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Butter-yellow Supersett have that fine-textured flesh and sweet nutty flavor possessed only by tender crookneck squash. This glossy, thin-skinned hybrid reliably out-yields older varieties, bearing an abundance of smooth, bright yellow squash with delicate, creamy flesh. The open bush plants have excellent mildew resistance, few spines, and the fruits have strong necks that won’t break when harvested. Sunny Supersett begins bearing early, so you’ll have a long summer season of enjoyable meals with these old-fashioned favorites.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
Summer squash needs full sun, rich fertile soil and warm temperatures. Plant only when spring weather is warm and settled and nights are above 50°F (10°C). Sow groups of 3 seeds 1 inch deep and 1 foot apart, in rows 3 feet apart. Thin to 1 strong seedling per group. Or, plant in slightly mounded hills, 2 feet in diameter and 2 feet apart, sowing 5 or 6 seeds in each hill. When seedlings are several inches long, it is critical to thin hill-planted seedlings to the 2 strongest plants so they have ample room to grow.

GROWING NOTES
Amend soil well before sowing with lots of aged manure or compost. Protect young seedlings from marauding birds by covering with green plastic berry baskets at planting time, removing when plants get crowded. Be sure to thin properly — you will have more productive, disease-free plants if seedlings have enough room to mature.

HARVEST AND USE
For succulent texture and best flavor, pick Supersett crooknecks when they are no more than 4 to 6 inches long. Frequent harvesting keeps plants producing tasty new fruits all season long. These little squashes shine when freshly picked and simply steamed or poached in broth to serve with fresh herb butter.

Autumn Wings is an assortment of small, winged gourds of bright yellow, orange, green, and cream, the colors of fall. These unique gourds grow on semi-vining plants. Shaped like a swan, the base is 6-7.5cm (2.5-3″) across with a neck 10-12.5cm (4-5″) long. Autumn Wings is fantastic for decorating the house or farm stand. Wait to harvest until fully mature to avoid damaging the wings.

Timing: Direct sow or transplant in late spring once the soil is warm. For transplants, start seeds indoors during the first two weeks of May. Optimal soil temperature: 25-35°C (77-95°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

Starting: Sow seeds 2cm (1″) deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot where you want a plant to grow, and thin to the strongest plant. Space summer squash 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm (36-48″) apart in rows 120-180cm (48-72″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. These big plants need lots of food. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil beneath each plant. All squash grow male flowers first, at later female flowers. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of their petals and require pollination by bees mostly. Incomplete pollination often happens at the beginning of the season, and results in misshapen fruits that are withered at the blossom end. Just discard these damaged fruits before they begin to rot. Encourage bees to visit the garden by growing Phacelia, sunflowers, or buckwheat for improved pollination.

Storage: Field-cure for 10 days in the sun, or cure indoors in a warm room for 4 or 5 days. To prevent mould sponge the skins with a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach. Store at 10-15ºC (50-60ºF) with low humidity with good air circulation. Try on a shelf in the garage.

Diseases & Pests: Bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) – Remove and destroy infested plants. If striped or spotted cucumber beetles appear, control as early as possible. Powdery mildew – avoid wetting foliage if possible. Water early in the day so that above ground parts of the plants dry as quickly as possible. Avoid crowding plants and eliminate weeds around plants and garden area to improve air circulation. Viral disease – remove and destroy entire infested plant along with immediately surrounding soil and soil clinging to roots.

Approx. 10 seeds

A colourful hybrid mix of 5-pointed star shaped gourds, Galaxy of Stars’ small size is perfect for fall decorations indoors and out. Expect a variety of 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) warted and smooth, solid and striped gourds in cream, yellows, oranges, and greens. Looks great displayed on its own or paired with other gourds and mini pumpkins.

Timing: Direct sow or transplant in late spring once the soil is warm. For transplants, start seeds indoors during the first two weeks of May. Optimal soil temperature: 25-35°C (77-95°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

Starting: Sow seeds 2cm (1″) deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot where you want a plant to grow, and thin to the strongest plant. Space summer squash 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm (36-48″) apart in rows 120-180cm (48-72″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. These big plants need lots of food. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil beneath each plant. All squash grow male flowers first, at later female flowers. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of their petals and require pollination by bees mostly. Incomplete pollination often happens at the beginning of the season, and results in misshapen fruits that are withered at the blossom end. Just discard these damaged fruits before they begin to rot. Encourage bees to visit the garden by growing Phacelia, sunflowers, or buckwheat for improved pollination.

