Vegetable Seeds

These fast growing, uniform watermelon radishes have a lovely cream exterior over a bright fuchsia centre. The core starts as a simple dot of colour, but expands toward the outside as the root develops. The resulting visual appeal makes them extremely eye catching for the market table – or the dinner table. Rido Red radish can be grown at nearly any time of year, but the faster they grow the better the flavour. We were impressed in our summer seed trials by the overall flavour and character of this radish. It mingles sweet and savoury with a touch of mustard-like heat.

How To Grow, Timing:  Radishes can be grown all season but they’re easiest when sown just after the last frost date and again at the end of summer and into the fall. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C. Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm deep, 25 seeds per 30cm in rows spaced 30-45cm apart, and thin to 6-12 plants per 30cm.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  Radishes are moderate to heavy feeders. Best in rich, loamy soil amended with composted manure. Add 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row for background fertility. Lime beds the previous fall. The real secret to growing this little vegetable is speed. Sow a short row frequently, thin them quickly, keep them watered, eat them quickly, and sow some more.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Harvest promptly when radishes are the size of large marbles. The leaves and developing seedpods are also tasty.

60 days.

Approx: 100 Seeds

C. pepo. Sow Sweet Dumpling squash seeds for fruits with delicious, light-golden flesh and fine, sweet texture when baked. The 8-10cm, squat fruits weigh about half a pound – just right for an individual serving… And that makes them positively ideal for stuffing and baking. Sweet Dumpling squash are very productive and good keepers. Shaped like small, flat topped acorn squash, but with the distinct markings of a delicata, Sweet Dumpling produces eight to ten little fruits per plant. This is one of our favourites, and has been performing well for years with great customer feedback.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow or transplant in late spring once the soil is warm. For transplants, start seeds indoors during the first two weeks of May. Optimal soil temperature: 25-35°C. Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 2cm deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot where you want a plant to grow, and thin to the strongest plant. Space summer squash 45-60cm apart in rows 90-120cm apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm apart in rows 120-180cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  These big plants need lots of food. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil beneath each plant. All squash grow male flowers first, at later female flowers. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of their petals and require pollination by bees mostly. Incomplete pollination often happens at the beginning of the season, and results in misshapen fruits that are withered at the blossom end. Just discard these damaged fruits before they begin to rot. Encourage bees to visit the garden by growing Phacelia, sunflowers, or buckwheat for improved pollination.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Summer Squash: Pick when small, if fruit gets big the plant stops producing. Check the plants regularly.

Winter Squash: Fruit is ripe if your thumbnail doesn’t mark the skin and the stem is dry and brown. Cut the stem about 4cm from the fruit. Squash survive a light frost, but store better if harvested before frost.

Storage: Field-cure for 10 days in the sun, or cure indoors in a warm room for 4 or 5 days. To prevent mould sponge the skins with a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach. Store at 10-15ºC  with low humidity with good air circulation. Try on a shelf in the garage.

110 Days.

Approx: 15 Seeds.

Bolero is the first choice for storage carrots. This RHS Award of Merit winner is very sweet and crunchy and is a good keeper in storage or in the ground. Roots are bright orange, up to 20cm long, and slightly tapered, with the typical blunt Nantes tip.

Bolero is a great variety for home or market. Hybrid uniformity accompanies superb flavour and excellent storage ability. This variety is something of an industry standard. High level of resistance to Alternaria blights and powdery mildew.

This seed is pelleted with clay for easier handling. Conventional seed with COR-compliant pellet, suitable for use by certified organic growers. Note: This seed is pelleted to improve handling and planting accuracy.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow from just after the last frost date to late summer for harvests from summer through early winter. Sow at 3 week intervals for a continuous harvest. Direct sow winter-harvest carrots (where winters are mild) in the first two weeks of August. Optimal soil temperature: 7-30°C. Seeds may take as long as 14-21 days to germinate.

How To Grow, Starting:  Because carrot seeds are tiny, they need to be sown shallowly. The trick is to keep the top-most layer of soil damp during the relatively long germination period. Water deeply prior to planting. Direct sow the tiny seeds 5mm deep, 4 seeds per 2cm, and firm soil lightly after seeding. Make sure the seeds are only just buried. Water the area with the gentlest stream possible, and keep it constantly moist until the seeds sprout.

How To Grow, Growing:   Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  The softer and more humus-based the soil, the better. When soil is dry enough in spring, work it to a fine texture. Broadcast and dig in ½ cup complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. Avoid fresh manure. Carrots will become misshapen, but still edible if they hit anything hard as they grow down into the soil. Keep weeded and watered.

How To Grow, Thinning:  This is the process of removing some seedlings, if necessary, so each has enough space to grow in the row. It is very important to thin carrots so they don’t compete for available nutrients, moisture, and light. Thin to 4-10cm apart when the young plants are 2cm tall. Use wider spacing to get larger roots. As they grow, carrots may push up, out of the soil, so hill soil up to prevent getting a green shoulder.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Carrots can be harvested at any size, but flavour is best when the carrot has turned bright orange (or its other mature colour). After harvest, store at cold temperatures just above 0ºC. Store in sand or sawdust, or simply leave carrots under heaped soil in the garden during the winter, and pull as needed.

