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Seeds from Italy Radicchio and Endives successful in trials

Seeds from Italy Radicchio and Endives successful in trials

28th Jul 2011

A recent vegetable variety trial in Washington State has heaped some lavish praise on several Seeds from Italy varieties. The joint project by the Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend Food Coop, Washington State University, and Port Townsend Farmers Market said its "objective was
to
assist
growers
to expand
their season and diversify their winter vegetable production on the Olympic Peninsula,
supporting increased availability
of
local
foods."

Endives

Seeds from Italy's Cuor d' Oro endives performed particularly well, being labeled "The
 most flavorful endive in the 
trial, [and]
 though it was only
 moderately 
cold-hardy 
and
 moderately vigorous, it 
was perfectly
harvestable until 
mid‐November."

Radicchio

The trial noted that Radicchio is "one of the highest value cold-hardy leafy vegetable crops."  Seeds from Italy's Radicchio di' Chioggia was the only true round Radicchio in the trial that "remained somewhat harvestable after the coldest weather had toasted its older, outer leaves."

The reaction to the rest of the Seeds from Italy Radicchio seeds in the trial speaks for itself:

"The 
surprise 
success 
in 
beautiful 
red 
radicchio 
types 
in 
this 
trial 
were 
two 
selections 
that 
are 
probably 
of 
similar 
origin; 
‘Rossa 
di 
Verona’ 
and 
‘Rossa 
di 
Verona 
sel 
Arca’ 
(both 
from
 Seeds 
from
 Italy). 
These 
varieties 
make 
a 
gorgeous 
tight 
round 
head
 that 
is 
open 
on 
top 
like 
a 
rose
bud, 
with 
the 
outer 
leaves 
looking 
like 
rose
 petals! 
Overall, 
we
 lost
 some
 plants 
in 
both 
of 
these 
varieties 
to 
the 
cold, 
BUT 
the
 plants 
that 
remained 
were 
very 
cold
 hardy 
indeed,
 exhibiting 
little 
frost 
damage 
and 
being 
harvestable 
as 
soon 
as 
the 
cold 
subsided!
 We 
grew 
one 
red 
leaved 
grumolo, 
‘Grumolo 
Rossa’ 
(Seeds 
from 
Italy) 
that
 had 
an 
upright, 
open 
habit 
and 
has 
had 
excellent 
spring 
growth 
of 
harvestable 
red 
leaves. 
In 
the 
green 
leaved
 types 
we 
had 
a 
very 
cold 
hardy, 
open
 heading 
type 
with 
speckles 
of 
red 
‘Radicchio 
di 
Castlefranco’ 
(Seeds 
from
 Italy) 
that 
was 
a 
standout 
and 
had 
big
 harvestable
 open 
heads 
that 
looked 
like 
a 
green 
leaf 
lettuce. 
Lastly 
we 
had 
two 
green 
leafed 
varieties 
that 
are 
of 
the 
“sugar
loaf” 
type
 of 
chicories. 
The 
sugar
loaf 
type 
produces 
a 
very 
mild 
tasting 
radicchio 
that 
is
 upright
 and 
more 
like 
a 
small 
Romaine
 lettuce 
head. 
The 
two 
varieties, 
‘Radicchio 
di 
Luisa 
Tardiva’ 
and 
‘Bianca
 a 
Bergamo 
sel 
Franchi’
 (both 
from
 Seeds 
from
 Italy) 
had 
moderate 
frost 
damage 
with 
toasted
 outer 
wrapper 
leaves, 
but 
once 
these 
outer 
leaves 
are 
stripped 
off 
there 
is 
revealed 
an 
excellent 
sugarloaf 
type 
that 
could
 readily 
be 
sold 
as 
one 
might 
sell 
Romaine 
lettuce
 hearts. 
Everyone 
who 
saw 
these 
jewels 
fell 
in 
love!"

Thanks to the Organic Seed Alliance for including Seeds from Italy seeds in their trial. To see the whole results of the trial, which included Arugula, Beets, Swiss Chard, Cilantro, Collards, Endive and Escarole, European Kale, Radicchio, and Spinach, go to the Organic Seed Alliance website and download the PDF of the trial results.