Gilbertie’s Vegetable Descriptions

SWEET PEPPERS:

'Big Bertha'  An excellent pepper for the Northeast with large yields and particularly large (up to 7"), delicious green fruit. This improved variety also has more disease resistance. 72 days

'Canary'  Thick, blocky fruit up to 5" long, ripen to a lovely, bright yellow. Very productive and tolerant to both strains of' Tobacco Mosaic Virus. 72 days.

'Early Sunsation'  Early medium green bell which turns to butter yellow. Disease resistant. One of the new King series. 72 days.

'Giant Marconi' One of the best sweet peppers on the market, with spectacular yields, and superb flavor. Peppers turn from green to red, and good fresh or grilled. 72 days.

'Golden Bell' Sweet, smooth skinned heavy fruit which matures to a golden yellow color. Great production and high yields. 70 days.

'Lilac Hybrid' An unbelievable lilac-lavender colored pepper with Tobacco Mosaic resistance. 70 days.

'Mandarin Red' Stunning deep orange colored bell with a very sweet, unique flavor. 5-6" long fruit which produce better than most in cooler weather. Tobacco Mosaic resistant. 75 days.

'Oriole' Good sized blocky fruit which may be harvested dark green or mature tangerine-orange. Some Tobacco Mosaic resistance. 74 days.

'Red Knight' XR3 Hybrid Earliest maturing, multiple disease resistant bell. Big, blocky sweet fruit are perfect for stuffing, roasting and grilling. 66 days.

'Valencia' Vigorous, large growing plants which are extremely disease resistant. Rich orange bell shaped fruit reach up to 4" long and wide.

'Yellow Cheese Pimento' Large squash shaped fruit (flatter shape), turn from pale green to yellow, to orange and then red. Unusual. 73 days.

HOT PEPPERS:

'Anaheim' Known as the "New Mexico Chili", this 7" pepper's fruit is dark green but turns a vibrant red at maturity. The fruit combines warm heat and rich flavor for the grill, stuffing, or in sauces. 77 days.

'Caribbean Red' Twice as hot as a Habanero, this littler pepper (l W') matures to a bright red. They can be used when green, but best when red. 110 days.

'Cherry Bomb' This hot cherry pepper is an improved variety which yields 50% more than older varieties. Thick walled oval-shaped 2-2W' fruit is pungent but less than the Jalapeno. 62 days green, 87 days red ripe.

'Chili Grande' An Anaheim type chili that produces much larger fruit (7") which is of a fairly mild pungency, and can be harvested for a lengthy period of time. Use fresh or in cooked dishes. 90 days red ripe.

'Habanero' Super hot. These wrinkled fruits ripen from dark green to salmon orange. Extremely pungent, can be used fresh or dried. Key ingredient in Jamaican "jerk" seasoning. 75 days green, 100 days orange ripe.

'Hot Portugal' A similar pepper to cayenne in appearance and flavor, these are extremely spicy. Bountiful harvests throughout the season. Particularly tasty when stuffed and oven roasted. Ripens green to scarlet red. 64 days.

'Hungarian Hot Wax' Medium hot pepper is a great choice for the not-so-daring pepper taster. Great for pickling/canning and can range in color from canary-yellow to flaming red. 8" long. 64 days.

'Jalapeno' Medium-hot 2" fruit which adds pizzazz to any Southwestern style dish, and makes delicious stuffed appetizers, pickles and jams. 70 days.

'Long Red Cayenne' This moderately hot fruit can reach up to 10" inches. The seeds of this variety are said to have originated from Italy and have been passed on through the years. A must have for hot sauces, also dries beautifully for ristras and hot pepper flakes. 72 days.

'Serrano Hot Chile' Strong and robust plants are loaded early in the season with numerous handfuls of 2" delicious spicy fruit, which turns from dark green to red. Use fresh in sauces and spicy Mexican dishes. 75 days red ripe.

'Tabasco' The pepper which made Tabasco sauce famous. Light yellow 3" long fruit turns to fiery red when it's time to harvest. Late bearing. 140 days.

'Thai Hot' Ornamental as well as edible, these 8" plants carry 2-3" fruit which mature to bright red. These are the 'firecrackers' that put the heat into Thai and Chinese cooking, but are also decorative plants for the border and containers. 70 days.

TOMATOES:

'Beefmaster' The meatiest of all the colossal tomatoes, this highly disease resistant plant yields fruit often in excess of I pound. Huge yields and a good tolerance to cracking and splitting. Indeterminate, space 36". 80 days.

