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IRISH SEED SAVERS<br />
Association<br />
<strong>Seed</strong> <strong>Catalogue</strong>
American Flag<br />
Leek<br />
Amish Pie<br />
Pumpkin<br />
Beta3 Carrot<br />
Caro Rich<br />
Tomato<br />
Camomile Cosmos Cylindra<br />
Beetroot<br />
Galina Cherry<br />
Tomato<br />
Gelb Radish<br />
Gene Bank<br />
Marrow<br />
Golden<br />
Amaranth<br />
Grandpa<br />
Admires Lettuce<br />
Honesty<br />
Leprechaun<br />
Courgette<br />
Lily White<br />
Sea Kale<br />
Linseed<br />
Frise Vert<br />
Fonce Parsley<br />
Lucullus<br />
Chard<br />
Mr. Jones<br />
Broad Bean<br />
Old Ambaster<br />
Broad Bean
<strong>Seed</strong> <strong>Catalogue</strong><br />
2017<br />
What We Do?<br />
For thousands of years people all over the world have cultivated crops and saved<br />
seed, creating a huge diversity of food and varieties. In the past 100 years with the<br />
advent of industrial agriculture we have lost 75% of this biodiversity worldwide.<br />
Here at Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers our main objective is to conserve as many of Ireland’s<br />
native varieties of vegetables, grains and fruits to create a living bank of heritage<br />
crops to share with the gardeners of today.<br />
By choosing these seeds you are helping the preservation of biodiversity for future<br />
generations. The <strong>Seed</strong>s are Open Pollinated <strong>Seed</strong>s.<br />
Open Pollinated varieties unlike F1 hybrids, stay true to seed from one generation<br />
to the next thus allowing you to save your own seeds. By using Open Pollinated<br />
(OP) varieties you contribute to keeping food security in your own hands.<br />
For more information visit: www.open-pollinated-seeds.org.uk<br />
Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers is a registered charity CHY 13989 and relies on your purchases,<br />
support and donations. www.irishseedsavers.ie<br />
ISSA – Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers Association / S.G. – <strong>Seed</strong> Guardian / C.O. - Certified Organic<br />
SEEDS: €2.95 per pack for vegetables or €3.25 for flowers.<br />
Popular varieties may run out towards the end of the season.<br />
We welcome any gardening news, tips and feedback from your own experiences<br />
growing our seeds so that we can share it with others.<br />
Inside Illustrations<br />
from Thomas Etty<br />
Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers Association are very grateful to Pobal, LEADER, the Department<br />
of Agriculture, The Jackson Foundation, Irish Environmental Network, Clare County<br />
Council, Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Limerick County Council,<br />
Patagonia & Croí Publishing for their very valued support of our organisation.
Contents<br />
Alliaceae Family<br />
Brassicaceae Family<br />
Chenopodiaceae Family<br />
Compositae Family<br />
Cucurbitaceae Family<br />
Gramineae Family<br />
Leguminoseae Family<br />
Liliaceae Family<br />
Linaceae Family<br />
Solanaceae Family<br />
Umbelliferae Family<br />
Salad Leaves & Greens<br />
Herbs<br />
Flowers<br />
1-3<br />
4-9<br />
9-11<br />
12-13<br />
14-17<br />
17...<br />
18-24<br />
24...<br />
25...<br />
25-30<br />
31-33<br />
33-34<br />
35...<br />
36-38<br />
Have you ever thought about supporting our vital conservation work?<br />
Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers Association was set up as a charity in 1991 to save Ireland’s heritage<br />
and heirloom vegetable seeds, potatoes, grains and fruit trees from extinction.<br />
We have over 600 varieties of organic, open pollinated heritage seeds in our purpose<br />
built <strong>Seed</strong> Bank and our extensive heritage gardens house the native Apple Tree Collection<br />
together with the country’s only public self-rooting orchard. We share our skills<br />
and knowledge with thousands of children and adults through courses, camps and<br />
outreach programmes.<br />
The Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers Association is one of very few organisations in Ireland engaged in<br />
this urgent work. Please join us by becoming a supporter. Your contribution will ensure<br />
that this living legacy can be held in trust for future generations.
Alliaceae Family<br />
Onions (Allium cepa)<br />
Note: Growing onions from seed successfully<br />
Sow in trays/modules under cover in February. Plant out seedlings approx 15cm apart<br />
in April into really moist soil (water well if dry). Onions need to have plenty of green<br />
leaf growth by solstice, when the change in daylight starts the process of swelling the<br />
bulb. Harvest when tops have started to die back in August.<br />
Buan (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is a true native Irish onion bred by Barnie Crombie who was still doing onion<br />
trials when he passed on in the 1980’s. However he had sent seed to the Russian and<br />
English gene banks from which Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers Association received seed and we<br />
have been growing and saving this unique variety since. It has performed extremely<br />
well in the most adverse conditions for ‘good quality onions’, ie. an average Irish<br />
summer. The name comes from old Irish, ‘Long life’, and it is indeed a really good<br />
storage bulb with flavoursome white flesh and has won prizes in several shows.<br />
James long keeping (CO - ISSA)<br />
One of the most asked about crop varieties that we have. The RHS of 1819 states ‘Well<br />
known sort raised by market gardener of the name James several years ago”. Dropped<br />
from the national list in 1993 in Britain, this wonderful onion has good flavour, medium<br />
size red/brown bulbs and as the name suggests is an excellent keeper. Amazing<br />
to see its still popular after 200 years.<br />
Stamme - Gold (CO - ISSA)<br />
This old Norwegian variety selected for it’s short production time i.e. early maturity<br />
in a long day environment. Slightly flattened golden/umber large bulbs. Good cropper.<br />
Up to date (CO - SG)<br />
This onion goes back 80 years. It was taken off the national variety register as it was<br />
deemed to be one and the same as Bedford Champion, although there is in fact a<br />
difference, the up to date onion has better resistance to the disease white rot.<br />
A yellow skinned variety good all round and excellent for storage.<br />
1
Overwintering Varieties<br />
Note: These are best sown in late July/August in trays and planted out as seedlings<br />
September/October. These onions produce really well in a cool tunnel, start harvesting<br />
as fresh scallions in April, leaving remainder to mature into big bulbs by late June.<br />
They can be grown outdoors but the crop will tend to be on the small side.It is easy to<br />
be self sufficent in onions by growing both summer and overwintering varieties. Best<br />
spacing 20X20cm.<br />
Shinkinu (CO - ISSA)<br />
A very popular overwintering onion from Japan, producing big golden bulbs that<br />
store exceptionly well; up to a year<br />
Sendai Ki Tamanegi (CO - ISSA)<br />
Tamanegi is in fact the Japanese word for onion. This great variety came from the<br />
open pollinated small seed company that Matteo visited in Japan. Grows lovely<br />
large bulbs from a late summer sowing and also stores well.<br />
2
Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum)<br />
Note: Leeks need a long growing season, we usually sow them in boxes under cover<br />
in February, ready for planting outdoors in their final bed by the end of April or early<br />
May by which time the seedlings are quite sturdy. If you have a polytunnel, a side bed<br />
can be used as a direct sown seedling bed. When transplanting use a dibber to create<br />
a good long planting hole 15cm apart and make sure the soil is very moist, soak before<br />
planting if dry.<br />
Bleu de Solaize (CO - ISSA)<br />
A very old French heirloom variety going back to the 19th<br />
Century. Very hardy, holding well over the winter, medium<br />
long shafts, sweet flavour, the blue/green leaves turn a<br />
beautiful violet colour in very cold weather.<br />
Verdonnet (CO - SG)<br />
An old landrace variety improved and selected by a farmer.<br />
Originally from Switzerland, with good large stalks, dark<br />
green leaves and hardy through winter.<br />
Bulgarian Giant (CO – ISSA)<br />
A popular European heirloom that came to us from the big international seed swap<br />
in Brussels. Renowned for having an extra long stem and being exceptionally tall,<br />
nevertheless, a quick growing, early maturing variety. Light green leaves and good<br />
flavour. Harvested in Autumn, it lasted through the winter here.<br />
Monstrueux D’Elbeuf (CO- ISSA)<br />
A traditional french cultivar grown in the alluvial planes of the Seine in Normandy.<br />
It has short, chunky stems and lovely bright green foliage, good for Autumn harvest.<br />
