ripper Southern Pea: a delicious heirloom with large organic farm or through our network of growers. This is one of peas and easy-to-harvest reddish-green pods. the highest percentages in the mail-order seed trade. Yamato Cucumber: very hardy and reliable; sweet, somewhat We give detailed, accurate, and honest variety descriptions, buttery, crisp, and succulent. backed up by extensive variety testing and history research. Rudbeckia Goldstrum Black-Eyed Susan: attractive gold-col- We emphasize quality customer service and guarantee 100% ored flowers with chocolate-colored centers. satisfaction. Every time seeds are placed into a packet, we Tashkent #1 Marigold: velvet mahogany petals with yellow cen- envision plants succeeding in your garden. ters, with a strong and unusually pleasant scent. Large Mennonite Heritage Tomato: an attractive plump red Visit us online at www.southernexposure.com tomato with a slight green shoulder. Read our catalog online, shop our secure site, and keep up-to-date on changes and additions. Here you can also explore references, articles, and links of interest to gardeners. ART CREDITS: Our front catalog cover is an original watercolor by Marielle Mackin. Most of the COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK NOTICE: Entire contents of this publication copy- text illustrations are original drawings by botanical illustrator Lucia Stanton. Others right © 1982-2004 by Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. No reproduction without are by Danyell Jarrell, Marielle Mackin, Nancy Nye, Kate Steere, Cricket Rakita, expressed written permission. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is a federally and Robin Rogers. Design by Barbara Wallace, Jeff McCormack, Patty Wallens, registered trademark. All trademarks noted in the text are property of Southern Cricket Rakita, and Michelle Hansen. Exposure Seed Exchange® (SESE™) or of their makers. All rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Amaranth Lettuce ( Artichoke Muskmelon ! Arugula Mustard Greens * Beans Okra !! Beets Onions !! BOOKS ! Orach * Broccoli ORDERING INFORMATION ( Brussels Sprouts Parsley * Cabbage Parsnip ! Carrots Peanuts ! Cauliflower Peas !! Celery & Celeriac Peppers !! Chicory Popcorn ! Chinese Cabbage Potatoes Collards ( Pumpkin Squash Corn Radicchio Cotton Radish ! Cucumbers ( Rutabaga Eggplant (* Salsify ! Endive ( Shallots ! FLOWERS * Sorghum ! GARDEN PACKAGES ! Spinach * Garlic ! Squash GIFT CERTIFICATES Sunflowers Gourds ! SUPPLIES Grains & Cover Crops ! Swiss Chard Greens Tomatillos Ground Cherries Tomatoes HERBS Turnip ( Kale (* Watermelon Kohlrabi Wheat ! Leeks Wheat9 Ornamental KEY TO SYMBOLS Heirloom varieties introduced before 1940. SEED RACKS FOR RETAIL STORES Do you know of a garden shop which could use a SESE seed rack? Please let them and us know! Varieties suited to climates similar to the Mid-Atlantic region. Retailers: please call, write, or e-mail for information about our seed racks. Certified Organic by Quality Certification Services. WE DO NOT SELL CUSTOMER INFORMATION! We do not sell, rent, or exchange any customer names, phone Much of the historical information on heirloom seed vari- numbers, e-mail addresses or other information from our mailing eties has been researched by Southern Exposure Seed list. Our relationship with our customers is based on trust. This Exchange. Historical information is noted in brackets is part of our customer satisfaction guarantee. after the variety name. See also key to cultural notes on page two SOUTHERN EXPOSURE SEED EXCHANGE 1 http://www.southernexposure.com CERTIFIED ORGANIC VARIETIES IN BULK SIZES KEY TO CULTURAL NOTES Larger bulk sizes and other varieties may be available; please contact us! Jewel Mixed Colors Nasturtium California Wonder Red Bell Pepper 01116D (1/2 oz) $5.50 46102B (3g) $5.50 Cultural notes for some varieties Mammoth Grey Stripe Sunflower Jimmy Nardello's Italian Pepper (especially herbs and flowers) are given in 05103E (1 oz) $5.50 46122B (3g) $5.50 brackets, after the variety name. Read this Jalapeno Hot Pepper key and then refer to the example below Stringless Black Valentine Bush Bean 46508B (3g) $5.50 showing how the key is used. 13101F (1/4 lb) $3.95 13101G (1/2 lb) $5.75 Brandywine Tomato Seasonal growth cycle: Contender Bush Bean 49104B (3g) $5.50 A= annual, B= biennial, P= perennial 13103F (1/4 lb) $3.95 Cherokee Purple Tomato The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone number 13103G (1/2 lb) $5.75 49106B (3g) $5.50 is given for most biennials and perennials, Blue Lake Bush Bean Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter Tomato for example B4 means biennial in zones 4 through 10. Note that some perennials 13103F (1/4 lb) $3.95 49128B (3g) $5.50 perform as annuals in the north. 13103G (1/2 lb) $5.75 Mortgage Lifter VFN Tomato Temperature: o Royalty Purple Pod Bush Bean 49129B (3g) $5.50 F=recommended, 13351F (1/4 lb) $3.95 Roma VF Tomato max = maximum, 13351G (1/2 lb) $5.75 49138B (3g) $5.50 min = minimum. 13351H (1 lb) $7.50 Tropic VFN Tomato Stratify (Pre-chill) = seeds require a moist Jacob's Cattle Soup Bean 49145B (3g) $5.50 cold treatment to break dormancy. Put 13402F (1/4 lb) $4.00 seeds in covered moist planting medium Cajun Jewel Okra in refrigerator at least 4 to 6 weeks. 13402G (1/2 lb) $6.00 69102E (1 oz) $5.50 Light requirement: 13402H (1 lb) $8.50 D = Dark required for germination. Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean Early Prolific Straightneck Summer Squash Cover with soil, or use black plastic. 13351F (1/4 lb) $3.95 L = Light required for germination. 53101E (1 oz) $5.50 13351G (1/2 lb) $5.75 Cover lightly with soil or leave exposed Yellow Crookneck Summer Squash 13351H (1 lb) $7.50 on the soil surface. 53102E (1 oz) $5.50 LD = No specific light requirement. Tatsoi Dark Green Zucchini Days to germinate: Average number of 22601E (1 oz) $5.50 53106E (1 oz) $5.50 days to germinate. Red Russian Kale Table Queen Bush Acorn Squash Sun or shade requirement: sun = Needs full sun for best results. 25102E (1 oz) $4.50 53108E (1 oz) $5.50 Small Sugar Pumpkin shade = Tolerates or requires shade. Red Giant Mustard How and when to plant: 53114E (1 oz) $5.50 27102E (1 oz) $5.50 ds = direct sow, tp = transplant. Seven Top Turnip Greens Waltham Butternut Squash Sp = Spring, Su = Summer, Fall = Fall 29201D (1/2 oz) $3.75 53601E (1 oz) $5.50 ALF = after last frost, Ruby Red Swiss Chard BLF = before last frost. Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce 32102E (1 oz) $4.50 Height: Mature plant height in inches.