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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Jeannine on May 29, 2007, 22:05:34
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After my latest seed sort out and looking for stuff to plant late I have found a few packets of Franchis stuff.
I can't be doing with symbols on packets I like to read words, so they have been pushed to the back of the box.
I have a few caulis that say sow March to July, they are Italian seeds,I looked on the site, will is still be March to July here. I have never planted a cauli in July before,there is some regular broccoli too.
Talking of reading words, I wish T&M would use months like sow in April etc instead of Spring or late winter or whatever, I can never remember when one starts and the other finishes. I really dislike T&M for that.
Help with the Franchis would be appreciated.
XX Jeannine
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The ones I have used have been very good, broad beans 100% germination, good germination with several french beans, lots of lettuce seeds in mixture and again very reliable germination
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Jeannine - I've been using Franchi seeds for a while now, you do get used to the symbols, they do this because they sell to lots of countries over a wide range of climates. They are actually quite easy to follow. I agree about the seasons, where does late winter end and early spring begin? I'm not too sure about the Franchi sowing dates either, and go by instinct - what I've read in books/internet, other seed instructions for the same crop, prevailing weather conditions and experience. If you need a hand with the italian, give a shout. xx asbean
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First time with Franchi seeds for me this year. Tomato germination excellent and theirs were the only carrots to germinate so a thumbs up from me. ;)
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Have used them for the bulk of my seeds this year.
You get more seeds for your money and they have a really nice catalogue to supplement their online system.
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Would agree with delboy and others on the thumbs up. Our local wholefood aka organic store sells Franchi seeds and I've used them for several years now and you do get significantly more seeds than the average UK packet.
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Franchi seeds are th best I have used, germination is second to none and the packets tend to have lots of seeds in for your money.
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I like Franchi seeds and I drool at their website!
Check out the artisan soap collection - they're GORGEOUS!
http://www.seedsofitaly.com/
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Franchi Seeds are will be our first choice from now on, for all of the above reasons. Only thing I would say is that for a lot of their seeds, the name just translates into Chichory from Treviso, Celeriac from Veneto etc. They sound more special in Italian. If T&M started selling "Sprout from Barnsley", I don't think we'd all rush to buy it. Not meant as a criticism, they're great. i particularly like the way they're not afraid to show pictures of tomatoes on the packets, with GREEN bits on
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Have used Franchii seeds for a number of years as I can buy them from Ryton. As everyone says the germination is very good. Also lots of seeds - so the packets of Romaine lettuce I bought in 2004 are still in use and germination still strong.
This year I am growing one of the summer cauli varieties. As it is an Italian variety I am hoping it stands the hot summers we have been having recently and doesn't bolt.
Thinking about it that may explain the sudden cold snap we are having - as soon as I counter one problem another generally crops up.......ho hum!
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If T&M started selling "Sprout from Barnsley", I don't think we'd all rush to buy it.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
But what about 'Sprout From Stratford - The Bard's 1st Choice'
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OOH, I rather fancy,Parsnipities from Ull myself,very up market.
Re tomatoes with green bits on.It is really odd you should mention that as only this morning I was thinking about all the newbies who may be growing for the first time and are going to expecting their homegrown to look perfect.
Most of my heirlooms have green bits, odd rings at the blossom end and other funny looking bits and some really weird shapes too.
Nothing is perfect.... well maybe the taste. XX Jeannine
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If T&M started selling "Sprout from Barnsley", I don't think we'd all rush to buy it.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
But what about 'Sprout From Stratford - The Bard's 1st Choice'
Stop that at Once, Trixiebelle! You know where that sort of thing leads to
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Re tomatoes with green bits on.It is really odd you should mention that as only this morning I was thinking about all the newbies who may be growing for the first time and are going to expecting their homegrown to look perfect.
you mean my parsnips won't all be 12" long and as straight as a ruler and my beetroot won't all be exactly the same circumference :o :o :o ;D
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Stop that at Once, Trixiebelle! You know where that sort of thing leads to
Red Bull to a Flag ;D
Chestnuts from Chipping Sodbury ;D
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i live just down the road from chipping sodbury!! it is were the posher houses start i shall have to ask after their chestnuts next time i pop up to their more expensive shops ( they are getting excited about getting a upmarket supermarket who,s name escapes me at the moment so they will not have to slum at tesco,s
marg ;D ;D
!
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having said how great Franchi is, their radish "firecandle" doesn't look a bit like the packet - it's a funny shade of pink and not a bit smooth
Trixiebelle - i was thinking more along the lines of Shakespeare's Veg
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Here we go again, get the popcorn folks XX Jeannine
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theothermarge - you must be in Yate (I think) Where about are the lotties in Yate? I can't picture them at all. Lived in Yate for a bit while looking for a house, and then moved to ChucklePerch, i mean Pucklechurch, where Stephen Fry was sent to prison as a lad
RT
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A Tale of Two Titty Fruit..oh no that is Dickens.
and by the way if anyone doubts this one, I have the seeds, they are aubergines.
XX Jeannine
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Troilus and Cress???
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King Pear?
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yep, they'll do.
2 Gentle Mangos of Verona
The Ten Pests
Good King Henry the Fifth
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Italian veg?
Surely, much Ragu about nothing.
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Cauli-olanus
The Merry Chives of Windsor
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Seven chives for seven brothers? ;)
Les Legumes Dangereux? ::)
Borlotto? :o (Othello!)
