GARDEN VEGETABLES & FRUITS

Miscellaneous vegetables that do not fit conveniently into other classifications are included in this section. These vegetables are often popular in the tropics, and some are especially nutritious and/or well adapted to a specific harsh environment.

African: Likes hot weather, but will produce in cool temperatures; very large pods; continues to produce even when days are short.

Borneo: Extra long edible pods that can be 19 inches (47.5cm) long.

Burgundy: 49-60 days. Attractive 4-5 ft. plant with green leaves & burgundy stems, branches, leaf ribs; tender burgundy pods 6-8 in. (15-20 cm.), good yields.

Clemson Spineless: Prolific producer of dark green, spineless pods which can be harvested continuously for weeks. Pods best when 3-5 inches long. Plants grow to 4 feet in height.

Ever Lucky (hybrid): Plants are vigorous, prolific and medium-tall. The petioles are green with occasional purple stripes. Pods are five-ridged, shiny, dark green, and spineless.

Greenie (hybrid): Plant is early and vigorous with small, lobed leaves. Fruit is plump, dark green, and five-ridged.

Prelude: This variety of okra has an unusual lance-shaped leaf which allows sunlight and rain to pass through the leaf canopy and reach the growing plant. Harvesting from overhead is considerably easier due to the leaf shape.

Onions thrive best in the tropics at higher elevations and can survive periods of low soil moisture. Growth is regulated through a combination of temperature and day length. Onion varieties adapted to the tropics will bulb at a day-length of 10-12 hours of daylight; for subtropical or temperate varieties a longer day length is necessary. *day length sensitive. Soil pH: 4.3-8.3.

Reforma (BGS 146): Short day grano type hybrid. Uniform, late maturing, tolerant to pink root. Round-high shape.

Megane (BGS 172): Short day grano type hybrid. Very high yielding, good skin quality. Round-high shape.

Laredo (BGS 148): Short day grano type hybrid. Very high yielding, pink root tolerant. Round-high shape.

Candy: intermediate day hybrid. 110 days. Yellow onion that performs best at 33-40 degrees latitude.

Copra: long day hybrid. 104 days. Medium-sized, dark yellow onion with a long storage life.

Red Burgundy: Short Day OPEN POLLINATED type. 95 days. Smooth glossy skin that is purplish-red in color. Flesh is white with pink shading near skin. Keeps well.

Red Creole: Short Day OPEN POLLINATED. Keeps well. Flattened globe shape bulbs. Pungent red flesh, tough outer scales.

Ringmaster: long day OPEN POLLINATED. 120 days. Large globe shape which stores well.

White Sweet Spanish: Intermediate day OPEN POLLINATED type. 95 days. Large globe shape. White and firm flesh with medium pungency. Fair keeper.

Also called Chinese leek. Mild, garlic-flavored leaves. Cut leaves to 1" above ground for continuous harvest. A perennial, cool season vegetable, which flowers in the hot summer. Can tolerate high temperature and a range of soils. Can reach 30-45 cm in height. Soil pH: 5.3-8.3.

An annual in which the leaves and root are edible. If it is being grown for the leaves the plants can be seeded close together as this will stunt the root growth. Beets thrive in rich, well-drained, sandy loam soil, full sun, with a steady supply of water. In tropical areas grow in the drier season. Soil pH: 5.5-7.5.

Excalibur: Uniform internal coloring and a fine crown that is easy to remove. Open pollinated variety.

Kestrel: Develops smooth, dark red roots with a small crown. Late bolting. Hybrid variety.

A short-lived annual that reaches up to 1 meter in height depending on the variety. Peppers grow best in sandy or silty-loam soil that is well-drained. They are frost sensitive. Hot and dry weather is the best for fruit ripening. In tropical areas it is best to grow these in the drier season. In arid climates a regular system of watering needs to be established. Hot peppers tend to require a longer growing season. Soil pH: 4.5-7.0.

C. chinense--Habanero Caribbean Red: Open pollinated habanero hot pepper. About 90-100 days to maturity; fruit reaches 2 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. Wrinkled fruits mature from green to a unique red. An extremely hot habanero pepper. (Scoville Rating of 445,600).

