Emerald Oak
An early oak leaf shaped lettuce with a vibrant green colour. Sow in early spring to get a head start. Harvest young for baby leaves or all at once when mature as a loose head of juicy and buttery outer leaves and crunchy heart.
Grown by Wales Seed Hub member Lauren Simpson.
Approx 300 seeds per pack.
Grandpas Cress
An unusual broad-leaved cress which gives a peppery bite to salads. It can be used as a baby-leaf crop or, in the cool days of spring and autumn, left to form larger plants..
Grown by Wales Seed Hub member Sue Stickland. A 19th century variety from the Heritage Seed Library
Approx 2000 seeds per pack.
Seed Story: A broad-leaved cress with a family story dating it back to the early 19th century. Quick and easy to grow, its bright green peppery leaves make an excellent addition to salads and sandwiches. Sow it sparingly in shallow drills in early spring or autumn, and either harvest it as a cut-and-come-again crop when a few inches high or thin plants out to 15cm (6in) apart and pick individual leaves. It quickly bolts (goes up to flower) in summer, but can be grown in containers of compost in a shady place and cut as a baby-leaf crop to make a spicy addition to summer salads. ‘Grandpa’ lived in Cheshire, but this is a crop that has shown itself to do well in the cool wet Welsh climate.
Mr Hong’s Vietnamese Mustard
Vietnamese mustard can be stir-fried or mixed with other salad leaves. It is sweet with a delicate peppery kick. Before the flowers open the tiny, lime green florets, can add texture and flavour to salads.
Grown by Wales Seed Hub member Maggie Carr.
Approx 500 seeds per pack.
Seed Story: This large leaved mustard is a wonderful addition to the early salad garden. It is a quick and easy to grow crop, either thinly sown in drills in early spring, or brought on in modules before planting out at least 15cm apart. It is also suitable to grow overwinter with the protection of a greenhouse or cold frame. These plants can be harvested as a cut and come again crop, or you can pick individual leaves. Vietnamese mustard can be stir-fried or mixed with other salad leaves. It is sweet with a delicate peppery kick. Before the flowers open the tiny, lime green florets can add texture and flavour to salads. This variety has proven to grow well in the Welsh climate.
Tom Thumb
Not available 2024, sorry!
A miniature lettuce, with soft outer leaves and a small, crisp, dense head. Quick to mature, so good for an early crop and successional sowing throughout the summer. Space 20cm (8in) apart. A popular garden variety since the late 1800s
Grown by Wales Seed Hub member Sue Stickland and volunteers at Newtown community garden, mid Wales.
Approx 400 seeds per pack.
Seed Story: A beautiful little lettuce, with soft outer leaves and a small, crisp, dense head, which is ideal for small spaces. It is quick to mature, so useful for early crops in a greenhouse or under cloches, but it can equally be sown for successional harvests outside throughout summer and autumn. Space plants 20cm (8in) apart. The variety was named after a character from English folklore (Tom was no bigger than his father’s thumb) and has been popular with gardeners since the late 1800s.
Why not save your own seeds!? All our seeds are open pollinated, non-hybrid varieties.
See our seed saving guidelines here: Save Your Own Seeds
Growing instructions – Mustard
This is an easy and fairly hardy crop. Sow in spring (February or March) under cover for an early crop. Prick out into modules and when large enough harden off before planting in the garden. Plant 10 – 15 cm apart and harvest one or two of the larger leaves for the kitchen on a regular basis. When the plants start to flower you can eat the flower buds in salads.
Mustard can also be grown outdoors by sowing thinly in a drill later in the year anytime from midsummer until mid September. Thin the plants out to the same planting distance and use the thinnings in your salads. Mature leaves are good in stir frys, curries and stews.
The plants will overwinter with a little protection.
Growing instructions – Cress
This cress is quick to germinate and pretty hardy, so makes a useful first salad crop in spring. It may also overwinter undercover. Sow direct in the ground in early spring or early autumn, spacing seeds 2-3cm apart. Either harvest it as a cut-and-come-again crop when a few inches high or thin plants out to 15cm (6in) apart and pick individual leaves. In summer, it quickly bolts (goes up to flower) but can be grown in containers of compost in a shady place; cut as a baby-leaf crop to make a spicy addition to summer salads.
Seed grown using agroecological principles. We are licenced to sell seed and issue plant passports. Reg number: 7710.