Seeds

Technically a wax bean until it develops its purple streaks, this beautiful Dutch heirloom is wonderful to eat fresh, or to save and use as dried beans. When the flat 21–25cm beans turn from a lime green to yellow with bright purple stripes, they are ready for cooking or freezing. Dragon Tongue bush bean seeds are also known as Merveille de Piemonte.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow mid-to late spring. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm—if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially since our seeds are not treated with fungicide. Sow drying beans as early as possible, so they can mature before rainy/cold weather sets in. Optimal soil temperature: 21-2°C. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow bush bean seeds 2-5cm deep, 5-8cm apart, in rows 45-60cm apart. Thin to at least 15cm apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a longer harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5  Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

Matures in 65 days.

Approx: 45 Seeds.

Matilda pole bean seeds produce big, nicely shaped, round beans with straight pods that average 15cm (6″) long are heavily produced on this variety from German breeding. The flavour is both sweet and mild. Plants are vigorous, productive, and early, but will produce all season long if you keep them well picked. We took harvest after harvest over a long period in summer during our seed trials. The pods have a nice crunch and good flavour raw, cooked, or pickled. They even stand up to blanching and freezing for winter use if any of the summer crop makes it that far.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow from late spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature: 21-32°C.

How To Grow, Starting:  Seeds can be started indoors, or sowed directly. Set seeds 7-10cm apart and 3.5cm deep at the base of a support. Plants will climb by twining around almost anything. Try rough poles, lumber, re-bar, or build a strong trellis 2-2.5m tall. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on soil conditions.

How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5.  Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of balanced organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Too much nitrogen in fertilizer or manure is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If beans flower but do not set pods, the cause can be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp based fertilizer.

Matures in 70 days.

Approx: 75 seeds

This beautiful plant features dark purple leaves and pods that follow attractive, light purple flowers. It makes a very striking and useful screen in the garden. This productive variety flowers before all other beans, and handles cool conditions well. The purple pods keep their flavour and tenderness even when very long, and turn green when cooked. The pods grow to 13cm long and keep their flavour and tenderness long after they are picked. They turn green when cooked. The plants are extremely productive, and the pods just keep coming as long as they are picked. The seeds are beige.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow from late spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature: 21-32°C.

How To Grow, Starting:  Seeds can be started indoors, or sowed directly. Set seeds 7-10cm apart and 3.5cm deep at the base of a support. Plants will climb by twining around almost anything. Try rough poles, lumber, re-bar, or build a strong trellis 2-2.5m tall. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on soil conditions.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of balanced organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Too much nitrogen in fertilizer or manure is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If beans flower but do not set pods, the cause can be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp based fertilizer.

Matures in 70 days.

Approx: 40 seeds.

This compact bush bean produces masses of richly flavoured wax Romano type pods over a long harvest period. Serpedor wax Romano bean pods are broad, flat, and completely stringless, about 15cm long – with fantastic flavour. Expect the best qualities of Romano beans from conveniently compact bush plants that don’t take up a lot of room in the garden. Try Serpedor beans in pots, grow bags, or window boxes in the patio or balcony vegetable garden. We were delighted with the outcome of our seed trials with Serpedor. Plants were uniform and robust.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow mid-to late spring. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm—if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially since our seeds are not treated with fungicide. Sow drying beans as early as possible, so they can mature before rainy/cold weather sets in. Optimal soil temperature: 21-2°C. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow bush bean seeds 2-5cm deep, 5-8cm apart, in rows 45-60cm apart. Thin to at least 15cm apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a longer harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

How To Grow, Growing:   Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5  Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

Matures in 75 days

Approx: 60 Seeds.

