An early sweet pepper that looks like a really long chilli. They produce slender, curling fruits as long as my forearm which begin pale green turning to orange then red. Eat them at any stage of the proceedings but our favourite is to pickle the still-green peppers whole with garlic and a bit of dill. The perfect kebab condiment. Or BBQ side. Or just to add a little sparkle to your packed lunch.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: Stake plants using a tripod method - they don't get very tall but branches are liable to snap under the weight of their fruit. Grow in greenhouse or similar.~20 seedsStock Ref: PepTDel-00137-WNO-CGerm 80% Nov 24
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/150 seedsGerm 100% Oct 24
The Ormskirk savoy cabbage is a English heirloom variety originating from the Lancashire market town Ormskirk. As you can imagine, this cabbage is no stranger to cold and wet weather. It will resist splitting, even in a wet winter. The leaves are heavily crinkled - verdant green on the outside with pale green hearts. This is one of the tastiest heirloom savoys around - the sweet leaves hold their bite after cooking. 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/150 seedsGerm: 100% Oct 24
A proper Swiss Chard with wide juicy stems and deep green, shiny leaves. A very different plant from our other varieties Fireworks and Verde da Taglia. We think of it as the European version of Pak Choi - a leafy green, bred for its crisp stems rather than its verdant leaves. For this reason it makes a great stir fry addition throughout the summer months when it's impossible to grow Pak Choi. It's a very generous green to grow - if you harvest individual stems, a couple of sowings will have you sorted for the year.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).~2.5g/150 seedsChdSwC-00064-KNG-OGGerm 86% Dec 24
Black Beauty is an early fruiting, large fruited aubergine variety. See how much hand strains under the weight of it! We've found this variety to be a reliable cropper even in difficult growing years. The aubergines it produces are both beautiful and delicious - shiny jet black skins with creamy white flesh. Aubergines are a long season crop and need to be started early and grown in a greenhouse. If you keep the plants well looked after, you'll be harvesting aubergines from August to October.Sow: Valentines day - March, with heat (25C), prick out and pot on to plant out after risk of frost has passed end of MayHarvest: August-SeptemberKitchen: Pairs with savoury (parmesan, miso, anchovies, capers, parmesan), aromatic (parsley, basil, coriander, thyme), spicy (anise, chilli, cinnamon), fats (seasame, goats cheese, mozzarella), alliums (garlic, spring onion).~15 seedsAubBB-00046-MOL-OGGerm 70% Nov 24
There is a shade of electric purple found in vegetables which is hard to ignore. Azur star kohlrabi is a prime example of it. Smooth, bright purple vegetables which add gorgeous colour to autumn harvests.They have a mild, brassica flavour, similar to radish and can be used in similar ways. Try as crudites, grates in salads and slaws or baked in a gratin. Kohlrabi is often associated with Germany and Austria but the vegetable has a surprisingly long history in England. The first recording of field scale kohlrabi production dates all the way back to 1837. Sow: mid Feb-early March undercover or after mid June-July outsidePlant: April or July-August, 20-30cm spacingHarvest: June or September-OctoberKitchen: Make into salads, roast, bake or pickle. Pairs with citrus fruits (lemon), aromatics (coriander, chervil, dill), sweets (carrots, apples, honey), fats (parmesan, yogurt, sesame).Notes: Plants get woody at the base if left too long.~0.5g/150 seedsKohAz-00090-MOL-OGGerm 98% Oct 24
A richly aromatic oregano which is a very useful and robust plant to grow. This is herb for all your favourite Greek dishes. It grows well in containers or in a herb bed, producing lots of leafy growth followed by a tonne of bee-loved flowers. The blooms make a lovely scented addition to garden posies. This is a perennial herb which you can expect a smaller harvest from in the first year. It will bulk out over the next few years. Cut back old growth in early spring to encourage new soft growth.Sow: March - April (at around 18C)Plant: 30cm apart in MayKitchen: The it herb for greek, mexican and italian dishes. Pairs with fats (eggs, yogurt, halloumi, soft cheese, parmesan), aromatics (basil, parsley, chives, mint, thyme), spicy (chili), acid (white wine, red wine vinegar)~0.1g/1000 seedsHrbGkO-00118-CNS-CGerm 69% Dec 24
