[maxie]

All these italian veg seed varieties look very nice and something a bit different,has anyone had much success with them as they are from hot sunny italy,and im in wet cool cumbria,it kind of puts me off trying them.

[J_B]

go a whole load of seeds from my colleagues in rome and have had great success especially with various types of salads...just go for it

[compostqueen]

The Seeds of Italy seeds are from Piedmonte in alpine Italy so are well able to withstand cold.  I have done very well with them.  Have a look at their website and all will be revealed. Generous packets too    They are real people too, you can go and visit them and they'll give you a cuppa while you browse    They're not in Italy though 

[mumofstig]

An awful lot of Italy being mountainous has a climate much like ours - in fact the winter temperatures can be a lot colder! So if Seeds of Italy say something is winter hardy you can be sure it is.

I buy seeds from them and the packets usually have generous amounts of seeds in - I had one packet of lettuce which lasted me 5 years, and still with a good germination rate 

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/


snap CQ 

[tosca100]

I grew some Italian beef tomatoes a couple of years ago in the UK and they were fantastic, inside and out. Unfortunately I can't remember the variety.

[Anteater]

I'd have a go. Like the others have said the climate isn't dissimilar, just a bit more extreme at times. I grow a lot of UK seed in Italy as locally there is very little choice. Its only really in the height of the summer when the plants protest due to sunburn, but later they seem to come back okay. Winter at 500 metres is damp and cold, so I'm sure they wouldn't worry about being in Cumbria

[devonbarmygardener]

Love this company - A packet of cultivated Rocket seed or basil seed from them lasts ages - there must be thousands of seeds in there!
The basil. normally a few years!

Just having an issue with a rogue spaghetti squash seed, possibly not being spaghetti squash (see my 'daily harvest' for today )

[mumofstig]

I'd send them an email DBG they're very helpful 

[pigguns]

I can vouch for both flat leaf Parsley and Rocket.  Very good.

[devonbarmygardener]

I'd send them an email DBG they're very helpful 

Oh I don't mind - it can't be helped!
Trust me out of so many seeds to find the rogue one!

I'm going to cut one of them open in a while and see what it looks like inside

[solway cropper]

Maxie, I'm also in west Cumbria and have had no problems with Italian seeds. Premier Seeds Direct do a good range at very reasonable prices.

[maxie]

Cheers solway cropper that was where  i was looking at them,theres loads of different varieties on there,just something different to try for a change.
Thanks everyone else ive always looked at these italian seeds but never bought any,ive got stuck in the same old varieties 

[shokkyy]

I love my Italian tomato varieties. To me they always seem more robust than our varieties, stand up to iffy weather better if anything and grow away strongly. San Marzano, Roma, Rio Grande and Principe di Borghese have become my standard varieties in the last few years.

[compostqueen]

They taste good too, which is what it's all about