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Balloon Flower Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:0”
Seed Spacing:6”-8”
Plant Spacing:12”-18”
Days to Germination:10-15 days
Germination Temperature:65°-75°F

Platycodon grandiflorus. Platycodon can be direct-sown outdoors or started indoors 4 to 8 weeks before transplanting outside after the threat of frost has passed. Prepare planting site in garden in full to partial sunlight with rich, well-draining soil. Sow seeds on top of soil, leaving seeds uncovered but pressed firmly onto the soil surface, as light aids germination. Provide even moisture and strong light during germination. Harden off the seedlings by gradually acclimating them outside. Thin or transplant the seedlings 12" to 18" apart. It will not flower until its second year, but once it does, stand back! Its heavily flower-laden stems may need staking. This blue cut flower should be harvested when 2 to 3 flowers open on an individual stem. Flam

Balsam Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/8”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Plant Spacing:10”-18”
Days to Germination:8-14 days
Germination Temperature:65°-75°F

Impatiens balsamina. Balsam can be direct-sown into the garden or started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting out after the threat of frost has passed. Prepare bed in full to partial sunlight with rich, well-draining soil. Sow seeds in a good seed-starting medium at 70°F with even moisture, strong light and good ventilation. For consistent moisture during germination, cover flats or pots with plastic wrap until seedlings emerge: then, discard plastic. Harden off seedlings by gradually acclimating them to outside conditions for 7 to 10 days before transplanting out. When plants are 4" to 8" tall, thin or transplant 10" to 18" apart. Drought-tolerant, this heat lover requires good drainage and dislikes excessive watering. Once they start to bloom, th

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
Bantam, CT
I love fresh bananas, but absolutely adore them once the skins are black, and the prize inside is mushy-gushy and spotted pale brown. Heaven help anyone who throws them away. My favorite recipe for extremely well-ripened (okay, rotten) bananas is for thin, crepe-like banana pancakes. We had them the first time at Emerson Inn by the Sea in Rockport, MA and made our own recipe soon thereafter. Using Bisquick makes these pancakes an easy, quick fix. The rolled up pancakes are perfected stuffed with sliced Strawberries that have soaked in a little orange liquor mixed with fine sugar.

John Scheepers
Bantam, Connecticut
I’ve been making banana quick bread since the 70s. There’s something amazingly delicious about the taste of cooked bananas, and this recipe is about as easy as it gets. We added the Carrots as an experiment and ended up loving the result. If you need it to be more sinful, skip the coarse baking sugar on the top, and frost it with mascarpone cream cheese frosting once it cools to room temperature. Need more banana recipes? Try our recipe for Banana Pancake Rollups with Macerated Strawberries.

Four Season Farm
Harborside, Maine
Four Season Farm

Basil Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/8”-1/4”
Row Spacing:12”
Plant Spacing:10”-12”
Days to Germination: 5-10 days
Germination Temperature:65°-75°F

We know you’re itching to plant these, but . . . wait! Basil originated in the tropics and cannot thrive in cold weather. Direct-sow after all danger of frost has passed, spacing seed 1⁄2" to 1" apart in well-draining soil. To start as transplants, sow the Basil seed in seed starter mix 6 weeks before the last frost date. Provide heat, bright sunlight and good ventilation. Keep the growing medium barely moist, almost dry. Transplant the Basil seedlings outdoors after the last frost in a sunny spot with moderately fertile soil. Thin or space the plants in the garden 10" to 12" apart for proper growing conditions. Pinch back tops and flower buds to extend leaf production. Harvest the largest leaves from the top and sides to help create a bushier plant

Just because legumes are known to improve the soil in which they grow, it does not mean that they needn't be planted in good soil themselves. This is especially true of Beans. If you dig in well-rotted manure at the time of planting, your bean plants will grow better, be more free from disease and give you a better yield.