C. chinense- Habanero: Open pollinated habenero hot peper. About 80 days to maturity. Fruit reaches 2.25 inches in length and 1.25 inches in diameter. Early maturing. Large fruits turn bright orange. (Scoville rating of 200,000-350,000).

C. annuum- Jalapeno M: Open pollinated jalapeno. 72-75 days to maturity. Fruit reaches 3 inches in length and 1.5 inches in diameter. Fruits are dark green to red and pungent with thick walls; upright plants. (Scoville rating of 3500-6000).

C. frutescens -- Hot pepper Serrano Chilli: Open pollinated hot pepper. About 80-85 days to maturity. Fruit size of 2 inches in length and .5 inches in diameter. Medium-thin walled fruits are slim and club shaped, good for pickling and salsa. (Scoville rating of 2,500-4,000).

C. annuum -- Bell Pepper, Early Sunsation: Hybrid sweet bell pepper. Early pepper that maintains firmness at mature yellow stage. Excellent early yield potential.

C. annuum--Bell Pepper, Jupiter: Hybrid sweet bell pepper. About 74-78 days to maturity. Medium sized plant that gives good cover and yields large, well-shaped fruits. Fruit turns red at maturity. Resistant to tobacco mosaic virus.

Drought resistant hot pepper. Leaves can be eaten cooked. Disease resistant. Requires a long growing season. Soil pH: 5.3-7.0.

A vining crop that requires good drainage and drier weather to prevent diseases. Requires regular watering. Soil pH: 5.5-7.5.

Crimson Sweet: About 85 days to maturity; Fruit is near-round, 16 X 14 inches, 25 pounds; rind is medium green with dark green stripes. Flesh is crimson red and very sweet; good long distance shipper. Resistant/tolerant to Anthracnose and Fusarium Wilt. Open pollinated.

Cantaloupe requires well drained soils and does poorly in heavy clay type soils. The rind is thinner and flesh more solid than that of the watermelon. Requires warm soil temperatures for good growth. Fruit ripens best under dry conditions. Soil pH: 5.0-8.7.

Honey Rock: 85 days to maturity. Can weigh up to 3 pounds and shape is slightly oval. Flesh is salmon-orange color. Resistant/tolerant to Fusarium Wilt. Has thick firm flesh that is sweet. Open pollinated.

Cucumbers originated in India where they have been cultivated for 3,000 years. There are two types of markets for cucumbers; slicing and pickling. Slicers are grown for the fresh market and are longer for market. Picklers are grown for canning to make pickles, and are therefore shorter. Cucumbers perform best in sandy soils that warm up quickly. Hot, dry weather is ideal. Irrigation is encouraged so crops do not experience water stress as this causes bitter fruit toward harvest time. Soil pH: 4.5-8.7.

Marketmore 76: Slicing cucumber. About 68 days to maturity; fruit is cylindrical with some taper to ends and has uniform dark green color. Plant is monoecious with compact vines. Resistant/ tolerant to cucumber mosaic virus, downy mildew, powdery mildew, and scab. Open pollinated.

Speedway: Slicing cucumber. Early to harvest, high yields with uniform, dark green color that holds well. 56 days to maturity. Cylindrical/ blocky shape. Resistant to anthracnose 2, angular leaf spot, cucumber mosaic virus, powdery mildew, and scab. Hybrid.

Native to the South American highlands. In the tropics, tree tomatoes do best at elevations between 1500 and 2800 meters. Frost can partially kill plants. It does not tolerate drought or water logged soil. Plant in fertile, light, well-drained soil. Fruits are edible and ready to harvest when the color is yellow or red. Plants can reach heights between 1 and 5 meters. Soil pH: 5.8-7.5.

This crop does best in temperate areas, but can also tolerate subtropical and tropical climates. Sunflowers have a deep taproot that enables them to be as drought tolerant as sorghum or millet. This crop is a heavy feeder and requires regular application of nitrogen. Once established sunflowers can shade out nearby weeds. Soil pH: 5.5-8.0.

Sunspot: Compact plants produce 20-30 cm heads filled with edible seeds. A confection sunflower.

Skyscraper: 75-80 days. Large bright yellow flowers. Confection sunflower with large edible seeds.

Mammoth/Black Russian: Giant head; edible seed.