75 Days

Approx: 70 Seeds

Sweet Million cherry tomato seeds are easy to grow, and hardy plants adapt well to many climates. Tall vigorous vines grow masses of gorgeous red cherry tomatoes on long trusses. This variety is the winner of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit. Sweet Million tomato plants mature early and deliver incredible yields of delicious sweet cherry tomatoes all season long. A terrific snacking tomato that’s impossible to resist!

This extremely vigorous plant needs support for climbing habit, pruning may be required for containment in smaller areas. Uniform fruits are 2.5 cm average 10-15 grams. Sweet Million tomatoes are resistant to, or tolerant of, Fusarium Wilt (Race 1), Tomato (Tobacco) Mosaic Virus.

How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors in early spring over bottom heat. When seedlings germinate, remove from the heat and grow under bright lights. Grow seedlings on for 6-8 weeks at around 10°C. Early season tomatoes can be planted out once night time temperatures are reliably above 7°C – or later. Other types should be transplanted out when night time lows are 10°C or warmer – or later. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 25-35°C. With bottom heat seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm-1cm deep. Keep seedlings under very bright light to prevent legginess. You may have to pot on seedlings more than once before they go out to allow for root growth. Space bush (determinate) transplants 45-60cm apart and vine (indeterminate) types 50-75cm apart in rows 1m apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  Tomatoes like fertile, well drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Dig in finished compost and manure, and add 1 cup balanced organic fertilizer beneath each transplant. The nutrition from heavy clay soils is excellent for tomatoes, but they are slow to warm, so transplanting should be done later. By the same token, lighter soils warm more quickly, so transplants can go out sooner. Adding glacial rock dust will supply all the calcium they will need. Regular watering is vital, but don’t let the plants sit in water. Tomatoes are tropical plants so they require full sun and lots of heat. Vine varieties will require some kind of support such as a wire to grow up, or a trellis to be tied to as the plant grows. Bush types benefit from the support of a tomato cage in order to prevent sprawling. At the time of final transplant, plants can be buried up to their first pair of true leaves. This will encourage greater root growth, helping with both nutrient uptake and the plants’ ability to stand up to dry conditions.
Stop watering around the end of July to encourage the fruit to ripen. If tomato plants are grown under cover, you can encourage pollination and fruit set by tapping the stem from time to time. Tomatoes do not rely on insects for pollination. Vibrating the plant shakes pollen loose within the flowers, which then self-pollinate.

Indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow and produce fruit until they are killed by frost. Remove any suckers (stems growing from the crotch of leaves) to keep the foliage under control, and they will set a later crop of larger fruit. Determinate varieties normally set fruit in a concentrated time period. Their suckers are not normally removed, though some trimming helps with ventilation.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Harvest when the fruit is the desired colour. Green tomatoes can be ripened indoors at a cool temperature when they are blemish free. Very dark green tomatoes are unlikely to ripen fully.

Approx: 25 Seeds

Indeterminate (vine)

Matures in 65 days

Hot pink to magenta stems and veins with dark jade coloured foliage, Magenta Sunset is a beauty among the chards. Magenta Sunset Swiss chard seeds are grown primarily for immature salad greens as it tends to bolt during summer heat. The leaves are smooth, and the stalks are narrow, even at full size. Kept in check, it will produce abundant nutritious leaves with a mild earthy flavour. Sow again in August for a fall harvest or for decorative, 60cm tall plants. Swiss chard is absolutely packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow any time from early spring to mid-summer. Chard is moderately winter hardy and may perform into the following spring where winters are mild. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 1cm deep, spaced 10-30cm apart in rows 45cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5.  Swiss chard prefers loose, deep, and fertile soil that is rich in organic matter. Plenty of consistent moisture is required, especially as plants grow larger. It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate light shade in summer. A liquid fertilizer or compost tea applied twice during summer will keep chard growing well.

How To Grow, Harvest: For salad mix, seed more densely and cut as baby leaves. Cut individual mature stalks using the large outer ones first. For salad mix, seed more densely and cut as baby leaves. Cut individual mature stalks using the large outer ones first.

Matures in 25-30 days.

Approx 145 Seeds.

Smooth-skinned, bright red radishes with a very round, uniform shape. Cherriette is bred to perform in higher temperatures, so it holds better potential for harvesting into summer. The ideal production time is spring and fall. The pure white flesh of Cherriette is dense and crisp, with a sweet, hot flavour. This is a very uniform radish variety that is slow to develop pith. Its tops are short, but sturdy for bunching. Cherriette has out performed the open pollinated varieties in our trials. Try Cherriette in window box type containers. Plant short rows every two weeks from March to early May, and again in September and October for fall harvests.

