I started seedlings this year February 4th. I'm in Zone 5 and that is about 13 weeks before our last frost here. This should show you what kind of winter I'm having--it is the first in a long time that I can not wait for Spring to come. I started the 2/4 seedlings early for two reasons: 1) One variety actually needed planted that early 2) I just wanted to see some green.
So far, this is what I've started:
February 4, 2011:
Aji Dulce Peppers- 111 days. (green > orange-red > red) [Heirloom from Venezuela] For those who like the flavor and aroma of Habanero peppers but find them too hot. Aji Dulce has the same shape, size, color and aroma of Habanero, but is sweet, spicy, and delicious, with only a trace of heat. The fruits are highly aromatic and the flavor is unusual and complex, with overtones of black pepper and coriander, and undertones of other spicy flavors. Aji Dulce is an excellent choice for saut?ed vegetables, rice and bean dishes, paprika, or herbal vinegars. The thin-walled pendant fruits are 2" long and 1" wide, tapering at both the stem and blossom end.. Plants have good foliage cover and bear at 18" high. Seedlings are slow growing at first, but grow rapidly later in the season. 70% germination. First time grown.
Marconi Peppers- 75-90 days. Prolific Italian heirloom prized for its gigantic sweet red fruits. Delicious 12" long peppers are excellent eaten fresh or fried. 70-90 days from transplant. 40% germination. Tasty peppers, no bigger than 6-8 inches in yrs past, not extremely productive for me.
Brandywine Tomatoes- 90 days. 1885 Amish Heirloom. Winner of countless taste tests. Heavy producer of big, boat-shaped, beefsteak fruits. Tempting pink-red color, 1- to 1 1/2-lb. size and rich, creamy aftertaste. Indeterminate. 100% germination. No previous luck, blight yr 1, rodents yr 2.
Black Krim Tomatoes- 80 days. This unique heirloom variety is considered one of the best “black” tomatoes around. Indeterminate plants produce large, 6-in. fruits that weigh 10-16 oz. each. Heat-tolerant, Black Krim’s color deepens as the summer temperatures rise. Rich, slightly salty flavor makes them an ideal addition to salads. Great for fresh eating, too! 100% germination. First time grown.
I chose to start these four varieties because the Aji Dulce demanded it at 111 days and because in years past, my Marconies and Brandywines haven't started producing until September.
February 11, 2011:
Aci Sivri Peppers- 75 days. A centuries old Turkish heirloom. Each plant produces dozens of slender, curved spicy peppers averaging 7” in length. Exceptionally high yielding and trouble free even in Northern areas where it’s often difficult to produce a large pepper crop. Ripening to a shiny crimson, these can be strung for a lovely ristra. Temperatures are only moderately hot making this a very versatile pepper for kitchen use. Originally brought to Nichols Garden Nursery by a returning Peace Corps volunteer.
Jalepeno Peppers
Orange Bell Peppers
African Fish Peppers- 75 days. Very unusual and ornamental pepper plant is variegated both on the foliage and the peppers themselves. Both leaves and fruit are striped with creamy white and green, with the peppers eventually turning orange-red. Very hot fruit, 1 to 2 in. long, was used to season fish and shellfish in the African-American communities around Baltimore and Philadelphia back in the 1930's and 1940's. Plants are attractive enough just to be used as ornamentals, but peppers are prized for use in cooking. 0% germination TD, very prolific, beautiful. Excellent medium hot pepper, fresh or dried.
Wisconsin Lake Peppers- Sweet Red.
February 22, 2011:
Orange Nebraska Wedding Tomatoes- 105 days. An old Great Plains heirloom reintroduced! Produces huge, globe-shaped fruits of a deep orange color, weighing up to 10 oz. each. Vigorous plants yield a heavy, concentrated set of fruit. Not grown before.
Polish Linguisa Tomatoes- 73 days. Plant produces excellent yields of 10 oz red tomatoes. Tomatoes are very sweet and are more productive than most heirloom varieties. These huge sausage shaped tomatoes are excellent for making paste and sauce. A heirloom variety from New York, USA dating back to the 1800's. Not grown before.