Storage: Field-cure for 10 days in the sun, or cure indoors in a warm room for 4 or 5 days. To prevent mould sponge the skins with a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach. Store at 10-15ºC (50-60ºF) with low humidity with good air circulation. Try on a shelf in the garage.

Diseases & Pests: Bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) – Remove and destroy infested plants. If striped or spotted cucumber beetles appear, control as early as possible. Powdery mildew – avoid wetting foliage if possible. Water early in the day so that above ground parts of the plants dry as quickly as possible. Avoid crowding plants and eliminate weeds around plants and garden area to improve air circulation. Viral disease – remove and destroy entire infested plant along with immediately surrounding soil and soil clinging to roots.

Approx. 10 seeds

A dark purple kale grown primarily for babyleaf harvest, holding its small size for an extended period. KX-1 is purple from emergence, unlike other varieties that develop colour later in the season. Perfect for microgreens, salads, and braising mixes.

Timing: Direct sow in early spring to mid-summer for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C (50-85°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Starting: Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ¼ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10′) of seed furrow.

Harvest: Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting baby leaves. They will re-grow if you pick leaves from the bottom up, as you need them. Continue harvesting lower leaves as they mature—plants will keep producing all season. Kale can overwinter in many areas. In fact, the leaves get sweeter after frost, though growth will slow. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.

Diseases & Pests: Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Approx. 250 seeds

Sow slow-bolting Vates Blue Curled Scotch kale seeds in early spring for summer harvests, or July for fall and winter harvests. Vates is a low-growing dwarf type with finely curled blue-green leaves. It’s suitable for large containers (minimum five gallons) for patio growing. It grows to only 30-40cm (12-16″) tall, and about 60cm (24″) in diameter. Like most kale varieties, it’s especially tender and sweet after a light frost.

Timing: Direct sow in early spring to mid-summer for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C (50-85°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Starting: Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ¼ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10′) of seed furrow.

Harvest: Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting baby leaves. They will re-grow if you pick leaves from the bottom up, as you need them. Continue harvesting lower leaves as they mature—plants will keep producing all season. Kale can overwinter in many areas. In fact, the leaves get sweeter after frost, though growth will slow. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.

Diseases & Pests: Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Approx. 260 seeds

Nicely lobed purple/bronze leaves have serrated edges that add interest to fresh salad and braising mixes. The underside of the leaves and stems are green for an attractive colour contrast. Best grown to baby leaf size, Ruby mizuna performs exceptionally well in cool weather and is fast to germinate, even in cool soil. It is a good choice for container growing, for winter harvests, and for microgreens. Sow repeated short rows at three-week intervals and you can have a continuous harvest of mild, nutritious greens.

This heirloom shelling pea dates back to 1880. Our earliest maturing variety, Alaska is a versatile, reliable pea that grows well in cool soil, so it is great for northern regions. The short vines grow to 90cm (36″) and can benefit from some support. Expect heavy yields of round, straight, pale green pods, each containing 5-8 smooth peas. For drying as soup peas, let the plants mature to 80 days.

Early maturing bell that ripens from a brilliant lime green to golden yellow. Flavorburst’s plants are compact and sturdy producing an abundance of medium size slightly elongated fruit, 7.5-10cm (3-4”) long. High quality fruit has thick walls that are wonderfully sweet and juicy.

C. maxima. Dill’s Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds hold the world record for giant pumpkins, and produce the largest fruit in the plant kingdom. Bred in eastern Canada by Howard Dill, Atlantic Giant can reach 1,000 lbs or more! The record is 2,624.6 lbs – updated for 2020! The really big ones look like big orange Volkswagen Beetles. These giants grow on very large plants, with vines up to 50′ long, so they require lots of room, full sun, and fertile soil to produce the giant pumpkins. For the largest size, prepare a growing area 20 x 20 feet, and dig down three feet. Fill this with soil mixed heavily with fully composted manure and glacial rock dust. Apply a balanced organic fertilizer at transplant time, and feed the plant every two weeks with liquid kelp or fish fertilizer. Once a fruit begins to grow, remove all female flowers that follow so that there is only one fruit per plant. Consider placing a tarp or board beneath the fruit as it develops in order to shift it once it is fully grown.

C. maxima. Give Big Max pumpkin seeds a good early start indoors in May and transplant them out once the soil is warm in June. Provide deeply dug, very fertile soil, and you can expect very large Jack-o-Lantern type pumpkins up to 23kg (50 lbs) each! For the real competition size pumpkins, go with Dill’s Atlantic Giant. But those require a lot of work and soil preparation. Meanwhile, Big Max will produce a pumpkin that kids of any age will be proud to call their grand champion. This variety is great fun to grow with children, but be prepared for the large size of the plants.

