Italian cuisine is a staple of the American diet, and no region is richer in herbs that you can grow easily and deliciously in your own garden. We've assembled 6 of the most essential herbs for Mediterranean cuisine into one very economical package. You will receive 6 full packets of seeds, not a single mix, so you can design your own plantings for any setting from the vegetable patch to your own herb garden.
This collection contains large-leaf Italian basil (the best for laying whole into lasagne or chopping for pizza sauce), garlic chives (the fragrance alone will make your mouth water), zefa fino fennel (the original and best, from Italy), oregano (the classic Mediterranean flavoring -- the backbone of many a favorite dish), Italian plain-leaf parsley (the one the supermarket wants to charge you so much for!), and sage (the secret to every good dish from the Thanksgiving turkey to smoky-spicy ears of corn). Plant them in and around the vegetable garden to keep away insects and other pests, grow them in containers that you can move indoors for winter, or design a formal parterre around them! The possibilities are endless!
0271. Basils are loaded with volatile oils, responsible for the heady aroma and strong flavor so essential to cooking. The composition of oils varies greatly in different basil types, thus accounting for the wide range of scents available. Regarded as the essential variety for true Neapolitan cuisine, especially pesto, this Genovese-type basil grows 18 to 24 inches high and 12 to 15 inches wide. The dark green, shiny leaves grow up to 3 inches long on a tall, erect plant that is slow to bolt. Pkt is 100 seeds.
0545. If you like chives, you'll have to try garlic chives! The same great mild onion flavor is imparted with a distinctive garlic scent and taste. Both the flat, grasslike leaves and the 1 inch white flowerheads can be used in a variety of your favorite dishes. Grow garlic chives just as you would regular chives, in full sun and well drained soil. This plant grows slightly taller than the regular chives, reaching 1 1/2 feet tall and 8-12 inches wide. Zones 3-9.Pkt. is 100 seeds.
0455. 90 days from sowing. Every part of this compact, ultra-tender Florence Fennel is aromatic, and the leaves are as delicious as the bulb! Unlike most other Florence Fennels, Zefa Fino stays small, so that the bulb keeps a succulent texture -- never tough or woody. And the white blooms contribute to the beauty of this yummy vegetable!
The show begins in spring, when small white blooms top the glossy, hollow stalks of the plant. The edible bulb forms at the base, rising above the soil line to show off its beauty. Reaching 3 to 5 inches across, it harvests easily because -- unlike other Fennels -- the root stem is relatively short. And feel free to harvest the leaves all year long for delicious flavoring!
Successful in both our South Carolina and Vermont trial gardens, Zefa Fino is resistant to bolting. You can grow it in spring, summer, or fall -- it thrives in nearly any temperature in the sunny garden!
All parts of fennel are aromatic, imparting a sweet anise, or licorice, scent and flavor. Kids - or adults - who like black licorice will love chomping on the raw bulbs of fennel! Growing 24 inches tall and 10 to 14 inches wide. It differs from regular fennel because the stalk forms an edible bulbous base that fades to white.
Grow in rich, light soil in a warm location and provide ample water so that the bulbs will form properly. Pkt is 100 seeds.
3580. Pungently aromatic, oregano is one of the most important herbs of Italian, Greek and Mexican cooking. Mainly used dry, the flavor is strong enough to stand up to bold flavors like tomatoes, onion, garlic and beef. Interestingly, the oil is often a little known ingredient in men's colognes.
Oregano is a bushy perennial with pretty deep purple-brown stems and 1 1/2 inch broadly ovate leaves that often have a red flush. Branched clusters of purple-pink flowers appear all summer. Grows to 18 inches tall and wide.
Sow seeds in well-drained to dry, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Clip leaves throughout the growing season and use fresh or dried. Zones 5-10. Pkt is 100 seeds.
5636. Specially developed for use as fresh seasoning, the large, bright green leaves arise on 10- to 12-inch plants.
Flat-leafed Parsley is far more nutritious than the curly type. Harvest it as needed, but fairly regularly so that the plants keep sprouting new stems. In mild climates, you can continue to cut it throughout winter. Pkt is 980 seeds.
1793. Sage - A shrubby evergreen perennial that forms many side branches of velvety textured, wrinkled, gray-green leaves about 2 inches long. Spikes of 1/2 inch violet, pink to white flowers appear in summer. Sage grows 24-32 inches high and 36 inches wide.
Qty: 1
Italian Herb Collection
Botanical Name: Product Category:
Seeds
Herbs
Collections Sun Exposure:
Full Sun Shipping:
Ships in 7-10 days Ship Form:
Seeds Soil Moisture:
Moist, well-drained Soil Types/Tolerance:
Normal, loamy
Please note: Call center and shipping operations will be closed for the observance of the Independence Day holiday, Saturday, June 27th - Sunday, July 5th. We will open again & resume shipping Monday, July 6th.
Park Seed Company, The Best Flowers & Vegetables
Park Seed Company | 1 Parkton Ave | Greenwood, SC 29647
800-213-0076 www.parkseed.com
Copyright 1997-2009, Geo. W. Park Seed Co., Inc. info@parkscs.com
