If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
I'm growing these for the first time this year after tasting them from a guy at the farmers market. I don't like Brussels sprouts but I love these, they're also really expensive to buy.
I'm also growing these for the first time. Other half came home with a packet of seeds on Monday. with strict instructions from the person he got them off " You must grow these ". So they have now been sown and gooooogled. They look interesting.
The confusion about what is a Kalette continues
I ordered Kalettes® Garden Mix F1 - Brassica & Leafy Green Seeds - Thompson & Morgan
and have received Brussels sprouts Petit Posy (not F1).
I've emailed Thompson and Morgan for an explanation but if they see this thread first, perhaps they would explain to us why the seeds they send out are not those advertised.
I can confirm that what you have received is the correct item. Kalettes are a cross between Kale and Brusel Sprouts, as were the 'Petit Posy' Brussel Sprouts and are therefore one and the same. I apologise for the confusion.
THOMPSON & MORGAN................can you hear me?..........Your advertisement is misrepresentation and should not be allowed....Petit Posy are not a "mix".......further more, to add insult to injury, you charge twice as much as other companies. I think you need to get your act together.
sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,” -------------------------------------------------------------------- Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
----------------------------------------------------------- KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............
I'm not sure about diplomatic! My review on the T&M website hasn't appeared yet
I also suggested that they might like to reply to me on here as we'd all like an explanation.
For the record, here are my 2 packets of Petit Posy Sorry about the blur!
The description on the old packet is "loose, frilly edged buttons on a long stalk, in purples, green and bicoloured leaves" - same as the current description Kalettes® Garden Mix F1 - Brassica & Leafy Green Seeds - Thompson & Morgan
I didn't read that as saying it was 3 different varieties, just that the leaves were various shades of purple and green.
Anyway, when/if I hear from Thompson & Morgan I'll let you know if its any clearer!
I understood it to be a mix 3 different varieties to extend the growing season whereas in fact it is one variety that has "mixed" muti-coloured florets.
sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,” -------------------------------------------------------------------- Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
----------------------------------------------------------- KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............
I see some of the links I posted before no longer lead to any information. As far as I can tell, Kalettes are just Petit Posy with a new brand name for marketing in the USA. Now it looks like they've decided to use the new name in the UK as well, but haven't updated all their info and labelling yet.
They were bred by Tozer in Surrey, who maintain them as three separate varieties with different code names. They also have different maturity times and some other differences. You can read about them here now. https://www.tozerseeds.com/uk/produc...sicas/kalettes
The first photo there shows three kalettes in different colour schemes. One is mainly green, one mainly purple and one a mix of green and purple. It's not clear whether these represent the three different varieties.
But in the information for the individual varieties they all look to be a similar green/purple mix. In fact they've used the same photo for two of them, but that's presumably a mistake.
They show different photos for each one, but the colours are all much the same green and purple mix. It also says for each one
Type: Hybrid
Colours: Green, Red, and bi-colour
So I thought I knew what was what but now I'm confused.
I know they must have originally hybridised kale and Brussels sprouts to breed these, which wouldn't be too difficult because they are the same species. But F1 hybrids are usually very uniform in appearance, not three different colour schemes. So is this a mixture of three F1 hybrids, or have they been stabilised into open pollinated varieties? Does "Hybrid" in the product sheets just mean they once were hybridised?
I'm not sure how much you can blame T&M for misinformation when the original supplier's information is so confusing. Although the answers I've got from seed companies about the varieties they stock have been similarly frustrating and vague.
If someone wanted to know really badly, they could grow some, separate them into the three types according to colours and maturity dates, and try saving seeds from them and see if they each come true. But I don't think that someone will be me
Actually I've just realised, in the individual variety product sheets it clearly says they are F1, in BIG letters. So it looks like the mix is a mix of three separate F1 varieties.
Autumn Star F1 (aka TZ 0357)
"TZ 0357 is the earliest of the three Kalettes® varieties, maturing from October. This variety
has superb vigour and produces high yields of Kalettes® which are exceptionally easy to
harvest. Remaining in good condition until at least the end of November, this variety develops
a great sweet and nutty flavour as the season progresses."
Christmas Rose F1 (aka TZ 0479)
"TZ 0479 has exceptional maturity up the stem, this is the tallest of the three Kalettes®
varieties and will produce high yields of tasty Kalettes® for the all-important Christmas
period, remaining in top quality throughout the whole of November and December."
Snowdrop F1 (aka TZ 0101)
"TZ 0101 is an extremely winter hardy Kalettes® variety with slightly shorter stems which are
resistant to lodging in high winds, this variety matures from January to February. The
Kalettes® will remain in excellent condition during this challenging growing period and have
performed well in trials even in heavy snow and freezing conditions."
That's a bit clearer. But there's still the question of the colours.
It says for all of them - Sprout Colour: Green, Red and bi-colour, but I didn't think it was possible for an F1 hybrid to be in three different colours.
Again, I can confirm what you have received is correct.
If you search 'Petit Posy' Brussel Sprouts on our website it will take you straight to Kalettes Garden Mix. This will have been a case of rebranding and a new name.
They clearly believe that rebranding/renaming a product without any reference to its former name is acceptable
I shall shop elsewhere in future. I can't support a company with these ethics.
Comment