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List of Commonly Available Heirloom Seeds – SAVE MONEY!!

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I’ve shared this list of commonly available heirloom seeds in the past as so frequently companies repackage common seeds as “heirloom” and double the price. Heirloom seeds are attractive to many gardeners due to their non-GMO and non-hybrid status and the ability to harvest seeds for future planting.

The reality is that many seeds commonly sold at Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and similar businesses are in fact heirloom and very inexpensive. The very same seed variety packaged as “heirloom” in a colorful mylar bag will sell for 2-4X what the “budget” seed pack will sell for.

From Burpee.com –

“Heirloom varieties are open-pollinated–meaning that unlike hybrids, seeds you collect from one year will produce plants with most of the characteristics of the parent plant. And that’s key to their survival. 

Many heirloom varieties were preserved by home gardeners who saved seed from their family gardens from year to year. Other seeds traveled around the world in the pockets or letters of immigrants, which is why, though the tomato evolved in Central America, we have varieties from Russia, Italy, Japan, France, Germany and Kentucky.”

Here is a list of commonly available heirloom seeds.  If you see an error or know of one to add feel free to comment below:

Artichoke, Green Globe

 

Asparagus, Mary Washington

 

Basil, Greek

 

Bean Shell, Bush Dragon’s Tongue Wax

Bean, Bush, Early Bush Italian

Bean, Cannelino

Bean, Gold of Bacau

Bean, Italian Rose

Bean, Lima, Big Mama

Bean, Pole, Green Anellino

Bean, Purple Podded Pole

Bean, Runner, White Half

Bean, Snap, Red Swan

Bean, Triumphe De Farcy Bush

Bean (Pole) Romano

Bean – Harvester Bush Snap

Bean – Kentucky Wonder Pole

Bean – Henderson Bush Lima

Bean – Top Crop Bush Snap

Bean – Cherokee Yellow Wax

Bean – Contender Bush Snap Beans

 

Beet, Albino

Beet, Bull’s Blood

Beet, Chioggia

Beets – Detroit Dark Red

Beets – Ruby Queen

Beets Early Wonder

 

Broccoli, De Cicco

Broccoli, Green Sprouting Calabrese

Broccoli, Purple Sprouting

Broccoli, Romanesco

Broccoli – Calabrese

Broccoli – Waltham 29

 

Brussels Sprouts, Catskill

Brussels Sprouts, Long Island

 

Cabbage, Brunswick

Cabbage, CharlestonWakefield

Cabbage – Copenhagen Market

Cabbage – Early Jersey Wakefield

Cabbage – Golden Acre

Cabbage – Michihili

Cabbage – Pak Choy White Stem

Cabbage – Red Acre

Cabbage – Savoy

 

Cantaloupe, Hales Best Jumbo

 

Carrot, Danvers 126 Half Long

Carrot, Touchon

Carrot – Chantenay Red

Carrot – Little Finger

Carrot – Scarlet Nantes

Carrot – Tendersweet

 

Cauliflower, Snowball Self-Blanching

 

Corn, Country Gentleman

Corn, Golden Bantam

Corn – (Sweet) Golden Beauty

 

Cucumber, Lemon

Cucumber, Straight Eight

Cucumber – Boston Pickling

Cucumber: Lemon

Cucumber, National Pickling

Cucumber, Spacemaster Cucumber

Cucumber – Poinsett 76

Cucumber – Marketer

Cucumber – Marketmore 76

 

Eggplant, Black Beauty

Eggplant, Long Purple

 

Lettuce Head – Iceberg

Lettuce – Black Seeded Simpson

Lettuce – Buttercrunch

Lettuce – Salad Bowl Green

Lettuce – Romaine

 

Onion – Red Creole

Onion – Tokyo Long White

Onion – White Lisbon Bunching

 

Pea – Green Arrow

Pea – Mammoth Melting Sugar

Pea – Wando

Pea – Lincoln

Pea – Alaska

Pea – Oregon Giant

 

Pepper – Hot, Cayenne

Pepper – California Wonder

Pepper – Jalapeno

Pepper – Sweet Banana

Pepper – Grand Bell

 