King Richard (CO-ISSA)<br />
An early maturing leek which we found also overwinters here exceptionally well<br />
[especially given the wettest winter in memory]. Noteworthy long shanks, white/<br />
pale green with excellent flavour.<br />
American Flag/Giant Musselburgh (CO-ISSA)<br />
This variety is also known as ‘Scotch flag’, nothing to do with patriotic sentiment the<br />
term flag is an old reference to plants with swordlike foliage like leeks. This variety<br />
remains popular, going back as far as 1870. Broad, green leaves and good thick stalks<br />
with mild and tender flavour.<br />
3
Brassicaceae Family<br />
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)<br />
Note: Sow spring cabbage end of July/ begining August for the following Spring in modules<br />
and plant out transplants 4-6 weeks later 30-40cm apart. Spring Cabbages were<br />
traditionally grown where early potatoes had been dug.<br />
Spring Cabbage (CO – ISSA)<br />
From our native Irish collection, these particular spring cabbages were grown and<br />
collected in and around Cork city. Lush tender greens and small pointed heads all<br />
through spring.Will produce even in hard winters.<br />
Flat Dutch (common) Cabbage (CO - ISSA)<br />
These were selections from the native Irish on farm collection of seed; often called<br />
common cabbage. Good big, white/green heads, that stand well through the winter.<br />
(Those that didn’t, we couldn’t save seed from!)<br />
Irish Drumhead (CO-ISSA)<br />
Beautiful dark green savoy<br />
heads of medium size cabbage<br />
that are winter hardy,<br />
grown out from the native<br />
Irish collection.<br />
4
Cut-n-Come Cabbage (B. Oleracea var. acephala)<br />
Crops that are primarily for winter use, we sow in early summer. This spreads both the<br />
work and propagating space. Hardy crops like kale/swede can be sown outdoors. We<br />
use module trays and transplant but you can also direct sow, though crops are then<br />
more vulnerable to slugs.<br />
Delaway Cabbage (CO - ISSA)<br />
A popular native Irish cut and come cabbage that performs well even in difficult<br />
growing conditions like waterlogged soil or exposed places. No pests or diseases, it<br />
provides delicious purple/green tender crinkled wavy leaves that can be picked for<br />
several months and go on producing more. Lovely addition to the winter garden.<br />
Kale<br />
Remember when kales start producing flowering shoots in spring these can be<br />
pinched off and eaten like sprouting broccolli.<br />
Uncle John’s (SG)<br />
This variety was grown and saved by John Burke in Co. Cork for 50 years. It has<br />
proved to be extremeley popular being a most delicious, tender and sweet kale, with<br />
lovely bright green leaves that thrive all through the winter well into spring, showing<br />
good resistance to black spot.<br />
Red Russian (SG)<br />
Very tender and mild, a pre 1885 heirloom variety. Oak type leaves can have a red<br />
tinge and stems are a purplish red, with great flavour.<br />
Siberian (CO - SG)<br />
Compact plants with lots of tender curled green leaves that keep going all winter.<br />
One of the hardiest kales, leaves sweetening after frost. Grown by Jason a Market<br />
gardener, who said customers found it very tasty and he could barely keep up with<br />
demand at the market.<br />
Fodder Rape (B. rappa)<br />
Emerald (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is an Irish bred lush green fodder rape. Growing it out to rejuvenate old seed we<br />
discovered that it is really quite delicious to eat, more tender than kale. Stood well<br />
through the winter so its good for the pot and for the animals.<br />
5
Winter Greens Mix (SG - ISSA)<br />
A mix of different varieties of kale, leaf rape and mustard leaves that can be sown<br />
often and used when small for baby leaf tangy salad leaves or thinned out and left to<br />
mature for delicious, nutritious winter greens.<br />
Brussels Sprouts (B. oleracea var. gemmifera)<br />
Balbriggan (CO - ISSA)<br />
Grown out on field scale this landrace really held its own on the windy waterlogged<br />
hilltop. The plants that didn’t thrive were rogued out – so the overall hardiness and<br />
vigour of the variety will hold true. These are mostly large plants with large sprouts,<br />
holding through the winter – though as with most landraces there is some variation.<br />
Irish Glacier (CO - ISSA)<br />
Once a very popular variety especially with commercial growers, it was given to us<br />
from the Wellsbourne gene bank. Barry Murphy who made the original on farm<br />
collection of Irish brassicas, describes it as an our standing variety, with small tight<br />
sprouts, good for freezing. Plants are very neat and uniform. It lives on as a parent<br />
to the modern F1 variety Lunet, bred in Holland.<br />
Cauliflower<br />
(B. oleracea var. botytris)<br />
Winter Roscoff (CO - ISSA)<br />
This great cauliflower was collected in<br />
Co. Dublin in 1982 from an elderly farmer<br />
and produces magnificent curds. Sow<br />
July/ August and plant out in September<br />
for an early crop the following spring; can<br />
also be grown in tunnels over winter for<br />
an even earlier crop. To keep curds from<br />
discolouring as they mature, cover up<br />
with the upturned leaves and stump of a<br />
cauliflower already harvested.<br />
6
Sea Kale (Crambe maritima)<br />
Lily white (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is a perennial crop so it<br />
requires a permanent site. It<br />
has distinctive grey/blue green<br />
fleshy leaves and gives a beautiful<br />
display of pure white flowers<br />
in late spring. However, as a<br />
food crop, it is the early shoots<br />
(like asparagus) that are eaten<br />
raw or cooked. They are best<br />
when blanched so put a thick<br />
layer of straw over them in Autumn/winter.<br />
Don’t start cropping<br />
until the second year. The<br />
seeds come in a little roundish<br />
fruit each containing only one<br />
seed, which are sown whole.<br />
Swede (Brassica napus)<br />
Major Dunne (CO - ISSA)<br />
This was a popular variety commonly grown in the north and given to us by John<br />
McCormack of Co. Down. It grows quite upright, high on the surface thus not<br />
prone to soil pests like eel worm. Good purple colour, sweet tasty flesh and hardy<br />
through the winter. Many grew to an enormous size. If you prefer small Swedes,<br />
delay the sowing and planting until the very end of June.<br />
Williamsburger (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is a selection made at Backweston Agricultural research station from the popular<br />
old cultivar Williamsburger. Roots grow from moderate to large sized with<br />
pale flesh and pleasant, mild flavour. Winter hardy.<br />
York (CO - ISSA)<br />
Sometimes known as York Purple Top, as it has just that, with sweet yellow flesh.<br />
Small to medium in size and excellent winter keeper.<br />
7
Western Perfection (CO - ISSA)<br />
A popular variety grown in Cork and donated to us by Eddie Lucey. A round, medium<br />
sized swede turnip with purple/magenta skin and delicious golden flesh. Grew<br />
well despite the difficult weather and exposed position with very little disease noted.<br />
Matured quickly from a late sowing at the end of June.<br />
Old Jake (CO - ISSA)<br />
This variety originally came from a ship-wreck on North Haven Island off the coast<br />
of Maine. It has excellent flavour and hardiness, keeping well into spring. Very upright<br />
in the ground with purple skin.<br />
Six Mix (CO - ISSA)<br />
We grew out all the six native Irish swede varieties together this year so we could do<br />
botanical descriptor work on them. This seed is then a mix of all six varieties and<br />
there may be some interesting surprises if the flowers were cross pollinated!<br />
Tipperary Turnip (CO - SG)<br />
A native cultivar of swede returned to us from the Wellesbourne gene bank. Market<br />
Gardener Jason Horner, one of our seed guardians, grew this variety out for us. This<br />
was one of his favourite crops as the Tipperary Turnip did not suffer from boron<br />
deficiency on his land to the same degree as other varieties. On his commercial<br />
vegetable plot the 3 rows took up very little space and made great forage for his bees<br />
when flowering. Like other native Brassicas it is hardy and disease resistant. It has a<br />
delicate, mellow, sweet flavour, still remembered by many of the locals. “The flesh,”<br />
says Andrew Williams, “is not tough at all and keeps well through winter”.<br />
Backweston selection (CO - ISSA)<br />
This was the last of our native swede/turnips to be grown out for seed. It came with<br />
no name only a number, but it was indeed originally a selection made at Backweston<br />
station in the days when breeding work on vegetables was still being undertaken.<br />
Lovely big sized purple-skinned roots of good flavour and hardiness as proven by<br />
