Howells Community Catholic School

The snap bean (green bean) tastes better when grown at home. 'Blue Lake 274' produces large crops of 6" round pods on compact, disease-resistant plants. The beans are stringless when young and have excellent flavor, making them ideal for freezing. They are also well-suited for container gardening.

You can't lose with this 1800s heirloom. 'Kentucky Wonder' (brown seeded) has wonderful, if not unsurpassed flavor. It out-produces most other pole beans with heavy crops of 9" long, gently curved, oval pods. A multi-use bean: drying, shelling and green. Stringless when young. Excellent for freezing. Good production even in hot climates. Disease resistant.

'Telegraph Improved' is an English cucumber variety, known for its long (up to 18") and thin shape, with small, soft seeds. Originally developed for greenhouses in the 1800s, it's now popular with home gardeners for its burpless, mild-flavored, and crunchy fruits. Best grown on a trellis with consistent moisture during fruit formation, it's perfect for salads and sandwiches.

'Spacemaster 80' is a compact cucumber variety with 2'–3' vines, making it perfect for small spaces and containers. It produces numerous full-sized, flavorful cucumbers ideal for snacking, salads, sandwiches, or pickling when harvested small. It is also disease-resistant.

'Homemade Pickles' is a high-yield cucumber variety, ready to harvest early with fruits ranging from 1½" to 6" long. It has the ideal texture for pickling but can also be eaten fresh. The compact 4'–5' vines are disease-resistant and great for container gardening.

'Cherry Belle' is a frost-tolerant, fast-growing radish with mild flavor and crisp texture, ideal for salads, sandwiches, or snack trays. This 1949 All-America Selections winner is perfect for container gardening and fun for kids to grow. It can also be sliced into decorative "roses" for garnishes or relish trays.

Home-grown beets are tender and flavorful, with 2½"–3" deep crimson roots that stay tender even when grown large. They're perfect for pickling, roasting, or eating raw in salads. The greens are highly nutritious and as tender and flavorful as chard or spinach. Since beet seeds contain multiple seeds, thinning is important for optimal growth.

The 'Danvers 126' carrot, developed in late-19th century Danvers, Massachusetts, was bred for improved color, yield, and uniformity. It grows well with onions and in heavy soils, thanks to its high fiber content. Heat-tolerant, it offers high yields, a sweeter flavor, and excellent storage when cleaned after harvest. It is also resistant to cracks and splits.

'Little Finger' is a true 3" baby carrot, known for its sweet flavor and crisp texture. Unlike grocery store baby carrots, which are cut from larger ones, this variety is perfect for fresh eating, pickling, and canning whole. It was originally developed in France for these purposes.

'Sugar Daddy' peas, developed by Dr. Calvin Lamborn, feature stringless, 3" deep green pods on short 24"-30" plants. They’re disease-resistant and don’t require support, though a short trellis makes harvesting easier. These versatile peas are perfect for fresh snacks, salads, stir-fries, soups, or steaming. Resistant to powdery mildew and tolerant to bean leaf roll virus.

'Strawberry' corn grows compact 4' stalks with 2–3" ruby red, strawberry-shaped ears. It's perfect for flower borders and produces popcorn at season's end. Kids will enjoy watching the red kernels turn white when popped. The dried ears and stalks also make charming fall decor, complementing pumpkins and gourds.

'Robust Pop R400MR' is a variety of popping corn once only sold commercially, now available to home gardeners. It produces large, round kernels that stay intact when coated, unlike the common 'butterfly' popcorn. Ideal for making kettle corn, caramel corn, popcorn balls, or seasoned popcorn, it is the same type used in Cracker Jacks®.

'Honey and Cream' corn features sweet, creamy, bicolor kernels in white and yellow, perfect for summer barbecues. Each 7" ear has 12 rows of flavorful kernels, and it can be canned or frozen to enjoy year-round. Disease-resistant and much tastier than store-bought varieties.

