Eschscholzia californica (Bag) – Franchi Sementi

Cucumber Tortarello Barese. 65-70 days. An Italian strain of Armenian cucumber popular in Bari, Italy. Picked young, it tastes just like a cucumber. Left to mature, the fruits turn slightly yellow and develop a melon-like fragrance and flavor. It is renowned for early, prolific production of fruits that grow very quickly. Does well on trellis. Plant 4-6 seeds per hill; space hills 3' apart. Thin to 3 plants per hill. 3 gram pack; approximately 100 seeds.

*Heritage Variety*
S13 - A long, light green ridged cucumber variety from the Abruzzo region of Southern Italy. The odd fruit has a tendency to become 'hairy', but they are few and far between !! Indoor.

Approximate seeds quantity:@120
Sow: from March - end of July and harvest June - October.

Partnership plant: Cauliflower, Cabbage, Bean, Fennel, Lettuce,
Pepper, Spinach, Courgette.

What to sow after: Chard, Carrot, Chicory, Bean, Fennel, Endive,
Lettuce, Pea, Leek, Parsley, Spinach, Lamb's lettuce

Cantaloupe melon from Charentais in France. Sweet yellowy-orange flesh. It was originally grown in the Papal gardens of Cantalupo near Rome during the Renaissance period.


Approximate seeds quantity:@120
Sow: from February - end May

L26 - This late variety produces large thight green head with large and numerous leaves. The leaves have pronunced crunchy ribs. This variety is really similar to the iceberg lettuce.
Approximate seeds quantity: @3200 seeds.
To be sown from March to June and harvest from June to October.

Endive Riccia Romanesco da Taglio. A cut and come again endive from Rome. Thin serrated dark green leaves with classic endive taste and texture. Space at 4" between plants, 8" between rows. 40-45 days. Plant grows in a small upright bunch which is easy to harvest. You can also just broadcast seed it trying to get seeds every inch or two and cut it when it gets three/four inches high. Simple to grow and good resistance to bolting. Best for spring and fall but will work at any time throughout the growing season. Perfect for that Roman salad you remember. Can also be cooked. 60 or so days for full size. 10 gram pack. Approximately 900 seeds per gram.

*Heritage Variety*
L40 - Endive Romanesco da Taglio: Roman cutting endive with thin, jagged upright leaves that grow in small bunches. This is a very easy variety to grow and use and it has a long sowing season. Dont be tempted to sow them in the spring along with your other lettuces, you wont get very good results. Its an endive, not a lettuce, even if it looks more like a lettuce. They need heat initially to germinate and start their journey, and then cold to develop. Most varieties are very hardy and will tolerate sub-zero. There are several varieties of escarole and endive; the open-headed ones should be tied up about seven to ten days before harvest to blanch the heart and make them tender. Or you can just stick a bucket on top and, when you harvest that head, move the bucket to the next one. Be lazy – use an elastic band. Be even lazier and plant them closer than the standard 20 cm apart, so they all bunch up and blanch themselves.

Sow: from April to October
Harvest May to mid December.
Approximate seeds quantity: @5600 seeds.


Partnership plant: Tomato, Leek.

What to sow after: Cauliflower & Cabbage, Cucumber, Bean,
Aubergine, Melon, Pepper, Pea, Tomato, Radish, Courgette.