Red Poppy

• Flowers: Summer
• Position: Full sun
• Height: 30 inches
• Germination: Easy
• Aftercare: Easy
• Ideal for: Bedding, Border, Cottage Garden

Description

An exclusive selection made from 'Angels Choir', Papaver Picotee Mixed comes in a range of colors including red, rose, pink and salmon shades. All complement one another in a mixture of bi-colors and picotees. Suitable for broadcast sowing in borders.

Sowing Instructions

Sowing time:	Early spring as soon as soil is workable to mid spring or early fall in mild winter areas
Sowing depth:	3mm (1/8in) deep in drills 30cm (12in) apart.

Sow thinly in well-cultivated soil which has been raked to a fine tilth. Water ground regularly, especially in dry periods.

Can also be sown outdoors in August to September for early summer flowering next year.

Growing Instructions

When large enough to handle, thin out seedlings to 15cm (6in) apart.

Buttercrunch Lettuce

53 days. This Bibb type produces a loose head, 8 to 9 inches across. Dark green and slow to bolt, it has been rated one of the dozen best vegetable introductions by a panel of garden experts. It was developed at Cornell in 1963.

How to Grow:

Buttercrunch lettuce can be sowed directly into the garden, or started indoors. Direct sow seeds outdoors, spreading the small seeds as thinly as possible. For indoor starts, sow a few seeds in each cell of a seed tray. Cover very lightly with a fine starter soil. Keep soil moist during the germination period. Fast sprouting seedlings should emerge in about 5-10 days.

Tip: When beginning transplants, stagger the start of your seedlings to spread out the crop. For example, if you are going to grow 24 plants, sow six in the seed tray today, sow six more 3-4 days later, etc.

Transplant into the garden after all danger of frost has past. Ideally, transplant them on a cool or cloudy day. Water well after transplanting. Space plants 8"-10" apart, in rows 18" apart. The soil should be rich, fertile, and well draining. Keep the soil moist. Frequent use of nitrogen-rich fertilizer is recommended. The plants respond well to regular applications of liquid fertilizer.

Transplanting Tip: When transplanting any type of lettuce in hot weather, place some form of sun shade over the plant for a couple of days. Any makeshift shade will do.

It's important to time the crop to mature prior to the onset of hot dry weather. In these conditions, the plant is bolt...go to seed. It can also split or rot.

For your fall crop, an indoor start is best. Lettuce seeds do not germinate well in the hot soil of mid-summer.

Lutz Beet

80 days. HEIRLOOM This old time variety remains the best for both storage and beet greens harvested at any time. The roots are half long, deep purple and will retain their sweetness if properly stored throughout the winter.

Special Directions for Short Season Climates

SOWING: Sow seed from early spring through late summer. Cover seed with 1/2 inch of fine soil firmed down.

SPACING: Space rows 12 to 16 inches apart or plant seeds 4 inches apart in all directions.

THINNING: Thin 3 to 4 inches apart when seedlings are a few inches tall. Enjoy the removed young greens in a salad.

GERMINATION: 2 to 3 weeks depending upon weather and soil temperature, Keep soil moderately moist during germination.

Ed's Special Advice

Sow seed In July and August for Fall and Winter crops. Beets prefer fairly rich yet light sandy loam type soil. Add lime and fertilize soil prior to planting for best growth, flavor and texture. Space sowing times several weeks apart for longer harvest season.

Green Fortune Baby Pak Choi

Crispy, sweet, vase-shaped 6 by 8 inch mini-heads with pale lime green crunchy stalks and dark green leaves. Compact, fast growing and delicious braised, steamed, or stirfried. Full sun. Plant Aug.-Oct. Plant 1/4 inch deep, 2 inches apart. Germinates 7-10 days, Days to harvest: 45.