'Buttergold' corn is a fast-growing, tender, and sweet variety, ideal for northern climates but adaptable elsewhere. It produces large 7"–8" ears with 12–14 rows of juicy yellow kernels, making it excellent for freezing.

'Buttercrunch' is a vigorous, compact lettuce with a creamy yellow interior, buttery flavor, and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Since 1963, it has been popular for single-serve salads and is well-suited for containers or flower borders. An All-America Selections Winner, it's both tasty and attractive.

This mesclun blend includes six leaf lettuce varieties, offering a mix of shapes, textures, and colors with a mild flavor. Ready to harvest in just 3 weeks, it regrows after cutting and is easy to grow in containers. The blend includes 'Tango,' 'Royal Oak Leaf,' 'Red Salad Bowl,' 'Black Seeded Simpson,' 'Grand Rapids TBR,' and 'Red Sails.'

'Matador' is a versatile dark green, smooth-leaved variety with a sweet flavor, ideal for both mature plants and baby greens in salads. Its texture is perfect for cooked dishes like risotto. The productive plants yield easy-to-clean leaves and grow especially well when sown for a fall harvest.

This intermediate-day red onion produces large, globe-shaped, reddish-purple onions with sweet, snappy flavor and vibrant red and white rings. Ideal for sandwiches, salads, hamburgers, and relishes, it grows best in the central U.S. at latitudes 32–42.

'Walla Walla' onions are known for their juicy sweetness and large bulbs. Originally from Italy, they thrive in Walla Walla, Washington. A long-day variety that matures early, it can also be grown as an intermediate-day onion. With high yields, these onions should be used soon after harvest for the best flavor.

'Early Jalapeño' is a small, 3" pepper known for its bold flavor and better adaptation to cooler climates. It provides a mild heat (2,500–5,000 Scoville) that's versatile for various dishes. Enjoy it green for a milder kick or allow it to ripen to red for a sweeter, bolder flavor.

These three heirloom sweet peppers start green and ripen to vibrant colors, each with a delicious flavor at any stage. 'Yolo Wonder' turns red and is resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, 'Coral Belle' turns orange, and 'Canary Belle' turns yellow. These 3½"–4" peppers are also well-suited for container gardening.

'Chocolate Cherry' tomatoes are 1" purplish-red, sweet, and perfect for snacking or adding to salads and pastas. The prolific vines produce trusses with 6–8 crack-resistant fruits, offering continuous harvests throughout the season.

'Supremo' is a reliable mid-season tomato variety that produces large, uniform fruits, even in heat. Perfect for making sauce, paste, salads, salsas, or sandwiches, it offers high yields. In long growing seasons, successive plantings can double your harvest. It also has excellent disease resistance, including against Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, root knot, bacterial speck, and spotted wilt.

'Beefsteak' is a century-old tomato variety known for its thick, meaty slices, perfect for sandwiches and dishes requiring rich tomato flavor. The vigorous vines, growing up to 6' or more, produce 1–2-pound fruits and require a sturdy wire cage for support. It yields from summer to fall.

This 1950s German heirloom cherry tomato is praised for its extra sweetness and rich flavor, making it a garden favorite. It produces clusters of 6–12 tomatoes all summer until frost, with vigorous vines that can reach up to 6' long.

'Atlantic Giant' is the go-to pumpkin variety for growing massive pumpkins. Under the right conditions, it can reach impressive sizes, perfect for Halloween carvings, pies, or soups. While it may not always be a record breaker, it's sure to provide plenty of pumpkin for any purpose. Even Botanical Interests' garden-loving dog, Buddy, finds them too big to play with!

'Big Max' is a favorite among giant pumpkin growers, known for its round shape, smooth light-orange skin, and suitability for Halloween carvings or holiday decorations. To reach maximum size, grow one pumpkin per vine and provide regular watering and fertilization. It's also great for canning or making numerous pumpkin pies.

