2011 Winners

What a trying year! A cold, wet Spring turned into a hot. dry Summer in a few days. These are the seeds that worked for me.

Thanks to clear cutting and erosion a century ago the Boston Mountains region of the Ozark plateau has the poorest soil. Ozark neighbors: your climate is similar to mine and you have better soil than I do; if it grows for me it'll grow for you.

BURMESE OKRA
(Abelmoschus esculentus) I got my seed from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. One of the fantastic discoveries this year. Spineless, tender enough to eat raw, I see this becoming another garden snack. I've tried many okras and this is the keeper.

HORNED MELON
(Cucumis metuliferus) Seed from Baker Creek. Late to produce but worth waiting for. Cut in half (be careful of the spines). Spoon out the tasty flesh and edible seeds. 4X the vitamen C of an orange. Rampant vines will climb 10 feet or more.

RED GRUNER PURSLANE
(Portulaca oleracea sativa) Available from Pinetree Seeds. A vegetable source of Omega-3. Both Red and Gold Purslane made it through the heat/drought with no problems. The red was much more productive than the Gold.

TOOTH ACHE PLANT
(Spilanthes acmella) Available from Baker Creek. Now setting many of those 'eyeball' flowers that numb your mouth if you chew them. The leaves are a very nutritious summer green.

LIME BASIL
(Ocimum bacilicum) Available from Baker Creek. This year's plants are volunteers and are now flowering and setting seed. My favorite basil; it has a wonderful lime flavor, great for seasoning or tea.

CALLALOO
(Amaranthus cruentus) Available from Baker Creek. I've grown many amaranths and liked them all for their ease of growing, they grow like a weed. Callaloo is my favorite as it has both delicious leaves and blond 'grain' seeds.

GOLDIE GROUND CHERRY
(Physalis pruinosa) Available from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. Like all ground cherries, Goldie is delicious but it grows more upright and has slightly larger fruit.

SHISHIGATANI SQUASH
(C. moschata) I got my seed in a trade but it is available from Baker Creek. Of the 17 varieties of squash I tried this year Shishigatani was the clear winner. Rampant vines, plant on the edge of your garden and let it roam. (10/14 - Actually a cross Shishigatani x Hercules Butternut) If you're new to growing winter squash I'd recommend Waltham Butternut

CHINESE CHIVES
(Allium tuberosum) Available from Baker Creek and many others, also called Garlic Chives. I stopped watering these in June and they slowly died back till the green was gone. They regrew after the August rain and are now flowering and setting seed. I never do anything with this plant except to harvest it; my most care-free plant.

MATT'S WILD CHERRY TOMATO
(Lycopersicon esculentum) Available from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They may be small but they are delicious and they set fruit for me when all others fail.

ANNA'S TAIWAN LONG GREEN BEAN
(Vigna unguiculata} I got my seed in a trade but I think Baker Creek has it listed here. I watered it twice during the drought. After the August rains it produced an avalanche of pods.

MAYO COLIMA and BIG RED RIPPER COWPEAS
(Vigna unguiculata) same as above. MC (Available from Native Seeds} and BRR (Available from SESE) were both carefree and very productive after the August rains. They remained green and healthy while everything around them, including the weeds, died.

HOPI RED WATERMELON
{Citrullus lanatus) Available from Native Seeds. My best producing watermelon the last 2 years. The coons destroyed my patch this year but my neighbor Steve had it produce for him this year through the drought (he watered it) while all his other watermelons failed. I've tried growing over 2 dozen small watermelons on my soil and this is by far the best producer.

STEVE'S OZARK ANAHEIM PEPPER
(Capsicum Annuum) My neighbor Steve has been growing this pepper for 7 years but any Anaheim pepper would probably do almost as well. It germinates rapidly at cool temperatures and grew carefree even through the heat and drought. It produces abundantly.

TULIP PEPPER, aka BALLOON PEPPER
(Capsicum baccatum) I got my seeds in a trade but it is offered in a few places including Totally Tomatoes. A lovely plant; when the peppers ripen it looks like a Christmas tree covered with red ornaments. Carefree except for a bit of water each day of the drought; very productive and will not cross with ordinary garden peppers.

MARENGO ROMANO POLE BEANS
(Phaseolus vulgaris) Available from Pinetree Seeds. The most productive snap bean I've ever grown. I was disappointed when it died back this summer (I didn't water it) but it regrew after the August rain and is now covered with pods. Not good for shell or soup beans.

RATTLESNAKE BEANS
(Phaseolus vulgaris) Available from SESE. I planted 6 pole beans but only Rattlesnake and Marengo made it through the drought and set a crop. Very productive and very tasty. Good for snap, shell, or soup.

TOKYO LONG WHITE BUNCH ONION
(Allium fistulosum) Available from Baker Creek. I was a failure at growing onions and garlic till I tried TLW. This is a perennial onion and I recommend you grow a permanent bed and harvest the seed in the summer for fall planting and Spring onions.

RED RUSSIAN/RAGGED JACK KALE
(Brassica napus) Available from Baker Creek. Very few Brassicas or other greens will grow in my garden. Ragged Jack not only grows, it thrives. It is super nutritious and is delicious 9 months of the year.

MY LAND-RACE MUSTARD
(Brassica juncea)Not a lot of seed this year as I over-planted and failed to thin but I still have lots of seed from previous years. Not for sale anywhere but for now I'd recommend Southern Giant Mustard, widely available and it grows well in my garden.

CLARY SAGE
(Salvia sclarea) I got my seed from a trade I put the seeds in poor soil and was astounded at how well they grew. It has broad leaves and a tall flower stalk that attracts many pollinators including hummingbirds. The leaves can be used like common sage and the essential oil has numerous medicinal uses. It reseeds freely. I like the fragrance of the flowers but some find it unpleasant.

Some plants have done quite well for me this year.

TRIBUTE STRAWBERRIES
I tried 8 varieties of everbearing strawberries and Tribute was clearly the best. I'll propagate it, the rest, sadly, will die from neglect.

KIOWA BLACKBERRIES
The best growing of 8 Blackberry varieties by far.

KADOTA FIGS
I got 2 from Lowe's and they grew without a problem, even gave me 5 figs.

GREEK OREGANO
Also from Lowe's. My seed planted oregano hasn't done well but I was very satisfied with these.

BOYSENBERRY
Vigorous growth. It grows back from the crown each year and reproduces by tip rooting.