Rows of plants in the evaluation garden at Heritage Farm

It’s National Weed Your Garden Day!

So maybe it doesn’t spark the excitement of National Doughnut Day (June 2) or National Chocolate Ice Cream Day (June 7) or even National Selfie Day (no, you haven’t missed that—it’s June 21). But here at Seed Savers Exchange, we think National Weed Your Garden Day—observed annually on June 13—has a whole lot going for it too.

Four beets with the ends sliced off lying in a row on a rock surface, with each beet a different color: yellow and white, red, yellow, and white.

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What to Plant in Your Garden in June

Did you know you can still plant in your garden in June? Odds are good you’ve already transplanted your tomatoes and peppers and harvested lettuce or other greens to serve up fresh for dinner. Yes, your garden has sprung to life, but if you’re interested in more than just weeding and watering, plenty of crops are still ripe for planting in many regions of the United States.

Bright red double-petal poppies in a garden.

Varieties

‘Chima Family Heirloom’: one pretty (remarkable) poppy

It’s little wonder the charming ‘Chima Family Heirloom’ poppy has garnered rave reviews from the gardeners who have grown it since it was introduced by Seed Savers Exchange in 2017.

Several small 'North Carolina Heirloom' cucumbers growing on the vine with some yellow cucumber flowers.

Varieties

‘North Carolina Heirloom’ Cucumber: A Garden Delight

Marian Hart was a frequent lister in the Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook in the 1980s and 1990s. A gardener since 1962, Marian listed an assortment of crop varieties. But none of those varieties was as popular and beloved as her cucumber variety: the ‘North Carolina Heirloom’ cucumber.

Three orange tomatoes on a wood plank surface.

Varieties

‘Oma’s Orange’ Tomato: A Tradition of Love

Betty Moore, a Seed Savers Exchange member from Stow, Ohio, holds a cherished family heirloom—a tomato variety that has been part of her family for years. This tomato has a rich history dating back to 1937, when Betty’s mother, Oma Rachel Lively Miller, received it from a relative upon her marriage. You might know it as ‘Oma’s Orange’ tomato.

Varieties

‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ Cabbage History

Discover the charm and utility of the ‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ cabbage, a beloved historic variety cherished by gardeners and food enthusiasts alike. First introduced in the United States in the 1840s, this short-season cabbage quickly won the hearts of gardeners for its reliable growth and delicious taste.

A garden with many plants and trees and a sign saying Edible Schoolyard.

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Cultivating a Collard Curriculum

Seed Savers Exchange is excited to announce a multi-partner collaborative effort with Alice Waters’s Edible Schoolyard Project. This effort will continue the work of the Heirloom Collard Project and bring in longtime Seed Savers Exchange partner SeedLinked. The purpose of this project is to create a curriculum for middle school students around growing collard greens.

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Decoding the DNA of Heritage Apples

As an orchard intern, it was my responsibility to learn about the heritage apples grown here and research information about these historical varieties.

Varieties

‘Aunt Mae’s Bibb’ lettuce checks all the boxes

In 1937, Nestor and Amber Keene acquired a very special Bibb lettuce from Nestor’s Aunt Mae Smith of Millheim, Pennsylvania, who had, in turn, received it from “local folks named Zimmerman who had grown it for decades in Brush Valley.”

Varieties

Preorder your garlic now!

There are myriad reasons humans have consumed garlic for thousands of years. For starters, it’s easy to grow, easy to harvest, easy to use, and, yes, easy to enjoy. And this year Seed Savers Exchange is making it easy to order too.

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