I want to have a try at these but can only find one lone supplier charging 6 euros for 30 seeds including postage (from Poland) - bit much, especially as I am sure germination will be erratic.
Did anyone come across a UK supplier this season? Thomasetty doesn't do it anymore nor the organic catalogue.
And... I looked through all the previous posts about it on here and there were lots of threats to grow it but never any subsequent reports. Did anyone have any success with it?
Thanks...
forgot, there is also B&T seeds but 11 euros plus postage for those :o
Reading your post interested me so did a little googling on it and came accross this. It has links. So, possibly it may help
http://growingtaste.com/vegetables/chervilroot.shtml
B&T seeds are charging €10 for 10g of seed there are 300-350 seeds per gram so that doesn't seem too bad to me.
The only other obvious UK supplier is seeds-by-size but for some reason John has grouped it with the flowering bulbs so packets cost £13.75 each, it may be worth emailing him to see if he has made a mistake as that definitely doesn't sound right.
Thanks Baccy man. I did try seeds by size but they're well hidden.
I knew the French were keen on it and found this and many others by putting cerfeuil graines (chervil seeds) into the Google Advanced search and specifying French language. You could narrow it by adding racines (roots) or tubereux.
You'll need someone with better french than mine to work out the P&P but many of the french seed merchants are much cheaper than any of ours, and some aren't.
Cheers
From www.graines-baumaux.fr/catalogue.php?cat=1&sscat=94
CERFEUIL TUBÉREUX
(Chærophyllum bulbosum) semis en octobre/novembre seulement, levée au printemps suivant, récolte août, consommer les racines quelques semaines après la récolte, bonne conservation hivernale, tubercules ayant la forme d′une carotte courte. La chair est blanche, aromatique, farineuse, sucrée avec une petite saveur de châtaigne. Un des meilleurs légumes racines. 2 grammes :
Réf.: 4465
Prix : 4,20 €
( cf catalogue p.86 )
Cheers Vinlander
I'd had the same thoughts about the French and been there since too - trouble is postage from graines-baumaux boots it right up.
http://www.kokopelli.asso.fr/boutic/index.html
has it though along with some other desirable rarities so it might be worth buying from them - if I could ever make my mind up on the other items so early ::)
I still want to know if anyone ever actually really grew it, seems not.
Earlypea - I'd be interested to hear if anyone has grown it and been successful - I love it, and oddly enough was talking about it with friends the other day :)
Quote from: earlypea on November 04, 2009, 07:23:52
I still want to know if anyone ever actually really grew it, seems not.
My grandfather grew it (it's lovely stuff) but germination from seed was erratic. If I remember correctly he always used to allow a plant or two to self seed & then thin out as required. Likewise, a friend's mother, used to sow a pack of seeds every autumn; the seeds came from a French market so they were probably incredibly fresh, yet her efforts only resulted in 5-10 plants each year.
Love and lovely are enticing words.
Is it really chestnutty? You see if anything is described that way, I swoon and have to grow some.
I'll definitely get some.
well, I'll be in France in the New Year, and again in Summer so I'll have to try and look out for it then (never do get on with the Seeds by Size website!)
Quote from: earlypea on November 05, 2009, 09:05:33
Is it really chestnutty? You see if anything is described that way, I swoon and have to grow some.
The stuff I've eaten was nutty without being earthy and a similar texture to carrot, dense but not too fibrous. If it was available in the supermarket I'd make a detour to buy some. ;) Actually, I should probably check out the farmers' market. :D
Chestnutty is a tempting term - but rely on personal recommendation not catalogue blurbs.
The only one I've ever agreed with (I've not tried chervil) is Lathyrus tuberosus - but the tubers are small (1cm x0.5) and if you let them get bigger next year they tend to go fibrous and hollow. They are very dark and a pig to find (pigs can find them) and although they are weak plants they will run - so light soil/compost in containers is best.
The same technique is essential for chinese artichokes (crosne) though they are much more worthwhile (and you can use them as a water chestnut substitute).
I once grew Lulos (Solanum quitoense) which taste of pineapple and lime - but quite honestly it's easier to grow limes and buy pineapples - it's probably easier to grow pineapples too.
On the same idea - if you've got the space and can beat the squirrels a sweet chestnut tree is a wonderful edible ornamental.
Quote from: Vinlander on November 08, 2009, 01:33:23
Chestnutty is a tempting term - but rely on personal recommendation not catalogue blurbs.
The only one I've ever agreed with (I've not tried chervil) is Lathyrus tuberosus
Hi Vinlander - that's fortuitous because I was wondering about those, although as you say they don't look too worthwhile to grow in terms of yield.
I came across them from the same individual supplier as the rooted chervil - she's got some very interesting items.
http://davesgarden.com/products/market/user.php?q=scirpidiella
I have ordered the chervil, but not from her. I think 30 seeds wouldn't amount to much success.
Crosnes was on my list last year, but this year I may be able to clear some space for it.
....and fresh waterchestnuts also ranks up there very, very high on my list of favourites.
Actually, that's why I got the book 'Growing unusual Edibles' because some blurb said it was 'easy' to grow them in the UK, but the book itself says you need a heated greenhouse and a paddling pool, neither of which I have. One day I will though and lotus root.
I dream of planting sweet chestnuts, hazelnuts etc., etc but bit pointless on a plot because I don't think I'll be living here for more than a couple of years.
Quote from: Vinlander on November 08, 2009, 01:33:23
They are very dark and a pig to find (pigs can find them)
Maybe we'd find roots more easily if we stuck our noses in the ground like pigs.