Noodle King’s tall vining plants produce slim tender green pods that are best picked at 30-45cm. Also known as asparagus bean, Noodle King is faster to mature than other yard long varieties for better adaptability in regions with a shorter growing season. Delicious steamed and in stir-fries. Tall plants must be trellised.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow from mid-spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, the seeds may rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-32°C. The seeds should sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 2-5cm deep, 5-8cm apart, in rows 45-60cm apart. Thin to at least 15cm (6″) apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a continuous harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

How To Grow, Growing:   Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5.  Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

80 Days.

Approx: 85 Seeds

This French filet type bean has superb flavour. The tender, uniform, 10cm long beans are produced in abundant yields on tidy, upright plants. The plants’ petite size make them a good choice for containers. Masai bush bean is resistant to BCMV, and tolerant to Curly Top virus, bacterial brown spot, and halo blight. The beans are produced in a concentrated set on the upper half of the plants, so they are easy to see and harvest. Try some in the balcony vegetable garden or community plot.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow mid-to late spring. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm—if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially since our seeds are not treated with fungicide. Sow drying beans as early as possible, so they can mature before rainy/cold weather sets in. Optimal soil temperature: 21-2°C. Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow bush bean seeds 2-5cm deep, 5-8cm apart, in rows 45-60cm apart. Thin to at least 15cm apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a longer harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5  Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

Matures in 55 days.

Approx: 120 Seeds.

This AAS Winner is celebrated for its compact size and suitability for container growing. Even in a window box, this French filet bean will produce high yields of 13-15cm long pods that have excellent flavour and a crunchy texture. Mascotte bush bean seeds produce plants that are highly resistant to BCMV, Anthracnose, and halo blight.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow mid-to late spring. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm—if it is not warm enough, seeds may rot, especially since our seeds are not treated with fungicide. Sow drying beans as early as possible, so they can mature before rainy/cold weather sets in. Optimal soil temperature: 21-2°C . Seeds will sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow bush bean seeds 2-5cm deep, 5-8cm apart, in rows 45-60cm apart. Thin to at least 15cm apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a longer harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5   Well drained, warm soil in full sun is best. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Raised beds help with both drainage and warmth. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is often the cause of poor pod set and delayed maturity. If the plants flower but do not set pods, the cause may be zinc deficiency. Try spraying the plants with kelp-based fertilizer.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick beans regularly to keep the plant producing (if pods get fat with seed, the plant will stop flowering). The smaller the bean, the more tender they are.

Matures in 50 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Approx: 50 Seeds.

Extremely productive vines bear dozens of 4-5 inch, little “mini” spaghetti squashes. The semi-compact vines can be trained up a fence/trellis so the little golden squashes hang like ornaments. These little minis cook up quickly, making it fast and easy to fork out their spaghetti like flesh to top with pizza sauce or a little butter and grated cheese for a quick, nutritious and low-calorie dish. After harvest, these little squashes store very well to enjoy for many good meals.
Seed Count: Approx. 30

BEST TO START OUTDOORS
Winter squash needs full sun, rich fertile soil and warm temperatures. Wait to plant until temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C) day and night. Sow groups of 2 to 3 seeds 2 feet apart and 1 inch deep in rows 4 feet apart. Thin to 1 strong seedling per group. Or make slightly mounded hills 2 to 3 feet across and 6 feet apart and plant 4 to 5 seeds in each hill. When seedlings have several sets of leaves, thin to the strongest 3 seedlings per hill.

GROWING NOTES
Protect young seedlings from marauding birds by covering with plastic berry baskets at sowing time, removing before plants get crowded. To make picking easier and save space, vines can be trained up trellises or tepees.

HARVEST AND USE
All winter squashes need to mature properly, so wait to pick until rinds are fully colored up from dark green to bright yellow-orange. and tough enough to resist piercing with a fingernail and vines have died back. Then cut, leaving a good stem handle. Let them cure for 10 days in the sun, then store in a cool dry place and they’ll keep for months.

In the kitchen, cut Baby Spaghettis in half and scoop out the seeds, then bake until tender. Fork up the spaghetti-like strands of tender, nutty squash, then top with your favorite sauce or a dollop of butter and a sprinkle of salt.

