Out of the thousands of seeds in the Baker Creek Seed catalogue, THESE are the 15 varieties I couldn't live without. And I know you're going to want to grow at least one of them.
Behold the seed packets; gardener's crack. I remembered to order my seeds early this year so if you happen to see anything you like here I recommend you order it right away before you forget because you're old and decrepit like me.
I have no affiliation with Baker Creek and I'm not getting any commissions for this, they just have great seed and always interesting varieties.
They will not be the only place I get seeds from this year. It's just the first of many of the trug pushers on my list to hit.
Baker Creek is also where I get the seeds for one of my favourite pumpkin varieties - Jarrahdale. A big, dry fleshed, sweet squash that keeps for months.
You've never met a bigger sucker for a blue pumpkin/squash than me. NEVER.
Again - if you think you want to grow any of these order them right away. Last year I didn't and in an act of desperation ordered Biquinho pepper seeds from Amazon in April.
It wasn't until 5 months after I planted, watered, coddled, transplanted and fretted over them that I realized they were just regular hot pepper seeds, not the cute little Biquinho.
Speaking of which ... they're the first seeds I added to my cart this year.
Table of Contents
Vegetables & Flowers
Anything that can be directly sowed into the ground in spring has the annotation DS next to its name.
I've also included a note a to WHY I bought this particular variety.
Biquinho Red Hot Pepper
Also known as Sweetie Drops, these are tiny sweet peppers with a touch of heat. They're normally grown for pickling.
WHY They are DELICIOUS on pizza.
Biquinho Yellow Hot Pepper
Same as the red, only yellow.
Leutschauer Paprika Hot Pepper
A hot paprika pepper from 1800s Hungary.
A sweet heirloom Paprika pepper from Basque.
Why They're the 2 best peppers to make a perfectly blended homemade paprika like I showed you last summer.
A hot pepper that ripens from pink to purple to orange to red with different flavours with each colour.
Why - It just seemed fun. As a gardener, you understand, I'm sure.
According to reviews this Russian heirloom is one of the best tasting tomatoes in the world. 😳
Why - My 2nd favourite tomato is Black Krim, so I want to compare.
If you doubt that there's much difference in the taste of tomatoes try doing a tomato taste test this summer. You'll be shocked at how different they all taste.
In 2014 I conducted a very scientific (not at all) taste test of 6 heirloom tomato varieties: Black Krim, Pineapple, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Costoluto Genovese, Indigo Rose & Green Zebra.
Lace Flower - pink and blue DS
Perfect puffs for in my English cottage garden.
Why - Lace flower gives arrangements a nice airy touch.
A bright yellow (even though it's called orange) chard.
Why - I've struggled to find a coloured chard variety that excels at growing.
A mustard green technically but it tastes like WASABI! Can be eaten raw or cooked.
Why - IT TASTES LIKE WASABI!
Chijimisai DS
A "new" Asian heirloom green that Baker Creek swears is going to be the new all the rage vegetable because of its vitamin levels and taste.
Why - Mainly I want to be able to say I grew it before anyone else.
Wine coloured sweet peas.
Why - They'll be a nice contrast to the softer coloured sweet peas I normally grow.
A favourite among floral designers.
Why - I like that they're fluffy looking.
A colour that reminds you of pink lemonade. Cosmos grow tall and gangly so they're not for everyone.
Why - I just LOVE the colour although I have to say I'm normally disappointed by most Cosmos varieties. One last shot though!
Petunia, Superbissima Giant Rose
A deeply ruffled HUGE petunia with sweet scent. Irresistible to pollinators and beautiful cut flowers.
Why - When I learned you could use petunias as cut flowers I wanted all of the petunia varieties but landed on this one and ...
Cosmic Cherry Petunia
It was all leading up to this. The Cosmic Cherry Petunia. The EDIBLE petunia that TASTES like CHERRY.
FYI the previous Petunia is also edible and BOTH have cherry flavour and can be used in salads. Or on desserts. Baker Creek even has a recipe for making
Why - I don't think I need to give any more reasons regarding why I bought these seeds
Quick List
Petunia, Superbissima Cosmic Cherry
- Biquinho Red Hot Pepper
- Biquinho Yellow Hot Pepper
- Leutschauer Paprika Hot Pepper
- Txorixero Sweet Pepper
- Buena Mulata Hot Pepper
- Black from Tula Tomato
- Lace Flower - pink and blue
- Oriole Orange Swiss Chard
- Wasabina Leaf Mustard
- Chijimisai
- Sweet Pea, Beaujolais
- Scabiosa, Salmon Queen
- Petunia, Superbissima Cosmic Cherry
- Petunia, Superbissima Giant Rose
- Cosmos Apricotta
Lay it on me. WHICH of these made you think I WANT TO GROW THAT?! Tell me in the comments below. ~ karen!