the extreme Winter.<br />
Best of all (CO - ISSA)<br />
A traditional swede/turnip, with purple and white skin growing to a good size.<br />
Golden flesh very sweet and tasty, lasting well into spring before going woody, all<br />
round ‘excellent’ as described by a supporter.<br />
8
Turnip (Brassica rapa)<br />
White Egg (CO - ISSA)<br />
These are quick growing pure white, summer season turnips, mild-flavoured, pulled<br />
and eaten straight away when small. We grew them very easily sown in peat blocks<br />
and transplanted. Left in the ground they swell very rapidly but are quite delicious<br />
roasted at this stage. Sow successionally from early spring to summer.<br />
Radish (Raphanus sativus)<br />
Daikon (CO – ISSA)<br />
This is an oriental radish, grows upto 25cms long with dense and crunchy white<br />
flesh and mild flavour.In Japan they are traditionally pickled but can also be used in<br />
stir fry, soups or grated raw. Winter hardy, can be sown from Spring to Autumn for<br />
overwintering.<br />
Gelb (Yellow) (CO - ISSA)<br />
The original seed came from the Arche Noah – the Austrian seed savers. This is a<br />
round, yellow radish, with a delicious sweet flavour.<br />
Chenopodiaceae Family<br />
Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)<br />
Robushka (CO- SG)<br />
Good all round vigorous variety for eating fresh and storage. Round roots with<br />
smooth skin, deep dark coloured flesh and nice fruity taste.<br />
Early Wonder (CO -SG)<br />
Introduced in !911, this old variety has semi globe roots and smooth dark red skin.<br />
Deep red flesh sweet, juicy and tender. Also has lovely glossy leaves that make good<br />
greens. Can be harvested over a long period.<br />
9
Formanova/ Cylindra (CO - ISSA)<br />
A wonderful heirloom from Denmark, famous for slicing with long cylindrical<br />
roots. This tender and sweet variety with dark red flesh is also known as ‘Butter<br />
Slicer’ or ‘Cooks Delight’ because of it’s wonderful texture.<br />
Leaf Beet / Chard<br />
Note: Chard has been cultivated for millenia, Aristotle mentions cultivating red chards<br />
in ancient Greece. It is hard to imagine a garden without it especially for the lush<br />
greens through Autumn and Winter. It is considered a spinach subsitute, but much<br />
more robust, long lasting, versitile and easier to grow. Sown April- June either in modules<br />
or direct, it will last to the following spring.Young leaves make a great addition to<br />
salads while large leaves (along with the stems) can be boiled, stir fried or steamed,with<br />
all the different colour stems giving you a range of nutritious phyto-nutrients.<br />
Ladakh Beta Chard (SG)<br />
The seeds of this variety were brought back from an international slow food gathering<br />
in Turin, Italy.We weren’t initially sure whether it was going to be a leaf/chard<br />
type or a fodder beetroot crop. When grown in our gardens it turned out to be a<br />
vigorous, hardy crop with large light green leaves.<br />
Charlotte (SG)<br />
A variety that came to us via the big Brussels seed swap. It is a beautiful ruby chard,<br />
many of the leaves having dark, maroon red colouring more like beetroot than<br />
chard, so looks beautiful when its growing. Large delicious leaves are a bonus.<br />
Orange Oriole (CO – ISSA)<br />
This came to us from Baker Creek heirloom<br />
seeds in America. A stunning all orange<br />
stalk selection that will brighten up<br />
the garden. Delicious leaves.<br />
Magic rainbow (CO –ISSA)<br />
This variety of chard is a wonderful<br />
mix of coloured stems, pink, red, yellow,<br />
white, orange, maroon and looks as<br />
much at home in the ornamental border<br />
as the vegetable beds. Will last through<br />
the winter from a summer sowing.<br />
10
Lucullus (CO - ISSA)<br />
This variety of Italian heritage, was named for a Roman General ‘Lucius Luccullus’<br />
renowned for his splendid banquets and vast gardens some 2000 yers ago. It was<br />
introduced in 1914 and won the RHS award of garden merit. Quite hardy through<br />
the winter, with heavily ‘crumpled’, bright, lush green leaves an white stalks that<br />
can be almost like asparagus when cooked. Young flowering stalks in Spring can be<br />
used like sprouting broccoli.<br />
Spinach (Spinacia oleraceae)<br />
Notes: Whilst spinach is found cultivated in many areas, it has never been found in its<br />
wild state. It is thought to have come west form Persia with the Arabs, named ‘Prince<br />
of Vegetables’, as far back as the 6th Century. Little wonder that today we find the<br />
leaves rich in iron, iodine, carotene, folic acid and chlorophyl…<br />
Early Mona (CO - ISSA)<br />
Technically called ‘Fuhre Mona’ coming from the Austrian seed savers. Lush big<br />
dark green leaves that keep going all winter from an Autumn sowing. Through<br />
the following Spring it also self seeded [from the seed we missed harvesting] and<br />
cropped well through the summer too.<br />
Quinoa (Chenopodium quino)<br />
Temuco (CO - ISSA)<br />
Quinoa is surprisingly easy and trouble free crop. Direct sown in drills in April, it<br />
grew up to 1.5m tall, harvested in early September. Quinoa is a small and sacred<br />
food of the Inca people, also very nutritious, high in protein and essential amino<br />
acids. The grain contains bitter saponins (a chemical defence against birds), which<br />
needs to be washed out before use.<br />
11
Compositae Family<br />
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)<br />
Red Rapids (CO - ISSA)<br />
A vigorous and slow bolting loose leaf variety, with crimped red/green leaves. <strong>Seed</strong><br />
guardian Mona describes it as a delightful lettuce, that everyone loved.<br />
Garnet oak leaf (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is an outstanding variety bred by Alan Kapaler in Oregon for organic conditions.<br />
It has proved to be a favourite, very hardy, ovewinters well (outside as well as<br />
in a tunnel). A giant cut n come lettuce with lush, deep, red-lobed leaves that can be<br />
picked all through Autumn, Winter and Spring.<br />
Speckled (CO – ISSA)<br />
A most beautiful lettuce coming from the menenite gardeners of Pennsylvania. Has<br />
green leaves flecked with maroon, the centre heart blanches to a creamy yellow.<br />
Brown Gold Ring (CO - ISSA)<br />
A lettuce with heritage; it won an award of merit from the Royal Horticultural Society<br />
in 1923. A Romaine/Cos variety with upright, compact head, dark green crunchy<br />
leaves that have a slight golden bronze colouring. Especially beautiful when the sun<br />
shines and the leaves shimmer. Can be grown both in Summer and over Winter.<br />
Verde a Foglia Riccia (CO - ISSA)<br />
A lovely, large, loose-curled, green, leafy lettuce, overwintered well in the tunnel.<br />
Slightly bitter ‘edge’ to the flavour, but good in salad mix: very crunchy leaves. Donated<br />
to us by supporter Steven Marsh.<br />
Grandpa Admires (CO – ISSA)<br />
Named after an American civil war veteran born in 1822. This variety grows well,<br />
surviving poor weather and has large ,crisp juicy leaves, light green with a bronzered<br />
tinge and a loose heart.<br />
12
Forellenschluss (CO – ISSA)<br />
An heirloom from Austria originally, the name means ‘speckled like a trout’. The<br />
loose leaf heads have apple green leaves, speckled maroon/scarlet. It has lovely buttery<br />
flavour, holds well in warm weather with good resistance to bolting.<br />
Oreilles du diable (CO - ISSA)<br />
The name translates as Ears of the Devil, but do not be put off this extremely old<br />
heirloom variety. The leaves are triangular shaped, red burgundy in colour and delicious.<br />
A unique and beautiful variety<br />
Outredgeous (SG)<br />
This is a wonderful lettuce bred by Wild Garden <strong>Seed</strong>s in Oregon. A large, loose- leaf<br />
but upright cos type, head perfect for ‘cutting and coming again’. It is outrageously<br />
red,a colourful addition to salad. Hardy overwinter, also good for spring sowing.<br />
Valdor (CO - SG)<br />
Very popular Winter lettuce, cold and wet hardy, with resistance to botrytis. Big<br />
heads of lush green leaves. Excellent for cropping under cover but can be grown<br />
outdoors too.<br />
Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) (CO-ISSA)<br />
This is a root vegetable that goes back to the middle<br />
ages. Pulled in winter it has long tapering roots with<br />
a distinct flavour, similar to oysters, delicious in a<br />
vegetable stew. Left in the ground, the flower is the<br />
ornamental gardeners best kept secret as all summer<br />
long they bloom with brilliant, purple, large, daisy,<br />
like-flowers. The seed heads are puff balls that shine<br />
as golden orbs in sunshine.<br />
13
Cucurbitaceae Family<br />
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)<br />
Wautoma (CO - ISSA)<br />
