Blue de Solaise Leeks

[binley100]

I am trying to put together a fact sheet for our Centenary Garden. I know that these leeks are a heirloom French variety but does anyone have any info regarding dates please.
We are trying to only use varieties that were around 100 years ago....
Also am struggling with brussel sprouts ...We have evesham special and bedrordshire fillbasket but I'm not sure if they are old enough ........

[Bren In Pots]

Binley have a look here at

Thomas Etty Esq. - Heritage Vegetable & Flower Seeds

there's a seed time line PDF and some old seed catalogues to download.

[binley100]

Thanks Bren I have looked , that's why I'm not sure on the leeks and the sprouts . The old sprouts that seemed common were Wroxton and I can't find them nad all I can find on the leeks is that they're french heirloom , no dates....

[Bren In Pots]

I've had another search and found this site :-

Bleu of Solaise

just says its a 19th century French leek.

have found another old leek, 'Giant Musselburgh' that was developed in 1834 in Scotland.

[binley100]

Brill Bren thanks , the other date I'd found was 1942 and that didn't seem right, I think that was maybe when it was introduced over here.......

[Patchninja]

I've googled.fr and can't find anything about the history of this leek apart from the fact that it was at it's most popular 50 years ago. That doesn't help you at all

[binley100]

Thankyou anyway.....

[Alison]

Sorry, can't help but I did grow that variety of leeks last year and they were very nice

[Headfry]

again - sorry Alison I cant offer any help but I am growing them this year for the first time.
Seed from Kings Seeds via NSLGA.

[Tam]

I saved this some time ago and thought it might be of interest :

Heritage Vegetable Varieties

Note: Heritage (or heirloom) varieties are not always clearly labelled as such in some catalogues. It is, therefore, important that you have some idea of which varieties to look out for. The following list contains some of the vegetables that are classified as heritage varieties:

Artichokes - Green Globe
Asparagus - Connover's Colossal
Aubergines - Early Long Purple
Broad Beans - Crimson-Flowered Broad Bean, Martock, Red Epicure, Windsor (green and white varieties), Aquadulce Claudia
French Beans - Purple Giant, Golden Butter, Caseknife, Hutterite Soup, Early Warwick
Runner Beans - Painted Lady, Czar, Scarlet Emperor
Beetroot - Barbietola di Choggia, Cook's Delight, Snow White
Broccoli - Purple Sprouting, White Sprouting, Nine Star Perennial, Romanesco
Brussels Sprouts - Wroxton, Rubine, Evesham Special
Cabbages - April, Ellams Early Dwarf, Best of All, Red Drumhead
Carrots - London Market, White Belgium
Cauliflowers - Snow's Winter White, Purple Cape
Garlic - Printanor, Germidour
Kale - Cottager's Kale, Ragged Jack, Nero di Toscana
Leeks - The Lyon, Musselburgh, Giant Carentan
Lettuce - Merveille de Quatre Saisons, Tom Thumb, All Year Round
Oriental Vegetables - Mizuna, Mibuna, Green-in-the Snow, Giant Red
Parsnips - Hollow Crown, Tender and True
Peas - Epicure, Prince Albert, Thomas Laxton, Carlin
Radishes - French Breakfast, Long White Icicle, China Rose, Round Black Spanish
Spinach - Broad Leafed Prickly, Perpetual Spinach, Rainbow Chard
Sweetcorn - Golden Bantam
Tomatoes - Harbinger, Long-Keeping, Marmande, Golden Sunrise