I do apologise! ;D
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Seven chives for seven brothers? ;)
I never Knew that was Shakespeare! Is that the one where all the girls drink a sleeping potion, the blokes turn up, think they're dead, and poison themselves, the girls wake up and then stab themselves to death, to the tune of "Bless your beautiful hide"? They don't write them like that anymore :D
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I still like my Dickens Tale of Two Titty Fruit.
I think the one you refer to was something to do with a Giant in the film industry from across the Atlantic...Howard Dill jumps to mind Rhubarb.
XX Jeannine
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Jeannine- if i googled "titty fruit" would I get anything sensible, or would i regret it??? I'll do it anyway. Amazing!!! aka "Apple of Sodom"!! :o I bet you also grow Naranjilla's Solanum quitoense too, tho it grows 10ft
Howard KALE surely
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2nd ythoughts after seeing tom p-b endorsing them.
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Seven chives for seven brothers? ;)
I never Knew that was Shakespeare! Is that the one where all the girls drink a sleeping potion, the blokes turn up, think they're dead, and poison themselves, the girls wake up and then stab themselves to death, to the tune of "Bless your beautiful hide"? They don't write them like that anymore :D
They certainly don't rhubarb.
ROFPMSL ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I am not kidding, truly, I have seeds.
Titty Fruit aka Nipple Fruit. Beautiful,tall thorny plants that bear purple flowers followed by long spikes of 3 inch yellow fruit that are curiously shaped,sort of like a cows udder,and glowing yellow/orange ,they grow directly off a 2-5 foot stem. An inedible aubergine,used in flower arrangements or potted plants,they fetch a high price in stores. Originally from Thailand.
Cedar Creek have them and there is a picture on the site.
XX Jeannine
Howard(type of pumpkin) and Dills, breeder of Atlantic Giant pumpkin..Ok yours is better
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I BELIEVE YOU JEANNINE! ;D
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Good, cos I got Yugoslavian Finger fruit too. No Peter Pecker Peppers though.
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Tsk! ;)
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no you're right Jeannine, very curious fruit indeed. I wonder if it's the result of human selection, like those sea crabs in Japan, whose shells look just like human faces. And where did the name "Apple of Sodom" come from?
If you're a fan of 7B for 7B, then explain me the song lyric "A man can't sleep when he sleeps with sheep"
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Well Rhubarb I don't know about the lyrics on 7b for 7b but if a man sleeps with sheep maye he has a guilty conscience and it keeps him awake nights, or maybe the sheep snore. Maybe if he follows the folks around him and has no mind if his own???
I really haven't got a clue XX Jeannine
PS I will watch it tonight and see if it gives me a clue
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What sea crabs? Have you got a picture?
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Trixiebelle, the story of the crabs came from Carl Sagan's documentary series "Cosmos" from 1978ish. Very good though he did keep referring to people as "Yoomans" I remember. He said that after a historical sea battle off Japan, with lots of samurai dead, the fishermen started throwing back crabs with shells that looked like faces, so that after centuries of artificial selection all the crabs now look like human faces. only a quick Google now suggests that none of it is true
http://www.docbug.com/blog/archives/000701.html (http://www.docbug.com/blog/archives/000701.html) Like the bloke's blog, I remember Carl Sagan saying it vividly.
The crabs do look like faces - "samurai crab" should Google it
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I only read your post about these seeds on friday, but sent email off for catalogue, it turned up on my email by monday. Very good going. The prints a bit small but readable
Looks like I will be spending my pocket money there this year.
Thanks Jeannine for address. ;D ;D ;D
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I have a fair few spares, what do you fancy XX Jeannine
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I saw some Franchi seeds in the garden centre. There seems to be a lot more seed than other makes, so although they are a bit more expensive, I think they will be better value for money.
cj :)
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there's going to be a feature on Franchi Seeds in the Saturday Daily Telegraph (16th June), including recipes
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I love franchi seeds, as everybody said very good quality, lots in the packet, nice to share with friends, very good choice and a bit different!
What I also like about them is that they sell stuff which you can plant either very early or very late in the year, when not much else is happening in the garden, so you have something to harvest all year round and their lettuce is a picture of beauty (tasty too).
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Yes I agee, a lot of the things I am planting for my winter garden are Franchis
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I've never heard or seen them ??? :-[ Thanks for the link trixiebelle,they sound interesting.
Have never seen these Franchi seeds in any of our 3 local garden centres,Frosts,Wyvale,and Dobbies ??? are they only available by mail then ???
Thanks ;D
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Been using them for a couple of years now.I've tried mixed lettuce, courgettes, borlotti beans, French beans, basil. All good...loads of seeds, good germination. Basil is particularly good value, I've been usuing the same packet for 2 years now and there are still some left. Got them from my local Notcutts. Watch out at the end of the season beacause they are somtimes reduced- perhaps people are put off by the Italian on the packets. Don't be!
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They are very fast with their mail order too, and if the Italian bothers you, look on the Seeds of Italy site and they give you more info in English
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My local garden center sells them. Maybe it's worth looking in the smaller outlets (or have a ring round).
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I got some dwarf french beans from my garden centre I think they were Franchi they are in a small box and look like tic tacs, loads in the box. ;D ;D ;D
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then explain me the song lyric "A man can't sleep when he sleeps with sheep"
ERRRRR!...............................(thinks...no...ill leave this alone.......lol)
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I love Franchi too! A packet of genovese basil seeds I bought in 2002 still germinated this year (very good germination rate too). :D
I wish my local garden centre had Franchi seeds... It would be nice if I could pick up a few packets whenever I feel like it!