Artichoke (Globe) & Cardoon
Both make large perennial plants. Artichokes produce large globes of delicious buds, usually from their second year onwards, while Cardoons are often grown for their crispy edible stalks and mid-ribs. Both make fantastic feature plants in the garden even if you never eat them!
|
|
Asparagus
This is one of the tastiest of garden vegetables and, when bought from the shops, one of the priciest! You can grow them successfully from seed. It takes a little longer than using crowns but this is a much more cost effective way to start off. Your patience will be rewarded by an asparagus bed that can be productive for 20 years or so.
|
|
|
Asparagus Pea
- An unusual plant which produces attractive red flowers followed by angular pods.
|
|
Aubergine
These need a warm and sheltered spot or protection to do well, however with our warmer summers it is time to give them a try. You can grow these in much the same way as tomatoes. Start them indoors in early spring where they can benefit from some warmth, plant them out into a greenhouse or pot them on finally to 20cm pots (which they do very well in).
|
|
|
Baby Leaf Varieties
Space saving quick crops. Many are suitable for a long season of production. Add variety and flavours to your salads with a changing selection of produce.
|
|
Bean Broad
We grow our beans in triple rows which seems to help keep the taller varieties standing on their own even on a windy site! We start all our beans in modules and then plant out.
|
|
|
Bean French Climbing
They like to start off in a warmer soil so do not sow them earlier than mid April unless you warm the soil with cloches, alternatively start them in modules indoors. Help these climb by training them up canes either in a wigwam or a line. All French beans respond well to regular picking when the pods are 8-10cm long. This will encourage a long season which can last from late July to late September. Longer beans can be shelled and used as flageolets while towards the end of the season you can chose to dry the whole plant & shell the remaining dry beans (haricots) for use over the winter
|
|
Bean French Dwarf
Despite their name these beans were introduced to Europe by the Spanish from the Americas! They are started off in the same way, and time, as their climbing cousins. They make a good crop for containers (at least 20cm wide) and they also freeze well. Sow from mid April through to July.
|
|
|
Beans Runner
A firm favourite that is well suited to our summers. When you pick runner beans regularly they crop over a long period of time. We are selling you enough seeds for 2 or 3 wigwams and if you want to grow more than that then why not try a second variety to compare flavours? We like to pick our beans when they are young but our stringless varieties will continue to give you nice beans even if you leave them on the plant for longer than intended.
|
|
Beans Unusual
Love beans?
Go beyond the familiar with Adzuki,Edamame (soy),lab lab and pea beans.
|
|
|
Beetroot
Normally grown for the roots (they are cooked and eaten hot or cold or grated raw into salads) but the young leaves are also edible and they are a colourful addition to salads. Sow in the open from mid March to July or sow under glass Jan/Feb for crops from May onwards. Late sowings in August will need protection later. Make several sowings for a continuous supply.
|
|
Broccoli
For the best flavour steam the florets as soon as possible after cutting. Try serving with white sauce or hollandaise or just with butter. You can even use them in Cauliflower cheese – instead of the cauliflower!
Sprouting varieties will produce a succession of small heads for harvesting over a long period
|
|
|
Broccoli Raab
This is actually related to turnips but is grown like broccoli, sometimes referred to as ‘rapini’. It isn’t an alternative to broccoli, it is a lovely veggie in it own right grown for its leaves, shoots and small florets.
|
|
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels may be an essential for winter meals, but by growing different varieties you can enjoy sprouts from Autumn to Spring. We stake our plants, except Early Half Tall, against wind rock. We reuse the stakes from year to year. By popular demand we have retained our varieties from last year and added three new ones to the range for you to try.
|
|
|
Cabbage
We grow a lot of these varieties ourselves; sowing in succession in modules and then planting out has always proved to be a very reliable method, producing a good crop of very tasty cabbages.
|
|
Calabrese
These are productive brassicas for small gardens, maturing in about 16 weeks. The cauliflower like head is cut just before the flowers open, and it will then produce broccoli like side shoots that are also for harvesting. Picking constantly will encourage more shoots. Sow the seed in pots for planting out. Sow from late spring to early summer for a succession.
|
|
|
Cape Gooseberry
This produces the tasty bright orange fruits that are now popular in upmarket restaurants.
|
|
Carrot
With planning and successive sowing it is possible to enjoy the flavour of fresh carrots for 9 months of the year. You can sow under cloches or in cold frames in the spring - let the soil warm up under the cloches before sowing or wait for warmer weather!
|
|
|
Cauliflower
These are tasty brassicas that most people think as having white or creamy heads but the purple and green forms are also exceptionally flavoured. They need to be planted in firm ground and avoid fresh manure as this encourages leaf production and not heads! Secret of success – grow in modules & after approximately 6 weeks plant out after hardening off and keep well watered.
|
|
Celeriac
The internal creamy white flesh is crisp with a smooth texture and a mild flavour – try celeriac chips and be amazed. This is a popular vegetable in Europe. It has a long season and can be harvested from the autumn and on through the winter, lifting as you need them. As the name suggests the taste is a little like celery but sweeter. Celeriac leaves can also be used for flavouring.
|
|
|
Celery
We offer you three types of celery: leaf (found in our herb section), trenching and self blanching. The more usual trench type needs to be blanched by using a collar or earthing up and they reward you for your trouble with vigour, colour and hardiness. Self blanching types can be planted in blocks and do not need collars or trenches. Both sorts are better started indoors or under glass in seed trays from mid April and can be eaten raw or cooked.
|
|
Celtuce Vegetable Seeds
This was one of our best sellers for the last two years; it has remained one of our own best growers too. It is easy to grow and very productive.
|
|
|
Chicory
Growing chicory is not difficult: you start the seed in modules, transplant and let them grow. The leaves perk up cool weather salads and are delicious lightly cooked. They are robust and tolerate most climates and soils and a rarely troubled by pests or disease. Their long season of use from mid-summer right through to spring makes them an excellent choice to keep your garden productive. Take the plunge!
|
|
Chillies
For those who like things hot, look no further. Sow these indoors in a warm soil from mid April to May in trays or modules. They can either be kept indoors or moved outside if you have a sheltered spot. Chillies will put up with more temperature fluctuations than peppers. Harvest when ripe late August to October. Love chillies but don’t have lots of space then the answer is our chilli mix choices.
|
|
|
Chinese Cabbage & Broccoli
These are versatile vegetables that can be used in salads, cooked lightly or put in a stir fry. Sow from June to August with harvesting about 9 weeks later. They are a very fast, useful and tasty summer/autumn crop
|
|
|
|