2014 Planting Guide: Top 10 Crops by Region

This is a Region-Specific growing series for Mary's Heirloom Seeds.
Check out USDA Plant Hardiness Map for more info. 

For most states, February is the time to start seeds indoors.  For colder climates such as Canada and New England, March and April are the suggested months for seed starting.  For most seed varieties, it is recommended to start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost.  However, 2013 was a very tricky year weather-wise.

Below is a list of the top 10 best crops to plant for each region from Mother Earth News.

Pacific Northwest
Best crops to plant:
1. Polesnap bean
2. Snow/snap pea
3. Potato
4. Garlic
5. Cherry tomato
6. Summer squash
7. Chard
8. Lettuce
9. Onion
10. Carrot

Southwest
Best crops to plant:
1. Potato
2. Garlic
3. Cherry tomato
4. Bulb onion
5. Slicing tomato
6. Carrot
7. Summer squash
8. Snow/snap pea
9. Paste tomato
10. Sweet pepper

North Central & Rockies
Best crops to plant:
1. Bulb onion
2. Cherry tomato
3. Carrot
4. Spinach
5. Snow/snap pea
6. Lettuce
7. Bush snap bean
8. Slicing tomato
9. Potato
10. Radish 

Central and Midwest
Best crops to plant:
1.   Tomatoes (slicing)
2.   Peppers (sweet)
3.   Tomatoes (cherry)
4.   Onions
5.   Snap beans (bush)
6.   Carrots
7.   Garlic
8.   Tomatoes (paste)
9.   Peas (snow or snap)
10. Lettuce 

Southern Interior
Best crops to plant:
1. Sweet pepper
2. Slicing tomato
3. Bush snap bean
4. Summer squash
5. Broccoli
6. Garlic
7. Bulb onion
8. Pole snap bean
9. Cherry tomato
10. Hot pepper

Gulf Coast
Best crops to plant:
1. Sweet pepper
2. Cherry tomato
3. Bulb onion
4. Slicing tomato
5. Garlic
6. Lettuce
7. Spinach
8. Potato
9. Cucumber
10. Summer squash

Maritime Canada and New England
Best crops to plant:
1. Carrot
2. Cherry tomato
3. Cucumber
4. Slicing tomato
5. Summer squash
6. Bulb onion
7. Bush snap bean
8. Pole snap bean
9. Lettuce
10. Garlic

Mid Atlantic
Best crops to plant:
1. Slicing tomato
 2. Sweet pepper
 3. Cherry tomato
 4. Pole snap bean
 5. Bush snap bean
 6. Garlic
 7. Potato
 8. Snow/snap pea
 9. Summer squash
 10. Bulb onion

 We'd like to hear from YOU!  

What region / state are you in and what grows best for you?

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2014 Planting Guide: USDA Plant Hardiness Map

In the next few days I'm going to share more planting info.  It is difficult to share state-specific planting info since it would take me over a month to compile and post all of the info.  So I've decided to make it simple and share by region.

The USDA Plant Hardiness map is a great place to start.

I'm sharing several variations...

Another great resource (and simpler map) is from Mother Earth News:

This is the map I have used in the past and it's fantastic.  It does not include Hawaii and Alaska which have completely different state-specific planting guidelines.  Hawaii is tropical and Alaska has a very short growing season.

This is the beginning of our 2014 Planting Guide for Mary's Heirloom Seeds
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From Arugula to Zucchini ... Plant Non-GMO Seeds!

Have you read my latest post "What is TPP? How Does it Effect You?"  

The short explanation is that it's a trade agreement between 11 countries.  
A BAD trade agreement.  It makes "Label It" laws and initiatives obsolete.  It means Americans will no longer have the right to know what is in our food due to corporate bullying.

Does this sound like a good thing?  Does it make you want to grow your own food?

There are advantages of growing Heirloom Seeds.  From Mother Earth News:
1. Exceptional taste is the No. 1 reason many gardeners cite for choosing heirloom varieties.

2. Heirloom vegetables are likely to be more nutritious than newer varieties.

3. Many gardeners prefer heirloom vegetables because they are open-pollinated, which means you can save your own seed to replant from year to year. 

4. The fourth advantage of heirloom vegetables is that they are “less uniform” than hybrids, which means they often don’t ripen all at once.

5.heirloom open-pollinated vegetables are almost always less expensive than hybrids.

6. Many heirlooms have wonderful stories of how they came to America.

“A particular variety can stay in a family for many generations and have quite a history,” Kaiser says. “They can be passed down just like other heirlooms — like a grandfather clock.”

