The best tasting perpetual spinach out there - sweet, tender, verdant green leaves on slim stems. Verde da Taglio is an easy-to-grow Italian heirloom which is perfect for gardeners who want to make the most out of their growing space. A couple of sowings will provide you with year-round greens. This is one of our favourite greens in the catalogue - we grow it every year without fail.Sow: April (undercover) & July (outside or undercover) for continuous supply. Plant: 4 weeks after sowing, or sow direct.Harvest: Baby leaves in 6 weeks, big leaves in 8-10 weeks. Harvest outside leaves.Kitchen: Eat baby leaves raw and cook older leaves - steam, sautee, or braise. Cook stems a little longer than leaves. Pairs with acid (lemon, balsamic vinegar, lime), fats (goats cheese, walnuts, coconut milk, butter), salty (olives, feta, parmesan), aromatics (chilli, nutmeg, dill, fennel, thyme).1.5g (approx 75 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 82% July 25
Lovely golden globe-shaped beetroot that bring a bit of sunshine to your plate. This variety has very strong, healthy, upright stems which are sturdy enough to bunch or cook as a green. The roots have a intense, turmeric-yellow colour which persists even after cooking. With such bright colouring, surely these beets are brimming with antioxidants. Beetroot are one of the easiest crops to grow but are a bit of a marmite crop in the kitchen. We find the yellow varieties have a milder, and more aromatic flavour than their red counterparts.Sow: April-July, can be sown in modules or directPlant: 4 weeks after sowing.Harvest: June-OctoberKitchen: Roast or boil. Pairs well with spices (cinnamon, chili, cumin), acid (lemon, balsamic vinegar), fats (goats cheese, feta, walnuts, pinenuts, hazelnuts, pecans), salty (capers, olives), aromatics (mint, parsley, dill, fennel, thyme).4g (approx 200 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 89% Sept 25
Our Desert Island onion. Cuisse de Poulet du Poitou is a banana shallot bursting with savoury-sweetness. Its mild enough to be served raw but really sings when cooked low and slow. The bulbs are about the size of an onion - you get proper shallot flavour without the extensive peeling. And they're beautiful - elegant, elongated bulbs with a rusty-rose skin.Sow in March - 3-5 seeds per modules a la Charles Dowding. Harvest fresh and you can use the stems too. Later harvests have a more pungent flavour. Dry the bulbs out after harvest and they'll keep until December.Sow: multi-sow 3-5 seeds per module, March undercoverPlant: 20cm spacing between modulesHarvest: July-AugustKitchen: Pairs with everything. Use raw or cooked in a myriad of dishes.1g (approx 250 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 94% Sept 25
Marys Niagara is strictly suited to gardeners with a sweet tooth who welcome a little wildness into their gardens. Also known as cape gooseberries, these berries are all individually wrapped in a papery husk. The orange berries inside taste like the layer of caramelized pineapple you get on a pineapple upside down cake. Totally delicious.Despite having their roots in North America, these grow with wild abandon - the plants are big and the fruits are plentiful. They grow 30cm up and then start to bush outwards to almost 3 foot wide! We think they would look tremendous cascading down the side of a container. Fruits fall off the plant when ripe. You can give them a little shake to encourage them and leave to ripen fully on a window sill. Fruits keep well.Sow: March-April with heat (21-25C)Plant: 50-100cm apartHarvest: July-SeptemberKitchen: Eat straight off the plant or incorporate into fruity desserts - they're particularly good in pavlovaNotes: This variety grows well outside.
