Even if you think you've already ordered your seeds, there's still time to add some or try a new supplier. Here's a few that might interest you . . .
D T Brown has a new courgette "Alfresco", with an improved flavour (they claim) and pale green fruits - easier to spot amongst the foliage and less likely to surprise you with an unsuspected giant marrow. Not cheap at £2.29 for 10 seeds, but it is an F1 hybrid variety, and they're always dearer. I shall be growing "Tromba" from Franchi Seeds (also available in garden centres), which is a trailer and takes up a bit more room but really did me proud this year. £1.99 for lots of seeds.
D T Brown has a new courgette "Alfresco", with an improved flavour (they claim) and pale green fruits - easier to spot amongst the foliage and less likely to surprise you with an unsuspected giant marrow. Not cheap at £2.29 for 10 seeds, but it is an F1 hybrid variety, and they're always dearer. I shall be growing "Tromba" from Franchi Seeds (also available in garden centres), which is a trailer and takes up a bit more room but really did me proud this year. £1.99 for lots of seeds.
 | Crop from Tromba in mid September - this is what I had left after giving them away to 3 different people. And that is a giant colander, folks. I'll be growing it again, as the flavour is very good. |
Asparagus after only a year? That's what Suttons are promising with new variety 'Ariane'. Well, ish. They say sow in March 2014 and harvest the first spears in August 2015, which I make 17 months. How much you get, and whether it decreases the crop you'll get the following year, is something they don't say. Good news for impatient gardeners though! Again, at £2.99 for 10 seeds, it's not cheap.
Not black just very dark green Last year Plants of distinction were offering an improved form of the 'Cavolo Nero' or "Black Kale" (it's a very dark green), specially bred for the British climate. I note it isn't on their website this year, so it looks like they've dropped it. I've always had very good results here in Kent with the ordinary "Nero di Toscana" from Tuckers, which is £1.60 for 1000 seeds, as opposed to £1.75 for 50 seeds from Plants of Distinction! This is our family's favourite kale, which tender sweet leaves and much less of that sulphurous twang which kids find so difficult to warm to. Search online and you'll find some Italian recipes using it with pasta.
Tomato Blight is always a problem in a mild, damp year. "Losetto" is a very blight-tolerant variety; it may still get blight, but will carry on cropping. A bush variety, it's available from Mr Fothergills, Nicky's Nursery, and Thompson & Morgan
RSS Feed