The 'Rouge Vif d'Étampes,' or 'Cinderella' pumpkin, is a French heirloom introduced to the U.S. in 1883. With its deeply ridged, vivid red skin, it grows 12"–24" wide and weighs 15–20 pounds. Known for its moderate sweetness, it's perfect for baking and canning, and also makes a great decoration, inspiring the pumpkin carriage in the fairy tale. The plants are heat and humidity tolerant, and kids will enjoy growing their own "Cinderella's coach."

This classic pumpkin, perfect for carving since 1956, measures 10" tall and 10" in diameter, weighing 10–18 pounds. It stores well for months and comes with a pumpkin seed recipe and a story about the Irish myth behind the jack o'lantern.

These tiny, 3"–4" pumpkins are perfect for decoration or stuffing with your favorite dishes like casseroles, soups, or custards. With compact vines (3'–5') producing 6–10 fruits per plant, they can be grown in large containers and trellised vertically. For container gardening, use a pot at least 5 gallons in size and 18" deep, with only one plant per container.

This Australian favorite squash features a stunning silvery bluish-grey color and drum shape with deep ribbing, making it ideal for autumn displays. The golden to orange flesh is nutty, sweet, and stringless, perfect for carving or baking. Weighing 6–12 pounds, it also has excellent storage capability.

The 'Red Warty Thing' pumpkin, developed from the 1897 heirloom 'Victor,' is known for its bumpy, thick red-orange skin and exceptional flavor and texture. Weighing 10–20 pounds, it stores well for months and is sure to impress with its unique appearance. It produces 1–2 pumpkins on 10'–15' vines, making it perfect for both carving and cooking.

'Black Beauty' is a highly productive, space-saving bush-type zucchini heirloom from the 1920s. Its dark green, shiny fruits with tender skin are versatile in the kitchen, perfect for steaming, sautéing, soups, omelets, breads, or raw in salads. This 1957 All-America Selections winner also includes a zucchini relish recipe on the packet.

This colorful blend of summer squash includes heirlooms 'Early White Bush,' 'Bennings Green Tint,' and 'Yellow Bush.' The scallop-shaped squash are not only beautiful for display but also tender and delicious when harvested at 2" wide, at their peak of flavor.

'Table King' is an early-maturing winter squash, perfect for short seasons or late spring planting. With compact 4' vines, it's ideal for small gardens or large containers and is easy to grow from seed. This 1974 All-America Selections winner is known for its rich, sweet flavor, especially when baked on a chilly autumn day.

Spaghetti squash, also known as gold string melon, is a unique winter squash that, when cooked, separates into spaghetti-like strands with a tender yet al dente texture. It has a savory, low-calorie flavor, delicious with just butter and salt. Each plant produces 5 to 7 squash.

Butternut squash, a 1970 All-America Selections winner, offers a rich, sweet flavor that has become a winter classic. Perfect for roasting, baking, or puréeing into soup, it yields 4 to 5 fruits per plant and resists squash vine borers with its solid stems. It also stores well for months, making it ideal for winter meals.

'Crimson Sweet' watermelon is a classic, high-quality variety weighing 20–25 pounds, with bright crimson flesh. It grows well in northern climates with some care and turns ivory at the bottom when ripe. Resistant to Fusarium wilt and anthracnose, it’s perfect for summer picnics and barbecues.

'Sugar Baby' watermelon is a small, sweet variety that produces 7"–10", 8–10 pound fruits with juicy red flesh. Its compact size makes it easy to store in the refrigerator, offering a perfect summer treat.

'Hale's Best Jumbo' is a highly praised melon variety known for its 3–5-pound, sweet, thick-walled fruits with a small seed cavity, offering more flavorful fruit. It grows well and remains sweet in most climates and is more drought-tolerant than other melons.

Genovese basil is known for its traditional fragrance and flavor, making it perfect for pesto and other basil dishes. This versatile herb also produces beautiful, edible flowers and can be grown indoors in a sunny window during the winter. It's a great choice for container gardening.

