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Broccoli Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4” -1/2”
Row Spacing:24”-30”
Plant Spacing:12”-18”
Days to Germination:7-15 days
Germination Temperature:70°-75°F

Like all members of the Brassica family, Broccoli prefers sunny, cool weather, though some new cultivars can be more heat tolerant. Broccoli thrives in moderately fertile, well-draining soil. Raise as transplants, sowing in sterilized seed mix, 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. Provide even moisture, good light and ventilation. Transplant out to the garden 2 to 3 weeks before the last expected frost. A complete organic fertilizer under each transplant will keep Broccoli happy all season. Don’t allow young transplants to dry out or they may bolt (go to seed). Harvest spears where they emerge from the main stem using a sharp blade before their buds open. Side shoots form after the main head has been harvested: continuous cutting of side shoots

Broccoli Raab Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4” -1/2”
Row Spacing:18”-24”
Seed Spacing:1”
Days to Germination:7-15 days
Germination Temperature:45°-75°F

This tangy, easy-to-grow green tastes like a cross between Broccoli and Radishes. Also known as Rapini, Broccoli Raab is a classic favorite of Italian cooks. Like other Brassicas, Raab prefers sunny, cool weather; plant in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked or in the early fall. Raab is not fussy and thrives in moderately fertile soil, even in a bit of shade. Amend area with compost and/or well-rotted manure and seed it in rows or broadcast lightly. Cover with a sprinkling of soil and water lightly. Raab springs up quickly; monitor it regularly, keeping soil evenly moist. Thin as desired to 4"to 6" apart, using the braised thinnings in pasta. Harvest Raab before the buds open for the sweetest flavor and most crunchy texture. H

Browallia Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/8”
Seed Spacing:2”-3”
Plant Spacing:8”
Days to Germination: 14-21 days
Germination Temperature:65°-75°F

Browallia americana. Browallia is summer’s version of Forget-Me-Nots: masses of clean, deep green foliage topped with oodles of amethystblue flowers. It blooms from June through September and even self-sows! Seeds are most successfully started outdoors, directly in the garden after all danger of frost has passed in spring, in full sun to partial shade. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and keep them moist until germination. Thin seedlings to 8" apart. Browallia makes a wonderful filler for summer borders, and never seems to stop blooming. It prefers a bit of afternoon shade in warmer climates, and does not require dead heading. While it is technically a perennial in warmer climates, it is generally grown as an annual in North American gardens. An

Brown Mustard Seed Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4”-1/2”
Seed Spacing:1”-2”
Plant Spacing:18”-30”
Days to Germination:6-14 days
Germination Temperature:45°-75°F

Mustard is easy to grow in cool weather. Direct-sow outdoors in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked and/or in late summer for fall harvest. Mustard is best planted in full sun in fertile, well-draining soil. Keep the seedbed moist and well-weeded until seedlings emerge. Once they are 3" to 4" tall, thin plants to 4" to 6" apart. Keep evenly moist. After blooming, watch for developing seedpods: begin harvesting the seedpods before they open and drop, as Mustard readily self-sows. Store the seedpods in paper bags and hang them to cure in a warm, dry place. When the pods turn into brown husks, thresh them (separate the seed from the pods). Rub the pods between your palms over a large container to release the seeds. Put the seeds

Brussel Sprouts Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4” -1/2”
Row Spacing:24”-30”
Plant Spacing:18”
Days to Germination:9-15 days
Germination Temperature:70°-75°F

For best results, raise as transplants, sowing seeds 6 to 8 weeks before the set out date, in a cool greenhouse or protected growing area. Plant 3 to 4 seeds per 3" pot in a sterilized seed mix. Keep evenly moist. Thin to the strongest individual seedlings. By late spring/early summer, approximately 12 weeks before the first fall frost, plant out in well-draining, moderately fertile soil in full sunlight. Fertilizer lightly: too much nitrogen can cause mottling and black centers in the sprouts. For gradual harvest, cut sprouts while small, sweet and tightly-wrapped, starting low on the stem, allowing the higher ones to keep growing. To harvest all the sprouts at once, pinch the growing top of the plant, forcing the entire stem to mature at o

John Scheepers
Bantam, CT
While we are not avid football fans, we do enjoy making a special menu for the Super Bowl and making a winter-doldrum-breaker night of it. It’s almost always a cold, blustery night in northwest Connecticut. It’s fun to look forward to a roaring fire in the fireplace, special bites and drinks while we watch the half time show and the commercials with similarly inclined friends. Here, we tried to keep our New Year’s resolutions alive with a twist on buffalo wings. If you prefer, you can switch the grilled chicken tenders out for grilled jumbo shrimp. Or, get really wild and serve both.

2009 Award-Winning Recipe!
A second-time top award winner, Karen told us that this signature soup of hers was just fabulous, and it is. An avid gardener, American antique specialist and animal lover, Karen’s cooking is inspired by special weekend getaways to fine seasonal restaurants and quaint inns with her husband Gary and friends.

This is one of our favorite winter soups. The sweet, creamy texture and flavor of Butternut Squash make this bisque velvety-rich without the addition of too much cream. If preferred, vegetable stock may be used in place of chicken stock and blanched Asparagus spears may be floated in place of shrimp. So nice in front of a crackling fire with a crusty baguette.

Cabbage Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/4” -1/2”
Row Spacing:24”-36”
Plant Spacing:12”-18”
Days to Germination:5-14 days
Germination Temperature:70°-75°F

Best raised as transplants, start Cabbage indoors 6 weeks before planning to set out, which can be up to 4 weeks before the last expected frost date. Sow 1 to 3 seeds per pot in a sterilized seed starter mix. Provide strong sunlight, cool temperatures, good ventilation and even moisture. When plants have 3 to 4 true leaves, thin to the strongest seedling per pot and harden the plants off by gradually getting the plants used to outdoor temperatures and light. Cabbages have “kingly” appetites! Prepare a well-draining, sunny site by digging deeply and adding plenty of well-rotted manure and/or compost. Fertilize Cabbages as needed until late summer. Cabbage tastes best harvested when heads are wrapped tightly, in smaller sizes. A member of the Br

Calamint Sowing Instructions
Planting Depth:1/16”
Seed Spacing:1”-2”
Plant Spacing:10”-12”
Days to Germination:14-21 days
Germination Temperature:70°-75°F

Calamintha nepeta. Bees and butterflies adore this aromatic, sun-loving, deer-resistant perennial. Broad spikes of tiny tubular flowers smother the trouble-free, gray-green, minty foliage from mid summer to fall. Sow seeds indoors, 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting out into the garden. Press the seeds into the soil surface and keep them moist until germination. Harden off the seedlings by slowly introducing them to the outdoors over the span of a week, and then plant them out into the garden, 10" to 12" apart, after all danger of frost has passed, in full sun to partial shade and well draining soil. Calamint is quite drought-tolerant and makes a wonderful edging and rock garden plant. It also blooms the first year from seed! Perennial. Summer to f