Tip: The default search ("All") looks for the term in the variety name, crop name and variety description fields. Use the drop down menu to search just the crop name, variety, or description fields.

For example, searching the crop name field for "tomatoes" will return all the tomato varieties. Or if you want to find crops that are resistant to verticillium, try searching the variety descriptions for "verticillium."

Tip: The links at the bottom of the browse page return varieties of less-common greens (such as arugula, chard, kale, claytonia, mustard and others) and roots (such as , turnips, celeriac, horseradish and others). These crops are also listed individually in the browse crop list.

The results page supplies summaries of each variety, including Overall Rating (1 to 5 stars), Days to Maturity (usually a range because catalogs don't always agree; NA = not available), and a brief description.

Click on the variety name for more detailed information.

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Refining your search

Sometimes a search will return more varieties than you can digest easily. For example, if you search or browse for tomatoes, you'll get more than 200 varieties. But if you look on the left side of the results page, you'll find a handy "Tomato Finder" (right) to help you refine your search. (Similar finders will appear on other results pages.)

If you are only interested in finding cherry tomatoes, for example, you can use the first drop down box to refine the search so it just returns cherry tomatoes. Leaving a drop down set at "Any" means that the search will basically ignore that category.

Tip:To make your search more precise, you can use as many of the drop-down boxes as you need simultaneously. For example, if you want to find early-season, heirloom cherry tomato varieties, choose the boxes as shown on the right. Because you chose to leave the "Greenhouse" box set at "Any," your search will return varieties that bred for greenhouse production and those that are usually field grown.

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Sorting results

When you first view the results of your research, they are listed in descending order from the highest rated to the lowest rated. But you can change how they are sorted by using the boxes at the top of the results page:



Pop open the left drop down box (below) to choose how you want to sort the results. In addition to their overall rating, you can order the results by how other gardeners rated their flavor, yield and how easy and reliable they are to grow. You can also sort the list by days to maturity or alphabetically.



Tip: To find the earliest varieties, choose "Days to Maturity" in the lefthand box and "Ascending" from the righthand box. The earliest varieties will be listed first. (The ranges we list reflect differences reported by different seed companies.) Likewise, choose "Ascending" and "Variety Name" to make an alphabetical list starting with the A's.

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Limiting results

If you are a registered user on this website you also have the option to limit your search results by your state or frost-free season. You will need to login to use this feature. Once you are logged in you will see a second drop down menu with the options.

Choose "All results" from the dropdown menu if you'd like to see all results.

Choose "Just my state" if you'd like to limit search results to crop varieties reviewed by people in your state.

Choose "Just my frost-free season" to limit search results to crop varieties reviewed by people in your frost free season.

You can see your current State and Frost-free Season in the My Profile box on the left hand side of the page.

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Reading reviews

When you click on a variety name on the search results page, you go to that variety’s profile page. There, you will find additional information, including:

• Taste ratings (1 to 5 stars)
• Yield ratings (1 to 5 stars)
• Ease ratings (how easy and reliable this variety is to grow; 1 to 5 stars)
• Number of reviews
• Seed sources (mail order companies that sell seed)

Below this information are additional comments and reviews from fellow gardeners who have rated the variety. When you first view them, they are sorted with the most recent review listed first. But you can use the drop down box (right) to sort them other ways that may be more helpful for you.

Tip: After you read a review, click on yes or no to indicate whether or not the review was helpful. That way, gardeners can sort the reviews so that the most useful ones will rise to the top.

Tip: Note where the reviewers are from. If you garden in the Adirondacks, you might put more stock in reviews from nearby gardeners as opposed to those in Long Island. Click on the reviewers name and you can view their profile and learn more about their gardens and what other varieties they recommend. You must create a profile and be logged in to read additional information about other gardeners. (See below.)

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Create your profile to rate varieties

Before you can rate varieties, you need to create a profile. It's quick and easy. Here are a few tips:

• Your screen name is what will appear as the "signature" to your reviews, along with your county. You can use your real name if you want, or a fictitious one if you want to maintain some anonymity.
• If you are outside of New York, leave the county blank.
• Remember that you will use your email (not your screen name) when you log in.

In addition to the required fields, please also fill out the rest of the profile information. Gardeners who read your reviews will be able to view your profile so that they can see if their gardening conditions are similar to yours. Plus, future versions of the site will allow you to view ratings limited to certain garden characteristics. For example, you might view ratings only from gardeners who have the the same growing season that you have.

Be sure to check the box if you would like to receive occasional updates via email about new features at the site and other site news. We will email no more than one per month at the most. (We don’t like spam either.) And we will keep your email private.

We will also keep private your demographic information, and only use it in aggregate. We hesitate to ask this information, but feel it is important to make sure that we accomplish our project goals.

Some tips:

• Click on My Profile in the header to edit your information. Here you can also subscribe or unsubscribe to the email updates if you change your mind.
• If you don't know your average frost-free season, use this New York map or national map to estimate your growing season.
• If you're not sure of your soil texture and want to find out, see this factsheet or try this settling test.

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Rating varieties

You must be registered and logged in to rate varieties.

After you register and log in, you need to find the variety you want to rate. (Tips for searching or browsing for varieties above.)

Click on the variety name on the search results page to go to the profile page.

Click on the rate variety link to go to the page to rate the variety from 5 stars (best) to one star (worst).

Tip: Overall, taste and yield ratings are self-explanatory. But what about ease/reliability? If a variety is dependable for you, easy to grow, not overly vulnerable to pests or diseases, and one that you might recommend to an inexperienced gardener, rate it high. If a crop is relatively difficult to grow, performs erratically, and you would hesitate to recommend it to an inexperienced gardener, rate it low.

Use the text box to write a short review or make comments about the variety. Don't feel like you need to write a comprehensive guide to growing the crop. Instead, use the space to pass along key information or growing tips other gardeners might want to know.

For example:

• "This tomato is great for salads and sauces, but plants need staking."
• "Doesn't yield very well, but the flavor is so good that it's worth the effort."
• "Only melon I've grown that ripens in our short season. But I wouldn't grow it without using black plastic mulch."

Note that the form automatically fills in your screen name and county.

Click on the preview button to see what your review will look like. After checking to make sure your information is correct, click on save (or edit if you want to make changes).

Now you can search or browse for another variety to rate.

Tip: Click on My Varieties in the page header to view varieties you've rated grouped by crop. If you make a mistake or change your mind, click on Edit Rating or Delete Rating to change or remove your ratings and reviews.

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Adding a new variety

If you can't find the variety you want to rate in our database, you can add a new one.

Tip: Please doublecheck to make sure the variety you're looking for isn't in our database. If you misspell the variety in the search box, you won't find it. Try browsing crops to find you variety before you add a new one.)

After you've exhausted your search for the variety, click on the Add A Variety link at the bottom of the search results page. Complete the form on that page (including the name of the company where you can buy seed and the url for their website) and click on submit.

Your addition won't be immediately available on the website. We are notified by email that you've added a variety. But then we need to approve your addition before it becomes part of the database. We don't provide 24/7 coverage, and in fact sometimes are away from our desks, out of town or on vacation. We will notify you by email when your variety is added and ready for you to rate and review.