Approx 20 seeds. We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 91% Aug 25
Glossy courgettes in the deepest, darkest green. This well-behaved variety grows in neat, bushy clumps and throws out courgettes over a long period. A great variety to avoid a courgette glut. This is an all-round scrappy variety which was bred in the US for drought tolerance and mildew resistance. The plants have incredibly extensive root systems and are highly adapted to organic cultivation.Sow: April (undercover, ideally at 21C), late May outsidePlant: end May, 60cm spacingHarvest: July-SeptKitchen: Slow cook, BBQ or roast. Pairs with fats (pine nuts, goats cheese, ricotta, feta, halloumi), citrus (lemon) salty flavours (capers, olives, anchovy, bacon), aromatics (coriander, dill, basil, marjoram).Approx 15 seeds. We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 86% Feb 25
If you can call a courgette bodacious, then Costata Romanesco is the one. Big bold plants, with flowers bright and brazen, it really is something to behold. This Italian heirloom has been bred to produce exceptionally large flowers - perfect for stuffing with goats cheese, dipping in batter and frying. The courgettes themselves are also second-to-none. Beautiful striped skins, firm texture and nutty flavour.You’ll only need one or two plants to feed a family. Grow a couple more and you’ll be feeding the whole street.
Sow: April (undercover, ideally at 21C), late May outside
Plant: end May, 60cm spacing
Harvest: July-Sept
Kitchen: Slow cook, BBQ or roast. Pairs with fats (pine nuts, goats cheese, ricotta, feta, halloumi), citrus (lemon) salty flavours (capers, olives, anchovy, bacon), aromatics (coriander, dill, basil, marjoram).
Notes: Protect early plantings from frost. This variety has a tendency to develop yellow patterns on the leaves. This is a quirk of the variety, not a defect or disease.
Approx 15 seeds. We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 92% Oct 25
Prepare to be wowed by the soft apricot orange of this stunning calendula. Flowers range from apricot to creamy yellow with (mostly) chestnut brown centers. The big, double flowers are borne on tall strong stems perfect for cutting. The full flowers also make this variety a great choice for gardeners who want to use petals as an edible or for herbal tea.Pot Marigolds are one of the most rewarding flowers to grow from seed. You'll have flowers all summer from a single spring sowing. They'll also self seed, giving you more flowers next year.Sow: September for overwintering seedlings. Sow undercover or outside Mar-May, depending on soil conditions.Plant: 4 weeks after sowing at 30cm.Harvest: Expect 50-60cm stem length, longer if grown inside.Vase: Pick when flowers are half open for best vase life of 5 days.0.35g (approx 35 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.Germ 71% Sept 25
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Stridolo (A.K.A. Sculpit) is the cultivated form of wild plant Bladder Campion. It's a beautiful Italian heirloom which we love to grow as a delicate addition to salad mixes. The glaucous green foliage is very elegant. Leaves are succulent with a mild flavour - a little aromatic with a mild, pleasant bitterness. One sowing will last you the year. We also love the dainty white flowers for cutting.Sow: April-MayPlant: 4 weeks after sowing once soil has warmedHarvest: 8-10 weeks after sowingKitchen: Use fresh or just wilted. Used in Italy as part of a bitter greens mix, in pasta and egg dishes.0.25g (approx 400 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 99% Sept 25
Aromata is a truimph of sensorial plant breeding - intensely selected for flavour and texture, yielding a slim, butter-yellow variety with a firm texture and intense aroma. A brave new world of culinary possibilities has been opened! Say goodbye to bland, spongy parsnips and hello to crisp, tender roots. This variety is well suited to eating raw - think remoulade and coleslaw.Another great variety from Kultursaat breeders in Germany, developed from an accession from the IPK Leibniz gene bank. Read the breeders story below.Sow: April-early May in May. Kitchen: Pairs with savoury (bacon, marmite), fats (blue cheese, hard cheese), spices (nutmeg, cumin, anise), watercress.Notes: Seeds are slow to germinate, keep soil damp. Thin seedlings to 5cm and keep weeded. Roots are sweetest when harvested after the first frost.
