Re: [gardeners] Have you grown these?
William McKay (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 11 Dec 1998 05:53:38 PST
Pintung is nice, but I would also like to suggest NEON. Another
oriental type, shorter & thicker than pintung. It also is very early
and extremely tasty. If I remember correctly, Pinetree also has a
variety from Italy. I think it is rosa bianca. Grew some last year.
Beautiful fruit and extremely tasty; the only drawback was they were
two or three weeks later than the oriental types.
For those of you who like greens, I would like to put in a plug for my
favorite. Several years ago I came across an italian 'summer spinach'
which is really a chard or beet green. However, this particular variety
is (1) very mild with a very spinach like taste (2) much smaller than
your typical chard (3) cut & come again. I get three or four cuts per
plant per season. Several companies import the seed which in Italian is
usually called Beitina (sometimes beita). The variety is verde da
taglio (green cut & come again). I know of two places that import the
seed. Lake Valley Seed in Boulder, CO brings in seed from Pagano, a
seed company near Naples. Lo Speciale in Louisville brings it in from
Mirage. The packets are 25 grams (thats a lot of seed) and tend to cost
$2-2.50. I cook it just like spinach.
Bill M in zone 6.
>
>The Chinese var.(OP) Pingtung eggplant is10-14"( long rather than
>round)non-bitter and very tender,early and productive.
>
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