'Better Boy' A popular mid-season tomato, with plump one pound fruit. An abundant producer and also extremely disease resistant. Indeterminate, space 36". 72 days

'Big Beef' Often described as "the best tomato yet developed". Extremely disease resistant fruits, often reaching the I pound mark. Fruit boasts a truly old-fashioned, rich flavor. Ripens late  season. Indeterminate, space 36".73 days.

'Big Boy' A classic yet timeless favorite of New Englanders. Meaty fruits up to 1 pound, and excellent disease resistance. Burpees selection. Indeterminate, space 36". Ripens mid season. 78 days.

'Celebrity Bush' An award winning hybrid. This is the most disease resistant tomato on the market, and is a strong and highly productive, more compact plant with flavorful 80z. fruit, midseason. Widely adaptable to any climate. Determinate. Space 24". 67 days.

'Early Girl Bush' All the desirable qualities of Early Girl in a compact, patio-type variety. The earliest of all tomatoes with superb disease resistance. Fruits average 6-7 oz., are very flavorful and yield all summer long. Determinate. Space 24". 54 days.

'Grape Tomato--,Jelly Bean' Charming, diminutive grape-like fruits, weighing less than 1 oz. each are aptly named for their bite-sized sweetness and intense red color. Indeterminate. 72 days.

'Grape Tomato--,Jullet' 1999 AAS Winner. Holds on the vine longer with less cracking than any other cherry tomato. Clusters of sweet flavored, grape-shaped tomatoes with glossy red skill. Indeterminate. 60 days.

'Grape Tomato-Sugary' 2005 AAAS Winner. Super sweet flavor, juicy 1 oz. fruits. Huge yields of oval shaped fruits set continuously in full sun. Support for best results. Semi-determinate. 60 days.

'Ground Cherry-Goldie' A conversation piece at markets, this old fashioned tomato family member bears ½- ¾ ”  sweet golden berries inside (Japery husks. Unique sweet flavored fruit on low, branching plants. A delight with younger children. Good for salsa, frozen, preserved or cooked in pies and desserts. 75 days.

'Jet Star' Well known variety which produces big yields of low acid, delicious, bright red 8-12 oz. fruits. Great salad tomato. Indeterminate. 72 days.

'Jolly' 2001 AAS Winner. Good acid content and exceptionally sweet flavor in these 1 ½  oz. golf fall sized fruits which are borne in clusters. Not prone to cracking. Indeterminate. 70-75 days.

'Nana's Plum' New variety.

'Orange Blossom' The best early orange tomato. Medium-firm, globe shaped fruits average 6-7 oz., have a nice texture and flavor. Indeterminate. 60 days.

'Park's Whopper' The standard for decades in taste, size (12 oz.+) and production. Very disease resistant. Meaty and delicious, great for sandwiches. Indeterminate. 65 days.

'Patio' A popular dwarf variety. An excellent choice for patios, decks 01' small spaces and containers. Plants are only about 2' tall, but produce large harvests of 4 oz. fruits throughout the season. Determinate. 70 days.

'Red Robin' Unique variety of dwarf tomatoes, excellent for containers or even hanging baskets. Plants remain 8-12" tall and bear W' fruit in large masses. Great as an ornamental and also tasty to eat. Determinate. 55 days.

'Supersonic' Very large production of meaty 8-12 oz. bright red fruit with great flavor, solid structure and tolerant to cracking. Vigorous and high yielding. Indeterminate. Space 36". 79 days.

'Super sweet 100' Large indeterminate plant yields an incredible number of the best tasting bite-sized cherry tomatoes. Long season. 70 days.

'Sweet Baby Girl' The ultimate in super-sweet cherry tomatoes. Excellent for home growing, with sets of luscious red fruits in long c1ustel's on compact plants. Crack resistant bright red fruit, weighing less than 1 oz. each. Indeterminate. 65 days.

'Sweet One Million' An improved version of Sweet 100, this variety offers many of the same positive attributes, but with better disease resistance and tolerance for cracking. Long season. Indeterminate. 60 days.

'Taxi' Lemon-yellow, meaty, 4-6 oz. baseball sized, tomatoes on a compact plant. The fruit are sweet tasting, and prolific. Determinate. 64 days.

'Window Box Roma' Dwarf plants are perfect for containers. Bred to produce yield after yield of red pear shaped 2- 2 ½  oz. fruits with excellent flavor. Traditional tomato for sauces.  Determinate. 70 days.

'Yellow Mini Cherry' A new cherry variety whose bright yellow fruit has less splitting from rain or inconsistent watering. Sweet juicy flavor. Indeterminate. 57days.

'Yellow Pear' Miniature pear shaped tomatoes on tall plants with large and continuous harvests. Small sweet fruit is 1-2" long and bright yellow. Lovely in salads. Indeterminate. 70 days.