Early and productive stripy green cucumber. Quick to set fruit and not bitter. It<br />
can be used small for pickles or left to grow as a short slicing cucumber. Disease<br />
resistant.<br />
Haskoy (CO-ISSA)<br />
This unusual variety comes from a village in the Pontic mountains of Turkey. The<br />
cucumbers are small about 10cm long, green, some with slight white striping, perfect<br />
for salad but also ideal size for pickling. The plants are quite compact and not as<br />
tall and sprawling as many varieties.<br />
Tamra (CO - ISSA)<br />
Saved by cucumber breeder Robert Burns, this wonderful open pollinated plant<br />
produces plenty of small sized, smooth skinned, crisp and delicious cucumbers.<br />
Rare seed so try saving your own next season.<br />
Suyo Long (CO – ISSA)<br />
Amazing, hardy, Chinese cucumber. Grows exceptionally<br />
long fruit up to 50-60cm long but retains<br />
a lovely fresh flavour, crisp and tender flesh, which<br />
does not get bitter. Definitely one for the cucumber<br />
lover, keeps fruiting all summer. The skin is slightly<br />
prickly, but easily rubbed smooth.<br />
Miniature White (CO – ISSA)<br />
Unusual, fat, little, white, yellow cucumbers, best<br />
picked small (5-8cm long), perfect for salads. Very<br />
soft skin without any bitterness and a distinctive<br />
sweet, crunchy flesh. Very compact vines that start<br />
to fruit early.<br />
14
Courgettes, Squash & Pumpkins<br />
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata)<br />
Waltham (CO - ISSA)<br />
Smooth light-tan fruits which are bottle shaped and exceptionally good keepers.<br />
Flesh is fine-textured, rich, dry, solid and golden orange. Vigourous and dependable<br />
between four and seven fruits per vine, each fruit has a very small seed count, the<br />
rest is solid flesh.<br />
Courgette (Cucurbita pepo)<br />
Costata Romanesca (SG)<br />
Popular Italian heirloom courgette. The dark green fruit are long (can reach up to<br />
60cm and still remain tender) and are distinctively ridged. They taste great and look<br />
very decorative when sliced and cooked. The plants are vigourous so give them plenty<br />
of space, they will produce well through the whole season, outdoors as well as<br />
under cover.<br />
Syrian white (CO-SG)<br />
This variety came from a Syrian refugee. The young courgettes are pale green, quite<br />
small, very delicious and retain good flavour when mature. Fruits well outdoors too.<br />
Genovese (SG)<br />
<strong>Seed</strong> given to us by an Italian volunteer whose father has a small seed saving farm in<br />
Tuscany. These courgettes started fruiting early, a more ‘traditional cylindrical green’<br />
fruit than some of our other varieities. Outdoors they also grew well and continued<br />
to produce small courgettes into October. Open growing habit for easy harvesting.<br />
Gene Bank Marrow (CO – ISSA)<br />
We had seven seeds in a packet from the German gene bank, the date 1999, the place<br />
of origin, Sweden, the description ‘vegetable marrow’. The six that germinated grew<br />
amazingly well, quickly covering an entire bed in the tunnel with their trailling<br />
flavour as small courgette’s and also good as the more traditional marrow. Given<br />
how vigourous they are I would say they’d be a good cropper outdoors.<br />
15
Striata d’Italia (CO – ISSA)<br />
Classic, Italian courgette, long alternating olive green and deep green distinctive<br />
stripes becoming more prominent as fruits mature. Fresh flavour, smooth skin, flesh<br />
that remains nice and firm when cooked. The plants remain as a fairly compact bush<br />
through the growing season. Productive into late September.<br />
Squash<br />
Table Queen Acorn (CO - ISSA)<br />
So called as the fruits are acorn shaped; dark green ribbed skin about 20cm long,<br />
several per plant. However when you come to eat them its clear why the ‘Table<br />
Queen’ part is so fitting because the deep orange, dry, thick flesh is so incredibly<br />
sweet and delicious. The squash can be eaten fresh or stored over winter. It was<br />
introduced in 1913 by Des Moines’s Iowa <strong>Seed</strong> Company and in a ‘bake off ’ in the<br />
1930’s reigned supreme against three dozen other squashes.<br />
Pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima)<br />
Australian Blue (CO-ISSA)<br />
Australia is the land that gave birth to the ‘ Blues’ ... at least in the world of pumpkins.<br />
This one has indeed blue-green skin, fruits of varying size, round and ribbed<br />
but slightly flattened at the top and bottom, good for storing. Dense brilliant orange<br />
tasty flesh. Produced very well outdoors.<br />
Anna Swartz Hubbard<br />
(CO – ISSA)<br />
The hubbard types are decribed<br />
by Amy Godlmans as ‘squash with<br />
personality’, however they are said<br />
to be the “acme of perfection in<br />
squashdom” This one was a family<br />
heirloom producing big fruits<br />
in hard shells, so good for winter<br />
storage. The flesh is sweet, creamy,<br />
deep orange and delicious. This variety<br />
is recommended as being cool<br />
tolerant.<br />
16
Pink Banana (CO - ISSA)<br />
We grew this variety several years ago and it stayed in my memory as one of the most<br />
delicious creamy pumpkins I had ever eaten. So, it’s on the list again, seeds brought<br />
back from the big Brussels <strong>Seed</strong> Exchange. The fruits are well..kind of banana<br />
shaped, cylindrical rather than round, the skin turning pink-orange as they ripen.<br />
The skin is quite thin, smooth and velvety which makes them very attractive (and<br />
you don’t need to peel for roasting or soup making). Golden orange flesh is thick,<br />
firm, sweet and ‘superbly fine tasting’. It actually melts in the mouth. Each plant can<br />
produce several large fruits. A good keeper as it stores for up to six months. People<br />
have been enjoying this one for over 100 years since it was first introduced in USA.<br />
Uchiki / Red Kuri Squash (SG)<br />
Originally from Japan, deep red, orange,<br />
medium size fruit, with the shape of a spinning<br />
top. Sweet and delicious orange flesh<br />
with a distinct nutty flavour. Excellent for<br />
storage through winter.<br />
Gramineae Family<br />
Sweet Corn (Zea Mays)<br />
True Platinum (CO - ISSA)<br />
This unusual sweetcorn has been bred by Alan Kapular, a plant breeder of what are<br />
called ‘Tomorrows Heirlooms’ in Oregon U.S.A. This variety is an open pollinated<br />
one actually bred out from a popular hybrid Platinum Sweet Lady. The corn is a pale<br />
cream colour with a delicious buttery mild sweet flavour. The seed is almost translucent-<br />
so a little different to usual varieties of sweetcorn.<br />
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Leguminoseae Family<br />
Broad Bean (Vicia faba)<br />
Martock (CO - ISSA)<br />
This robust landrace bean has references as far back as 1293 in English manorial account<br />
rolls. The flowers are those of broad beans with a lovely purple/maroon mottling.<br />
The pods of beans are small but extremely numerous containing small brown<br />
meaty delicious beans, use fresh or keep for drying.<br />
Londonderry (CO - ISSA)<br />
This came from the British Heritage <strong>Seed</strong> library, but presumably has Irish origins.<br />
It grows well and is very hardy, the flowers have a lovely scent. Produces long pods<br />
with four or five creamy seeds. Can be used for Autumn sowings.<br />
White Windsor (CO – ISSA)<br />
An early reference to the Windsor bean is found in the Reverend Gilbert White’s<br />
‘Gardeners calendar’ where on March 27th, 1757 he records that he ‘planted four<br />
rows of Windsor beans in the field garden just turned in from grass’. Its an English<br />
heirloom of sturdy bushes around 1.2m tall producing an abundance of 10-12 cm<br />
pods containing large tasty beans, up to 5 per pod. Although cold tolerant, it is recommended<br />
for for spring sowings.<br />
Oldambster (CO - ISSA)<br />
A Dutch heritage variety from the province of Gronigen. It has unusual pure white<br />
flowers which smell wonderful,medium pods packed with beans growing up the<br />
whole stem, thus very productive. Good for both Autumn and Spring sowing.<br />
Bacardi (CO - SG)<br />
Productive compact variety that grows to about 1m high. It averages about five small<br />
beans per pod, with a delicate flavour.<br />
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French Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)<br />
Note; It can be good to grow both a bush and climbing variety especially if you enjoy<br />
beans fresh. Bush types tend to start producing beans a lot quicker than the climbers so<br />
give an earlier crop but is then finished ,at which time the climbers have done all their<br />
growing vines and will start cropping over a longer season. For dried beans to store (or<br />
seed), leave the pods as long as possible on the plant until they are brown and parchment<br />
