Seeds are my Jimmy Choos

On a visit to Garden Organic's HQ in Ryton near Coventry recently, I was suckered by a squash. Yet again I ended up walking out of a shop with yet another packet of seeds that I had no need for, but wanted really passionately.

I'm a clean-living, muesli-knitting Guardian type, so my addictions are few. But collecting seeds is the closest thing I have to a vice, if you can call it that. Squash seeds are a particular weakness.

Considering that I live in a household of two people, I always grow about five times more courgettes, pumpkins and other squash than I realistically require. At my last seed audit I had half a dozen packets unfinished from this year. Squash seeds stay viable for up to about five years, so this wasn't a disaster, but still, I don't need any more seeds.

However … The cheeky little number in question was from Seeds of Italy, a seed company I commend not only for their range of Italian varieties of tomatoes, courgettes and most other vegetables, but also for the generosity of their packets - I am still working my way through a pack of their four seasons salad mix (which contains some particulary nice chicory and radicchio varieties) from about four years ago.

It was Rugosa di Friuli - a yellow courgette with a bobbly skin that’s new to the Seeds of Italy collection and is enjoyed in the Veneto region of Italy. It was different, and novel, and I couldn't resist it. And here's why I am prepared to indulge myself: some women get a kick out of buying a pair of £200 Manolos or Jimmy Choos - I get a buzz from a paper packet costing £2, tops.

Why? I love the idea of growing vegetables that'll make other people say "wow, what on earth is that?" I like to keep heirloom or heritage varieties alive, to maintain genetic diversity and keep alive stories hundreds of years old. I’d love to hear from any Italians out there who actually use Rugosa di Friuli in their cooking and could tell me exactly what dishes it’s good for. Must-haves for next season include the highly decorative Turks Turban pumpkin, the only red, white and blue potato in the world, Mr Little’s Yetholm Gypsy; and some of the Chinese salad leaves such as pak choi. I haven't found a broad bean I like eating, but I still want to grow the Martock broad bean, which dates back to medieval times and is, I believe, still grown by the vicar in the village of Martock.

I'd love to hear your recommendations, too: particularly for unusual beetroot, carrot, lettuce and squash types.      

Comments

[Alissa]

For beetroot it has to be Long Blood Red - soooo sweet and earthy. I wish I'd grown more this year.

[Rebsie Fairholm]

I agree, Seeds of Italy have a wonderful range of stuff and the packets last for years.

I'm a big fan of heritage veg too and I've just posted up some pictures of Mr Little's Yetholm Gypsy on my blog, having bought some microplants last year and just harvested a full crop for the first time. It is the most sublime of potatoes and gorgeously eccentric ... I highly recommend it. The plants have purple flowers and the spud flavour is lovely and strong, and they retain most of their incredible colour(s) after cooking.

The joy of tucking into a purple, pink and cream jacket potato which tastes as good as it looks has been one of the highlights of my gardening year so far.

[alan Parker]

...me too - seeds of Italy is great - but seeds FROM Italy are even better - remember, most Italians have some sort of allotment, and my family, from the Viterbo area, grow spherical courgettes and all sorts of beans. I do recommend a visit to Sutri - lovely village, and you can buy all of the seeds there from the grocers, especially Fagioli Regina - a sort of bean that is pink and white striped and tastes sublime (especially with porcetta - roast pork)
If you do get there, remember that pizza in this area is for breakfast ,and the best, early morning, is the 'blanco' which has thinly sliced potato, rock salt and rosemary on it, slopping with oil. Fantastico!

[Patrick Wiebe]

For taste, white carrots are one of my favorites. Very mild, tender and no bitterness. The only problem I sometimes have is they are not very vigorous, and sometimes the roots break during harvest because they are so tender.

One of my favorites for looks is the Cosmic Purple carrot, which have a purple skin and are green, orange and yellow inside.

[Kate]

I know exactly what you mean with respect to seeds. I was in a local shop at the weekend and they had a sale bin of flower seeds. I couldn't help having a look and ended up leaving with 7 packets! I keep buying seeds and then trying to find somewhere to plant them later.
I haven't got into heritage varieties yet, but it's something I'm planning on doing for next year as I really like the idea of helping to keep old varieties going.

[jenny drury]

can you tell me what to do with the beetroot that has gone to seed i want too know has ,i would like to use it for next years crop thank you jenny drury.

[Jane Perrone]

hi jenny

Seed saving is a complex business, particularly for certain crops like beetroot which can cross-pollinate with other varieties. You can sow the seed you collect from the beetroot but you may find that the next generation doesn't stay "true" ie isn't like the parent plants. If you're interested in getting into seed saving I'd invest in one of the good books on the subject you can get - I particularly like Back Garden Seed Saving by Sue Stickland and Seed Sowing and Saving by Carole Turner.

Best of luck!

[JAMES F. MAINOLFI]

A FRIEND OF MINE GAVE ME ONE SED AND SAID IT WAS REGINA FAGIOLI. ICAN NOT FIND THIS VARIETY ANYWHERE ON THE WEB CAN YOU HELP ME IS IT REAL WHERE CAN I GET MORE???