C. maxima. Galeux d’Eysines pumpkin seeds produce a lovely French heirloom pumpkin with salmon pink coloured skin covered in peanut-like warts caused by sugar swelling in the skins. The somewhat flattened fruits resemble wheels of cheese, and average 7-10kg (10-15 lbs) each and can store for up to 6 months. Simply the best smooth texture of all the pumpkins for pies. It has a delicious flavour and very high sugar content at maturity. The flesh is bright, almost neon-orange, and very easy to extract for rendering down for your favourite pumpkin recipes.

This unique tan pumpkin covered in tan warts will add interest to your pumpkin patch and fall porch displays. Grizzly Bear produces small-medium 2.25-3.5kg (5-8lb) fruit on long, vigorous vines that have intermediate resistance to Downy mildew.

Adaptable round red radish with consistent performance spring through fall. Rover maintains its globe shape, crispy texture, and mild flavour through the heat of the summer. Uniform, dark red roots cut to clean, bright white interior. Our most reliable variety.

This great tasting heirloom spinach has thick, succulent, dark-green savoyed or crumpled leaves that are very sweet in salads or cooked. Bloomsdale Savoy is best planted in early spring and fall. If Bloomsdale Savoy spinach seeds are fall-planted, it will overwinter and produce much earlier than if it is spring-planted. Very fast growing plants with upright growth that can be mechanically harvested when necessary. This spinach has high resistance to blight and blue mold (BM). We recommend sowing spinach seeds in the third week in August on the coast. Enjoy a fall harvest, but only cut the leaves from the ground level. The following spring, you will get a huge harvest of incredibly early, tasty spinach before there are any pests around to compete with.

C. moschata. This is an old Japanese heirloom, cultivated for hundreds of years. Futtsu Black Early squash forms decorative and tasteful pumpkin-like fruits of medium size. A typical fruit from this unusual and highly prized squash weighs around 1.5kg (3 lbs). The fruits start out round and dark green — almost black — with deep ribs and some wrinkles. As they mature the fruits turn dusky grey-brown, and the nutty flavour and sweetness really improves. Cutting into this remarkable fruit releases a strong scent of cantaloupe. The squash will keep for months in storage. Plants grow 80-140cm (32-55″) wide, so provide lots of space as well as fertile soil. The fruits are eminently decorative for fall displays. Matures in 100-120 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Gorgeous petite golden butternut that tastes as good as it looks. Autumn Gold is both ornamental and edible with its bright golden skin accented by cream-coloured streaks. Uniform fruit is early to mature at 1-1.4kg (2-3lb). Harvest immediately as fruit may crack if left on the plants. Compact semi-vining plants.

Grow this gorgeous chard for fantastic colour! Celebration Swiss chard produces thick red, yellow, rose, gold, and white stems that bear slightly savoyed leaves of burgundy and green. Celebration Swiss chard seeds can be planted in large containers and always makes vivid colour on your table. The colours are richest at full maturity, so give it some time to deliver the rainbow effect. The immature leaves are tender and excellent in salads, while the cooked mature leaves and stalks have a flavour that is milder than cooked spinach, and packed with nutrients. This variety replaces Bright Lights. Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Fordhook Giant Swiss chard seeds produce dark green, very savoyed leaves are borne on thick, greenish-white stalks. This cold-hardy variety is versatile, reliable, decorative and flavourful. It can also stand up well in summer heat. The Fordhook in its name refers to Fordhook Farm, which was a research farm run for the Burpee seed company from the 1750s until 1981. It’s called Giant because the leaves rise a full 60 to 70cm (24-28″) above the ground, with stalks that are 7cm (2.5″) wide. Fordhook Giant Swiss chard seeds perform well, and provide abundant crops all season, even after light frost. It is noted to be particularly good for poultry feed as well. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

This is one of the most upright growing and attractive of all the chards. Eldorado Swiss chard is a luxurious looking plant with stems of gold and leaves that are dark green, deeply savoyed, with wavy margins. The thin stems branch into veins on the leaves but keep their gold colour for a high contrast look. This variety will produce gorgeous microgreens in just two weeks. By 30 days, it is ready to eat as baby greens. By 55-60 days, it’s ready for the market table – or dinner table. Grow in cool weather for best results. If grown from winter into summer it has a higher rate of bolting. Matures in 55-60 days. (Open pollinated seeds)