Guess the rest of the cost went to them for their packaging the order.

Best to check out the Rate & Review Vendors forum here. amazon.com provides you with options for refunds and conflict resolution with all their vendors. Also keep in mind that part of their shipping and handling fees goes to amazon, not to the vendor.

Here is a link that might be useful: R&R Vendors Forum

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am waiting for a reply from the seed company. Probably not till tomorrow or the next day before I hear anything. I was just going by Amazon's standard return policy.

I am very suspicious of the sale of Sweet Baby Broccoli seeds. I've not seen them for sale anywhere. I did a few Google searches and all of them lead back to the Amazon seed sale.
Broccolini seed has never been available to anyone. It is for sale as a fresh vegetable only. The new Sweet Baby Broccoli is a new hybrid from the same parents as Broccolini, but it is not exactly the same.
Sweet Baby Broccoli is a very new product. I believe it like Broccolini is only available as a fresh product at this time. I doubt that Hirts/Hinterland Trading Co. on Amazon would be the company to have a corner on the market of seeds. I also doubt that a brand new hybrid would be for sale at such a cheap cost. New hybrid broccoli seeds do not come cheap.
Also if you go to the Garden Watchdog Site, and look up Hirt's, you'll see a bag of mixed reviews including ones about receiving incorrect products.
Remy

Here is a link that might be useful: Article with referencing to Sweet Baby Broccoli

remy - Thanks for the interesting information and article. I know - buyer beware! I have been wanting to grow this veggie since first having it in a restaurant a couple of years ago. I wish they would make it available to home gardeners.
Clare

There are several vaieties available that are knock offs of the origial variety marketed as broccolini.Happy Rich and Atlantis are sold by Johnny's http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-504-mini-broccoli.aspx Osborne has Atlantis and Apollo http://www.osborneseed.com/catalog_view.cfm?submitted=yes&selectcat=5&selecttype=Rapini

Thanks Farmerdill. Just to be clear neither of those are Broccolini or 'Sweet Baby' broccoli, but at least Clare can get a similar product. I don't have experience with Orborne, but I know Johnny's is a reputable company.
Remy

Also thanks Farmerdill. I will check them out.

remy - Just to be clear neither of those are Broccolini or 'Sweet Baby' broccoli. What makes them different?

Clare

concur: Broccolini is a trademark not a variety. It is a trademark of the Mann Produce Company. Original name of the variety Asparation. All of these are hybrid crosses of broccoli and gai lan (Chinese kale). Sweet Baby Broccoli is a trademark of the Green Giant Company. Also a cross between broccoli and gai lan. Different seed companies have begun broccoli-gai lan hybrid breeding programs. "Synergene Seed & Technology, Inc. of Salinas, California has been breeding a broccoli-gai lan hybrid under the name �sweet baby broccoli�. Although their hybrid seed comes from cross-pollination of the same parent varieties as Broccolini�, it is not the product of the inbred hybrid parents specifically developed by the Sakata Seed Corporation. Therefore, the Synergene hybrid is genetically different from Sakata�s �Aspabroc� hybrid. As long as the Synergene hybrid is not sold or marketed under the names Broccolini� or Asparation�, independent growers are free to grow and sell the broccoli-gai lan hybrid." There have been several varieties introduced in the past several years and more coming. It is getting popular.

Here is a link that might be useful: Broccolini -Sweet Baby story

Farmerdill- Thanks for the information and link. I will check the article out.
Clare

I can't comment on the seed company. The shipping charge
is set by Amazon- The seller gets a little over half and Amazon pockets the rest. The seller should agree to do a complete refund including shipping. If they don't be sure to give them a Negative rating. I would also contact Amazon
for a refund for the incorrect product.
Mark

farmerdill - excellent info thanks!!

Can anyone describe to me why this veg is so sought after? Is it a taste sensation?