How To Grow, Timing:  Radishes can be grown all season but they’re easiest when sown just after the last frost date and again at the end of summer and into the fall. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C. Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm deep, 25 seeds per 30cm in rows spaced 30-45cm apart, and thin to 6-12 plants per 30cm.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  Radishes are moderate to heavy feeders. Best in rich, loamy soil amended with composted manure. Add 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row for background fertility. Lime beds the previous fall. The real secret to growing this little vegetable is speed. Sow a short row frequently, thin them quickly, keep them watered, eat them quickly, and sow some more.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Harvest promptly when radishes are the size of large marbles. The leaves and developing seedpods are also tasty.

Matures in 24 days.

Approx: 130 Seeds.

Jalapeno M Pepper Seeds produce pungent, thick-walled and juicy dark green peppers that are 8cm long and about 2cm (1″) wide with a blunt end. Fruits set well on mid-sized plants 60-90cm tall. If there are still green peppers on the plant at the end of the season, pull up the whole plant and hang in a dry spot for it to finish ripening to red. Use green peppers for fresh eating, pickling, and sauces, and dry the red ones. 2,000 – 5,000 SHU’s. Jalapeno M works well in 3–5-gallon containers and is suitable for patio growing. Dried, smoked jalapenos are known as chipotle peppers.

How To Grow, Timing:  Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C. Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow indoors 5mm-1cm deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C in the day, and 16-18°C at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C. Then transplant them into 15cm pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C.

How To Grow, Growing:  Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

How To Grow, Harvest:  When the fruit is large and firm it is ready to pick. Or wait for the fruit to ripen further turning red, yellow, brown, or purple. The sweetness and vitamin C content go up dramatically as the fruit changes colour. If you pick green, the total numbers of peppers harvested will increase. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers.

Matures in 70 days.

Approx: 35 Seeds.

Early maturity and large, attractive fruit make Arapaho an excellent Cayenne pepper. Compact, 45cm tall plants produce high yields of 20-22cm long fruit with moderately thick walls and mild heat. The peppers dry well for making homemade hot chile powder, and they’re the perfect size for creating decorative ristras. 2,000-4,000 SHUs. Pepper seeds can take their time germinating, so always use the bottom heat provided by a Seedling Warmer heat mat.

How To Grow, Timing:  Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C. Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow indoors 5mm-1cm deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C in the day, and 16-18°C at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C. Then transplant them into 15cm pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C.

How To Grow, Growing:  Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

How To Grow, Harvest:  When the fruit is large and firm it is ready to pick. Or wait for the fruit to ripen further turning red, yellow, brown, or purple. The sweetness and vitamin C content go up dramatically as the fruit changes colour. If you pick green, the total numbers of peppers harvested will increase. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers.

Matures in 70 days.

Approx: 10 Seeds.

Grow this striking, red-stalked bunching onion at any time of the year, but for the richest red colour, plant it in late summer to early fall so it is exposed to a bit of cold weather before harvest. If hard frost is expected, just mulch around the stems with straw. If whiter stalks are desired, simply hill soil up around them. Red Beard can reach 60cm tall, with the red portion up to 30cm tall. The flavour is very mild, and the dark green leaves are tender.

How To Grow, Timing:  Start shallots and storage onions indoors in late winter and early spring, and transplant 2-4 weeks after the last frost date. Overwintering onions need to be started in early summer, and transplanted by the middle of August. Scallions can be direct sown every 3 weeks from two weeks after the last frost date to late summer. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-25°C. Seeds will emerge in 6-12 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Transplants are preferred for home gardeners. Sow 3 seeds 5mm-1cm deep in each cell of a 72-cell tray. Transplant as a clump, spacing each 15cm apart in rows 45-75cm apart. Scallions can be spaced at 2-5cm apart in rows 15cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:   Ideal pH: 5.5-6.5 (6.0-6.8 for scallions).  Fertile and well-drained soil in full sun is essential. Add well-rotted compost and dig ½-1 cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each 3m of row. Keep moisture high in the top 20-30cm of soil. Most of the bulb should form on the surface of the soil, so don’t transplant too deeply. Bulb size is dependent on the size of the tops: the bigger the tops, the bigger the bulb. Provide August-planted scallions with the frost protection of a cloche or heavy row cover as the first frost date approaches.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Stop watering in the beginning of August to mature the bulbs in dry soil. After half the tops have fallen, push over the remainder, wait a week and lift the bulbs. Curing is essential for long storage: Spread bulbs out in a single layer in an airy spot out of direct sunlight. Once no more green is visible on any of the leaves, and they are dry and crisp, the onion is cured. If weather is poor, cure indoors. Storage: Keep onions in mesh sacks or hang in braids so they get good ventilation, and hang sacks where air is dry and very cool, but not freezing. Check them regularly and remove any sprouting or rotting onions. Well-cured storage onions should keep until late spring.

Matures in 65 days.

Approx: 425 Seeds.