Seed List
Collective Farm Woman
This Ukrainian heirloom variety produces tasty fruits which, when mature, have orange skin and very sweet, whitish-yellow, crunchy flesh. Most will be 500-600g in weight, occasionally achieving 1kg in optimum conditions. This variety is well adapted to Northern latitudes and reputed to ripen well, even in colder climates!
Sutton's Early Giant
Probably a strain of the well-known commercial variety Gradus, this pea dates back to the turn of the 20th century. Sutton's 1940 catalogue description says, “Still holds its position as one of the most popular wrinkle-seeded peas in the early section. Pods large, pointed, dark green in colour, and produced in great profusion. Flavour excellent. Height 3-4ft (90-120cm)”. Most of our Guardians found that they grew much taller (>2m), and that the peas they produced were particularly delicious!
Gramp Nicholls
This variety was passed to us at Gardeners' World Live in 2007. When the donor first took on her allotment her father gave her these runner beans. They have been grown in Windsor Edge, Nailsworth, near Stroud in Gloucestershire since the early 1970s, having been passed down from generation to generation. Orange flowers are followed by stringless pods which are produced well into September.
Salford Black
Grown by our donor's family since the mid-1950s, this variety is known to come from Salford, a village in the Cotswolds. She told us “They have scarlet flowers, pods that start dull green and turn purple, long and straight, a good cropper.” Please let us know what you think of this variety.