I always check the companies reputation before ordering. If I won't purchase from a company on eBay that has a rating lower than 99 percent positive there is no way I'm going to purchase from some company selling on Amazon with a 91 percent positive rating. And yes I do on occasion purchase seeds through Amazon. My last Amazon seed purchases where from Illinois Supply and Hirt's Gardens. Both have great reputations and shipped quickly. The shipping price for seeds from Hirt's Gardens is much lower at Amazon than at eBay or their own site. If memory serves they offered free shipping with an order over $ 5.00. Hard to beat that these days.

They did get back to me on Dec. 4th saying they would send the correct seeds right away. I still haven't received them. I learned a lesson the hard way.

One distinction between "broccolini" type baby broccoli and "Rappini" (or other spellings) - The Rappini are a sharp tasting version of what looks like a slender small headed broccoli - like mustard greens and the like. The Gai Lan cross is very sweet like the best first pick broccoli - but again, in individual slender stalks good for stir fry. I think the broccoli in the cross gives more of a head - Gai Lan makes little flowering tips - but it is very good and a fine substitute.

"happy rich" from johnny's is absolutely delicious.

Hi Guys :-)

I brought home some of thispurported delicious sweet baby broccoli and when my mom saw it she was stunned and drooling...
She said that where she lived in Greece her aunt would harvest the identical greens from cabbage.. From my understanding, she said the cabbage would have these type of flowers that look like broccolini or sweet baby broccoli..?

I googled away and found this discussion... and the hybrid of these veggies, not a growth out of cabbage..

Do any of you well seasoned experts have any idea if there is some type of cabbage that flowers greens that look similar to broccoli?

Thank you :-)

In your post you wrote "s & h"
Shipping & handling is used by many companies.
The shipping fees can be visible, however the handling charges can be excessive, this is where many companies gain a larger profit.
We as buyers see a small number, a seller with thousands of buyers reap big profits...

Zoi101, many members of the cabbage/mustard family will send up stalks with buds which briefly look like small, loose heads of broccoli just before they flower. I am not aware of any cabbage varieties which look exactly like "baby broccoli" when they start to bolt, but selecting for broccoli-like bud clusters is probably how broccoli came into existence.

Though I think it is a mustard, I especially like the buds of Tat Soi when it starts to bolt. The flowers are tasty raw, too.

Just to clarify, the sharper-flavored Rapini is more closely related to turnips than to broccoli and Chinese kale. One of its names in Italian means "turnip tops". It is probably descended from a wild relative of the turnip. There is a non-heading variety sold as a leafy green.

Here is a link that might be useful: Broccoli rabe, Cima de Rapa, Rapini

aptosca, I looks like to me that what some of the folks are
describing to you are nothing except the broccoli suckers
that chute up after main head is cut. They are very tender
and I think, taster better than the head. Just something to think about.
Those little sucker heads tase great in a tossed salad too.

If you want something that tastes a little like broccoli, but very mild and sweet, just keep your kale plants over the winter, and let them make buds the next spring. Snap the flower bud stems off before the flowers open. They are really wonderful. If your plants are big and sturdy, you can harvest a huge crop. I haven't had any problems with aphids or worms. Maybe it's too early for them.

Kale will overwinter here in the Pacific Northwest. I don't know about other places.

I grow Kale just for these buds now. They are so much better than the leaves. I like to steam them and mix with sauteed chopped garlic and cooked thin spaghetti, with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle a little Romano on top.

Just for info, Stokes now offers broccolini Aspabroc

Last year I grew both Happy Rich and Green Lance (and will do so again this year).. I direct sowed both in early April under a little hoop house I rigged up over the bed. Both did very well, were very easy to grow and were absolutely delicious. Much easier than broccoli, much more productive, and better tasting and more versatile as well. Great plants.

BTW, When I removed the plastic hoop house, I immediately put the plants under row covers.

Last night I ordered from Hirt's Gardens: "Aspabroc Baby Broccoli/Broccolini -- 20 seeds," this after seeing very high prices for seeds at Stokes and Jung.

Wish I'd found and read this informative article before proceeding, but I'm hoping for the best! Any further comments on the variety or Hirt's appreciated.

Gary