seeds
Thyme
a warm kitchen windowsill is all you need for starting these seeds. Sow 0.5cm deep in a small pots of compost . Water well and place in a warm position. A temperature of 15-20 ° C (60-68°F) is ideal. Keep moist. Seedlings usually appear in 14-28 days. Transplant seedlings individually to 8cm pots when large enough to handle. Grow on in cooler, but not cold conditions. Gradually accustom young plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out 25cm apart. Give cloche protection in autumn to allow picking into winter.
Harvesting: Pick the fresh leaves and tender shoots as required.
Thyme can also be dried and stores well. Cut off the flowering stems to retain the best flavor
Wildflower
Sow outdoors where they are to flower, 0.5cm deep directly into finely prepared soil which has already been watered. Water well until plants are established. Late summer and autumn sowings will flower the following year, often earlier than spring sowings.
Caution: Harmful if eaten
Note: Some will not flower in first year Contents may vary
Chili Pepper
For greenhouse crops, sow indoors, 0.5cm deep, in a tray of compost. Water well and place in a warm position . A temperature of 15-20 °C (60-68 ° F) is ideal. Keep moist. Seedlings usually appear in 7-21 days. Transplant to individual pots when large enough to handle. Grow on in cooler, but not cold conditions. Plant out to large pots, growing bags or greenhouse border. For outdoor crops, delay indoor sowing until March or April. Gradually accustom plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out 40cm apart, when frosts are over. Choose a warm, sunny sheltered spot. Outdoor crops will be smaller and later than those in a greenhouse.
Caution: Can irritate eyes and skin.
Basil
Sow indoors all year round for indoor crops and March to May for outdoor crops. Sow 0.5cm deep, in small pots of compost. Water well and place in a warm position. A temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) is ideal. Seedlings usually appear in 7-14 days. Grow on in cooler, but not cold conditions. For outdoor crops, accustom plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out 20cm apart.
Alternatively, plants can be grown on a light windowsill. Or sow outdoors, for ease, where they are to crop, 0.5cm deep directly into finely prepared soil which has already been watered. Thin seedlings to 20cm apart. For a continuous supply, make sowings at two to three weekly intervals.
Harvesting: Leaves are best picked immediately before use . ( Outdoor crops from June )
Catnip
Sow indoors to flower the same year, 0.5cm deep,in a tray of compost. A temperature of 15-20*C (60-68*F) is ideal. Keep moist. Seedlings usually appear in 14-21days. Transplant seedlings 5cm apart to other trays when large enough to handle. Gradually accustom young plants to outside conditions before planting out 30cm apart, when frosts are over. Or sow outdoors to flower the following year, in a seed bed, 0.5cm deep, into finely prepared soil which has already been watered. Thin seedlings to 5cm apart before planting out to flowering positions in autumn, spacing 30cm apart.
Lavender
Sow indoors 0.5cm deep, in a tray of compost. water well and place in a cold frame, unheated greenhouse or on a warm kitchen windowsill. Keep moist. seedlings usually appear in 21-50 days. Pot on individually when large enough to handle to 8cm pots. (Always hold seedlings by a leaf, never by the stem.) Gradually accustom young plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out 30cm apart.
Chive
Sow and grow indoors for all year round crops. Sow 0.5cm deep, in small pots of compost. Water well and place in a warm position. A temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) is ideal. Seedlings usually appear in 14-21 days. Grow on in cooler, but not cold conditions. For earlier outdoor crops, sow indoors March-May. Gradually accustom plants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out into warm, well-drained soil, 20cm apart, during May-June. Alternatively, plants can be grown on a light windowsill. Or sow outdoors March-May for ease, where they are to crop, 0.5cm deep, directly into finely-prepared, warm, well-drained soil, which has already been watered. Thin seedlings to 20cm apart. Harvest: by cutting leaves once they reach 15cm tall (outdoor crops from June). Pick a few leaves from each plant so they regrow quickly.
Carrot
Outdoors: sow thinly, March-July, where they are to crop, 1.5cm deep, directly into finely-prepared, light, fertile soil, which has already been watered. Allow 30cm between rows. Early sowings may benefit cloche protection. Seedlings usually appear in 14-21 days. Thin by harvesting young carrots evenly, allowing remainder to grow on. Water well until plants are established. Harvest: May to October. Roots can be lifted in autumn. Remove soil and store in dry sand.