like before picking.<br />
Bush Varieties<br />
Haricot Nain Beurre Aiguille (CO – ISSA)<br />
The name literally means a dwarf needle bean, and indeed the beans on these compact<br />
plants were beautifully long and thin, yellow wax type, very tender with delicious<br />
flavour. The beans themselves are a beautiful bi-colour black/cream.<br />
Climbing Varieties<br />
Ita Ahern’s (CO - ISSA)<br />
This variey came to us from Ita, a student of Drumcollogher Organic College.<br />
Originally grown in a nursery in Norfolk it has been ‘handed down’ for over thirty<br />
years. Very vigourous plant, growing quickly to the top of the tunnel. It impressed<br />
me a few years ago when we grew it, for the length of the flat pods - up to 30cm, the<br />
productivity and also for its taste - its a most tender and sweet tasting green bean<br />
despite the size. Another plant that does well in cold winters.<br />
Slovenian (CO - ISSA)<br />
This variety has been waiting to be grown out since 1999, given to us by a supporter<br />
bought in a local market in Slovenia. Despite its age the germination was good, the<br />
developing beans picturesque with creamy-beige flowers and lovely yellow/green<br />
flat pods.The best revelation was the taste test both my daughter and I concured , the<br />
nicest bean ever, delicious creamy and melt in the mouth.<br />
19
Mr Ferns (CO - SG)<br />
This variety has greatly impressed our seed guardian, Market Gardener Jason<br />
Horner, who told me it thrived and produced far better than his usual commercial<br />
variety in a poor summer. Originally donated by a supporter as one of his favourites,<br />
Mr Ferns has beautiful pink flowers and tender green beans that hold well.<br />
Old Homestead (CO - ISSA)<br />
Given to us by Jean Goldberry because it’s the ‘best bean she’s ever grown’. The variety<br />
has a long history going back to the 1800’s when described in a garden journal as<br />
‘unsurpassable’. Long stringless pods produced in clusters over an extended season,<br />
delicious while young and good for freezing.<br />
Carol Leenstra’s (CO - SG)<br />
An Italian heirloom bean that grows well here, as Micheal Viney from Mayo says<br />
“gave an oustanding crop in my tunnel, almost too vigorous’” The plants climb very<br />
quickly producing an abundant crop of delicious flat green podded beans late season.<br />
They are good for growing outdoors. A supporter in Kerry had great success<br />
using them as dry storage beans.<br />
Neckar Queen (SG)<br />
An early producing variety which can tolerate unfavourable and variable weather<br />
conditions. The pods are dark green, stringless, slightly flattened and very tasty –<br />
good for freezing too.<br />
Cherokee Trail of Tears (CO - ISSA)<br />
This heirloom bean was preserved by Cherokee Indians as a staple food when forced<br />
out of their homelands on the ‘trail of tears’ in 1838. Its a prolific variety with lovely<br />
pink flowers and slim green pods that turn purple as they mature. Use the fresh<br />
beans when they are approx. 15cm long or leave to dry on the plant as the small<br />
black beans are good for storage. When the pods begin to turn purple, the plant<br />
itself becomes most strikingly decorative.<br />
Hunter (SG)<br />
A classic variety of French Bean, heavy-yielding with a wide, flattened pod, they are<br />
tender and reliable. Produce bright green beans that are almost stringless and can<br />
grow to around 25cm long. Delicious flavour, they’re best picked young to enjoy at<br />
their most tender.<br />
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Semi-Vining Beans<br />
Note: These beans need a little support with small bamboos or rods.<br />
Pinto (CO-ISSA)<br />
The name ‘Pinto’ which means painted in Spanish, refers to the beans, which are<br />
beige splashed with reddish-brown patches. Very popular in Mexico, they can be<br />
eaten as green beans when growing, and when dried are considered like a super<br />
food: high protein and helps the heart, lowering cholesterol levels.<br />
Yin-Yang (CO - ISSA)<br />
Semi-vining beans that produce many short pods approximately 10cm long, delicious<br />
fresh but also great as dried beans. The beans have the characteristic yin yang<br />
symbol - white, black with a small reverse dot.<br />
Runner Beans (Phaseolus coccineus)<br />
Note: Although runner beans have perfect flowers, they need to be ‘jiggled’ for pollination<br />
to occur, especially if you are growing an early crop under cover when there is<br />
little insect activity (this is why beans sometimes fail to develop on the early bracts of<br />
flowers). This can be achieved by gently shaking the vines or directing a good stream of<br />
water spray from a hose.<br />
Prize Winner (CO - ISSA)<br />
As the name implies this variety was renowned for<br />
wining trophies at horticultural shows, due to its long<br />
straight pods (up to 30cm) and excellent quality. It is<br />
actually an improved European selection of the Scarlet<br />
runner bean (the original runner bean brought<br />
over from South America).<br />
Czar (CO – ISSA)<br />
A venerable old variety pre 1900 with white cream<br />
flowers. It can be eaten as a green bean with good flavour<br />
but comes into its own when dried. The white<br />
bean makes an excellent substitute for butter beans.<br />
21
Brecon Black (CO - ISSA)<br />
After a visit to <strong>Seed</strong> Savers, Ursula Burke relised that she was in fact in possession of<br />
an heirloom and donated seed to us. Her neighbour, Dr. Robert Davies came from<br />
Brecon in South Wales in 1945, bringing a family runner bean. It has been grown<br />
and saved by the family ever since. Strong plants producing long delicious green<br />
beans, the seed of course is black.<br />
Peas (Pisum sativum)<br />
San Cristoforo (CO - ISSA)<br />
A hardy pea that can be used for sowing in Autumn and overwintering in a cool<br />
tunnel. Grows tall, up to 1.6m, so needs good support. Over a recent, cold Winter<br />
we thought we had lost the crop but it came back well in the warmer days of Spring<br />
and went on to fruit with great abundance from April to June; with good long pods<br />
of eight to nine peas. Donated to us from Edwin Eustace who got the original seed<br />
from ‘<strong>Seed</strong>s of Italy’.<br />
Robinson (CO - ISSA)<br />
A Scottish heritage variety with long slim pods packed full with up to 11 peas with<br />
outstanding flavour, remaining sweet even when quite mature. It was once a very<br />
popular variety with exhibitors with such ‘perfect’ pods. Grows quite tall, up to 1.5m<br />
and is very productive.<br />
Magnum Bonum (CO-ISSA)<br />
This translates as Great good, and has been cultivated since 1872. ‘A willing giant<br />
of a pea, brimming with health and large, luscious pods, peas with sweet, sweet flavour.’<br />
Good staking needed as plants can grow high but well worth it.<br />
Irish Preans (CO-ISSA)<br />
This was returned to us from the British Heritage seed library, having come originally<br />
from an Irish agricultural research station. Very tall growing up to 2m, flowers<br />
are maroon/mauve which develop into large pods of enormous peas. They are in<br />
fact more like a bean (hence the name prean), coming into their own when cooked<br />
in soups and stews as they have good substance and nutrition. It may be easier to<br />
grown them as a climbing bean although they are botanically a pea.<br />
22
Purple Pod Capucijners (CO - ISSA)<br />
The name comes from an order of monks in Holland, who have long been custodians<br />
of diverse fruit and vegetables. This is a tall vigorous plant so needs good support.<br />
It has beautiful pink/white flowers and deep purple pods. This is a good pea<br />
for soup or drying for winter.<br />
Josh Toombs Purple Pod (CO - ISSA)<br />
This wonderful heirloom pea came to us from Josh Toombs in Co. Antrim. Josh got<br />
in touch with <strong>Seed</strong> Savers when he was 79 years old because he wished to share this<br />
pea with other gardeners. It had been preserved in his family for over a century. The<br />
decorative pink and mauve/purple flowers produce a classic dark purple pod. Peas<br />
are good eaten fresh when young and immature, or left to dry on the plant which<br />
make an excellent storage pea.<br />
Hurst Greenshaft (SG)<br />
An exceptional pea, reliably producing heavy crops (9-11 peas per pod) with superb<br />
sweet flavour. It has good mildew and fusarium wilt resistance. This variety won the<br />
RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993 – and then reconfirmed in 2005.<br />
Irish Green Pea (CO - SG)<br />
One of our most popular varieties, repatriated<br />
from the Vavilov Gene Bank. The plants grow<br />
swiftly in our temperate climate, up to 2m tall, so<br />
need good support. They produce an abundance<br />
of delicious sweet round peas, described by many<br />