Our signature mix is a true watercolor palette of beautiful and scrumptious lettuce choices. Their pretty leaves with well-balanced tastes and luscious textures grow all together to harvest quickly by simply cutting with scissors for your own sumptuous salads. Includes vivid leaf lettuces, crisp French batavian, baby romaine and frilly bright crinkle lettuce. A beautifully composed mixture created for us by Forni-Brown, gourmet salad growers for California wine country restaurants.

Equal parts: Little Gem, Dutch Redina, Rouge Grenobloise, Red Salad Bowl and Tango

35 Days.
Seed Count: Approx. 2000

START SEEDS OUTDOORS

In cool early spring weather, sow seeds in finely worked soil in full sun. Shake seeds from the palm of your hand, broadcasting them about a 1/2 -1 inch apart over the entire seedbed or in wide rows, and cover lightly and evenly with 1/4 inch of fine soil. Firm soil gently and water with a fine spray. Keep seedbed evenly moist. Make small successive sowings until summer weather turns hot for a constant supply. Plant again in late summer for fall harvesting.

GROWING NOTES

Mesclun lettuces thrive in mild weather with consistent moisture. To extend the sowing season into hot weather, sow in light shade or erect a canopy of loosely woven shade cloth over the mesclun bed. Birds are often attracted to tender young seedlings, so protect them if necessary.

HARVEST AND USE

To harvest by the “cut and come again” method, wait until plants are 4 or 5 inches tall. Cut as much lettuce as you need, using scissors to shear off a patch of leaves 1 to 2 inches above the soil level. Water well and fertilize lightly and plants will regrow for several more cuttings. Dress with a simple vinaigrette to enjoy the sweet flavor and juicy texture of these delicate young leaves at their best.

Simply WOW! in the garden. Our eye-catching color combo has gorgeous magenta and gold stalks in vivid colors that contrast beautifully with deep green, savoyed leaves. Neon Glow chard was carefully selected from multicolored New Zealand heirloom chard, so you’ll find it’s flavor sweeter and milder tasting than ordinary green varieties. Grow this “edible landscaping” chard for bright color and delicious eating over a long season. A striking addition to both vegetable and flower beds.

50 days.
Seed Count: Approx. 68

START SEEDS INDOORS

In early spring, when danger of frost is over, sow seeds in well-worked, fertile soil in full sun. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart in rows 10 inches apart, or broadcast thinly for bed planting. Firm soil well over these irregularly shaped seeds to ensure good germination. If first sowing germinates unevenly, plant more seed as seedlings catch up quickly. When large enough to handle, thin seedlings to final spacing of 8 to 10 inches apart so these large plants have room to grow and mature. Transplant extras or enjoy young thinnings as early greens and salads.

GROWING NOTES

Chard grows well in a wide range of conditions and can take some light frost. In mild winter areas, it can be grown year round. Give seedlings enough room, because chard grows into large vase-shaped plants 2 feet tall.

HARVEST AND USE

Begin harvesting when plants are well established and have at least 6 to 8 leaves. Both stalks and leaves make great eating. Chop and steam or sauté with garlic and olive oil. Use like spinach in lasagna or minestrone soup. Try tasty chard leaves stuffed and poached in broth with a dash of olive oil and fresh lemon.

These tender, sweet and beautiful lettuces draw raves at our local farmers market where baskets of the young leaves tempt the eye and appetite. After careful evaluation, we’ve blended the most delicious varieties for a balanced palette of colors, shapes and textures. Includes frilly, lime-green Tango, upright green Little Gem, crimson and green Cimarron and burgundy Outredgeous. Cut young leaves often for scrumptious salads that are pretty as a picture in the garden and at the table. Little Gem, Tango, Outredgeous, Cimarron.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
In cool early spring weather, sow seeds in finely worked soil in full sun. Shake seeds from the palm of your hand, broadcasting them about 1/2 inch apart over the entire seedbed or in wide rows, and cover lightly and evenly with 1/4 inch of fine soil. Firm soil gently and water with a fine spray. Keep seedbed evenly moist. Make small successive sowings until summer weather turns hot for a constant supply. Plant again in late summer for fall harvesting.

