Variety Notebook

Pinstripe eggplant
Vegatalis’ Pinstripe eggplant is compact and well-branched, producing medium-sized, oval-shaped purple and white striped fruit. Pinstripe was specifically bred for container production making it ideal for the home gardener. Plants finish at 22 inches tall and 18 inches wide.

Seed should be sown in 512-cell plug trays containing a well-drained growing medium with a pH of 5.5-5.8 and electrical conductivity of less than 1.0 millisiemens per centimeter. Maintain growing medium temperature of 70°F-75°F and keep growing medium moist. Apply calcium-based fertilizer or add to the existing fertilizer. Crop time from sowing for a 4-inch pot is eight to 10 weeks and 16 weeks for a 6-inch pot.

For more: Vegetalis, (574) 527 9088; www.vegetalis.co.uk.

SimplySalad
SimplySalad from PanAmerican Seed consists of Global Gourmet Mixture Improved, Alfresco Mixture and City Garden Mixture. Mixes may include: Lactuca sativa, Brassica spp., Eruca sativa, Cichorium spp. and Chrysanthemum coronarium. Gardeners can harvest every three weeks by cutting back to 2 inches and letting the plants re-grow.
The multipelleted seed should be sown in a well-drained, disease-free soilless growing medium with a pH of 5.8-6.2 and an electrical conductivity of 0.75 mmhos/cm (2:1 extraction).

Sow seed into 105/128 cell size plug tray or directly sow into finish containers. A light cover of coarse vermiculite helps maintain moisture levels while letting light pass through to the seeds for improved germination. Total crop time can be reduced one week by directly sowing into the final container.

For more: PanAmerican Seed, (630) 231-1400; www.panamseed.com.
 

Jalafuego pepper
Jalafuego jalapeno pepper produces an abundant amount of attractive fruit that are larger and longer than other jalapenos. The fruit are dark green and mature to red.

Seed should be sown ¼-inch deep in a commercial seed starting mix. Maintain a growing medium temperature between 80°F-90°F. Grow on plants at 70°F day and 60°F nights.

For more: Sakata Seed America, (408) 778-7758; www.sakata.com.