Irish Seeds – Saving seed from Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Peppers in West Cork
Showing 17–27 of 27 resultsSorted by popularity
In stock
Yellow version of the well known cayenne pepper. Their thin walls make them ideal for drying but they are also great to use fresh. Plants grow to about 60cm tall and are unfussy. They produce an abundance of fruits. Take care when sowing as the capsaicinoid chemicals which give chillies their heat is abundant on the seeds.
Average 15 seeds per packet.
In stock
I got this variety from Les Refardes in Catalonia where it is noted as coming from California originally. It is a tall bush variety so needs some supporting. They are not the most productive but it is the blackest colouring I’ve seen on a tomato and the flesh is flavourful and meaty. The fruits hold their quality for a long time. I think it must be very high in anthocyanins and worth keeping going to have for breeding and curiosity.
Average 20 seeds per packet.
In stock
‘Figiel’ is a bright orange cocktail cherry tomato from Poland. They are an indeterminate type and produce small round tomatoes with a diameter of 3cm and a weight of around 25g. They are noted as being resistant to cracking and I found this to be the case. Very tasty and good for adding colour to salads, eating directly or cooking with. Figiel means Joke in English.
Average 20 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
A well known variety, cayenne chillies can be used fresh or dried and crushed into a powder. Plants grow to about 60cm tall and are unfussy. They produce an abundance of fruits. Take care when sowing as the capsaicinoid chemicals which give chillies their heat is abundant on the seeds.
Average 20 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
‘Hungarian Black’ chilli peppers (Capsicum annum) produce smallish bushy plants (50cm) which produce lots of Jalapeno shaped fruit. They ripen from black to red. When red they get to a medium heat and keep a nice fruity flavour. One for flavour more than heat, and a good size for when you want to use a whole chilli on a dish for visual effect without taking the face off anyone. Very attractive plants which have purple flowers and purply green leaves.
Average 15 seeds per packet.
Annoyingly, I forgot to take pictures of these but you can see how fancy they can be at the always visually stunning Baker Creek Seed Company catalogue.
Out of stock
A vigorous paste tomato bred in Germany for late blight resistance. Being indeterminate, I found this far more productive than traditional ‘Roma’ type tomatoes which tend to be determinate types used in field cultivation. These plants keep growing and produce late into the season. The oblong chunky fruits are quite dry and thicken sauces and salsas nicely.
Average 20 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
‘Black Cherry’ produce clusters of 25mm (1”) rich tasting tomatoes. They have black-mahogany skins which cover dark red sweet flesh. Vigorous indeterminate type which keeps going late into the season. Productive in open ground but it would be possible to grow it in a container and keep manners on it by pruning.
Average 20 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
An heirloom cucumber (Cucumis sativus) from the US, also known as ‘A & C Pickling’ – presumably after the company who introduced it in 1928 , Abbot & Cobb of Philadelphia. A prolific producer of mostly straight fruits with dark green skins that hold their colour. Though a good choice for pickling, they are perfect for fresh use in salads, especially when picked a bit smaller.
Average 15 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
‘Aji Largo’ is a Capsicum pubescens chili that originates from Ecuador. Fruits have fleshy walls, ripen to a deep red, and have a nice hot punch (30,000-100,000 on the Scoville scale). The latin name refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper and, along with the black seeds, is what marks them out from the other Capsicum species. This type of chili are also often referred to as ‘Bolivian Hairy’ or ‘Rocoto’ chilies.
Plants have a relatively open growth habit and have a reach of up to a meter. The fruits are about 70mm in length and conical with deep wrinkles. It can be used like any chili – fresh, made into a paste or dried. The flesh is thicker than other chilies and has a higher moisture content.
As Capsicum pubescens grows at higher elevations than other species it is relatively cold tolerant and hardier than other chilis. It still won’t survive frost but it is possible to overwinter them in Ireland if they are brought in and protected for the winter months.
Start seeds as early as possible with supplementary heat and light if necessary. The plants should have as much vegetative growth as possible before flowering and producing chilis. They can be grown in pots but large pots are needed to allow the plants to reach their full potential.
Average 12 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
A Capsicum pubescens chili with medium large fairly hot orange coloured fruits. The latin name refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper and, along with the black seeds, is what marks them out from the other Capsicum species. This type of chili are also often referred to as ‘Bolivian Hairy’ or ‘Rocoto’ chilies. This one originates from Guatemala of course and I sourced the seed from a chili enthusiast in La Palma.
It can be used like any chili – fresh, made into a paste or dried. The flesh is thicker than other chilies and has a higher moisture content. They are quite juicy. I prefer to cook them fresh and use other chilies like cayenne for drying.
As Capsicum pubescens grows at higher elevations than other species it is relatively cold tolerant and hardier than other chilis. It still won’t survive frost but it is possible to overwinter them in Ireland if they are brought in and protected for the winter months.
Start seeds as early as possible with supplementary heat and light if necessary. The plants should have as much vegetative growth as possible before flowering and producing chilis. They can be grown in pots but large pots are needed to allow the plants to reach their full potential.
Average 15 seeds per packet.
Out of stock
A traditional Spanish variety known as the ‘tapas chilli’ as that’s where they often end up. Padrón (Capsicum annuum) produce lots of medium sized chilis which can be picked young and green or let to ripen to red and hotter. Plants grow to about 70cm tall. They get laden with fruits and quite top heavy so need supporting or they will fall over. Take care when sowing as the capsaicinoid chemicals which give chillies their heat is abundant on the seeds.
Average 20 seeds per packet.