Why are growing numbers of people choosing to buy seeds from Irish Seed Savers?

The ethos here at Irish Seed Savers Association, is to conserve and distribute wonderful rare and heritage varieties, as well as to encourage the skills of saving your own seed and empowering people to do this in their own gardens, small holdings or farms.

All of our seeds are grown and saved in Ireland and are Open Pollinated which allows you to save your own seeds from them, keeping the variety true to type. By choosing Irish Seed Savers Open Pollinated Seeds you contribute to keeping food security in your own hands and Irish agricultural biodiversity alive and vibrant.

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Sunnybrook Pepper

€3.50

An early ripening bell pepper. Small plants producing an abundance of beautiful medium-sized fruits that ripen to a stunning deep scarlet red from August onwards, even in a cool overcast summer. Deliciously crisp with sweet and fruity flavour. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 25

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Superschmeltze Kohlrabi

€3.50

A German heritage variety of champion size, originally from Schmeltz. Rich soil and plenty of space is required for this mammoth vegetable, which can reach up to 8kg over a long season. The colour is white to light-green and despite its large size, this kohlrabi remains tender and buttery-soft. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Suzan Lettuce

€3.50

This variety was sent into us by Stephen Marsh, a long-standing supporter of our work. Describing it as a ‘beautiful butterhead’, Stephen used to grow this variety 50 years ago when it was highly sought after. In 2016 Stephen rediscovered it in a catalogue and sent us the seeds. Big, light green, tasty heads with tightly packed fleshy hearts. It is described as a spring/summer sown type, but we sowed in early autumn and it grew fine and healthy under cover.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Sweet Mona’s Dill

€3.50

This lovely herb produces clear lemon-yellow flower heads, which are highly attractive to insects. It is very easy to grow, and its fern-like, aromatic leaves are perfect for salads, with fish, pickles and sauces. The seeds can also be harvested and used for flavouring, particularly along with gherkins. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Sweetpea

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

This tall, climbing sweet pea has traditional old-fashioned mix of pink, white, mauve and purple colours and that most lovely evocative fragrance. Best given support to get the most out of this lovely flower. Easy to save seeds. Average Seeds Per Pack: 20

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Syrian White Courgette

€3.50

This variety came to us via a Syrian refugee. The young courgettes are pale green, almost white. The small and delicious fruits retain good flavour as they mature. Highly successful outdoor crop.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 10

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Table Talk Pea

€3.50

This is a vigorous, thick-stemmed variety. Reaching heights of 2.5-3m, adequate support is definitely required for this robust pea. Lovely white flowers and soft marbled green leaves develop as the plant grows, giving way to a plethora of pods. Highly productive, with pods containing an average of 8 large peas developing well into the season. The peas are delicious – very sweet and crunchy when raw, softening after cooking. If you have the space, this is a highly recommended variety to grow. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 45

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Tat Soi Pac Choi

€3.50

A fine sturdy heirloom variety from eastern Asia. Its long, deep-green leaves and juicy white stems add their fresh taste to salads and stir-fries. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 370

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Temuco Quinoa

€3.50

Quinoa has been cultivated for about 5000 years and is indigenous to the Andean region of South America. This variety, named after the city of Temuco in the Araucanía Region of southern Chile, is a surprisingly easy and trouble-free crop. Direct sown in drills in April, it grew up to 1.5m tall, harvested in early September. A very nutritious crop, high in protein and essential amino acids. The seed contains bitter saponins (a chemical defence against birds), which needs to be washed out before use. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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Tewkesbury Woad

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

Woad has been used for centuries to obtain a blue dye. Though the extraction process is elaborate, it is easy to grow this ancient plant and, as nature and culture writer Richard Mabey says, ‘it's worth having in the garden’. An attractive plant with 1m high stems, long, succulent, blueish leaves that shine like stained glass, and foamy clusters of brilliant-yellow flowers. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 160

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Thousand Headed Kale

€3.50

Also known as ‘Branching Borecole’, this productive variety originated in the west of France, with records dating it as far back as 1865. Growing as large as 1m high, this is an easy-to-grow, plain-leaf kale with wide spreading foliage. Particularly suited to our climate, this reliable kale is hardy and very tolerant of poor soils. Supporter Hilary Killops suggests eating it ‘lightly steamed, and served with a sauce of yoghurt and a little chilli pepper.’