GROWING NOTES
Mixed lettuces thrive in mild weather with consistent moisture. To extend the sowing season into hot weather, sow in light shade or erect a canopy of loosely woven shade cloth over the bed. Birds are often attracted to tender young seedlings, so protect them if necessary.

HARVEST AND USE
To harvest by the “cut and come again” method, wait until plants are 4 or 5 inches tall. Cut as much lettuce as you need, using scissors to shear off a patch of leaves 1 to 2 inches above the soil level. Water well and fertilize lightly and plants will regrow for several more cuttings. Dress with a simple vinaigrette to enjoy the sweet flavor and juicy texture of these delicate young leaves at their best.

Expand your seasonal salad repertoire with the delicious textures and full flavors of these cold weather loving, cool season beauties. Mild and nutty French curly endive has finely-cut, delicate, lacy leaves with crispy ribs and creamy hearts. Luxuriant escarole produces satiny rosettes of crunchy outer leaves that fold closely around tender-sweet dense hearts. Toss them together with the tangy leaves of tart red radicchio and you’ll have wonderful continental-style salads of substance and character.
Equal parts;  Glory Endive,  Elysee Escarole,  Presto Radicchio

80 Days.

Approx: 320 Seeds.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS

At midsummer, or early fall in mild climates, sow seeds in a sunny garden bed 1/4 inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart. Or, if it is still over 80°F (27°C) at sowing time, sow seeds in containers in a spot out of direct sun, but with bright light all day. Tend carefully and keep evenly moist. When seedlings are a few inches tall with several sets of leaves, transplant into the garden a foot apart. Gradually thin directly sown seedlings to stand 1 foot apart to allow heads room to mature.

GROWING NOTES

Savor earliest thinnings in fall salads. Cool weather will bring vigorous growth. These tasty greens tolerate cold weather and light frosts well but require consistent moisture. Weed, water and thin carefully and feed monthly for best quality salad heads.

HARVEST AND USE

Radicchio is best harvested when red heads have formed inside the outer green “wrapper” leaves. Pick entire heavy rosettes of escarole and curly endive. Cut up and enjoy these hearty salads with either simple vinaigrettes or rich, creamy dressings. Try tossed with cooked chicken, meat or cubed cheese and olives for delicious whole meal salads. Add toasted nuts and cubed apples or pears for a delicious flavor contrast.

We fell in love with this delicious salad while hunting for varieties in Emilia-Romagna. The authentic regional mixture features a blend of tangy traditional cutting chicories and crispy little endives, nicely balanced by milder green and red leaf lettuces. Sow the seed densely, wait just over a month, then harvest with scissors at 4 to 5 inches tall to experience all the mouth-pleasing full flavors, textures and pretty colors that are so characteristic of rustic Italian cuisine.

Zuccherina & Spadona Chicories, Pancalieri & Curo Pleno Endives, Ubriacona Frastagliata & Red Leaf Italian Lettuces

45 Days.

Approx: 2700 Seeds.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS

In early spring or in midsummer for fall harvests, sow seeds in finely worked soil in full sun. Shake seeds from the palm of your hand, broadcasting them about a half inch apart over the entire seedbed or in wide rows, and cover lightly and evenly with 1/4 inch of fine soil. Firm soil gently and water in with a fine spray. Keep seedbed evenly moist.

GROWING NOTES

This full flavored Italian salad mix thrives in mild weather with consistent moisture. To extend the sowing season into hot weather, sow in light shade or erect a canopy of loosely woven shade cloth over the seed bed. Birds are often attracted to tender young seedlings so protect them if necessary.

HARVEST AND USE

To harvest by the “cut and come again” method, wait until plants are 4 or 5 inches tall. Cut as much as you need, using scissors to shear off a patch of leaves 1 to 2 inches above the soil level. Water well and fertilize lightly and plants will regrow for several more cuttings. Dress with a simple vinaigrette that has a touch of honey added to set off the complex full flavors of this piquant mix. Misticanza has sharp tangy components, so if it tastes too strong-flavored for diners’ palates, add additional lettuces to mellow the mix.