Tozer Seeds is a progressive seed company that is determined to bring new and better varieties to the market place.
Based in Cobham, Surrey, its breeding programmes are designed to develop specialist products to meet the needs of both growers and supermarkets. Its range of produce is divided into four categories including speciality crops; major crops; developing crops and crop covers.
New for this year is a range of spinach cultivars which managing director Peter Dawson says are already proving to be attractive on the marketplace. "They have excellent mildew resistance, stand upright and have shiny, thick leaves," he says. "They came onto the market this year after extensive trialing and we are very excited about them, as are the growers."
Emilia and Lazio are two of the named varieties while PVO170 and PVO172 are as yet unnamed. "Collectively," says Dawson, "they offer a lot of flexibility because they are resistant to the seven races of mildew fungus which is a very big problem."
Tozer Seeds is also carrying out trials on lettuce and baby leaf and is experimenting with different shapes and colours. "We are particularly interested in red and green Cos types," says Dawson. "Colour is very important, as is texture. How the product washes is vital because they have to be cleaned and dried and moved along the packing line and all this means they have to be robust."
Speciality crops, for which Tozer Seeds is well known nationally and internationally, include parsnips, celery, courgettes, pumpkin and squash.
Crop covers are another addition to Tozer's product portfolio. Agro-Cover(r) is a specially designed, long lasting alternative for non-woven fabrics such as fleece and plastic film. Supermat(r) is being used as an alternative to black plastic mulch and is available in either white or black.
Further information is available at www.tozerseeds.co.uk.
NEW WINTER SQUASH HITS UK
Thompson and Morgan has unveiled a new winter squash seed ñ Jaspée de Vendée, which is believed to be one of the sweetest winter squash varieties available.
This new variety is so sweet that the flesh can be eaten raw, just like a melon. The squash has a semi-busy habit, with each plant producing several good-sized fruit of up 2.2kgs in weight. The fruit grows from late summer until frosts and stores very well.
Colin Randel, vegetable product manager at Thompson and Morgan, says: "The seed initially took off on the continent and was picked up by our Dutch contacts. They have been using the seed for a couple of years and have found it very sweet. We undertook some trials with the seed this year in Ipswich which saw pleasing results with lots of fruit being produced. As long as the fruit is cut before the frost it stores well. We have high hopes for the seed in the UK for the coming season."
Its sweet flavour makes it suitable for flans, cakes, jams, soups and purees. The Jaspée de Vendée is priced at £1.99 for six seed and is only available from the 2004 Thompson and Morgan seed catalogue.
The company also has two new Petunia seeds. The Petunia Flambe Salmon has a unique colour combination of yellow, washed over with pink shading. Secondly, is the Petunia Merlin Blue Morn, which has white centred blooms. Both varieties are best sown from February to April and are priced at £1.99 for 40 seeds.
www.thompson-morgan.com.
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