It’s been a long winter and a less-than-stellar start to spring, so naturally we went a little overboard on the seed starting this year. While Steve purchased and started mostly flowers and ornamentals, Danielle went to town in the edibles department. And we couldn’t do an episode on seed starting without our resident expert, Fine Gardening associate editor Carol Collins, telling us all about the varieties (both edible and ornamental) she’s growing this year. We’re talking about bicolored tomatoes, flowering vines you’ve never heard of, and a variegated pepper almost too pretty to eat.

DANIELLE’S PLANTS

‘Mountain Rouge’ tomato (annual)

‘Black Kat’ pumpkin (annual)

‘Suyo Long’ cucumber (annual)

‘Fountain Blend’ cleome (Cleome hassleriana ‘Fountain Blend’, annual)

STEVE’S PLANTS

‘Alba’ California poppy (Eschscholzia californica ‘Alba’, annual)

Chocolate daisy (Berlandiera lyrata, Zones 4–10)

Long sepal penstemon (Penstemon calycosus, Zones 5–8)

‘Joan Lorraine’ asarina (Asarina scandens ‘Joan Lorraine’, Zones 9–10)

CAROL’S PLANTS

Borage (Borago officinalis, annual)

‘Carmen’ pepper (annual)

‘Super Sugar Snap’ pea (annual)

Cranberry beans (annual)

‘Candy Cane’ pepper (annual)

‘Bob’s Designer Mix’ pumpkin (annual)

‘Rouge d’Etampes’ Cinderella pumpkin (annual)

‘Victoria Blue’ and ‘Victoria White’ salvia (annual)

‘Sultane Mix’ strawflower (annual)

‘Buffalosun’ tomato (annual)

‘Queen Lime Mix’ zinnia (annual)