Fibrous cat grass is a great indoor solution to keep your cats from eating harmful houseplants or outdoor grasses. It aids digestion and may help prevent furballs. Ready to eat when 2"-4" high, it should be placed near their food or water bowl for a few minutes at a time. Regular feeding offers nutritional benefits, and it's also good for dogs.

Catnip is a versatile plant, offering a pleasant lemon-mint flavored tea and hours of entertainment for cats with toys filled with dried leaves. It grows well in almost any soil, is hardy, and self-sows easily. Fresh catnip can also be grown indoors year-round in containers. Just be prepared for your cats to ignore you while they're having fun!

Garlic chives are a versatile herb used widely in Asian cooking. When young, leaves and flower buds have a delicate aroma and a garlic flavor with hints of honey and onion. Add to stir fries, scrambled eggs, soups, and noodles, or sprinkle on meats and fish. The plant comes back every year, is good for containers and indoor growing for fresh herbs all winter long. Edible flowers are loved by bees.

'Long Standing Santo' cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley, is valued for its excellent flavor, improved leafiness, and slow bolting. It’s perfect for adding to chicken soup, Mexican, Caribbean, or Asian dishes, and its crushed seeds enhance stews, beans, and cookies. Cilantro grows best in cool temperatures and can be grown indoors for fresh leaves year-round.

'Bouquet' dill is ideal for pickling due to its early and abundant seed production. Its aromatic foliage is also great for enhancing dishes like potatoes, tomatoes, salmon, spinach, cucumbers, and lamb chops. Additionally, dill serves as an important host plant for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

'Bright Lights' cosmos features vibrant, 2 ½" flowers on 36" plants that bloom from midsummer to frost, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, these flowers are perfect for wildflower gardens and naturalized areas. They also make excellent cut flowers.

'Candystripe' cosmos is a striking cut flower with a golden center and white petals edged with rosy stripes. Once established, it is drought-tolerant and thrives with minimal care. The plant reseeds easily, making it perfect for wildflower and naturalized areas.

This award-winning cosmos features deep red-wine blooms that transition to dusky rose as they age, creating a stunning contrast with white flowers and silver foliage. Butterfly-friendly and easy to grow, it requires little care, is drought-tolerant, and adds vibrant color to gardens or vases.

These charming cosmos feature fluted, seashell-shaped petals in shades of white, pink, rose, and crimson, making them excellent cut flowers. Easy to care for and drought-tolerant once established, they thrive with minimal attention, making them ideal for wildflower or naturalized areas.

The 'Sensation Blend' cosmos features tall plants with large 3"-4" flowers in white, pink, rose, and crimson. Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, they are perfect for wildflower or naturalized areas. This butterfly-attracting plant also makes an excellent cut flower and won the 1936 All-America Selections award.

This charming plant produces sky-blue flowers that bloom at dawn on arching stems. Each flower lasts just one day, but new ones appear daily for continuous color. It thrives in heat, humidity, poor soils, and drought, and grows in part shade. It’s great for erosion control and attracts birds and pollinators.

Scarlet flax is a vibrant, low-maintenance ornamental plant that produces brilliant red flowers, each lasting just one day, but blooming profusely to create a striking display. It attracts pollinators, thrives in hot, dry conditions, and provides lasting color if allowed to go to seed. Note that this plant is ornamental and not for consumption.

'Chater's Double' is a popular hollyhock variety, developed in the 1880s, with colorful blooms in gold, rose, maroon, salmon-pink, scarlet, and white. It has a long bloom period and is drought-tolerant, though it thrives with ample moisture and rich soil. The flowers are edible, with bland petals perfect for garnishing salads or desserts, while the central disk is bitter.

Lavender hyssop (also known as agastache or licorice mint) is a fragrant heirloom plant loved by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Its minty, anise-like flavor makes it useful in the kitchen for tea, salads, and more. The lavender-blue flower spikes are beautiful in fresh or dried arrangements. A perennial in zones 4-8, it is drought-tolerant once established.