'Yellow Plum-Golden Rave' New variety. Golden yellow baby llama with great flavor. High yields of attractive 2 oz. fruits. Sweet tasting for fresh eating or cooking. Indeterminate. 67 days.

EGGPLANT:

'Baby Bell' This small round "baby" eggplant is both cute and delicious. Fruit is approximately 3" in diameter and is excellent in stir-fry and as unique appetizers. 24" plants prefer good fertility and make good container plants. Space 18". 55 days.

'Calliope' Small variegated fruits, streaked with white and purple. This beautiful Indian-style eggplant is suitable for baby (2") or mature (3-4") harvest. High yielding, even in the North. 64 days.

'Cloud Nine' New variety. Similar to Casper. Lovely pure white oval fruit reaching 7" long. A delicious variety which produces high yields of sweet and meaty fruit. 65 days.

'Ghost Buster' One of the nicest whites. Six inch teardrop shaped fruit are pure white and bitter-free. Disease resistant. Space 24"

MISC VEGETABLES:

'Basil-Sal's Choice' Franchi Sementi seed direct from Italy. This is a Genoa variety which we have found so far to be the best flavor, the best growth habit, and the best producer. It's foliage is deep green and slightly curled. Grows to 24"

'Cucumber-Salad Bush' This unique space saving AAS Winner has a small compact vine that is great for small gardens or in containers. A slicing cucumber with dark green fruit that can reach up to 8" in length. Space 24". 57 days.

'Cucumber-Diva' A2002 AA Winner bred by Johnny's Seed. This all female plant has high yields and smooth, thin 'no-peel' skin and incredible taste. The medium fruit can reach 8" and is seedless and 'burpless'. Vines spread 5-6'.

'Cucumber-Bush Pickle' Compact vines produce 3-4" fruits that make tasty, crispy, whole pickles. Very prolific. Ideal for small gardens. 50 days.

'Pumpkin-Dill’s Atlantic Giant' Fruits can reach more than 500 pounds. Fruit is round to flattened round, ribbed with striking, bright orange color. Flesh is meaty and makes great pies. Vines spread 10-12'. 120 days.

'Squash-Flying Saucer' This is the most unique scalloped fruit available. No doubt, as the name implies it's ~from outer space~. Star shaped fruit have a combination of yellow and white stripes over two-toned green striped centers at the blossom end. Prolific yielder of high quality summer squash. Vines spread 6-8'. 50 days.

'Squash-Zephyr' A distinctive slender fruit, yellow with faint white stripes and light green blossom ends. Harvest young at 4-6" for unusually delicious nutty taste and firm texture. High yield. Vines spread 6-8'. 54 days.

'Watermelon-Sugar Baby' Early, productive and popular small round ice box type, averaging 7-8" in diameter. Crisp, red flesh is sweet and flavorful. Vines spread 6-7'. 75 days.

'Watermelon-Yellow Doll' Oval ice box type, reaching 4-7 lbs. This variety has crisp yellow flesh and no seeds, as well as a thin rind. Vines spread 6-7'. 68 days.

'Zucchini-Bush Eight Ball' An All American selection winner, with unique round dark green fruits which are produced on compact bushy plants. Harvest when tennis ball sized. Ideal for small gardens. Children love them! 42 days.

 Super Premium Vegetables

 

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES:

'Brandywine' Voted best tasting tomato year after year. This is an Amish heirloom and has pink flesh and heart-shaped leaves. Antique variety in appearance and flavor. The firm meaty fruit can weigh up to 1 pound. Ripens late season. Indeterminate. 78 days.

'Cherokee Purple' Similar to the red-fruit Cherokee, but much darker. Vigorous indeterminate plants produce distinct slightly flattened 6-8 oz. fruit with a purple cast. Good flavor, fairly stingy on yield. 72 days.

'Coeur de Bue-Oxheart' The tomato all our Italian grandfathers grew; 7-9 oz beefsteak type shaped like a heart, meaty with deep red flesh and real tomato taste. For fresh eating or sauces. The plants are very large and vigorous growing, also quite productive and relatively early. Indeterminate. 70+ days.

'Eva Purple Ball' German heirloom with huge yields of sweet, juicy, round fruit that is delicious for salads, sandwiches and a variety of other uses. Dark pink fruit is smooth and usually about 2 inches across. Indeterminate. 74 days.

'Jersey Devil' An old favorite with sweet, meaty tomatoes, few seeds, and great for sauces, salsa, or fresh. The gorgeous bright red fruit is 4-6" long and shaped like banana peppers. High yielding. Indeterminate.