1g (approx 200 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 92% Aug 25The Story Behind the Variety...Back in the 90s, breeders at Kultursaat noted a big inconsistency in flavour and texture within individual parsnip varieties. Single varieties yield roots which tasted completely different - some were bland, some sweet, some spongy and some bitter. So they embarked on a long journey to create a variety which excelled in flavour and texture. As a root vegetable and biennial seed crop, the challenge was to find a method to taste test each root whilst keeping them in good enough condition to replant and save seed from the following year. Their solution was to remove a small core from each parsnip to taste. Hundreds of parsnips were tested and the roots with the best eating qualities were replanted to save seed from. This was done for years until the variety was just right. The finishing flourish was to test the variety in different soil types, showing it could grow well in clay, loamy, sandy and upland soils.https://www.kultursaat.org/dateien/zuechtung/sorten_englisch/aromata-en.pdf
An early and prolific member of the habanero family of chillis which has a distinctively lemony and aromatic. Its flavour rivals the more widely available 'Lemon Drop' and we include this in our catalogue because of its earliness, bountiful yields and small stature. Its perfect for container growing and doesn't need to be staked.
This is a chilli we grow for one reason only - to make an unforgettable fermented chilli sauce. The chillis are on the spicy side so we often cut them half and half with sweet peppers. This variety dries well but disappointingly doesn't retain its bright lemon-yellow colour after drying, although it does keep its flavour.Sow: Valentines day to end March, with heat (25C)Harvest: July-SeptemberKitchen: Pairs with savoury (olives, bacon, cured pork), aromatic (parsley, coriander, oregano, ginger), spicy (paprika, cumin, cinnamon), fats (avocado, soft cheese, eggs).Notes: Grow in greenhouse or similar.
Approx 20 seeds. We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 88% Jan 26
Crisp, sunshine yellow beans with a bright, buttery flavour. One of the best tasting French beans we've grown. We offer the white seeded strain of this variety which we think is more tender than the black seeded type. The pods are wide and flattened and tend to curve if grown outside. An easy-to-harvest variety on account of the brightly coloured beans.
Our original seed for this variety was gifted to us by incredible heirloom bean seed producer Pippa Rosen from Beans & Herbs.
Sow: April undercover, May-June outside
Plant: 30cm apart
Harvest: July-September, pick regularly.
Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds).
Notes: This is a climbing French bean and will easily grow to 6ft so stake accordingly.
Phaseolus vulgaris
15g (approx 40 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ Rate: 98% Oct 25
Finally, a deep purple bean that actually tastes good! The pods are slender, slightly flattened and beautifully straight. They start off as soft lilac flowers which are something to be appreciated in their own right. As with most purple vegetables, the purple colour disappears once they're cooked. Fun while it last though, and the beans are easy to spot when you're harvesting. Blooming Prairie is a dwarf French bean and the plants will grow to 30cm off the ground - no need to stake.
Sow: April undercover, May-June outside
Plant: 30cm apart
Harvest: July-September, pick regularly.
Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds).
Notes: Sow a second succession in June for continuous harvest.
Phaseolus vulgaris
9g (approx 30 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ Rate: 80% Oct 25
Little Finger is one of the best carrots to grow with children. They are fast growing, sweet tasting and a very satisfying size. The medium-long roots grow up to a finger-width wide (hence the name) so they are ideal left whole and crunched as kids snacks or crudites. Unlike most carrot varieties, Little Finger is specifically adapted to clay soils - one to try if you’re still trying to grow your first straight carrot!
Sow: May until mid-July, direct sow.
Harvest: At least 12 weeks from sowing.
Kitchen: Roast, braise or eat raw. Pairs well with acid (balsamic, white wine, lemon), aromatics (cumin, dill, mint, thyme, rosemary, coriander, ginger, chilli), fats (sesame, olive oil), alliums (leeks, garlic).
Notes: Sow late May to early June to avoid carrot root fly.
Daucus carota
1g (approx 800 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ: 77% Oct 25
A true British heirloom, dating back to 12th century and hailing from the North of England. Once a staple, today they are most frequently found doused in salt and vinegar. They are as delicious as they sound.
Carlin peas are traditional drying peas, grown to harvest and eat as a pulse rather than the sweet fresh peas we're more familiar with. Grow these fuss-free plants and feel the wholesome satisfaction of loading up your store cupboard with home grown pulses this winter!
Sow: March to May outside
Harvest: June - July
Kitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), fats (butter, feta, smoked fish, bacon), aromatics (mint, dill, parsley, chilli).