Organic Authority sums up my feelings perfectly: "When it comes to flavor, many people say that little compares to heirloom foods. Those big, juicy tomatoes are worlds apart from the dry, mealy offerings in supermarkets. Peppers, melons, squash, lettuces and on, all have taste and flavor some people have never really experienced with food before. And when we eat foods that taste alive and vibrant, it can connect us more deeply to the many reasons that real food is real important."

Growing Your Own Saves Money!!!

Food Security

Variety in produce isn't just fun or a novelty; in the most extreme cases, it can help offset famine. Heirloom advocates point to the Irish potato blight of the 1800s as a prime example of a single crop failure causing the deaths of millions of people. Had more than one kind of potato been planted, the blight specific to that single variety would not have been so devastating, and the starvation deaths would have been far less pervasive.

Heirloom seeds are Non-GMO Seeds.  Not sure about GMOs?  Read What is a GMO?

Not all non-GMO seeds are Heirlooms; Some are Hybrids or cross-breeds.

If you just started following my blog...Here's a quick "About Me"
My name is Mary and I own and operate on online Heirloom Seeds Company.  Mary's Heirloom Seeds offers open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid, non-patented,  untreated, heirloom garden seeds.

I don't sell anything I wouldn't grow in my own garden.  No gmo-franken-seeds!

Stop by and check out Mary's Heirloom Seeds.  
There are over 100 Non-GMO, Heirloom seed Varieties on our website.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

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Tuesdays with a Twist #37 GROWING Edition

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

Last week I made more Victory Garden "Ballistic Seed Balls"

THIS WEEK...I've announced New Heirloom Seeds

@ Mary's Heirloom Seeds!

Hopi Blue Corn   *Non-GMO*

 If you grow from seed I'd like to hear from you!

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>

Welcome to another No Rules Party!

We're your hosts 

Joyce @ It's Your Life! 

and me...Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
And your Co-Hosts
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
And please Welcome Jenn @  Endlessly Inspired

Features!  
Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!
  My Features this Week are:

Frosty the Fridge from The (Mis) Adventures of a "Born" Again Farm Girl

Homemade Granola from Simple Mama

Cranberry Orange Marmalade from On the Home Front

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

Before you go...Please Read!
Our Goal is to raise GMO Free awareness through social and educational programs throughout the country. We would like to build GMO-Free Gardens in schools and for Food Banks to provide nutrients for those in need.We currently work with several local schools to share growing information as well as donations of non-gmo seeds to teachers, students and school staff.

Seeds of the Month Club

This is definitely one of the most popular items this year for Christmas!

Give the gift of Life and Sustainability to the gardener in your life.
AND...If it's a last-minute gift, we'll email the Certificate!!!

Welcome to

Mary's Seeds of the Month Club

---

My favorite Heirloom GREENS Varieties

How does the Seeds of the Month Club Work?

All of our seed  varieties are open-pollinated, Non-GMO Heirloom Seeds.  
The "SUPER" membership options also includes 4 extra packets of Organic Wildflower seeds with your first month.

Your first shipment is sent out within 48 hours of you ordering. We ship via the United States Postal Service. The length of delivery time will be based on your location. You can expect your first shipment to arrive within 7 to 10 business days from the date you place your order.

Your first 8 or 4 packs of seeds are mailed right away. Then each month you will receive 4 packs of seeds by the last Friday of each month for the month in which they are due.

There are 4 options to join the Seeds of the Month Club:

12 Month SUPER Membership - Seeds of the Month Club

The 12 Month SUPER Membership includes 8 seeds packs the first month and 4 seed packs each month for a full 12 months.  Excellent gift Idea!
That's 52 packs of Heirloom, Non-GMO seeds with FREE Shipping!
*Plus 4 packs of Organic Wildflowers*  That's 56 Seed packs!

12 Month Seeds of the Month Club Membership

The 12 Month Membership includes 4 seeds packs the first month and 2 seed packs each month for a full 12 months. Excellent gift Idea!
That's 26 packs of Heirloom, Non-GMO seeds with FREE Shipping! 

6 Month SUPER Membership - Seeds of the Month Club

The 6 Month SUPER Membership includes 8 seeds packs the first month and 2 seed packs each month for 6 months. Excellent gift Idea!
That's 18 packs of Heirloom, Non-GMO seeds with FREE Shipping!
*Plus 4 packs of Organic Wildflowers*  That's 22 seed packs!

6 Month Seeds of the Month Club Membership

The 6 Month Membership includes 4 seed packs the first month and 2 seed packs each month for 6 months.  Excellent gift Idea!
That's 14 packs of Heirloom, Non-GMO seeds with FREE Shipping!

**When checking out: Please let us know the address to send these to, if they are a gift or for yourself, what month you would like your subscription to start. We would be happy to include a note in the first shipment and we always include a card introducing the subscription.