Now that our gardens are taking a winter’s nap, it’s time to start thinking about the garden year ahead. Especially because spring seed-starting is just around the corner.
To help you select new varieties to try in the coming year, we surveyed our students and followers to find out which varieties they loved the most in 2021. Below you will find their responses. My favorite varieties are starred.
Let us know which varieties you loved last year in the comments, and we’ll add to the list!
Enjoy.
(Starred varieties were grown and recommended by Callie.)
2021 Survey Responses
| Type of Plant | Variety Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Allium | Schubertii* | McClure and Zimmerman |
| Allium | Sphaerocephalon (Drumstick)* | McClure and Zimmerman |
| Basil | Sweet Thai | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Basil | Amazel | Proven Winners |
| Beet | Detroit Dark Red | Botanical Interests |
| Bell pepper | Flavor burst | Johnson Co. A&M extension |
| Broccoli | Artwork Stir-fry | Park Seed |
| Cabbage | Copenhagen Market | Botanical Interests |
| Calendula | Yellow | Botanical Interests |
| Carrot | Dragon | Seed Savers Exchange |
| Cherry Tomato | Sweet Gold | Renee's Seeds |
| Clematis | Sweet Autumn | Texas Blooms Organic Landscape |
| Collard Greens | Yates | Baker Creek Seed Company |
| Cosmo | Bright Lights | Baker Creek |
| Cosmos | Double Click* | Botanical Interests |
| Cow pea | Pink Eye Purple Hull | Botanical Interests |
| Dahlia | Lifestyle | Longfield Gardens |
| Dianthus | Amazon Neon | Harris Seeds |
| Eggplant | Rosita | Botanical Interests |
| Eggplant | Rosita | MIgardener |
| Eggplant | Long Purple* | Botanical Interests |
| Eggplant | Black Beauty* | Botanical Interests |
| Foxglove | Pink Panther | Hazzards |
| Foxglove | Pam's Choice* | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Foxglove | Pink Gin* | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Foxglove | Sugar Plum* | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Garlic | Kettle River Giant* | Filaree Garlic Farm |
| Garlic | Basque Turban* | Filaree Garlic Farm |
| Gomphrena | Las Vegas Pink* | Park Seeds |
| Gourd | Luffa | Baker Creek |
| Ground Cherry | Strawberry Husk Tomato | Baker Creek |
| Hibiscus | Mahogany Splendor | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Hibiscus | Cotton Candy | Home Depot |
| Kale | White Russian | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Lettuce | Mesculin Mix* | Botanical Interests |
| Longbean | Thai purple | Baker Creek |
| Marigold | Favourite Blend* | Botanical Interests |
| Mizuna | Kyoto | John Scheepers Kitchen Seeds |
| Okra | Jing Orange | Baker Creek |
| Okra | Clemson | Bonnie Plants |
| Okra | Burgundy | Fossil Creek Tree Farm |
| Okra | Jing Orange | Baker Creek |
| Onion | Candy | Dixondale Farms |
| Parsley | Italian | Burpee |
| Peas | Sugar snap peas | Botanical Interests |
| Pepper | Puma | Baker Creek Seeds |
| Pepper | Quadrato D'Asti Rosso | Baker Creek |
| Pepper | Habanada* | Row7 Seeds |
| Pepper | Desperado* | Burpee |
| Pepper | Hawk talon | From friend |
| Pepper | Shishito | Seed savers exchange |
| Pepper | Quadrato D'asti Rosso | Baker Creek |
| Peppers | Jimmy Nardello | Baker Creek |
| Rudbeckia | Goldstrum | Texas Blooms Organic Landscape |
| Rudbeckia | Indian Summer | Botanical Interests |
| Salvia | Mystic Spires | Calloways |
| Salvia | Indigo Spires | Whole Foods |
| Snapdragon | Rocket Mic | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
| Snowflake | Giant Summer | John Scheepers |
| Spinach | Space Hybrid | Park Seeds |
| Squash | Centercut* | Row7 Seeds |
| Sweet Pea | High Scent* | Botanical Interests |
| Sweet Pea | Royal Blend* | Botanical Interests |
| Sweet Pepper | Golden Marconi | Botanical Interests |
| Swiss Chard | Fordhook Giant | Burpee or Botanical |
| Swiss Chard | Peppermint | Calloways |
| Swiss Chard | Five color silverbeet | Seed savers exchange |
| Tomatillo | Purple | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Sun Gold | |
| Tomato | Yellow Pear | Seedlings from my neighbor |
| Tomato | Yellow Pear | Bonnie Plants |
| Tomato | Costoluto Fiorentino | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Linnie's Oxheart | Victory Seeds |
| Tomato | San Marzano | Calloways |
| Tomato | Dwarf Beauty King | Tomatofest |
| Tomato | Fourth of July | Burpee |
| Tomato | Black Krim | |
| Tomato | Large Red Cherry | Seeds I've saved from past years |
| Tomato | Berkeley Tie Dye Pink | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Berkeley tie dye | Seeds n Such |
| Tomato | Golden nugget | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Gold Nugget | Dallas Garden School |
| Tomato | Chocolate Cherry | Seedlings from my neighbor |
| Tomato | Sunrise Bumble Bee | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Midnight Roma | Row7 seeds |
| Tomato | Tiny Tim | Garden Hoard (Michigan) |
| tomato | Napa Chardonnay | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Mortgage Lifter | Baker Creek |
| Tomato | Sungold | Botanical Interests |
| Tomato | Jaffa* | Tomatofest |
| Verbena | Homestead Purple | Texas Blooms Organic Landscape |
| Winter Squash | Waltham Butternut | Botanical Interests |
| Zinnia | Macarenia | Baker Creek Seeds |
| Zinnia | Forecast | Burpee |
| Zinnia | Benarys Giant - Purple | Johnny’s Selected Seeds |
Founder of The Dallas Garden School, Callie is an expert garden educator with 17 years of personal and professional gardening experience. She specializes in growing food, small-space gardening, managing community gardens, and plant propagation. She has an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a bachelor's degree from Skidmore College, and served as a horticulture intern for the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Callie is a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, The Herb Society of America, the National Garden Bureau, and is a Certified Texas Master Gardener.
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