as a wonderful crop. They have good mildew resistance<br />
and are less prone to sprouting in the pod<br />
in a wet summer.<br />
Daniel O’Rourke (CO - ISSA)<br />
Again an Irish heritage variety, originally saved<br />
in the Russian gene bank. It grows quite tall, with<br />
prolific small pods and sweet peas, best eaten while<br />
young. Good disease resistance, the peas can also<br />
be left to mature and dry off to be used as a soup<br />
pea in winter.<br />
23
Sugar Snap and Mangetout Varieties<br />
Golden Sweet Mangetout (CO – ISSA)<br />
A rare variety collected originally from a market in India. Tall vines that flower<br />
with abundant purple/maroon blooms. The pods are a beautiflul lemon yellow, best<br />
picked while quite flat and perfect for stir fry. Can be Autumn sown under cover.<br />
Oregon Sugar Pod (CO - ISSA)<br />
A vigorous and high yielding mangetout pea with sweet and crunchy pods. It was<br />
developed in Oregon State University, an excellent variety for sowing in Autumn.<br />
Grows upto 1.5m and needs support.<br />
Liliaceae Family<br />
Aspargus (Aspargus officinalis)<br />
Cherbury (CO - ISSA)<br />
This was sent in to us by Suzette Hughes<br />
(of the Hughes family that donated us the<br />
famous Delaway cabbage). The original<br />
plants were grown in the Edgeworth gardens<br />
near Dublin called Cherbury, where<br />
her mother worked as a young girl. Suzette<br />
has been growing them successfully<br />
in her own garden for the last 40 years<br />
and sent in seeds to us three years ago.<br />
Normally asparagus are propagated vegetatively<br />
but we had great success growing<br />
it from the seeds. We tasted the shoots for<br />
the first time this year, and they were delicious,<br />
even raw. In a final twist of irony,<br />
those aged gardens live on in the name<br />
of the modern housing estate built there<br />
‘Cherbury Gardens’.<br />
24
Linaceae Family<br />
Linseed/Flax (Linum usitatissimum)<br />
Easy to grow, just sow direct in spring, and then from Summer to Autumn you will be<br />
treated to delicate satiny sky blue flowers each day. Harvest the pods, full of seeds as<br />
they dry out in Autumn. We thresh them using a rolling pin or bottle to crush pods and<br />
separate from seed. Beware of bird competition.<br />
Stormont Cirrus (CO-ISSA)<br />
This is one variety of a whole collection of Irish grown flax/linseed that was stored<br />
in the Vavilov Gene Bank of Russia. We have been growing and conserving it over<br />
the past few years here at Capparoe. This one grew well, quite tall stalks and we were<br />
able to harvest good amounts of seed, though I think it is probably one of the fibre<br />
types used in linen production<br />
Dr Stewarts (CO - ISSA)<br />
The seed of this variety was donated to us in 1997 by a Dr. Stewart of Bective, Co.<br />
Meath. It produces a much larger seed than ordinary varieties of linseed and is low<br />
growing which makes it suitable to grow in more exposed locations. It yields very<br />
well.<br />
Solanaceae Family<br />
Pepper - Sweet (Capsicum annum)<br />
Sweet Pepper Lipstick (SG)<br />
A dependable cropper of rich sweet fruits even in cool summers. The plants are<br />
compact but productive (equal or better than many F1 hybrid types). They ripen to<br />
a beautiful glossy deep red and are delicious both raw and cooked.<br />
25
Pepper - Chilli<br />
Notes: When processing the peppers, take care and wash your hands afterwards. The<br />
seeds are very irritating so wear rubber gloves to remove and do not touch your face<br />
or eyes.<br />
Chilli Pepper Elfantenrussel (SG)<br />
A European heirloom, productive and disease resistant. Quite tall plants with long<br />
branches bearing huge quantities of fruit. The peppers are long and slender starting<br />
as dark green they ripen to a brilliant yellow, good and hot and delicious.<br />
Bolivian Hairy (Caspicum pubescens) (CO - ISSA)<br />
It is called hairy because the leaves have a downy covering, not the fruits, which are<br />
in fact a lovely hot chilli, that ripen from bright green to scarlet red in autumn.<br />
Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)<br />
Red varieties<br />
Aurora (CO - ISSA)<br />
This bush comes from Siberia. It germinates at low temperatures and grows well in<br />
cool conditions.<br />
The large, slightly flattened fruit is red, juicy and ripens early. The bushes are quite<br />
large and so benefit from some sort of support. A good tomato for growing outdoors.<br />
Auld Sod (CO - ISSA - SG)<br />
Reputed to be of Irish heritage, this robust little tomato bears many small, plum<br />
shaped fruits. They are juicy and tangy while young, going slightly mealy as they<br />
mature,excellent for cooking at this stage. I feel they are better grown as a bush<br />
type,ie. don’t pich out the side shoots and performs quite well outdoors with some<br />
resistance to blight.<br />
Cabot Canadian (CO - SG)<br />
Developed in Nova Scotia for cool maritime climes, this early fruiting bush tomato<br />
produces lovely large round red fruit, mild in flavour but very juicy.<br />
26
Stupice (CO - ISSA)<br />
A Czech cordon variety highly recommended by many who have grown it over the<br />
years being a very reliable and a good cropper ripening quite early with an abundance<br />
of medium-sized round, tangy red fruits. Can crop well outdoors too.<br />
Silver Fir Tree (CO - ISSA)<br />
A Russian heirloom with particularly unique ferny like foliage. It is a bush variety<br />
though we found that it spread over quite a large area and could benefit from some<br />
staking. For a bush variety, its an amazing cropper with a long season, the first ripe<br />
fruit arrived at the very end of July and were still coming into October. The tomatoes<br />
are beefsteak like, very, very sweet, juicy and rich in flavour.<br />
Sweet Aperitif (CO - ISSA)<br />
With its multi branching habit, this red cherry tomato produces excellent yields of<br />
delicious, bite sized tomatoes that are thin-skinned, shiny red cherry fruits. It has a<br />
nice balanced flavour of sweet/acid ratio.<br />
Doriena (CO - ISSA)<br />
This cordon variety was bred by biodynamic growers in Germany. A rounded-oval<br />
plum tomato, has good resistance to blight and fruit splitting. Yields well, with a<br />
fruity flavour.<br />
Mexican midget (CO - ISSA)<br />
This tomato caught the attention of a lot of our visitors, described in a nutshell by one<br />
of our supporters as ‘long crop of tiny, jewel like fruits.’ It has a very long and gangly<br />
growth pattern up to the tunnel roof and on, a habit rooted in the wild ancestry of<br />
vining tomatoes. However, it’s worth it. Sends out widely spaced trusses, so helps<br />
reduce build up of fungal disease. Each truss<br />
was loaded with sweet delicious red cherry tomatoes.<br />
The fruit holds well over a long period<br />
too, good for the market gardener, though as<br />
savers of seed, we had to ‘wait’ a long time for<br />
the fruit to over-ripen for seed. Trialled outdoors,<br />
they were also very successful (we didn’t<br />
pinch out the side shoots) and the plants didn’t<br />
succumb to blight until well into autumn.<br />
27
Red pear (CO - ISSA)<br />
A cordon, which gives high yields of pear shaped cherry tomatoes, quite late to start<br />
ripening, but once started just keeps on with truss after truss. It is a very old heirloom,<br />
cultivated since the 1700’s. Lovely balanced flavour of tanginess and sweetness,<br />
perfect for salads, the shape creating additional interest to any dish.<br />
Lucky Leprechaun (CO - ISSA)<br />
Sent in to us by a supporter but coming originally from an heirloom seed company<br />
who described it as an ‘Irish heirloom dating back to the early 1900’s!’ It is a bush<br />
tomato producing early yielding, sweet tasting, juicy, medium sized red fruits. Produced<br />
very well even in very wet, cool conditions. Great name!<br />
Pink varieties<br />
Amish salad (CO - SG)<br />
This is a very rare variety coming from the Amish people of Pennsylvania. A cordon,<br />
the fruit is slightly plum shaped, medium sized, pink/red, giving many trusses full<br />
of fruit. They have a lovely fresh sweet but tangy flavour. Excellent sliced for salads,<br />
but good cooked too.<br />
Brandywine (CO - SG)<br />
This legendary potato leaf variety<br />
is of Amish heritage. It was introduced<br />
in 1889, named after the<br />
Brandywine river in Pennsylvania.<br />
The fruit is deep pink and can grow<br />
large, in fact up to a kilo. The flavour<br />
has been described as transcendental<br />
or ‘tomato heaven’. Sweet, rich<br />
and juicy it has acquired a reputation<br />
as the flavour standard for tomatoes.<br />
It is perfect for slicing raw<br />
or its dense flesh and large tomatoes<br />
make amazing sauces.<br />
28
Yellow varieties<br />
Broad Ripple Currant (CO - ISSA)<br />
Sweet yellow fruit, more cherry-sized than currant. Vigorous cordon plants. Goes<br />