Pot of Gold Container Chard

Selected by discerning Italian cooks for its clean mellow flavor, these handsome vigorous plants have wide, silvery mid-ribs and crinkly, broad, deep green leaves. Full sun to part shade. 5-7 days to germination. Sow 1 inch apart, 1/2 inch deep. Days to maturity: 50

Space Spinach

Leaves are spoon-shaped and not at all savoyed for ease of cleaning. Color is a pleasant dark green and the flavor of the meaty leaves is excellent. With a high percentage of female plants, it is very resistant to bolting. In both our trials and those of the Dutch grower who developed it, Space was the highest yielder, primarily due to the long season over which harvest was possible.

Round Black Radish

HEIRLOOM 1824 in US, 1500s in Europe. A fine variation on the black Spanish radish that has been around since the 1500s. The large roots are 4" across with an attractive black skin while the flesh is a pure creamy white. It is mildly pungent and can be used for a variety of cooked dishes as well as fresh with beer. Round Black even stores well in a root cellar. 33 days.

Easter Egg Radish

HEIRLOOM This unique radish is a lot of fun. It includes a combination of red, white, and purple radishes and a number of intermediary shades that really dress up your relish tray. The flavor is good (mildly pungent), texture is crisp, and they hold their quality well after their 28 day maturity.

Nantes Carrots

HEIRLOOM Anciet French variety. Roots are 1 1/2" x 6". Color is reddish. This is a blunt ended, crisp carrot with a delectable flavor. It was introduced into the US by the French company Vilmorin in the 1870's. Names like Carentan and Touchon represent slightly different strains of Nantes favored in the area of these French towns.

Danvers Half Long Carrot

HEIRLOOM 1871 Roots are 6-8 inches long with a blunt point. Danvers is a good choice for those with heavy soil. Skin is a distinctive reddish orange color. Flavor is excellent and roots store well. This variety originated with market gardeners around Danvers, Mass. 75 days.

Detroit Beet

HEIRLOOM 1892 Has been the leading main crop beet for the last 20 years, but has been grown for over 100 years. The crimson of the flesh also shows in the leaves. Large, smooth roots are produced, but it is also good for greens at an earlier stage. Freezes and cans well, with exceptional flavor. 63 days.

Tauro Radicchio

(Cichorium intybus) Variegated, pastel leaves. Large, creamy yellow heads with lovely pale pink and green-veined leaves splashed with occasional red speckles. Widely adapted and sure-heading. Less finicky than Castelfranco types. Good, mild flavor for elegant salads and garnishes. Can be grown spring, summer, and fall. Days to Maturity or Bloom: 69 Growing Information: CULTURE: For North American production, these are vast improvements over older types, but are still not very uniform or completely predictable. Although bred for specific seasons, it is still best to trial more than one, using succession plantings to determine which variety suits your conditions. PLANTING/GROWING: Very similar to raising lettuce (see Lettuce). Specific instructions supplied with seeds. NOTE: Radicchio grows best in cool or mild weather, i.e. fall, winter, and spring. Summer crops can be successful if nights are cool (below 60°F/16°C).

Fiero Radicchio

(Cichorium intybus) Early and sure-heading. Fiero’s deep maroon heads with contrasting white ribs are large, very attractive, and impressively early. Good uniformity and sure-heading ability offer superior yield potential. Larger and more deeply colored than Trevisio Red Preco. Suitable for all cropping seasons. Days to Maturity or Bloom: 66 Growing Information: CULTURE: For North American production, these are vast improvements over older types, but are still not very uniform or completely predictable. Although bred for specific seasons, it is still best to trial more than one, using succession plantings to determine which variety suits your conditions. PLANTING/GROWING: Very similar to raising lettuce (see Lettuce). Specific instructions supplied with seeds. NOTE: Radicchio grows best in cool or mild weather, i.e. fall, winter, and spring. Summer crops can be successful if nights are cool (below 60°F/16°C). DAYS TO MATURITY: From transplanting; add 14-21 days if direct seeding.