Tag: Growing Guides

Salad Leaf – Spicy Mixed Leaves (Rocket, Mizuna, Mustard Giant Red, Mustard Southern Giant)

When to Sow: Year round with appropriate protection

When to Harvest: Year round as ready

How to Sow:

• Sow thinly in a prepared seed bed 0.5cm (1/4”) deep in rows 25-30cm (10-12”) apart.
• Keep soil moist.
• Sow in succession every 2-3 weeks for a continuous supply of fresh young leaves.
• Keep soil moist and cut leaves from each plant leaving some leaves on each so they re-grow. You will often get 3-4 cuttings per plant.
• Early autumn and winter sowings can be made in containers in a cold glasshouse. If short on space during the year, sow seeds thinly into containers on a sunny patio.

When to Sow: All year (weather permitting)

How to Sow:

• Sow thinly into finely raked, warm moist soil, or in pots in bands approx.
• 9cm (3.5” wide, covering the seed lightly and firming the soil gently. Grow on keeping the soil moist.
• Harvest when the leaves are 7.5-10cm (3-4”) tall.
• Sow little and often for continuous supply. Fleece can be used in the winter months for added protection if grown outdoors. Can also be grown under glass in pots or trays with or without heat, or on the windowsill all year round.
• By continually harvesting the outer leaves, rocket can be used as a cut and come again crop giving you great value from a single sowing.

When to Sow: Jan-Feb indoors, March-June outdoors

How to Sow:

• Sow Jan-Feb in a propagator on a windowsill or in a frost free greenhouse.
• Cover with 6mm of compos.
• Transplant seedlings into 75mm (3”) pots, grow on and finally plant outside in well cultivated soil for early crops.
• For later sowings, sow thinly March-June into a finely raked seedbed at a depth of 13mm.

How to Sow:

• Sow seed in a heated propagator on the surface of a good free draining damp seed compost.
• Cover with a sprinkling of compost. Germination takes up to 15 days.
• Transplant when large enough to handle into trays or individual modules.
• Grow on steadily in cooler conditions before planting out after all risk of frost has passed, 30 cm (12”) between plants each way.
• It is essential plants are kept adequately moist throughout the growing season. If grown in a block, plants are naturally self blanching.

How to Sow:

• Sow outdoors where they are to crop, Sow 5cm (2”) deep directly into finely prepared soil which has already been watered.
• To make best use of space sow seeds 23cm (9”) apsrt in a wide row, in a zig zag pattern leaving a space of 45cm (19”) between each row.
• Seedlings usually apart in 10-18 days.
• Early and late sowings benefit from cloche protection. Water well until plants are established. Successional sowing will ensure a continuous supply and longer harvest.
• Or sow indoors 2.5cm (1”) deep into individually into pots, or get them started in a cool greenhouse in toilet roll tubes. Water well and place in a warm position. Gradually accustom plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts) before planting out 23cm 9”) apart.
• Harvested fresh beans are great for freezing for later use, or let them dry on the plant and save them in jars for a much later date, or indeed sowing next year!
• Broad beans are a great source of vitamin B1 folate and fibre.
  
  Varieties:
  
  The Sutton
  
  Bunyards Exhibition

How to Sow:

• Sow under glass 0.5cm (1/4”) deep in pots or trays of compost and cover with a light sprinkling of compost. Place containers in a propagators at 18-21 degrees Celsius.
• Prick out seedlings, once large enough to handle, into 9cm (3.5”) pots. Transplant to the greenhouse, border soil or individual large pots, or 3 plants per growbag when they are 20cm (8”) high. Can also be planted outdoors once all risk of frost has passed.
• Plants require side-shooting and support for the best yields. Water plants regularly.
• If growing outside pinch out the growing tip after 4-5 trusses of fruit have set. An excellent sources of vitamin C and lycopene.
  
  Varieties:
  
  Yellow Delight These strong plants produce many small trusses of unusual yellow long pear shaped fruits.

WHEN TO SOW

March to May

Where to Sow

Prepare a flat bottom drill 5cm (2in) deep and 10cm, (4in) wide.