Four O’Clock is a fast-growing, fragrant plant that blooms in the late afternoon and thrives in hot, windy spots with various soil types. Its tubular flowers attract hummingbirds and pollinators, making it ideal for annual hedges. It reseeds freely and is great for large containers like barrels and tubs.

'Munstead' lavender, introduced in 1916 and favored by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, blooms earlier and stays compact. Known for its culinary uses and oils, it attracts pollinators and is heat- and drought-tolerant. The flowers can be used in syrups for cocktails, baked goods like bread and cookies, or flavored jellies. Perennial in USDA zones 5-9.

This is the tall, old-fashioned, wonderfully fragrant lavender that is an extremely valuable and easy to use household herb, an important ingredient in fragrance sachets and potpourris, an excellent cut and dried flower for arrangements, and a most useful component of innumerable craft projects. Add the flowers to a simple syrup to make craft cocktails/mocktails or lavender lemonade. Bake into bread, cookies, or scones and use to flavor jellies. Perfect for rock gardens, or as a short hedge, and attracts pollinators.

Cambridge Blue lobelia features soft, light blue flowers that bloom from spring to fall, making it perfect for gardens, hanging baskets, containers, and borders. Its pale green foliage is often hidden by the abundant flowers. In mild climates, it can bloom year-round and may reseed under ideal conditions.

Crackerjack marigolds are a superior blend with large, vibrant 4" blooms in tangerine orange, gold, and yellow. Their sturdy flower stalks and consistent height make them perfect for flower beds, path edges, and large containers. Easy to grow from seed, they also produce long-lasting cut flowers. The edible petals have a slightly bitter, citrusy flavor and can garnish rice, salads, or desserts. They attract butterflies and create a striking contrast when planted near blue or purple flowers.

Red Metamorph marigolds shift from deep burgundy in cool weather to burgundy with yellow splashes in warmth. Growing 2-3 feet tall, they’re great for hedges, edible (strong flavor), and attract beneficial insects.

Signet marigolds, just 12" tall, are ideal for borders, rock gardens, or containers, attracting pollinators and beneficial insects. Their edible, citrusy-spicy leaves and flowers add flavor to recipes, oils, and dressings. Drought-tolerant and deer/rabbit-resistant.

Edible nasturtiums brighten salads with their flowers and leaves. This compact, drought-tolerant plant thrives as edging, attracts pollinators, and can even be grown indoors in winter near a sunny window.

'Black Velvet' flowers are stunning edible blooms with a rich ruby-black color that brings elegance to any garden. These impressive flowers are perfect for creating eye-catching displays and add a touch of glamour to salads, cheese plates, and other dishes. Their unique color is sure to amaze and become a conversation starter.

Goldy Honey Bear sunflowers feature large golden double blooms, upright stalks, and edible petals that add color to dishes. Young buds, with an artichoke-like flavor, can be cooked. Perfect for borders, hedges, or vases.

This giant among sunflowers is a fast grower whose single stalk can reach 12' tall and produces one 10"-12" flower! Not fussy about soil, it's very easy to grow and drought tolerant. Grow in a tight row to make an attractive screen. Sow monthly for continual bloom.

'Teddy Bear' sunflowers feature bright yellow, 3"-5" puffball blooms on 24"-36" multi-branching plants, perfect for hedges or cut flowers. Edible petals add color to salads and desserts, while young buds, with an artichoke-like flavor, can be cooked as appetizers. Easy to grow, drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly, and blooming until fall, they’re great for kids and low-maintenance gardens.

'Vanilla Ice' brings a creamy, light yellow color to the garden and your tabletop arrangement. Sweet 3"–5" flowers bloom on multi-branched, 5' tall plants that are lovely in a moonlit garden. Sunflowers are practically care-free, very easy to grow, and provide months of color. Sunflowers are edible, with a bittersweet flavor. The petals add a pretty pop of color ion salads and desserts. The young, sunflower buds are edible, with a flavor similar to artichoke hearts. They can be grilled, marinated, or sauteed for an unusual appetizer or side dish. Drought tolerant once established, and pollinators love them!

