Types and Varieties

For Field Production: Consult with your seed supplier and review the individual crop sections in the manual for suggested varieties that grow well in New England. Grow the crops at appropriate temperatures. Pay particular attention to scheduling times, light, temperature and nutritional requirements needed to grow healthy transplants.

With the exception of a few perennial vegetables, vegetable plants are started from seed. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes are easy to transplant vegetables that are able to absorb water efficiently and form new roots rapidly. Vegetable plants that are a little more difficult to transplant do not absorb water as efficiently, but form new roots quickly include celery, eggplant, onion and pepper. Vegetable plants that are difficult to transplant include cucumbers, melons, summer squash and sweet corn.

For Spring Bedding Plant Sales: There are so many choices, from gourmet greens and vegetable amaranth (popular in Southern Asia, Africa, and West Indies) to yellow cherry tomatoes and an assortment of colored peppers and eggplants. To find new varieties to grow for spring bedding plant sales, see the All American Selection (AAS) Winners website www.all-americaselections.org/, the National Garden Bureau website https://ngb.org/ and your favorite seed supply company catalogues. State university trial results can also help you select varieties that will perform best in your area.