back to the 1900’s when it was originally found growing through a crack in the pavement<br />
in an American city. Very good variety for outdoor cultivation, showed excellent<br />
blight resistance and gave a good sweet crop very late into the Autumn.<br />
Galina Siberian Cherry (CO - ISSA)<br />
This yellow cherry tomato was introduced from Siberia, well adapted to cool climes,<br />
vigorous and early maturing. Many, many trusses of bright golden yellow fruit with<br />
a complex sweet flavour that many find irresistable.<br />
Russian Emerald Apple (CO - ISSA)<br />
This variety is a real wonder, originally as the name suggests of Russian heritage,it<br />
produces amazing fruit subtle shades of golden/yellow/green,with darker green<br />
striping. They are beefstake like in shape and size and have a delcious tart flavour<br />
with deep sweet overtones. Very, very juicy perfect for slicing fresh but as a fried or<br />
grilled tomato they are sublime.<br />
Perhaps the origion of the famous ‘Fried green tomato’!<br />
Polen (CO - ISSA)<br />
This seed from Poland was collected by the German gene-bank at Gatersleben. A<br />
cordon variety that produces quantities of small gold, thin-skinned plum tomatoes,<br />
still delicious even in November. Stephen Carrington in Wicklow was still harvesting<br />
a few in January from a polytunnel. Has also fruited well outdoors in the past.<br />
29
Orange varieties<br />
Caro Rich (CO - ISSA)<br />
Beautiful smooth orange fruit, medium to large size, with delicious and dense flesh<br />
excellent for cooking. This tomato has an exceptionally high beta-caroteneand<br />
vitamin A content (up to 10 times that of other tomatoes). A cordon type, high<br />
yielding.<br />
Purple/Black varieties<br />
Gabacho Negro (CO – ISSA)<br />
This unusual tomato came to us from a seed saving community in Portugal. The<br />
name literally is ‘the black Guy’. The fruit an amazing dark red oval, with darker<br />
shoulders ,medium sized and absolutely ideal for cooking delicious sauces. A cordon<br />
type and healthy cropper too.<br />
Cherokee Purple<br />
(CO – ISSA)<br />
An heirloom of Cherokee Indian origin. The vines, though cordons, are relatively<br />
short. The fruits are unusual, large, beefstake like, up to 300g each. They ripen to a<br />
dusky dark purple/ pink/ brown, with a sweet, rich, smokey flavour.<br />
Cape Gooseberry Fruit (Physalis peruviana)<br />
Giant (CO - ISSA)<br />
These need some protection to get started, and produce much better under cover<br />
though we grew some successfully outdoors this summer. They are perennial and<br />
can grow up to 1.5m so may need support. During winter cover the root clump in a<br />
mulch for protection. They have very lovely lantern flowers which develop to contain<br />
edible round golden fruits, with a delicious tangy/sweet flavour either eaten raw<br />
or stewed. Fruits contain high levels of vitamin C. Harvest the fruit as the husks turn<br />
brown from August to November. Store the fruit in the husks.<br />
30
Umbelliferae Family<br />
Carrots (Daucus carota)<br />
Note: Carrot seeds are covered in fine spines<br />
(sometimes they look like hairy insects!), this can<br />
make them quite difficult to clean. In commercial<br />
seed-cleaning the spines are removed, but this is<br />
not necessary.<br />
Carrot <strong>Seed</strong><br />
Erstling Czech (CO – ISSA)<br />
This carrot came out of the Czech gene bank, bred in the 1940s, a time of expert<br />
plant breeding. These deliciously flavoursome and very juicy carrots grow to a medium<br />
sized main crop.<br />
Beta lll (CO – ISSA)<br />
This variety has a very high carotene content, three times the norm. Medium sized<br />
tapered roots with deep orange/red colour and no hard centre.<br />
Kuttiger (SG)<br />
This is an old type white carrot once very common on Europe’s farms, but now quite<br />
scarce. The roots grow huge and have a much more earthy subtle flavour than orange<br />
ones. I recall on a seed field trip, an interesting fact that white carrots (though<br />
hardly anyone grows them) contain an active chemical ingredient that can help in<br />
balancing children who have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). The roots grow to<br />
such a size that they are useful as animal fodder too.<br />
Johns Purple (CO - ISSA)<br />
This variety has been selected from a bunch of ordinary orange carrots in the 1970s<br />
by John Purves in Oxford. Over time he obtained a pure line of purple roots, quite<br />
beautiful and unique, crisp and flavoursome.<br />
31
Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa)<br />
Parsnip is an ancient vegetable traces of which have been found in archeological digs<br />
in prehistoric sites on the continent. By Roman times it was domesticated and much<br />
enjoyed and probably in Ireland and Britian was a main stay winter food before the<br />
arrival of the potato. In an ancient text of ‘Simple Medicine’ by Platerius it is recommended<br />
‘raw or cooked, for those who have just recovered from illness or melancholy’.<br />
Thus the perfect antidote to Winter blues.<br />
It is best to sow fresh seed each year, parsnip is the most short lived of our seeds, the<br />
germination rate drops to about 50% by the second year.<br />
Bedford Monarch (CO - SG)<br />
A rare, old variety of open-pollinated parsnip. Large broad roots with smooth white<br />
skin, utterly delicious when roasted. Very good canker resistance. John, a local<br />
grower, reported excellent tolerance to the cold – in the ‘big freeze’ of a few Winters<br />
ago, after removing the soil on top with a pick-axe, he was able to pull perfectly clean<br />
parsnip from the frozen ground with no effort – and delighted in their sweet, delicious<br />
flavour.<br />
Viceroy (CO - ISSA)<br />
Another rare old variety coming originally from an heirloom collection from <strong>Seed</strong>s<br />
by Size in England. Long tapering roots, sweet to eat and very hardy.<br />
White Gem (SG)<br />
A selection from the heirloom variety Offenham, this variety thrives in most soils<br />
and has good resistance to canker and a very sweet flavour. The skin is very white,<br />
roots are wedge shaped and medium long.<br />
Celeriac (Apium graveleng)<br />
Giant Prague (CO - ISSA)<br />
A variety that goes back to 1871, this is a great winter vegetable with good sized,<br />
globed roots and white flesh. Very tasty in soups and stews or even roasted, with that<br />
distinctive ‘celery’ flavour.<br />
32
Root Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)<br />
Halas (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is the continental parsley often known as Hamburg parsley. Rather than eating<br />
the leaves, this parsley is grown for eating its root. The variety actually comes from<br />
Croatia. It has broad shoulders with a conical shape and good flavour. Dig them in<br />
Autumn/Winter and use them as you would parsnips, good roasted with other roots<br />
and tubers.<br />
Salad Leaves & Greens<br />
The following crops are very well suited to either early Spring sowing or late Summer/<br />
Autumn sowing, giving fresh nutritious greens for salad and cooking throughout the<br />
year. If sown early Summer they tend to bolt (go to seed) very rapidly in response to the<br />
long light days, so at least delay sowing until after the midsummer solstice. Most are<br />
very cold tolerant but will grow more lush undercover in Winter.<br />
Mustard Lettuce (CO - ISSA)<br />
This one captured the interest of many visitors. Brilliant emerald green leaves with<br />
curly, serrated-edges - most attractive. A great flavour with the distinct mustard hot<br />
tang. It can be used in salads or cooked. Its very hardy and can be grown outdoors<br />
all Winter as well as under cover, with a long growing season.<br />
Ruby Streaks Mustard (CO - ISSA)<br />
A lovely ornamental mustard leaf, with deeply serrated leaves, flashed deep with<br />
purple-magenta veining. Quite a tender mild mustard flavour to liven up salads, and<br />
good for steaming or stir frys.<br />
Salad Rocket (Eruca sativa) (CO - ISSA)<br />
A salad green cultivated since Roman times. The nutty spicy leaves give interesting<br />
flavour to milder salad leaves. Best grown in cool conditions. The flowers are also<br />
incredibly beautiful, delicate creamy stars with purple veins.<br />
33
Wild Rocket (Eruca diplotaxis) (CO - ISSA)<br />
This type has much smaller and deeply serrated leaves compared to the salad rocket<br />
and is more pungent. It can grow as a perennial, which means it is slower growing<br />
and over the Summer months it is far less prone to running to seed too soon, making<br />
it a useful addition to the salad garden. When it does flower , they are bright<br />
yellow.<br />
Hayachinena Japanese Greens (Brassica rapa) (CO – ISSA)<br />
Wonderful mustard greens with lush big, brilliant green leaves. A delicious flavour,<br />
