Basil Violetto Aromatico / Dark Opal (Ocimum basilicum L.) (Bag) – Franchi Sementi

Chard Verde da Taglio. Green cut & come again. Very thin stems, incredibly sweet & tender leaves. Harvest outer leaves or simply cut the entire plant as it will regrow. Tastes as good as spinach. Spring, summer & fall; will overwinter in zone 5 in an unheated greenhouse or with some protection. 7 gram packet. Approximately 40-60 seeds per gram.

*Heritage Variety*
Light green, smooth leaves which are cooked liked spinach. If you like to eat the legs of the chard then we recommend the Swiss chard above as they are larger. This variety can be harvested 1.5 months later than Swiss Chard however. Grows again quickly after cutting and commonly called Perpetual Spinach although it is not a true spinach it doesn't bolt like spinach and goes on and on or spinach beet bearing in mind that this variety resembles spinach more than chard but is a beet (related to beetroot!).

Approximate seeds quantity:@500
Sow: from March - mid September

Partnership plant: Carrots, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Bean, Radish,

What to sow after: Cauliflower,Cucumber, Chicory, Bean,
Endive, Lettuce, Melon, Pea,Leek, Radish, Courgette.

1g

Cabbage San Michelle (ex. Verza di Verona). Regional savoy type cabbage from Northern Italy. Green crinkly tender leaves with some red in the center. Very striking plant. Large firm heads. For spring or fall, but best for fall. Good storage and will hold well in the ground during cold weather. Taste actually improves with cold weather. 80-90 days. 6 gram packet, approximately 1200 seeds. Approximately 190-300 seeds per gram.

*Heritage Variety*
V58 - A late variety from Verona, Northern Italy which produces tightly wrapped head with erect blistered leaves, green with pink flush. Ideal for winter cultivation.

Approximate seeds quantity:@1800
Sow: from May - end July


Partnership plant: Chard, Cucumber, Bean, Lettuce, Pepper, Pea,
Tomato, Leek, Spinach.

What to sow after: Chicory, Bean, Endive, Lettuce, Pea, Leek,
Spinach, Lamb's lettuce.

1g

Climbing French Bean - Meraviglia di Venezia. The "100 gram" packet is actually 170 grams. Vigorous plant, heavy producer of up to 10 inch meaty light yellow roma type beans. White seed. No strings & good flavor. The bean salad using this and Supermarconi was a real hit. Like all pole beans, keep picking to encourage continued production. 55 or so days; very early for a pole bean. Vigorous climber needs support: use trellis, tripods or single poles at least 7' tall. Plant after soil has warmed up well since seeds are not treated. 3-4 seeds around base of each pole or 2 seeds/six inches for trellis. Thin to one/six inches for trellis, 2 plants for poles. 30 grams. Approx. 80 seeds. The 170 gram pack contains approx. 440 seeds.

*Heritage Variety* *Endangered Variety from the Slow Food register of varieties at risk, the 'Ark of Taste'* https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/meraviglia-di-venezia-bean/
Marvel of Venice Yellow French bean
B17 - This wide, meaty yellow French Bean is stringless. It is great hot as a vegetable, but it really comes into it's own in a bean salad dressed with Olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Modena.
Early variety with white seeds. The plant reach and height of 190cm, with pods about 20cm long and 3cm wide.


Weight: 30g
To be sown from April to July
Approximate seeds quantity: @ 150seeds

1g

Arugula Selvatica means Wild Arugula. Compared to Cultivated Arugula, it is slower growing, ready in about 50 days, with more deeply lobed leaves and a more pungent flavor. This is the type of Arugula (also called Rucola or Rocket) that grows wild in the countryside around Rome. Seeds of Arugula selvatica are much smaller than Arugula Coltivata seeds, so the packet weight is smaller but still contains a similar number of seeds. Arugula selvatica has 3,000 seeds per gram. Our 3-gram packet is about 9,000 seeds. Arugula has been grown since Roman times, reputedly as an aphrodisiac, and is used widely in Italian cuisine. It's great as a salad ingredient, or simply eaten alone with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. In Italy, it is often wilted over hot pizza or in pasta just before serving. Ischia, an island in the Bay of Naples, has a traditional digestif liqueur made from arugula, called rucolino. Arugula pesto is made just like basil pesto, and is a good substitute when the weather is too cold for basil. Arugula survives low temperatures and is usually the first and last salad green in the garden. Under row cover, it will survive all but the coldest winters. Sprinkle seeds about an inch apart. Replant frequently for a long season of harvest. Our huge packets provide plenty of seed! 1g