Sow in June

Beetroot 'Chioggia' – Seeds

(Beta vulgaris) – Traditional Italian Heirloom with Striking Rings

Beetroot 'Chioggia' is a famous Italian heirloom variety known for its stunning candy-striped flesh, with alternating pink and white rings. Sweet, mild, and tender, it’s perfect for eating raw in salads to show off its striking appearance, or cooked for a softer, delicate flavor. Easy to grow and quick to mature, it adds both beauty and taste to the garden and kitchen.

Key Features

• Type: Biennial root crop, grown as annual

• Roots: Round, medium-sized with concentric pink and white rings

• Flavor: Sweet, mild, tender texture

• Harvest: Summer to autumn

• Use: Salads, roasting, pickling, juicing

Ideal For

• Unique and decorative salads

• Traditional and gourmet cooking

• Kitchen gardens and allotments

• Beginner-friendly vegetable growing

Sowing & Growing

• Sow outdoors: March–July, thin seedlings as they grow.

• Spacing: 10 cm between plants, 30 cm between rows.

• Soil: Loose, fertile, well-drained soil.

• Sunlight: Full sun for best development.

• Harvest: June–October, when roots reach 5–7 cm in diameter.

Care Tips

• Keep soil moist for tender, juicy roots.

• Thin seedlings early to prevent overcrowding.

• Harvest young for best flavor and color.

Aubergine Eggplant ‘Black Beauty’ – 150 Seeds (Solanum melongena)

Description:
Grow classic, glossy eggplants with Aubergine ‘Black Beauty’ (Solanum melongena). This high-yielding variety produces large, dark purple fruits with tender flesh and mild flavor, perfect for grilling, roasting, or sautéing. Ideal for greenhouses, containers, and garden beds, ‘Black Beauty’ is easy to grow from seed and provides a long harvest throughout the summer. A favorite for home gardeners seeking versatile and productive eggplants.

Key Features

• Large, glossy dark purple fruits

• Mild, tender flesh suitable for a variety of dishes

• High-yielding and long-harvesting variety

• Easy to grow from seed

• Ideal for greenhouses, containers, and garden beds

Ideal For

• Kitchen and home vegetable gardens

• Containers, raised beds, and greenhouse cultivation

• Culinary use: grilling, roasting, sautéing

• Home gardeners seeking productive eggplants

Sowing & Growing

• Sow Indoors: February–April

• Transplant Outdoors: May–June, after frost

• Germination: 7–14 days at 20–25°C

• Spacing: 50–60 cm apart

• Support: Optional staking for heavy fruits

• Light: Full sun

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained, rich in organic matter

Care Tips

• Water consistently, keeping soil evenly moist

• Fertilize every 2–3 weeks with balanced fertilizer

• Mulch to retain moisture and control weeds

• Harvest when fruits are fully glossy and firm

Asparagus ‘Mary Washington’ – 60 Seeds (Asparagus officinalis)

Description:
Grow a classic, long-lived perennial vegetable with Asparagus ‘Mary Washington’ (Asparagus officinalis). This heirloom variety is renowned for its high yields of tender, flavorful green spears with slightly purple tips. Ideal for home gardens and allotments, it produces abundant harvests year after year once established. Easy to grow from seed, ‘Mary Washington’ is disease-resistant and perfect for gardeners seeking a reliable, low-maintenance perennial crop.

Key Features

• Heirloom variety producing tender green spears

• Long-lived perennial with high yields

• Excellent flavor and texture

• Disease-resistant and reliable

• Easy to grow from seed

Ideal For

• Home and kitchen gardens

• Allotments and perennial vegetable beds

• Sustainable, long-term food production

• Gardeners seeking low-maintenance crops

Sowing & Growing

• Sow Indoors: February–April

• Transplant Outdoors: May–June

• Germination: 14–21 days at 20–25°C

• Spacing: 30–45 cm apart in rows 1 m apart

• Light: Full sun

• Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained

Care Tips

• Do not harvest in the first year to allow plants to establish

• Keep soil moist but not waterlogged

• Mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds

• Harvest spears in spring from the second or third year

Artichoke ‘Violet de Provence’ – Seeds

(Cynara cardunculus) – Perennial Globe Artichoke

The ‘Violet de Provence’ is a classic French heirloom artichoke renowned for its beautiful purple-tinged flower heads and gourmet flavor. This perennial vegetable produces compact, tender buds that can be harvested young as a delicacy or left to bloom into striking thistle-like flowers for the pollinators. Hardy and long-lived, it is both ornamental and productive, making it a superb choice for kitchen gardens and edible landscapes.

Key Features

• Type: Perennial vegetable

• Heads: Purple-tinged, compact, tender

• Flavor: Rich, nutty, gourmet quality

• Height: 120–150 cm

• Position: Full sun, sheltered spot

• Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained

Ideal For

• Gourmet vegetable gardens

• Edible landscaping and ornamental borders

• Cutting gardens (flowers can be dried)

• Mediterranean-style gardening

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April, in pots or trays.

• Plant out: May, after the last frost, spacing 90–100 cm apart.

• Harvest: From the second year, June–August.

Care Tips

• Mulch well to retain soil moisture.

• Remove side shoots for larger main heads.

• Protect crowns in winter with straw or fleece in colder climates.