cold hardy Archives - BloomySeeds

Radicchio Tonda di Verona Seeds Italian Winter Chicory

Darione — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 09:00:21 +0000

Radicchio Tonda di Verona is a traditional Italian chicory with dense round heads, crisp leaves and thick white ribs. The flavour is pleasantly bitter, with a sweetness that develops after exposure to cold weather. A real Italian winter salad vegetable.

Grill it, braise it with balsamic vinegar, or shred it raw into a winter salad with pears and walnuts. The bitterness pairs beautifully with rich, sweet and fatty flavours. Grows well in Irish autumn and winter conditions. Part of the Vintage 1928 range.

🌱 Growing at a glance
🌱 Sowing: April-September
☀️ Light: Full sun
💧 Water: Keep soil evenly moist
🌡️ Germination: 7-14 days
📏 Growth: Compact, round heads
🪴 Spacing: 25-30 cm
⏳ Harvest: From summer to early winter

🌿 Growing tips
Cool autumn temperatures improve colour and flavour. In mild winters, heads can be left in the ground and harvested as needed. Blanching by tying outer leaves together before harvest can reduce bitterness.

The post Radicchio Tonda di Verona Seeds Italian Winter Chicory appeared first on BloomySeeds.

Rocket Vintage Cultivated Seeds Italian Wild Rocket (Arugula)

Darione — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 07:40:39 +0000

Vintage Cultivated Rocket is a traditional Italian arugula with an intense aroma and a distinctive peppery bite. Early, cold-resistant, and productive. This is the rocket that Italian kitchens use as a staple, not a garnish.

Fast to harvest and quick to regrow after cutting. Sow it from March onwards and keep cutting all season. Goes on everything: salads, pizza straight from the oven, warm pasta, grilled meat. Part of the Vintage 1928 range with the original Franchi catalogue artwork on the packet.

🌱 Growing at a glance
🌱 Sowing: February-September
☀️ Light: Full sun to partial shade
💧 Water: Keep soil consistently moist
🌡️ Germination: 5-10 days
📏 Height: 15-30 cm
🪴 Spacing: 10-15 cm
⏳ Harvest: From spring to early winter

🌿 Growing tips
Sow little and often for a continuous harvest. Harvest young leaves for a milder flavour and provide light shade in summer to slow bolting and reduce pungency.

The post Rocket Vintage Cultivated Seeds Italian Wild Rocket (Arugula) appeared first on BloomySeeds.

Savoy Cabbage Invernale Mantovano Seeds Winter Savoy by Franchi Seeds

Darione — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:02:19 +0000

Invernale Mantovano is a late winter savoy cabbage from Mantova with very large dense heads and thick, deeply crinkled dark-green leaves. Extremely cold-hardy. This cabbage laughs at Irish frost.

The crinkled leaves soften beautifully when cooked, making them excellent for stuffing, soups and slow-braised dishes. The flavour sweetens after exposure to cold weather. A genuine winter staple.

🌱 Sowing depth: 1-1.5 cm
📅 Sow: May-July
☀️ Light: Full sun
🌡️ Germination: 7-14 days at 10-20 °C
📏 Height: 30-45 cm with large heads
🪴 Spacing: 45-60 cm plants; 60-75 cm rows
⏳ Maturity: 110-140 days
🧪 Seeds: approx. 1800 per packet

The post Savoy Cabbage Invernale Mantovano Seeds Winter Savoy by Franchi Seeds appeared first on BloomySeeds.

Spinach Vintage Matador Seeds Cold-Resistant Heirloom Spinach

Darione — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:29:35 +0000

Vintage Matador is a cold-resistant heirloom spinach with large smooth leaves and excellent flavour. Slow to bolt, compact and productive. This is the spinach that keeps going when early varieties have run to seed.

Particularly good for Irish conditions because it thrives in cool weather and tolerates light frost. Part of the Vintage 1928 range. Sow direct from March and keep harvesting the outer leaves as the plant grows.

🌱 Growing at a glance
🌱 Sowing: February-September
☀️ Light: Full sun to partial shade
💧 Water: Keep soil consistently moist
🌡️ Germination: 7-14 days
📏 Height: 20-30 cm
🪴 Spacing: 15-20 cm
⏳ Harvest: From 6-8 weeks

🌿 Growing tips
Sow little and often for a continuous supply. Provide light shade in hot weather to reduce bolting and harvest outer leaves regularly to keep plants productive.

The post Spinach Vintage Matador Seeds Cold-Resistant Heirloom Spinach appeared first on BloomySeeds.