not too strong, especially nice steamed, and served with a lemon juice and soya<br />
sauce dressing.<br />
Pac Choi - Tai Sai (Brassica rapa) (CO-ISSA)<br />
A fine sturdy heirloom variety, with long, lush deep green leaves, juicy white stems,<br />
giving a fresh taste to salad and stir fry.<br />
Corn Salad / Lambs Lettuce (Valerianella locusta) (CO - ISSA)<br />
This hardy salad has been cultivated and eaten for hundreds of years. The small<br />
green leaves have a soft texture and mild, gentle flavour, invaluable in Winter salads.<br />
ALso known as field salad or mache.<br />
Salad mix (CO - ISSA)<br />
A mix of lush cut-n-come varieties of salads. Including lettuce, mustard leaves, pak<br />
choi, rocket, endive etc.<br />
De Vit Lambs Lettuce (CO - SG)<br />
Easy to grow, vigorous variety for spring and autumn sowing, mildew resistant. Has<br />
lovely glossy green leaves that are tender and delicate.<br />
Shungiku / Chop Suey Greens (Garland Chrysanthemum) (CO - ISSA)<br />
A surprise in the salad bowl – flavoursome serrated leaves that taste somewhere<br />
between celery and carrots. Grew well over winter under cover and provided a spectacular<br />
display of yellow and orange flowers in early summer that were a big hit with<br />
the bees, hover-flies and other beneficial insects as well as visitors – delightful.<br />
34
Herbs<br />
Dill (Anethum graveolens)<br />
Sweet Mona’s (CO - ISSA)<br />
Very easy to grow, sow in April, with lovely aromatic ferny leaves, used in salads,<br />
pickles and sauces. The seeds are also used for flavouring (particularly in gherkins)<br />
Lovely flowers, with clear lemon-yellow heads, attractive to any beneficial insects.<br />
Sacred basil (CO - ISSA) (Ocimum sanctum)<br />
This is a hardy cousin of the usual basil. It produces smaller, sweetly pungent leaves<br />
and attracts hundreds of bees when in flower. It is easy to grow and produces well<br />
outdoors as well as under cover. Can be used in salads, pestos, sauces and herb teas.<br />
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)<br />
Note; Parsley can survive through our mild Winters outdoors but if you want to be sure<br />
of a supply of those wonderfully nutritious leaves for soup and salad, dig up a couple<br />
of plants at the end of Summer and replant undercover.Leave it growing a little longer<br />
in Spring and you will easily be able to harvest some seed from the flowering umbrels.<br />
Karen Hermes Flat Leaf (CO - ISSA)<br />
An excellent parsley which was saved for many years by bio-dynamic grower Karen<br />
Hermes. Stands well through the Winter so could be picked all year round.<br />
Frise Vert Fonce (CO - ISSA)<br />
This translates as ‘curled, dark green’ an accurate<br />
description of this old French variety. The<br />
tightly curled leaves are held clear of the ground<br />
on long stalks for clean and easy harvest.<br />
35
Flowers<br />
A - Annual<br />
P – Perennial B - Biennial<br />
Calendula Marigold - A (CO - ISSA)<br />
What garden would be complete without these brilliant, cheerful orange and yellowgold<br />
flowers? Flower petals can be eaten, good for companion planting and lots of<br />
medicinal uses. Self-seeds with abundance.<br />
Poppy mix - A (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is a mix of various shades of poppy, pink, magenta, mauve purple and some<br />
with frilly petals or double blooms! Easy to grow, direct sow, self seed easily.<br />
Love in the Mist (Nigella) – A (SG)<br />
Dates back to English gardens of 1570. An easy to grow border flower with lovely,<br />
wispy, feathery foliage and attractive flowers in mauve/blue/white shades. Interesting<br />
seed heads that can be dried. Self seeds easily.<br />
Honesty – B (CO – ISSA)<br />
This plant has lovely purple flowers, giving a fine display from May to June, followed<br />
by the flat silvery pods ideal for Winter floral arrangements. Height reaches 75cm.<br />
Rose Campion – B (SG)<br />
Easy to grow (slug resistant), tends towards a perennial in our climate. Forms a<br />
lovely clump of lance shaped silvery grey downy leaves. Many small heads of showy,<br />
bright magenta/pink flowers held on long stems well clear of the foliage. Dead head<br />
to encourage flowering all through the summer.<br />
French Marigold (Tagetes patula) Pinwheel metamorph- A (SG)<br />
These make an absolutely stunning display in the garden given to us from Peace<br />
<strong>Seed</strong>s in Oregon. Tall plants up to 1m high with the pungent smell of the tagetes<br />
marigolds that can help to confuse pests. The flowers are brilliant bold deep red,<br />
golden and bright yellow in dramatic stripes of each. Very good for companion<br />
planting.<br />
36
Sweet William – P (SG)<br />
Early flowering, lovely fragrant mix of bright shades of pink and white. Long, firm<br />
stems making it an ideal cut flower through early summer.<br />
Austrian Saffron – A (CO - ISSA)<br />
This makes a beautiful display of brilliant orange flowers, also known as Safflower.<br />
Its seeds can be pressed to give an edible oil which is high in unsaturated fat and linoleic<br />
acid, both of which are nutritionally important in the diet. It was grown to use<br />
in dying fabrics (monk’s robes), but can also be dried for arrangements and makes<br />
an attractive addition to the garden. Grows up to 1m high.<br />
Sweet Pea – A (SG)<br />
Old fashioned mix of colours, pink, white, mauve, purple – with that most lovely<br />
evocative fragrance.<br />
California Poppy (Eschscholzia) – A (SG)<br />
Brilliant orange flowers that continue opening throughout the summer. Intense colour<br />
that brings joy even on the greyest day. Lovely fine blue/green pinnate (feathery)<br />
foliage. Best grown in full sun. <strong>Seed</strong>s develop in long slim pods that can be harvested<br />
as they dry.<br />
Woad (Isatis tinctoria) (CO - ISSA)<br />
Woad has been used for centuries to obtain a blue dye, it is said a hundred weight<br />
of leaves yields 10 lbs of dye and is quite an elaborate process to extract. However<br />
it is easy to grow this ancient plant and, as Richard Mabey describes in one of his<br />
books, worth it. An attractive plant with 1m high stems, long succulent leaves which<br />
shine like stained glass, with inner blue foamy clusters and brilliant yellow flowers;<br />
pendant fiddle shaped seeds’. The seeds may also turn blue/purple in wet weather.<br />
Golden Amaranthus - A (CO - ISSA)<br />
This is grown both as a vegetable, the young leaves can be eaten, and a grain seeds<br />
though small, are a highly nutritious grain once a sacred food of the Aztec’s. It is<br />
also a stunning flower with vibrant golden tassels that last most of the summer until<br />
harvesting the grain in Autumn.<br />
Tree lupins – P (CO - ISSA)<br />
Vigorous woody shrub with lovely lupin like bright yellow flowers in early summer.<br />
Beneficial in the garden as an insect attractant and also fixes nitrogen in the soil.<br />
Prune hard in autumn/winter to keep them vigorous and healthy.<br />
37
Corn Marigold -B (CO - ISSA)<br />
Wildflower of fields & meadows with slightly pungent leaves and masses of small<br />
bright yellow flowers, from early summer onward.<br />
Wildflower Mix (CO - ISSA)<br />
A mix of brightly coloured annual and biennial flowers which attract butterflies,<br />
bees and other insects to your garden or orchard; flowers from April to September.<br />
Included in the mix are marigolds, campion, foxgloves, oxeye daisy, poppies, ragged<br />
robin, mullein, woad, linseed and aqualegia. Always sow in bare cultivated soil to<br />
get established.<br />
Sunflower - Tondo du Firenze - A (CO-ISSA)<br />
Magnificent giant of a sunflower with huge bright yellow flower heads, that go on to<br />
ripen into good quantities of very large seeds for eating.<br />
38
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Irish <strong>Seed</strong> Savers Growing Guide/Calendar<br />
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<strong>Seed</strong>s of Hope by Clare O’Grady Walshe<br />
Vegetables for the Irish Garden by Klaus Laitenberg<br />
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Pinto Beans<br />
Prize Winner<br />
Runner Bean<br />
Red Pear<br />
Tomato<br />
Robinson<br />
Pea<br />
Sacred Basil<br />
Sendai Ki<br />
winter onion<br />
Shungiku Chop<br />
Suy Greens<br />
Spring<br />
Cabbage<br />
Sunnybrook<br />
Pepper<br />
Suyo Long<br />
Cucumber<br />
Sweet Pea<br />
Tutsai<br />
Pac Choi<br />
True Platinium<br />
Sweet Corn<br />
Viceroy<br />
Parsnip<br />
Winter Roscoff<br />
Cauliflower<br />
Yin Yang<br />
French Bean<br />
French<br />
Marigold<br />
Calendula<br />
Marigold<br />
James Long<br />
Keeping Onion<br />
Early Russian<br />
Cucumber
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the novice or expert gardener. €4.31<br />
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