Page 18 - Blog

Immortelle Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Plant Spacing:10”
Days to Germination: 10-15 days
Germination Temperature:65°-75°F

Xeranthemum annuum. Sow Immortelle seeds outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, covering the seeds with 1⁄4" of soil, or sow indoors in individual pots, 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Keep the seeds moist until germination. Harden off the seedlings by slowly introducing them to the outdoors over the span of a week, and then transplant them after the last frost date to 10" apart in full sun and rich, well-draining soil. Immortelle seedlings resent transplanting. Handle the seedlings gently, disturbing the roots as little as possible. A dream in dried flower arrangements, Immortelle is an excellent everlasting. To dry flowers, harvest them just as they begin to open to retain their colors and hang them upside down in a dry, shady area for at least 2 weeks. Annual. Mid- to late summer flowering. Height: 12" to 20".

Red okra is spectacular with its crimson stems and pods and gorgeous yellow blossoms.

Jicama Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/2”
Row Spacing:12”-18”
Plant Spacing:30”-36”
Days to Germination:10-15 days
Germination Temperature:60°-70°F

The Yam Bean. Jicama is a tropical plant requiring a long, warm growing season. Start it indoors 8 to 10 weeks before transplanting out after all threat of frost has passed. Soak seeds in tepid water for 24 hours before sowing in seed starter mix. Provide even moisture and strong light. Harden off the seedlings by gradually acclimating them to the outdoors over 7 to 10 days. Prepare rich, fertile beds in full to part sun. Add compost and/or well-rotted manure as necessary. It may also be direct-sown outdoors in horticultural zones 9 to 10. Do not eat Jicama leaves, pods or seeds since they contain toxic rotenone. To increase tuber production, pinch off flowers and seedpods as they appear. Harvest tubers before the first frost and store in a cool, dry cellar prior to use for up to four months. Do not add top growth or seedpods to compost

John Scheepers
Bantam, Connecticut
Garlic croutons are awesome with Grilled Romaine, floating in Cream of Potato-Leek Soup or a top a classic iceberg wedge salad. They are so easy to make and so much better (and less expensive) than anything you could buy.

Johnny Jump-Ups Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4”
Seed Spacing:1”
Plant Spacing:5”-8”
Days to Germination:10-20 days
Germination Temperature:70°F

Viola tricolor. This heirloom favorite prefers to be started indoors and transplanted out. Ten to 12 weeks prior to the last hard frost, plant them in a good seed-starting medium at about 70°F. Cover the seeds well and firm them down, since they require darkness for optimal germination. Provide even moisture, strong light and good ventilation. Once established, thin plants to 2" to 3" apart and grow on at about 55°F. Prior to transplanting when 3" tall, acclimate the seedlings by gradually exposing them to outside conditions for 1 to 2 weeks. After the threat of a hard frost has passed, transplant out into fertile, evenly moist but well-draining soil in full to filtered sunlight. Space plants 5" to 8" apart in the garden. Their flowers are prized as candied garnishes, in summer salads or in ice cubes. Spring/summer flowering. Height:

Joseph’s Coat Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:3/8”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Plant Spacing:6”-18”
Days to Germination: 3-10 days
Germination Temperature:60°-80°F

Amaranthus tricolor. Joseph’s Coat’s bushy, whorled stalks of green foliage are topped with hot yellows, reds and cream, looking like nothing short of an exuberant fireworks explosion. And it’s edible! Eat the young leaves raw in salads or steamed or stir-fried. Heat-loving, it can be direct sown outdoors after all danger of frost has passed in warmer areas. In colder areas, it may be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting out after the threat of frost has passed. Sow seeds in seed starting medium with even moisture, strong light and good ventilation. Harden off the seedlings by gradually acclimating them to outside conditions for 1 to 2 weeks before transplanting out. When plants are 4" to 8" tall, thin or transplant 6" to 18" apart. Give the plants full sun and moist soil for the most intense color. Pinching young

John Scheepers Bantam, Connecticut
There is nothing better than a stash of homemade soup in the freezer over the winter. It tastes even better remembering how it felt to make it when the vegetables were just fresh from the garden.

John Scheepers
Bantam, Connecticut
This is one of those recipes that can serve as a base that you can tweak to match your family’s need for heat. You can add more Garlic, and/or roast more incendiary Hot Chile Peppers. I always make it a day or two ahead to avoid kitchen craziness later. If you haven’t grown and cooked with Tomatillos before, you’ll likely get hooked fast. Don’t be surprised to find that the husks are not always that easy to remove, and that the fruit is often sticky once the husks are removed. They just need a little wash up. If your plants are heavy with fruit, no worries. Harvest when ripe. Husk, wash and dry them. Freeze them on a cookie sheet and bag them in air tight freezer bags. It’s so nice to have a stockpile for the winter. We love to serve it on the side with Sue Torres’ Mexican chorizo and monteray jack cheese fondue. (You can snare her recipe along with a how-to Martha Stewart video here.)

Kale Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth: ¼”-1/2"
Row Spacing: 18”-24”
Seed Spacing: 2”-4”
Days to Germination: 5-10 days
Germination Temperature: 45°-75°F

This leafy member of the Brassica family prefers cool weather for optimal growth. Start Kale in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked or in late summer for fall and winter harvest. You can grow Kale in partial shade as long as it gets at least 4 hours of mid-day sunlight. When growing as individuals, thin to 12" to 16" apart. Or, broadcast seed to harvest in the “cut and come again” method. Kale prefers well-draining, moderately fertile soil amended with compost and/or wellrotted manure. Seedlings thrive in evenly moist soil and enjoy occasional supplemental feedings of organic fertilizer. Hardy and pest-resistant, Kale becomes more tender and sweet after being kissed by frost. Harvest large leaves by cutting them at the base, leaving the plant to keep producing. Harvest as “cut and come again” greens when plants reach a height