Pisum sativum
18g (approx 100 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ Rate: 98% Oct 25
This heritage Italian variety of chicory is one of our favourites. Sweet flavour and crisp texture - this is a variety for chicory noobs. It rivals iceberg lettuce for crispness but with a much more aromatic, complex flavour. Outer, deep green leaves have more radicchio bitterness than the yellow hearts. Pan di Zucchero grow to an impressive size - about 40cm long - a satisfying green to grow. Sowing and planting timing is important to grow chicory successfully. Sow in mid-late July and plant out promptly. Chicory like to germinate in the cool. Sow: mid-late July. Keep seeds cool while germinating.Plant: 4 weeks after sowing.Harvest: October-December. Chicory is frost tolerant but the outside leaves can suffer, looking rotten and slimy. Hold your nerve and peel them away to reveal the jewel-like chicory heart. Kitchen: Best raw in salads but can also be cooked. Cut the hearts in half, marinate and griddle or barbecue. Pairs well with acid (lemon, balsamic vinegar, orange), fats (blue cheese, walnuts, hazelnuts), salty (capers), sweet (winter squash).0.5g (approx 350 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 72% Jul 25
Photo courtesy of Springtail Farm
Rossa di Milano is a stunning, deep red Italian heirloom with broad shoulders, tapering down to a narrow root. One we're really excited to bring to UK gardeners. A reliable variety to grow from seed, we sow in February and harvest in late summer. A brilliant storage variety - worth a try if you're after lovely sweet red onions which keep all winter.
Sow in March - 3-5 seeds per modules a la Charles Dowding. Harvest fresh and you can use the stems too. Later harvests have a more pungent flavour. Dry the bulbs out after harvest and they'll keep until December.
Sow: multi-sow 3-5 seeds per module for bulbs or clusters of 10 for spring onions, March undercover
Plant: 20cm spacing between modules
Harvest: July-August
Kitchen: Pairs with everything. Use raw or cooked in a myriad of dishes.
Allium cepa
1g (approx 250 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 98% Sept 25
Cute, compact basil with bright, fresh flavour. Greek basil is Italian basil's smaller cousin - it has small leaves and only grows to 25cm high. It is sweeter than traditional Genovese types which we think makes it well suited to using in salads and as a garnish. Its small stature also makes it perfect for growing in pots on a window sill. Sow: mid March-July (at around 22C)Plant: 20cm apartHarvest: 8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or just wilted. Think pizza, pasta, pesto (and soup).Notes: Bolted plants bring in a tonne of pollinators.0.5g (approx 300 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 74% July 25
The most striking cabbage in the patch. Kalibos is a crisp, pointed cabbage in a shade of electric purple which is impossible to ignore. It must be very good for you too. This Eastern European heirloom is very sweet and very crisp. It's well suited to making into salads or krauts.
A beautiful choice for an ornamental kitchen garden, particularly when paired with French Marigold 'Red Gem'.
Sow: March-April (undercover or outside with fleece or cloche)
Plant: May, 45cm apart
Harvest: Late summer- early autumn
Kitchen: Roast, steam, sautee or braise. Pairs with acidic flavours (lemon, white wine). fats (sesame, bacon, chorizo, walnuts, parmesan), alliums (garlic, leeks), aromatics (mustard, cumin, parsley, coriander, thai sweet basil, ginger).
Notes: To avoid massive cabbage heads, grow no further than 45cm apart. As with all brassicas, plant deep to avoid toppling
Brassica oleracea
0.5g (approx 125 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ Rate: 90% Oct 25
Thrupp is a very special parsnip and an example of the wonders that can come out of community seed saving. This genetically diverse, modern-landrace parsnip was originally bred by Amanda Godber at an allotment site in Stroud, Thrupp has been stewarded by Down to Earth Stroud and the Stroud Community Seed Bank for years.
