Vegetable Seeds Catalogue

Famous for the forced, blanched heads (chichons) that are loved by gourmets for their flavour and are used either cooked or raw in salads. In autumn when the roots are size the of a parsnip, lift from the ground and trim leaves to within 3-5cm of the root. Dig a trench 15cm deep in the garden and replant the roots upright side by side and re-cover with either soil or sand. Finally cover with a drum or box to exclude all light. Or plant in pots, keep soil moist, cover to prevent light and place indoors. The chichons will be ready to use in 8-12 weeks. 400 seeds.

Also known as Italian dandelion. A high yielding super tasty chicory with long, slender deeply cut leaves & white mid-ribs. A pleasant bitter European green that is a must for any Mesclun mix or Italian salad, also tasty lightly steamed. An essential salad green all year round as it handles light frost & has some drought tolerance. Reputed to help detox the liver when cleansing. Harvest young or full sized leaves as needed. 400 seeds.

A large leaf chicory that is not so bitter but has a sweetness to the crisp, tender green leaves (hence the name sugarloaf). Leaves can be picked young or when mature as a whole head. The inside leaves of the mature plants self blanche. While this can be grown year round, it’s often grown through the winter months as an alternative to lettuce as it handles colder/wetter conditions. 300 seeds.

Stunning red ribs and deep green leaves make this chicory a real eye-catcher. Chicory is a must for any mesclun mix or Italian salad as it adds great flavour and colour. Chicory is only slightly more bitter than a cos lettuce and is a great salad green during cooler weather. Frost and drought tolerant it does well in most soils as well as pots. 500 seeds.

A vibrant orange, medium to hot chilli known as ‘Shipkas’ in their Bulgarian home (although there’s debate over whether it originated in Hungry first). This heirloom has a fruitiness to accompany the heat. A thicker fleshed chilli that is super crunchy & is used fresh, roasted, pickled or in chutneys. While it has some cold tolerance in cooler areas it’s best sown in a sheltered position. 15 seeds.

You like it hot, well this is up there in Scoville rating, the not-so-humble habanero. Loved by chilli aficionados for the intense heat but also its sweet undertones. Definitely not for the faint-hearted though. The 4-5cm x 3cm fruits ripen from green to red. Use fresh or dried. Prefers hot summers, in cooler areas yields outdoors can be erratic. 15 seeds.

A popular heirloom chilli with a mild heat. They mature from a dark green to a glossy red and grow to 15-20 cm in length, making them ideal for stuffing. Use green for ‘chilli verde’ or ‘chilli rellinos’. The mature red fruit can be used fresh and are often dried or smoked. The perfect chilli for those who do not like too much heat. Not to WA. 25 seeds.

‘Big Jim’ is a gentle giant as it has a mild heat rating of about 2,000 Scoville units. A big chilli growing to 20-30 cm long and up to 7 cm wide. It’s large size, thick flesh and mild heat make it ideal for stuffing or using like a capsicum. The chillies can be harvested young (green) or left to mature (red). Mature red chillies have a fruity, sweet flavour with mild heat. 25 seeds.

One of the most popular chillis used in SE Asia. Also, one of the most popular grown varieties as the birdseye is relatively tough, prolific and has enough heat to keep the spice lovers happy. While not frost tolerant it handles the cool summers regions well. The ripe red chillis grow to 4cm x 1 cm. A versatile chilli that can be used raw, add to dishes while cooking, pickled or dried. 40 seeds.

Blow your noodle with the world’s hottest chilli. This is one mean and ugly looking critter, only the most hard-core chilli heads!! A devilish red, wrinkled chilli averaging over 1.5 million Scoville Heat Units. Said to have a fruity flavour, but geez I dunno – it just feels like fried taste buds to me. A sub-tropical chilli that loves a warm/hot sheltered area. 20 seeds.

This spicy to hot chilli produces 10-15cm long, thin, tapered, dark red fruit. An adaptable variety also good in cooler climates or for pots. For a protected, warm position with plenty of sunshine and fertile, moist soil. Not to WA. 30 seeds


 

An early medium hot jalapeno that is suited to cooler areas with short summers. These chillies are great used fresh, ripening from green (milder) to red (medium hot but with a hint of sweetness) or pickled for use through winter. 5-6 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. Not to WA. 25 seeds.