Sage – Ceres – West Coast Seeds

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  Arugula – Bellezia Organic – West Coast Seeds

  $3.99

  Diplotaxis tenuifolia. While technically this variety is a perennial, growers and home gardeners will probably prefer growing it as a fast maturing annual crop. Bellezia Organic arugula features highly upright growth for dense planting and easy harvesting. The leaves are darker green than most, with good looking serrated edges and mild flavour. This is the perfect arugula for raw salads or salad mixes, and it makes excellent micro-greens. It is suitable for container growing throughout the year, and features intermediate resistance to downy mildew.

  How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow every 3 weeks from mid-March to April and again in September for a fall/winter crop. Arugula is a productive, cool season, annual salad green that works best in spring and fall, and can be managed all winter under cloche protection where winters are mild. In hot weather, arugula tends to bolt and go to seed. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 4-12°C.

  How To Grow, Seeding:  Sow no more than 5mm deep in well drained soil in full sun. Thin seedlings to 10-15cm apart in rows 45-60cm apart. Overcrowded plants will bolt earlier.
  Seeds germinate in 4-8 days.

  How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0.  In optimum conditions at least 75% of seeds will germinate. Keep moist until germinated and then just keep the area weeded.

  Matures in 51 days.

  Approx: 500 seeds

  
  

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  Thyme – English Thyme – West Coast Seeds

  $3.49

  Thymus vulgaris. This woody little evergreen plant spreads steadily over the years and has pretty pink flowers which bees love. Winter Thyme plants grow to a height of 30cm (12″). Wonderful in Mediterranean cuisine, teas, potpourri and a key ingredient of bouquet garni. Thyme dries well, too – cut sprigs and tie them with thread for hanging out of direct sunlight. They remove the brittle leaves from the stalks and store them in a cool, dry, unlit place. Plants do well in containers, and they’re drought tolerant, so consider them for xeriscaping. Cut thyme back by a third at the end of the season to encourage lots of spring growth and flower set.  Perennial.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Sow indoors late winter to mid-spring. Transplant out once soil begins to warm, or direct sow late May through June. Ideal soil temperature for germination: 15-21°C.

  How To Grow, Starting:  Sow the dust-like seeds on the surface of dampened, sterilized seed starting mix under bright light with bottom heat. Keep watering to a minimum, as thyme seedlings are prone to damping off. When seedlings are large enough, harden them off and transplant to the garden or to containers, spacing them at 23-38cm apart.

  How To Grow, Growing:  Trim plants back after flowering to encourage bushy growth. Protect container-grown plants from cold as winter approaches, and water only as necessary. Damp, cold soil will kill thyme.

  How To Grow, Harvest:  Fresh thyme leaves can be harvested at any time of the year as long as the plants are established. Prune back any dead branches. Whole stems/branches can be clipped and dried whole, or individual leaves can be left to dry in a dark, airy spot for long term storage.

  Approx: 330 Seeds.

  
  

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  Shiso – Red Perilla – West Coast Seeds

  $4.49

  Perilla frutescens var. crispa. Red Perilla shiso seeds grow into substantial plants with wide, deep purple leaves. The dark ruby leaves of this sharply flavoured Asian herb have nicely frilled edges. They look a little bit like stinging nettle leaves, but rounder, and without any prickles. Grow as a bright-red micro-green, or let the plants mature and enjoy the leaves in pho, salad rolls, or other dishes. Shiso makes a wonderful pairing with unctuous dishes like sushi, and it combines beautifully with cilantro, mint, Thai basil and fresh lettuce leaves. Shiso has a very similar growing season to basil, and performs just as well in containers as in the garden bed. Provide full sun and well drained soil.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors in early spring, a couple of weeks after the last frost date, or direct sow outdoors in late spring, once night time temperatures are steadily above 8°C.

  How To Grow, Starting:  If starting indoors, use equal parts sterilized seed starting mix to perlite. Mix well and add to seed trays with domes. Use bottom heat from a Seedling Heat Mat to maintain a soil temperature of 20°C. Seeds should germinate in 7 to 14 days. Be careful not to over-water, particularly once seeds have germinated, as the seedlings are prone to damping off. Remove the dome at germination, but maintain bottom heat until seedlings are large enough to pot on into larger containers.

  Alternatively, direct sow outdoors into well-drained garden soil. Seeds should germinate in 14 to 20 days.

  How To Grow, Growing:  Shiso does best in full sun to partial shade, in fertile, well-drained soil. Allow transplants to become established, and then grow as you would basil — pinch growing tips regularly to produce bushier plants with more leaves. Water regularly, more so in hot weather. If growing in containers, mix equal parts potting soil and composted fine bark. Orchid bark works well.

  How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick leaves as needed throughout the summer, and harvest the flowering tops in late summer. As autumn approaches, harvest the seeds for planting next spring.

  Approx: 330 Seeds.

  
  

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  Fennel – Preludio Organic – West Coast Seeds

  $4.99

  Like many crops, when fennel bulbs are ready they need to be harvested — if they’re not picked right away, they tend to bolt. When fennel plants bolt, the growth is very fast, almost sudden. The quest for bolt-resistant bulbing fennel has led to the new hybrid, Preludio Organic. Its bulbs are heavy and substantial, shiny smooth on the outside, and packed with flavour. They are dense and uniform, with firm, crisp texture, and the tops are verdant and upright, so they look fabulous on the market table. This is the best variety for late summer and early fall harvests in most areas.

  How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors 4 weeks before the last frost date in individual peat or coir pots. Fennel dislikes root disturbance. Transplant (or direct sow rows) 4 weeks after last frost in succession to mid-summer. Ideal temperature for germination: 15-21°C (60-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-14 days.

  How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 1cm deep, a few seeds where each plant is to grow. Thin or space to 20-30cm in rows 45cm apart.

  How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 5.5-7.0.  Rich, well-drained soil produces the best bulbs. Transplant when seedlings are 5cm tall. If raising transplants, do not disturb the roots, as this may cause plants to bolt. Keep well watered to ensure succulent bulbs and prevent bolting.

  How To Grow, Harvest:  Use a knife to slice the bulb from the root when it has thickened to 5cm or more across. If this is done carefully, smaller bulbs will sprout from the root later.

  
  

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