What to do next

Space seeds 5cm (2in) apart throughout the drill allowing 60cm (24in) between the drills, then cover over with soil and gently tamp down with the back of a rake. It is advisable to give some net protection against birds, once seedlings start to grow , then add some net support for plants to climb and hold the crop. Alternatively very early spring sowings can be made in February or March into a length of plastic gutter or modular cells under glass and then planted out against wires. Slide contents of gutter into a shallow drill made in the plot or space modular plants 10-15cm(4-6in) apart once hardened off.

MATURITY

June to August

HANDY TIP

If you prefer to choose varieties of different maturity rather than successional sowing, this fits between Kelvedon Wonder and Onward.

Varieties:

Pea Early Onward produce blunt pods of dark green packed full of good flavour and can be harvested some 10 days earlier than Onward. The pods are well filled with peas and prolific. the plant can grow to a height of 60cm. To get the sweetest flavour, peas are best cooked when picked young and cooked within 30 minutes of harvest, before the sugar has turned to starch.

A small-leaved, very tender spinach for salads and cooking. Good mildew resistance and moderately winter hardy – good for late season cropping. Grow as baby leaf under glass throughout the winter.

Outdoors: sow thinly, March-September, where they are to crop, 2.5cm (1″) deep, directly into finely-prepared, fertile, moisture-retentive soil, which has already been watered.

Early sowings may benefit from cloche protection. Seedlings usually appear in 7-14 days. Water well and ensure soil remains moist to prevent plants running to seed. No thinning is necessary if only baby leaves are required. Thin to 10cm (4″) apart to produce mature plants.

Sowings from July onwards should only be grown for baby leaves. Allow 30cm (1′) between rows.

Harvest: May-October. Harvest unthinned as baby leaves. Take a few leaves from the outer sides of each plant, allowing them to regrow for two or three more pickings.

Top Tip:
Regular sowings, made every two to three weeks, will ensure a continuous supply. Pick young leaves regularly to encourage further growth.

Seed Saving: Don’t save seed from these as they are F1 hybrid and will not come true.

Jack be Little certainly does live up to its name by producing beautiful small round orange fruits that are small enough that they make the perfect serving dish for pumpkin soup once the flesh has been used. This variety of pumpkin produces a late summer and autumn crop of approximately 8 fruits per plant.

WHEN TO SOW

April to May under glass Mid May to June outdoors

Where to Sow

Sow seed on edge 1.5cm (1/2″”) deep to prevent rotting in pots or trays during April to May 2.5cm (1″”) apart under glass at 20°C (68°F) using good quality seed sowing compost. Sow outdoors mid-May to June direct into growing site 1.5cm (1/2″”) deep 2 to 3 seeds in each position 60cm (24″”) apart.

What to do next

Greenhouse sowings should be gradually hardened off once they have developed the first pair of rough leaves and transplanted to growing site in late-May to early-June 60-90cm (24-36″”) apart once all risk of frost has past. Outdoor sowings should be thinned to one plant per station.

MATURITY

September to October

HANDY TIP

Always grow pumpkins in a sunny spot in rich fertile soil. Water regularly once fruits start to swell.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

A good source of pro-vitamin A, vitamins B1, C and E.

A mix of seeds to create a beautiful wildflower habitat and encourage biodiversity in urban landscapes.

Sowing Rate:

1 – 2 g/m2

Contains:

Buttercup, White Campion, Corncockle, Cornflower, Corn Chamomile, Field Forget-me-not, Corn Marigold, Scentless Chamomile, Common Poppy, Field Pansy

Wildflower Site Preparation

Cultivate to achieve a fine seed bed, sow seed mix and then roll to ensure firmness. The best results are obtained when there is good contact between the soil and the seeds.

Sowing Times

Sowing can best be achieved by mixing the seed with dry sand, dry sifted topsoil or sawdust and evenly broadcast. It is important that the seed is in contact with moisture in the soil so the seedbed should be lightly raked and then watered.