Pumpkin – Jack O Lantern

Pumpkin – Small Sugar

 

Squash – Crookneck

Squash – Straightneck

 

Tomato – Delicious
Tomato – Beefsteak
Tomato – Rutgers

 

Turnip – Purple Top White Globe

 

Watermelon – Congo

Watermelon – Charleston Grey

Watermelon – Sugar Baby

Watermelon – Crimson Sweet

 

Zucchini – Grey

Zucchini – Dark Green

Zucchini – Black Beauty

 

This list is available in PDF format – Click HERE

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15 Comments

  1. CaptTurbo says:

    I’m glad to see this worthy post! I have some Black Beauty eggplant seedlings going. Might be a little late to be starting them in SW Florida. Still harvesting Georgia collards and red Russian kale daily but the heat is coming on strong which will take them out pretty soon. The okra will love the heat though so the food will keep flowing.

    Reply
  2. Capt.Michaels says:

    I highly…recommend getting your seeds now, learning, and trying your gardening now. The learning curve and familiarity will literally benefit you now and later when it counts. And for sure when your livelihood depends on it later. Only then, when it’s critical. There is no “learning curve” it’s do or die. Not the time to be learning.

    Reply
  3. Panhandle Rancher says:

    I made and enjoyed my first cup of chamomile tea last eve. Chamomile are in bloom all over the mountain, both German and Roman varieties. A little honey made it tasty. Has anyone tried an infusion of chamomile and Glenfiddich?
    PR

    Reply
    1. goingray58 says:

      PR I have not tried it with Glenfiddich.. I have tried Glenfiddich with Glenfiddich .. which has worked well for a couple things.. Chiefly stress and age related soreness 🙂
      Does make me want to grow some chamomile .. I’ll give you a shout later

      Reply
    2. Vi says:

      Luckily I got mine in January as the two main heirloom seed businesses are mum and dad have sold three years worth seeds in 5 days and shut down to process all the orders and not sure when they will be reopening.

      Reply
  4. MI Patriot says:

    We have almost all heirloom tomatoes in our garden. Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Black Prince,, Green Zebra, Rutger’s Select, San Marzano, Box Car Willie and Caspian Pink. Next year we are thinking of doing all Rutger’s since it is such vigorous growing plant.

    Reply
  5. goingray58 says:

    we can buy heirlooms certainly .. The acid test is planting the seed generationallly, and getting good results right ? We have a couple organic farms around here and I’ve had several conversations with the farmers. They pick a variety of corn lets say and plant that alone .. no others near .. The thinking being that cross pollination will make some of the resulting seed a hybrid of the two (seed and egg).
    Those guys have a wealth of knowledge.. but aren’t terribly scientific.. Still the conversation is good and you get a lot if you just smile and listen.. then sort fact from fiction later. That sort is not always obvious or easy.

    Not all plants are cross pollinated .. Some require male plant material from a different plant, some have male and female plants .. depends om the species…
    Pollinators travel on average about 2 miles in a radius .. with the rare examples of some bats and birds.. “Open Pollination”
    Of course you can bag the plant flowers on some .. shake it when ready and swap bags and shake it again to control pollination.. or some other isolation..
    I’ve spent some, but not enough time looking at companion planting as well .. a known issue with what goes well with what in proximity .. seems mystical at this point ..

    This is the first year I’m planting a generation of what seed I harvested.. not all but some .. guess we’ll see. I want some idea of what I’m doing before I need it… takes lots of time.. and identifying which goes to seed and how much, while harvesting the rest.. then harvesting and preservation of the seed. I can truthfully say I have proven I have much to learn .. but I am and that’s something.

    I’ve used seedsnow, baker creek, adams seed, ,, when Emergencies Essentials sale roles back around I’m going to buy a couple of those and plant one of them, just to see how they do.

    I have lots of dirt to play with . a whole nuther topic.. amending it on a large scale is daunting. Once the hothouse and well are done, I’ll have more capacity .. then time will be the bear. I jumped through the classification of being a farm this year so I can deduct some of the expenses. I might as well use some of what I am paying in, if I am going to do it anyway.