Have you ever scratched a name on the outside of a pumpkin? You just score through the outter skin (just seeing white) and it will heel/seal over and as the pumpkin grows so will the name. My grandkids go nuts when they see their special pumpkin. One year when I carved their names I carved the oldest grand's name on the biggest and so on with the youngest grands name being on the smallest. Since I do at this time of the season, there is lots of time to grow more.. Of course the smallest one grew to be the biggest and the oldest grand was upset, but when I talked to him about his had been the biggest one and how they grow he was still very excited. Every year we take pictures of the kids on the front porch with their pumpkins. They love it!!!
I have never even heard of that! I'm going to have to try it! ~ karen
Still confused lol
I got a lot of these! I grew huckleberry last year- I thought it was meh...froze a bag, cuz you can only make so much jelly, until I put it in a smoothie. Just the gorgeous purple color alone made it amazing. it also added a nice flavor too.
I grew the dwarf tamarillo last year too- It grew great, had tons of fruit, I got one ripe cluster which was incredible then frost killed it (zone 6 for me)I started a bunch this January so I can get a great harvest, The leaves stink but the fruit? chef's kiss!
Oh dear, more seeds I just HAVE to have! I looked at the Baker seed site, but didn’t order anything- I have a gagillion seeds from last year that I didn’t grow, so…… no more seeds for me till I use up the ones I have. I am excited about the petunia varieties and can’t wait to see how yours do.
I just stumbled across your blog looking for reviews on those petunias. I ordered them too, and they have all germinated. Looking forward to experimenting with them in the kitchen. I placed my first order with Baker Creek in November, even though I am in Canada, and I'm sure it won't be my last. Their catalog is a great coffee table book!
I bought the catalog for the first time this year and it's SO good. I'm REALLY excited for these petunias. ~ karen!
I bought the catalog too, and it really is a spirit lifter when you're in December wishing you hadn't moved from Florida to Michigan. I also got the cherry petunias because i was really curious
I love to plant and watch thing grow , especially different things like hot peppers , i usually give everything away except dill ,bc i make fridge pickle's yummy. Good luck , looking forward to seeing your harvest
I was just scrounging under the snow for some dill last week, lol. ~ karen!
I ordered my seeds extra early this year, and I have spent quite a lot of time reading the backs and looking at all the pretty pictures while looking out at all the snow, and wishing that spring would hurry up! I have already ordered seed from Baker Creek twice this year, but after seeing those petunias, I think I'm gonna have to look just one more time!
I'm not sure I've ever been so excited to start seeds as I am this year! I'm trying a whole new setup. ~ karen
Yes, I did read every word and enjoyed the information and colorful growing things. The panoply of gardening choices is near mind-boggling to me. While I don't do farming I do enjoy acquiring new data to cram into my brain bucket.
Randy! We were all worried about you! ~ karen
You had me at Petunia and of course the new one...Chijimisai !! Just placed my order :)
I discovered pepper plants are perennials so I'm overwintering mine here in TN. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Robin
I always wish I had room to do that. But even digging up and cutting the pepper plants back ... there's just no room. :/ I bet yours will do great! ~ karen
Baker Creek has the most beautiful seed catalog! I love browsing the free version so much, I may buy the full catalog next year! I've already ordered from them this season and I'm like you, if I go back, I'll order another dozen seed packets! I am excited to try Hens and Chickens Poppy, Uzbek Golden Carrot, New Kuroda Carrot, and Agastache Apricot Sprite among others from Baker Creek that are new to me this year.
And thanks so much for the birthday song from Dolly this weekend. I had no idea you two were so close :-)
I like to send a little something if I know it's someone's birthday. Dolly always comes through. ;) ~ karen!
I absolutely love Baker Creek!
I'll be adding those Biquinho Peppers to my order tonight.
Next time you order from them, I highly recommend the Minnesota Midget Melon. I've grown them trellised on an arched cattle panel..they're fabulous!
Good tip! ~ karen
I only ordered the Red Fig tomato, Traveler Strain jalapeno, Aurora pepper and Bull Nose bell pepper from Baker. My other orders were from Pine Tree, Seeds 'n Such and Sevenhill Farm. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of seeds I picked up during a seed exchange!
Sweet Pea because maybe I’ll have luck with this one, Cosmo because I love them and the lace flower because they look so pretty! 😊
I'm a sucker for edible flowers, so your final amazing cherry petunia is the one I'd like to grow. (Although I do already have approximately 43486 seed packets, so it's probably a bad idea to buy yet more.)
The tiny hot peppers are cute too. Do you simply slice em up and stick them right on your pizzas? I love peppers and I'm sure the other human that lives in the house would really love the hotter varieties, but I don't want to, say, pickle them first.
Hi Meg - They've very small, so I don't ever slice them. I just sprinkle some on top of the pizza. ~ karen!
Don't forget that many of these varieties are available locally in Canada. Like the Black from Tula Tomato can be found at Terra Edibles and their tomato collection can blow Baker Creek out of the water. Best of all, they are from Ontario so you get Canadian acclimatized seeds.
Haha! I discovered Baker Seeds a few years ago and purchased many dollars of seeds, much of what you ordered! My garden this year will be mostly flowers (but of course pumpkins too and some veggies) but I have become interested in natural dyes so, there you go!