Our Plants: Varieties, Availability & Growing Seasons

Explore the diverse selection of locally grown plants nurtured by AncientR3oots, strategically timed for success in Salem, Virginia's unique climate. We combine ancient wisdom with modern techniques to bring you healthy, vibrant starts and produce.

For general plant care instructions and tips, please visit our Community Hub.

Our Core Plant Offerings

We're proud to offer a wide range of plant starts, carefully selected and cultivated for flavor and vigor. Availability varies by season, ensuring you get the best start for your garden.

Tomatoes

  • Brandywine (Pink)
  • Cherry (Sweetie)
  • Cherokee Purple
  • Super Sioux
  • Beefsteak (Red)
  • Beefsteak (Yellow)
  • Chef’s Choice Striped Hybrid
  • Yellow Currant

(**Note:** Brandywine & Cherokee Purple are longer-season heirlooms (80-100 days from transplant); Super Sioux & Cherry are earlier (65-70 days from transplant).)

Peppers

  • Habanero (Various Colors)
  • Sweet Hungarian
  • Carolina Reaper
  • Ghost
  • Bell (Various Colors)
  • Poblano
  • Serrano
  • Jalapeño
  • Big Jim
  • Pepperoncini

Cucumbers & Squash

  • Sumter (Slicing Cucumber)
  • Pickling Cucumber
  • Yellow Summer Squash
  • Green Summer Squash (Zucchini)
  • Cantaloupe

Lettuces & Greens

  • Bibb (Summer)
  • Red Oakleaf
  • Green Oakleaf
  • Michelle Batavian (Green - Heat Tolerant)
  • Crystal Batavian (Red - Heat Tolerant)
  • Kale (Various Types)

Herbs (20+ Varieties)

Aromatic and culinary powerhouses for your kitchen and garden.

  • Basils: Dark Opal, Genovese Organic, Sweet, Thai
  • Mints: Peppermint, Spearmint
  • Rosemaries: General, Creeping, Upright
  • Thymes: Common, Lemon, Creeping, Woolly, French
  • Sages: General, Purple, Golden
  • Oregano, Parsley (Curly, Flat Leaf), Cilantro, Chives
  • English Lavender, German Chamomile, Lemon Balm
  • Scented Geraniums (Rose, Lemon, Peppermint)
  • Fennel, Dill, Sweet Marjoram, Summer Savory, Winter Savory

Flowers

  • French Double Dwarf Marigold (Various Colors)
  • Naughty Marietta Marigold
  • Jolly Jester Marigold

Seasonal Planting & Selling Windows (Salem, VA)

We strategically plant and sell to align with Salem's growing season, maximizing success for your garden. This guide helps you know when to find our best starts!

Early Spring (Mid-March - Late April)

Planting cool-season starts and seeds:

  • Lettuce
  • Parsley
  • Chives

Main Spring (Late April - Late June)

Our peak season for warm-season starts:

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Basil
  • Marigolds
  • Cucumber
  • Squash
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cilantro

Hardy herbs can also be planted.

Summer (June - August)

Succession planting for continuous harvests:

  • Heat-tolerant Lettuce
  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Cilantro
  • Marigolds

Continued planting of hardy herbs. Starting seeds for fall crops (heat-tolerant Lettuce, Broccoli, Cauliflower).

Note: Current time is early June. Many plants are in their peak selling window. Larger, more established plants may be available after mid-June for late starts or replacements.

Fall (Late August - Mid-October)

Ideal for cooler-season plants:

  • Lettuce
  • Parsley
  • Cilantro

Continued planting of hardy herbs.

Plant Start Selling Window: Key Indicators

Our primary plant start sales are from **mid-season until mid-June**. After mid-June, our selection shifts to more established, larger 1-gallon plants perfect for late starts or replacements.

  • Tomatoes: Peak sales April-May. Smaller starts available until early June. Larger 1-gallon starts available later.
  • Peppers: Peak sales May-early June. Smaller starts available until late June-early July. Larger 1-gallon starts available later.
  • Cucumbers & Squash: Peak sales May-June. Starts available until mid-July.
  • Cantaloupe: Peak sales May-June. Starts available until mid-July.
  • Lettuce & Cilantro: Multiple windows due to succession planting (Spring: April-June; Fall: Sep-Oct).
  • Basil: Peak sales May-June. Available until late July.
  • Marigolds: Peak sales May-June. Available until early August.
  • Hardy Herbs & Kale: Available throughout spring, summer, and into fall.

Our Production & Sales Strategies

We focus on efficiency, sustainability, and maximizing your success in the garden.

  • Staggered Planting: For Tomatoes and Peppers, ensuring a continuous supply of transplants and a longer selling window.
  • Succession Planting: For Lettuce, Cilantro, Basil, and Parsley, extending the selling season and providing continuous availability.
  • "Late Bloomer" Starts: Marketing more mature Tomato and Pepper plants to cater to later-season gardeners or those needing replacements.
  • Minimizing Waste: We track sales data and adhere to specific planting/selling dates to reduce waste.

Transparent Pricing

  • Standard Plants: $5 per plant
  • Specialty Pricing: Beefsteak tomatoes - $10 per plant
  • Lettuce: $4.50 per plant

Can't Find What You're Looking For?

We're always exploring new varieties! If there's a plant you'd love to see us grow, let us know through our plant request form.

Submit a Plant Request