    Always open to suggestions and learning from the rest of you folks.

    good list and topic..JR

    Reply
  6. JBernDrApt says:

    Excellent information. I’ve gathered quite a few heirloom seeds the last couple of years and I’m trying them this year. So far, my plants look great – but with all the rainfall we’ve had and the cooler weather, I guess they should. Anyone know the statistics on how long saved seeds will still work? I’ve heard five years. Wouldn’t want to hit the Shumer and have seeds that weren’t reliable. Keep Looking UP

    Reply
    1. goingray58 says:

      I’ve heard the same thing.. I am sure much of it depends on how they were harvested, stored in Nitrogen, a freezer .. or cool dry place. I’ve planted old seeds out of their original envelopes years after they were sold that had been rattling around in a shop drawer. Since it isn’t absolute.. and type of seed makes as much difference and storage method.. I’m just going to start cycling out the seed and planting from saved previous year or two.. and if they fail I’ll repurchase a replacement. This year I started half new and half old.. and more than I need if they all come up. I’ll be up to my armpits in some stuff this year.. good thing I been collecting garage sale Mason jars and canning stuff.. I guess I’ll be posting those successes and failures in a few months. If history is an indicator. Lots of process.. learning, and feeding mistakes to the chickens, or compost pile… 🙂 Don’t waste anything… nope.. I have to cultivate patience and sense of humor some days too.. Oh and have a tolerance for the more NATURAL fragrances of life.. definitely isn’t Channel. Post your results… the more of us that do the fewer mistake we all make personally ….

      Reply
  7. CaptTurbo says:

    My last order was from Baker Creek back in the Fall since Winter is the growing season here for a lot of things. Most of the seeds I ordered from them did well.

    Reply
    1. goinggray58 says:

      We had a friend just place an order with Baker Creek, and said they were out of many things she wanted. The local mom pop stores might be better for choice, if they are open. Just try and get non-hybrids (Heirloom). Hybrid seeds will produce good food first generation, but saved seeds often will not .. either producing and inferior product or are sterile.
      Just a thought and an update. Don’t want anyone to count on an order that won’t come, or is incomplete with a back order.
      GG58

      Reply
  8. Brutus says:

    It is not enough to get the seeds, you must learn to save your own.
    As JBernDrApt asked, how long do they last? Well, depends on the seed, how they are prepared, and how they are stored.

    P-Nuts, better plan on planting every year and this is a must have crop both for food value and fixing nitrogen. Go ahead and hull them and store in jars. Take up less space. Easier to cook as well. Treat like peas and beans but go easy in soups as they will overwhelm the flavor.
    Other crops will last a few years.
    If not planting you should make a list, buy what you think you will like / need, and do this each year to ensure you have an adequate supply. Do not discount the value of seeds as a barter item.

    Plant herbs as well.

    Count on not having fertilizers, lime, or insecticide.
    Need to know how to compensate for this.
    Better get a few hundred pounds of what the soil test says you need while you can get it to use as you learn.
    Must know about companion planting, even plants with no food value but used just to enhance the garden and repel bugs.
    Also, crop rotation, works even in a small garden.
    You may have to not plant a vegetable one year if bugs are a problem. This will “starve them out”.
    If your land is good for some crops plan on trading with those who do not seem to be able to grow these.
    Also, some crops, like corn, need a larger patch to get good pollination.
    Saving you seeds will give you plants adapted to your area and soil.
    There are good weeds and good bugs as well.
    So, your library needs about 10 to 15, maybe 20 books, on these subjects.
    I got most of mine from the Seed Savers Exchange.
    Keep notes on what works and what does not.
    A spread sheet on when to plant for spring and winter.
    Also, what you like and don’t.
    You will need seed starting skills and a place to start the plants.
    Spring gardens start several months prior to planting, as do the fall garden. Start the year with a calendar dedicated to the garden, easy to forget when to start the seeds and lost time is never found.
    That dirt poor hick farmer is a lot smarter than the city slicker gives him credit for.

    Reply

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