This vibrant sunflower mix features varieties like 'Apricot Twist' and 'Peach Passion', ideal for garden borders. These pollenless hybrids are great for cut flowers, attract pollinators, and have edible petals for salads and desserts. Young buds, with an artichoke flavor, can be grilled or sautéed. Drought-tolerant with regular watering for best blooms.

Heirloom Beauties sunflower mix features varieties like 'Lemon Queen', 'Autumn Beauty', and 'Velvet Queen', offering sunny yellows, warm tones, and deep reds. These easy-to-grow, branching plants produce abundant blooms for cut flowers and attract pollinators all summer.

With yellow-tipped, bronze-red petals, 'Shock-O-Lat' is sure to draw attention. Contrasting purple-tinged stems are well-branched, offering a multitude of pollenless blooms for bouquets. Sunflowers are edible, with a bittersweet flavor. The petals add a pretty pop of color ion salads and desserts. The young, sunflower buds are edible, with a flavor similar to artichoke hearts. They can be grilled, marinated, or sauteed for an unusual appetizer or side dish. The 6" flowers can be tamed down to 3" by spacing plants closely (10" apart).

'Benary's Giant' zinnias feature up to 6" blooms in vibrant colors, creating an impressive garden backdrop. These long-lasting, densely petaled flowers thrive in heat and rain, attracting butterflies and pollinators. Edible but flavorless, they make attractive garnishes for salads, desserts, and drinks. Named Cut Flower of the Year in 1999.

California Giants zinnias offer long-lasting, vibrant blooms on tall, heat-loving plants, perfect for garden displays and cut flower arrangements. The more you cut, the more they bloom. Edible and colorful, they make attractive garnishes for salads and desserts, while also attracting pollinators and being deer-resistant.

These old-fashioned zinnias produce long-lasting 2"-2½" blooms on heat-loving plants, offering continuous color until the fall frost. Perfect for flowerbeds, containers, and borders, the edible flowers make lovely garnishes for salads and desserts, attract pollinators, and are deer-resistant.

These unique zinnias feature 3"-4" edible blooms that add beauty to flowerbeds, containers, and borders. Perfect for garnishing platters, salads, and desserts, the colorful flowers last long both on the plant and in the vase. While edible, they have little flavor, and the central disk can be bitter.

'Giant Purple' zinnias feature bright 4"-6" blooms on sturdy stems, perfect for long-lasting bouquets. Easy to grow, heat-tolerant, and disease-resistant, they bloom continuously until frost. Edible but flavorless, the colorful flowers make lovely garnishes for salads, desserts, and drinks, though the central disk can be bitter.

These fun, easy-to-grow zinnias feature 2"-4" striped, speckled blooms in cheery colors, adding beauty to gardens and tabletop arrangements. They bloom until the fall frost, with long-lasting flowers. Edible but flavorless, the colorful blooms make attractive garnishes for salads, desserts, and drinks, though the central disk can be bitter.

Persian Carpet zinnias feature bicolored blooms in gold, burgundy, red, and orange, blooming from summer to frost. With a compact, bushy habit, they’re great for beds, borders, and containers. Edible but flavorless, they attract pollinators and make lovely garnishes. A 1952 All-America Selections winner.

This special mix of California native wildflowers brings vibrant color and beauty to your garden, with a spectacular spring bloom that lasts into summer and attracts pollinators. The plants often self-sow, blooming again in future seasons—ideal for small flowerbeds or meadow gardens.

This mix of flowers evokes the charm of simpler times, reminiscent of old-fashioned cutting gardens where a few flower seeds were casually tossed. Their cheerful blossoms were a rewarding bonus after the hard work of gardening.

This mix attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators, offering a vibrant display of flowers from spring to fall. It provides nectar for the tiny creatures and adds lasting color to your garden. Shake the packet gently before opening for an even seed mixture.