‘Marglobe Select' This highly adaptable, tasty old favorite produces high yields of globe shaped fruits on uniform vines. Large fruits are very sweet and thick walled. Tolerant to Fusarium wilt. Indeterminate. 72 days.

'Mortgage Lifter' In the 1930's M.C. Byles of West Virginia developed a new tomato variety that was so tasty customers flocked to buy seedlings. In six years he had missed 56,000, enough to payoff his mortgage, thus earning its name. Indeterminate. Disease resistant. 85 days.

'Striped German' Bicolor red and yellow fruit are flat, medium to large, variably ribbed-shoulder tomatoes. The marbled interior looks beautiful sliced. Complex fruity flavor and smooth textured. Indeterminate.

'Yellow Brandywine' Golden yellow version of the tasty Brandywine. With lower acidity, this heirloom tomato is a true show stopper. Plants yield fruit up to 1 pound. Ripens late in season. Indeterminate. 78 days.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN TOMATOES:

‘Costuluto Florentino’ Large heirloom beefsteak type from Florence. Large vigorous plant with good production. Red, 12-16 oz. slightly flattened fruit. Outstanding taste. This tomato makes a really nice sauce. Indeterminate. 75-80 days.

'Pamano' Heirloom variety from Northern Italy. Good producer of 12 oz. red beefsteak fruit. Nice assertive tomato taste. Indeterminate. 80 days.

'Red Pear' Old Northern Italian variety specially selected by Franchi Semeti. An outstanding producer of huge (8-18 oz.) very tasty, red pear shaped beefsteak tomatoes. Great fresh eating. Early for such a large plant, Indeterminate. 70-75 days.

'San Marzano Redorta' Very large (10-12 oz) plum type tomato reaching 6-8" long. Large vigorous plant. Perfect for saucing or canning. Indeterminate. 80 or so days.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN PEPPERS:

'Como di Toro Rosso' Known us the 'Horn of the Bull', these 8" long red peppers are very sweet, with thin skin and thick walls. Brilliant red when ripe. Ideal to stuff, fry or grill. Bears heavily. 75-85 days.

'Frigitello' Also known as a 'Friariello' pepper', this is a famous Neapolitan/Southern Italian pepper, which is grilled 01' fried whole and is probably the most well known by Italians of all the Italian peppers. Long bull horn type peppers. 75-80 days.

'Giallo d'Asti' Classic large square yellow pepper from Asti. Big fruit, excellent production, sweet taste. Roast on the grill, remove skin and slice. Nice color combination when cooked together with Red Asti. 80-90 days.

'Peperoncini'  Picante Red Cherry. This pepper is a deep red rounded HOT pepper with slight taper toward the tip. 1 ½ '-2" across. It is meaty with good flavor, and pretty hot. Compact plant. Use fresh or dried. 75-80 days.

'Quadrotto d'Asti Rosso' Asti is famous for its peppers and this is another classic from the area. Very large productive pepper. You can stuff them, cook them in pepperonata to roast them, remove the skins and serve as a wonderful appetizer.  Big plant, space 24 inches. 80-85 days.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN EGGPLANTS:

'Gitano' Franchi special selection varieties tend to be outstanding ill the taste, production and visual appeal areas. This is a really lovely eggplant which has all of these qualities, as well as a tender skin. 75 days.

'Rotunda Blanca Sfumata di Rosa' also known as Romanesca, this eggplant is 3-4" wide and 4-5" long, making it almost a round shape. Lovely fruit with white/pink coloring and excellent taste. 80 or so days.

'Violetta’ This is an 8 inch long rustic deep purple eggplant which is grown all over Italy. Classic rich eggplant taste as well as having good, reliable production. Harvest at 10-12". 70 days.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN ZUCCHINI:

'Cucuzzl-Zuchetta' (Serpent of Italy) Sometimes called cucuzzi, this plant is actually a gourd, but is grown and eaten like a summer squash. This is much favored by the people from Southern Italy. Fruit can grow up to four feet long but taste best when picked young, no more than 12". Vigorous grower, so leave plenty of room. One can also pinch the growing tips of the vines and sauté in olive oil (very tasty). Plant hill at least 8' apart, or grow up a trellis or fence. 55-60 days.

'Longo Blanco d1 Sicilia' (Long white of Sicily) Light green almost white 8-10" fruit, which stays quite thin. Very early, good producer, with good taste. It is a bit of a runner, space them at 6_8' feet. 55-60 days.

'Strlato d'ltalla' (Italian stripe) Dark green fruit with light green stripes and small ribbing. Excellent taste (best when small or up to 10-12") many flowers, and a large growing plant. Vigorous, good producer and does well in cool weather. Needs 6-8" spacing. 55-60 days.