Beans Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth: 1"
Row Spacing: 18"-36"
Seed Spacing: 3"-4"
Days to Germination: 6-10 days
Germination Temperature: 60°-80°F

Beans love sun and well-draining, fertile soil. Plant Beans when the soil has warmed to 60°F and all danger of frost has passed. Amend the soil as needed with organic fertilizer, compost and/or well-aged manure. Cool, wet weather may necessitate a second planting: bean seeds rot in cold, damp soil. After planting, do not water until the sprouts emerge, unless it is very hot and dry. After emergence, and throughout the season, av

Just because legumes are known to improve the soil in which they grow, it does not mean that they needn't be planted in good soil themselves. This is especially true of Beans. If you dig in well-rotted manure at the time of planting, your bean plants will grow better, be more free from disease and give you a better yield.

Fava Bean Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth: 1" - 2"
Row Spacing: 20"-30"
Seed Spacing: 2"-3"
Days to Germination: 10-14 days
Germination Temperature: 40°-65°F

An old-fashioned favorite, Fava Beans are a member of the Vetch family and, unlike true Beans, are frost hardy. Traditionally sown like Peas, they may be planted in late fall for early spring harvest if winter temperatures stay above 20°E Otherwise, direct sow in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked in a bed well amended with compost and/or well rotted m

Bee Balm Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/16”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Plant Spacing:12”-15”
Days to Germination:15-20 days
Germination Temperature:70°-75°F

Monarda didyma. Easily grown, The Bee Balm Mixture should be direct-sown outside from early spring up to 2 months before the first fall frost date. Prepare a bed in full to partial sunlight with rich, extremely well-draining soil. Sow seeds on top of the soil, barely covering seeds, pressing firmly onto the soil surface, as light aids germination. Bee Balm may also be started indoors 8 weeks before transplanting out after all threat of spring frost has passed. Provide even moisture, strong light and air circulation. Harden off the seedlings by gradually acclimating them outside for a week to 10 days before transplanting out. Transplants should be watered regularly to help establish a mature root system. Once established, it is drought tolerant. S

The Burning Tree
Route 3
69 Otter Creek Drive, Maine 04660
Phone: (207) 288-9331
One of our favorite restaurants in Maine is The Burning Tree, quietly nested in Otter Creek just south of bustling Bar Harbor. Owners Allison Martin and Elmer Beal specialize in delicious fresh seafood creatively prepared (like crab au gratin and fresh fillet of flounder dusted with ground sage and almonds in a heavenly cream sauce), and vegetables from their own organic garden. Chef Allison shared this special salad recipe with us.

Beet Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth: 1⁄4"-1⁄2"
Row Spacing: 12"
Seed Spacing: 1"
Days to Germination: 6-12 days
Germination Temperature: 45°-75°F

Beets grow from compound seeds, which may produce several seedlings. Enhance germination by soaking the Beet seeds for an hour in bathtubwarm water. Planting Beets too early may cause stunting and bolting (going to seed), so wait until the soil has warmed to at least 45°F and there is no chance of hard frost. Beets prefer evenly moist, moderately fertile soil. Keep the Beet bed wellweeded, carefully thinning to 3" between plants when seedlings are about 2" tall. Baby Beets make the most choice eating. Harvest them on the smaller side to enjoy their sweet taste and smooth texture. (Or, harvest a bit larger for winter storage.) Enjoy chilled, with goat cheese, black olives and dried cranberries over baby greens with a raspberry vinaigrette. Yum. Or roast them

Belgian Endive Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4”
Row Spacing:12”
Plant Spacing:4”-6”
Days to Germination:7-14 days
Germination Temperature:65°-70°F

Two weeks prior to the last frost date in spring, sow seed directly in deeply dug, fairly fertile, sandy and well-draining beds. Plant 1/4" deep, tamp down lightly and water gently. Thin 4" to 6" apart; weed well, water sparingly and let the plants get nipped by early frosts in fall. Before the soil freezes, dig up the roots, saving those that are at least 1" in diameter. Cut off all but 1" of the leafy tops. Trim the side roots, shorten the main root to 8" and replant in deep containers of dry soil, sand or hardwood sawdust. Store in a cold, dark place. When ready to force, bring containers into a dark room between 50°- 65°F, water lightly, cover with an upside-down plastic bucket and cover all with a black plastic bag. No light should reach the p