It was brought to my attention by seed steward Dan Fox of Two Acre Farm in the Mendips. Dan has put lots of work into trialling, selecting and adapting the parsnip and the seed offered here has been grown on his farm. He describes them as 'proper parsnips' with very little forking - a very rare variety which is strongly adapted to the South West climate.
1g (approx 200 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Pastinaca sativa
We are really excited to be offering this rare and beautiful Northern Italian heirloom cabbage - Violaceo di Verona. It has lightly crinkled leaves which range from glaucous green to plum purple. This selection is a beautifully diverse - each plant has slightly different colouring and leaf texture. One thing that stays consistent is the flavour - the cabbages are top-knotch - deliciously sweet, particularly after cold weather. Plants are on the larger size, so perhaps not the most sensible choice for smaller gardens.Sow: March-April (undercover or outside with fleece or cloche)Plant: May, 45cm apartHarvest: Autumn-WinterKitchen: Roast, steam, sautee or braise. Pairs with acidic flavours (lemon, white wine). fats (sesame, bacon, chorizo, walnuts, parmesan), alliums (garlic, leeks), aromatics (mustard, cumin, parsley, coriander, thai sweet basil, ginger).Notes: To avoid massive cabbage heads, grow no further than 45cm apart. As with all brassicas, plant deep to avoid toppling.0.5g (approx 125 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ 95% Sept 25
The most stunning winter leek I've come across. Shades of Belgian Blue is a diverse mix of winter-hardy leeks with leaves that tend towards blue and purple pigmentation. Cold temperatures bring out the stunning colouring. Selected for rust resistance.Diverse population which has been selected to overwinter well in our soggy field in Dorset. This is an Open Source Seed Initiative variety.
Sow: April-May undercover or outside. Sow thickly in a seed bed. You can make a seed bed in open soil or use a crate/large pot filled with a multipurpose compost.Plant: May-June. Separate leek seedlings and trim roots and leaves by two thirds. This makes it easier to plant the leeks. Dib holes 20cm apart. Place 1 leek in each hole for big leeks, 3 in each hole for baby leeks. Do not recover with soil.Harvest: October-JanuaryKitchen: Almost as versatile as an onion. Slow cook to bring out sweetness or roast, barbecue & grill whole to add another flavour dimension. Pairs well with acid - lemon, white wine; fats - butter, cream, yogurt, cheese; aromatics - chervil, chives, tarragon, thyme.1g (350 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Germ: 89% Jan 26
A traditional Italian winter salad leaf, cropped from autumn to early spring. It is very easy to grow and will thrive in any garden (even coastal ones!) but rich soils will yield more succulent leaves. Rich in calcium, vitamins A and B2.Buckshorn plantain has been a prized salad green in Italy since the 16th traditional ingredient in Italian peasant cooking. It is an authentic element of Roman misticanza - a salad mix of wild greens. You'll find it on Tuscan and Umbrian tables sauteed with white beans in Minutina e Fagioli. Try it in Frittata con Erba Stella or as a replacement for basil in pesto. Sow: April-AugustPlant: 30cm apartHarvest: 8-10 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or wilted. Pairs well with citrus (lemon), spices (fennel, chilli), alliums (spring onion, garlic), fats (parmesan, eggs, butter, walnuts), salty (olives, capers).Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece.
0.15g (approx 500 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
A lovely salad green for spring and autumn harvests with a distinctive cucumber flavour. Salad burnet is an easy-to-grow perennial which we find tastiest when grown as an annual each year. Harvest the tender leaves at the centre of the rosette and add them into salads or use as a herb. Particularly nice chopped up finely and used in herb mixes with rice or to flavour raita.Sow: mid-March to JulyPlant: 30cm apartHarvest: 8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh. Pairs well with citrus (lemon, lime), aromatics (dill, coriander, fennel, chilli), alliums (spring onion, garlic), fats (cream cheese, yoghurt, sesame).Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece.
0.5g (approx 100 seeds). We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate.
Grow vegetables you'll be hard pressed to find in the supermarket! Find rare and unusual varieties to add to your productive garden. All tried and tested in the UK climate! Shop our seeds and sow something special!