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Tibet Apple Tomato

€3.50

An extremely rare heritage tomato from Tibet. Pinkish red in colour, a medium beefsteak type with fleshy. Certified Organic

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Tipperary Turnip Swede

€3.50

A heritage swede returned to us from the Wellesbourne Gene Bank, UK. Like other native brassicas, it is hardy and disease-resistant. It has a delicate, mellow, sweet flavour, still remembered fondly by many. “The flesh,” says Andrew Williams, “is not tough at all and keeps well through winter”.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 450

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Tobacco

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

Tobacco plant, Nicotiana, has become a popular bedding plant in recent years. This lovely variety is especially tall-growing, with broad, luscious leaves and crowned with many pink-white trumpet-shaped flowers. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 100

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Touchon Carrot

€3.50

This variety is an old French heirloom from the 19th century. The roots of this Nantes type are crisp, sweet and juicy, with a deep orange colour. It is ideal for bunching and storing. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 700

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Touchstone Gold Beetroot

€3.50

This vigorous, quick-growing, brilliant yellow beet was developed by being rebred from old seed stocks. The round, golden roots have smooth skin and delicious, sweet-flavoured, bright yellow flesh. The colour keeps well, even when cooked. It’s also a delight in salads.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300

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True Gold Corn

€3.50

A variety of sweetcorn that has been selected from a 1955 hybrid and which is now open-pollinated. Described as an ‘old fashioned’ corn that will transform any plate to a luxurious meal. A late-season corn that delivers tender, sweet, rich, delicious golden cobs up to 3 per plant.

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 26

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Verdante Calabrese Broccoli

€3.50

This variety of Italian origin can be grown all through summer, or, if sown in August, in a cool tunnel for a winter/spring harvest. It produces a decent-sized head and will continue to grow side shoots for several weeks after the main head is harvested. This calabrese is tender and delicious, perfect lightly steamed or roasted. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Verdonnet Leek

€3.50

Originally from Switzerland, this old landrace was selected and bred by a Swiss farmer. We shared the seeds of this variety with our friends at Adaptive Seeds in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, where they have been undertaking leek trials. This reliable leek has good large stalks, dark green leaves and is hardy through winter. Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Violet de Gournay Radish

€3.50

First listed in seed catalogues as far back as 1885, this lovely variety is still going strong. The long, cylindrical roots have the most beautiful purple skin and mild, sweet, white flesh. A great winter storage radish. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Virginia Spinach

€3.50

Originating in Virginia, in the USA, this delicious curled spinach has the added benefit of being resistant to blight. As with most spinach, you’ll get better results if you sow in autumn as this crop tends to bolt in warm weather. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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Waltham Butternut Squash

€3.50

This is a vigorous and dependable variety, producing between four and seven fruits per vine. The lightly tanned, smooth skinned, bottle-shaped fruits have fine-textured, golden orange flesh. Exceptionally good keepers, this variety is perfect for storage if you can resist cooking up the fruits straightaway. The fruit have a small seed cavity with a low seed count, so it’s well worth saving your own!

Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 10

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Wautoma Cucumber

€3.50

Early and productive stripy green cucumber, originally bred in the US. Quick to set fruit and not at all bitter. The fruit can be harvested when small for pickles or left to grow as a short slicing cucumber. Good disease resistance. Average Seeds Per Pack: 16

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Weld

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

A statuesque biennial. Tall spikes with small pale yellow flowers. Blooms appear in early June. An ancient dye plant used by the Romans to colour vestal robes. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 100

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Yerevan Parsley

€3.50

A hardy landrace parsley from an Armenian market place (as the name suggests, Yerevan being the capital of Armenia). Flat-leaved, with great flavour and large clumps. We grew the plants outside and were able to harvest leaves from this hardy variety all through winter. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200

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Zebrune Shallots

€3.50

A superb French heirloom variety, often called Banana-type shallots for their torpedo-shaped bulbs. The skin of this variety has a wonderful pink-brown colour, and it is very productive, producing good-sized bulbs which are useful for storing. Easy to slice and deliciously sweet and mild. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250

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