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Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Veggie - 19-09-2020
Real Seeds and Franchi sell Seed collections that aim to keep you family fed year round - and to be easy to grow with seeds you can save for the future.
Since I'm easily tempted I've bought both - the Real Seeds "Feed the Family Collection" bought last February and the Franchi "Vegetable Growing Survival Kit" which is the same as the Brexit seed kit.
Real seeds : 14 varieties
- Sanguina beetroot
- Petrowski turnip
- Wizard field bean
- Sutherland kale
- Leaf Beet chard
- D' Eyesines fat carrot
- Bleu de Solaise leek
- Mortons Secret Mixed lettuce
- Jessy dwarf sugar snap pea
- Joan swede
- Czar runner bean
- Stupice tomato
- Verde di Italia courgette
- Abundance french bean
Franchi Seeds "Vegetable Growing Survival Kit" is £21.99 for 12 varieties but I bought the "Magazine Offer" at £24.99 with 3 mystery packets of seeds extra. They're a bit vague about the varieties of seed in the survival kit but the types (with variety received in brackets) are :-
Short carrot (Paris market)
Lambs Lettuce/Corn salad (as it says!)
Spinach (America)
Broad beans (Aquadulce Supersimona)
Bush tomato (Roma VF)
Cut and come again lettuce (Misticanza- mixed lettuce)
Kale (Cavolo Nero)
Pea (Piccolo Provencale)
Dwarf Borlotto bean (this was actually a Climbing Borlotto Lamon)
Dwarf French bean (N/K yet as they sent Basil by mistake. DFB to come next week with Paolo's apologies. Top marks for customer service) EDIT DFB Boby bianco recived and I can keep the basil.
Pumpkin (Marina di chioggia)
Broccoletti (Spigariello)
For interest, the 3 mystery packets were:-
Gherkin - Piccolo parigi
Lettuce - Barba dei frati
Carrot - Rubrovitamina
In theory, I have enough seeds to Feed my notional family and Survive. All the packets are very generous so I could probably feed the street if I grew the lot!
I think the collections are interesting not only for what's included, but for what is omitted.
There's no cabbage, sprouts or cauli - but kale and Broccoletti.
No cucumbers (as you can't count the freebie gherkins).
No radish or onions - but turnips, swede and leeks.
Would you add anything to these lists or do you think they're sufficient?
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Mikey - 19-09-2020
Potato, it was always on my plate as a kid but missing from those lists. Other than Cavalo Nero and maybe the leeks, there’s not much growing in spring. So storage is obviously quite important.
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Veggie - 19-09-2020
Re the storage - I guess that's why some of the beans are for drying and cooking and the pumpkin is for storage
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Vinny - 19-09-2020
Re:- Cabbage. I had sown Durham Early spring cabbage last year at about this time of year. This has kept me in cabbage from then until now and beyond. I thinned the rows for Spring greens and when I harvested each head I cut a cross in the remaining stem which allowed four more cabbages to grow.
I have recently sown some more Spring cabbage and this will give me as much cabbage as I can eat over a 12 month period without resorting to any other types.
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Small chilli - 20-09-2020
Chillies! They’ve forgotten the chillies.
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Veggie - 20-09-2020
(20-09-2020, 08:58 AM)Small chilli Wrote: Chillies! They’ve forgotten the chillies.How did I know you'd say that?
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Broadway - 21-09-2020
(19-09-2020, 10:17 PM)Vinny Wrote: Re:- Cabbage. I had sown Durham Early spring cabbage last year at about this time of year. This has kept me in cabbage from then until now and beyond. I thinned the rows for Spring greens and when I harvested each head I cut a cross in the remaining stem which allowed four more cabbages to grow.Interesting tip re the stem Vinny
I have recently sown some more Spring cabbage and this will give me as much cabbage as I can eat over a 12 month period without resorting to any other types.
Do you sow in modules or direct?
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Vinny - 21-09-2020
(21-09-2020, 02:01 PM)Broadway Wrote:Sown in a seedbed to be transplanted, although they can be direct sown and use thinning's as greens. About 50mm high now so will transplant when about 150mm. I will leave some in the seedbed to grow to maturity.(19-09-2020, 10:17 PM)Vinny Wrote: Re:- Cabbage. I had sown Durham Early spring cabbage last year at about this time of year. This has kept me in cabbage from then until now and beyond. I thinned the rows for Spring greens and when I harvested each head I cut a cross in the remaining stem which allowed four more cabbages to grow.Interesting tip re the stem Vinny
I have recently sown some more Spring cabbage and this will give me as much cabbage as I can eat over a 12 month period without resorting to any other types.
By cutting a cross in stem after harvesting large head you get smaller hearts which are more suited to a single meal for two.
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Broadway - 21-09-2020
(21-09-2020, 02:17 PM)Vinny Wrote:Thanks will definitely try this next year(21-09-2020, 02:01 PM)Broadway Wrote:Sown in a seedbed to be transplanted, although they can be direct sown and use thinning's as greens. About 50mm high now so will transplant when about 150mm. I will leave some in the seedbed to grow to maturity.(19-09-2020, 10:17 PM)Vinny Wrote: Re:- Cabbage. I had sown Durham Early spring cabbage last year at about this time of year. This has kept me in cabbage from then until now and beyond. I thinned the rows for Spring greens and when I harvested each head I cut a cross in the remaining stem which allowed four more cabbages to grow.Interesting tip re the stem Vinny
I have recently sown some more Spring cabbage and this will give me as much cabbage as I can eat over a 12 month period without resorting to any other types.
By cutting a cross in stem after harvesting large head you get smaller hearts which are more suited to a single meal for two.
RE: Feed the Family & Veg Survival Kit - Mark_Riga - 21-09-2020
I'll have a look what spring cabbage seeds I've got and if I find some, will sow tomorrow and see how they go. I'll probably put about 80 seeds in a tray. I assume you put them about 6" (150mm) apart in a bed (4'x4') which would thin to 9?