Refer to Industrial Crops section for varieties of oil sunflowers.

There are two growth habits of tomatoes: Determinate and indeterminate. In determinate tomatoes, fruit ripens at the same time and no more fruit is produced. Indeterminate tomatoes produce tomatoes over a long period of time and do not ripen all at once. Tomatoes grow best in sandy or sandy loam soil with soil temperature from 20-30 degrees C (85F). Drier weather is best for fruit ripening. Require irrigation if in a semi-arid region. Soil pH: 5.0-7.5.

Heat tolerant varieties

Hotset/Heatwave (hybrid determinate): Sets fruit in higher temperature and humidity than most other varieties.

Tropic (indeterminate): Large, stake-type variety; high yields. Resistant to Verticillium, Fusarium, Grey Leaf Spot, Graywall, Tobacco Mosaic and Leaf Molds.

Salad type

Hayslip: Resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium Wilt, Grey Leafspot, Blossom end rot, Black shoulder, Catface and cracking. Determinate.

Floradade: Developed by U. of Florida. Resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium Wilt Races 1 & 2, and Gray Leafspot. Grow on ground or stake. Determinate.

Walter: Resistant to Fusarium Wilt Races 1 & 2, and to Gray Leaf Spot. Determinate.

Super Beefsteak (indeterminate): Large, meaty fruits on prolific, vigorous plants. 17 oz. fruits. Open-pollinated. Has superior disease resistance and crack resistance. 80 days.

Sebring 0247 (determinate): Reaches maturity by midseason; fruits are large to extra-large and have smooth, deep oblate shape. Resistant to Fusarium crown rot, Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt 1,2,3, and Stemphyllium (grey leaf spot); plant has uniform green shoulders and tight blossom ends. Hybrid.

Roma type

Roma VFN: (indeterminate) Pear shaped fruit used fresh or for paste. Sow 1/4 inch deep. Disease Resistant.

Grape Tomatoes

St. Nick: (indeterminate) A grape tomato that is an early to mid variety. Has a bright red color. Excellent flavor. Hybrid.

Oregon Sugar Pod II: Has a sweet mild flavor and smooth pods. High yielding.

* a cool weather crop, grow in dry and/or cool season.

Delicious succulent 4 inch edible pods. Produces abundantly on 4 foot long vines. Needs trellis. Pick 68 days after sowing. Soil pH: 4.5-8.3.

* a cool weather crop, grow in dry and/or cool season.

A semi-woody annual that can attain heights of 1.2-1.5m. This crop abounds in Mexico and the highlands of Guatemala. Grows best in conditions that tomatoes grow well in. Tropical crop, but does well in temperate regions. Soil pH: 5.0-8.0.

Leafstalks or stem used to make pie filling; can be grown from seed as an annual in Florida; green leaf blades are toxic. This crop is a perennial in temperate regions. For best production soil should be well-drained with a high content of organic matter. Rhubarb is fairly drought tolerant, and can get root rot if over-watered. We have had good luck at ECHO with rhubarb by planting in August and harvesting in March-May.

Fruits are eaten as vegetables when young (about 2/3 of full size). Eggplant does best in well drained soils with temperatures of 28-35C (75-100F). An annual crop. Fruits come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Soil pH: 4.3-8.5.

Bride: Productive fruit in hot, humid weather. An Oriental type eggplant which has an elongated, narrow fruit. Fruit is mostly white with purple stripes, very tender and tasty.

Florida Market: 78-90 days. Vigorous erect plants with glossy dark purple-black fruits. Long harvest season. Resistant to Phomopsis blight and fruit rot.

Long White: Fruit is 7 in. long.

Pingtung Long: This long, slender oriental variety is resistant to many diseases; an ECHO favorite.

Yellow: Very productive in hot, humid weather. May grow as a medium-sized shrub. Fruit green until yellow when mature. Productive at ECHO even with nematodes.

A vining annual vegetable crop. The plant produces a wavy cucumber-like fruit that is harvested immature and cooked like a squash. This crop is well suited to growth in the humid lowland tropics. The delicate vines need a trellis. The mature fruit turns orange or red when ripe and can be used in soups. The fruits do not store well after harvest. Soil pH: 6.0-8.0.