Just got a D.T. Brown email announcing the launch of their 2016 seed catalogue and this is something I have never heard of.
Has anyone grown or eaten this ?
Quote "This season's highlights include Agretti, also called land seaweed, it's a leafy vegetable not dissimilar to Samphire. Highly sort after in Italy, it's becoming more and more popular here. "
(http://daveyboi.com/a4a/Capture%20(640x231).jpg)
As the text in the image above is not too bold I am posting it below as well
Rich in vitamins and minerals!
This is the vegetable Italian chefs simply adore - although it is often difficult to find, so they have to grow their own. Now you can do likewise to produce the attractive green 'fronds', which the Japanese call 'land seaweed'. The mild-flavoured greens have just a hint of bitterness, are great served with seafood or braised in olive oil and garlic to present as a side-dish.
Cut the shoots when they are 6-8in high to encourage them to re-grow for a further harvest. Can be sown all year round in cold tunnels.
Interesting reading about this here http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/may/25/alys-fowler-salsola
Yes, I have grown it.
First attempt: bought seeds in the sale in Autumn and none germinated. Complained to the seed company and got a new harvest seed packet replacement to sow in spring. Lesson: the seeds have to be absolutely fresh, they only last a few months. Less long than parsnips. Although I did not explore whether seed can be frozen.
Second attempt: they germinated well and grew well. Unfortunately I did not like the flavour. Perhaps I do not have the cheffie touch, but adding them to salad just added something that nobody wanted to eat. Cooking did not help much either. But don't let me put you off.
As always I try to save seeds from everything I grow and I could not save any either from Agretti. Not that this was important as I am unlikely to give agretti another go.
:wave:
The problem is that the seeds aren't really seeds - they are sort of like a tiny "cutting" that detaches from the plant, if you like. So they do have to be fresh or they just die.
I tried growing it twice. Nothing germinated. Not trying again, I'll leave it till I go to Italy and eat some there.
If this is the same thing that the Real Seed Catalogue sells as "salsola" .... then I had the same problems with germination - nothing came up. Although I did simply sow them outside in a row rather than giving them the nurturing in modules technique I now use for most other things!
Shame ... it sounds very nice!