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Amaranth Leaf syn. Leaf Amaranth; Chinese Spinach, Tampala, bayam
Amaranthus tricolor A nutritious, leafy green for warmer areas. It is a fast-growing and best to harvest the whole plant as older plants get tough and bitter tasting. Successive sowings will provide greens over a long period. The leaves have a sweet, tangy flavour and are best cooked, raw leaves should not be eaten very often, as they are high in nitrates and oxalic acid. In China and Japan it is the main vegetable used as a cooked green. Leaf Amaranth prefers a fertile, well-drained garden soil, full sun to partial shade. Soil temperature needs to be at least 20°C to germinate seed, sow late spring and summer. Harvest is 30 days to baby leaf and 50 days to maturity, when they are about 20 cm tall. As they get older the leaves will get tougher. |
![]() ![]() 'Red' is a very attractive, nutritious, red leafy green for warmer areas. SA124approx. 250 seeds SA125 |
![]() Syn. Red Stripe Leaf Red Calaloo has attractive green leaves with a red splash down the middle. SA112approx. 250 seeds SA113 SA149 |
![]() ![]() Amaranthus hypochondriacus No WA An ancient Aztec food grain that is higher in protein than wheat or rice; it is a rich source of the essential amino acid, lysine. It grows vigorously, tolerates drought and heat. It is pest-resistant. The flowers are vivid burgundy, feathery plumes, 1.5 - 3 m high. The pale blonde amaranth grains are shiny, slightly larger than poppy seeds. It is delicious cooked as a cereal, can be ground for flour or popped like popcorn. It is a warm season annual and germinates best at 20 - 27°C soil temperature. Sow seed from late spring to summer in temperate areas. In subtropical and tropical areas, sow all year (avoiding frost periods). It takes 4 - 6 months for a grain crop. Harvest the seed head once a few seeds drop, lay on a tarp and dry in the sun for a week until the stems are dry. Separate the seeds from the stems and winnow in a light breeze. SA128 SA129 SA144 SA145 SA146 No TAS |
Angled Luffa
![]() syn. Okra Vine, Okra Cee Gwa Luffa acutangula Angled Luffa is a fast growing, vigorous annual vine that requires a trellis to grow on. The young fruits are similar in flavour to zucchini but slightly sweeter, it is a good substitute for zucchini in humid areas as it does not suffer fungal problems. The stem tops, young leaves and flower buds can be steamed as vegetables and the seeds from mature fruit roasted with salt and eaten. Plant it in a rich soil in full sun. Sow seed in spring. See also Luffa - Loofah |
![]() ![]() ![]() SA109approx. 12 seeds SA110 |
Globe Artichoke
Cynara scolymus Globe artichoke is an herbaceous perennial to 1.5 m high, suitable for temperate, Mediterranean climates. The edible flower buds are a delicacy, pick them before they start to open. The striking grey-green foliage and spectacular flowers add beauty to the garden. Globe artichoke has a restricted climatic range and prefers cool, moist summers and mild winters. Chilling is needed to produce buds. A deep, rich, well-drained, alkaline soil is required; artichokes will grow in a pH range of 6.5 - 7.5. Compost and manures are beneficial. Sow spring in temperate areas. Globe artichoke needs to be dug and divided every 3-4 years. Unsuitable for tropical and Subtropical areas Growing in humid, subtropical and tropical areas is very difficult. Unfortunately even if the plants grow well, insufficient chilling will make bud production unlikely or of very poor quality. High temperatures in spring will also cause the flower buds to open prematurely. Plants will be short-lived, often collapsing during periods of heavy rain. If artichokes are on your 'most desired' list then try the 'Imperial Star' variety as they begin cropping early. Enthusiasts in warmer areas dig the roots and put them in the fridge during the summer for planting in the autumn. Excellent drainage is required and raised beds will help. |
![]() ![]() 'Imperial Star' is an improved variety adapted to a wider climate range than other artichokes, it crops well in the 1st year. The large flower buds are deep green faintly tinged with purple with solid hearts, between 7.5 and 12.5 cm wide. SA102approx. 10 seeds SA117 |
![]() 'Violet Star' produces beautiful violet-purple, round and slightly conical globe artichokes on large vigorous plants to 90 cm tall. A gourmet vegetable producing abundant yields of tender artichokes and is an excellent choice for the home garden. Days to harvest: 85 SA150approx. 10 seeds SA151 |
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis Asparagus is a herbaceous ferny perennial to 1.5 m high, asparagus has both male and female plants. Sow seed in seedling trays in early spring, 5 mm deep at 25°C soil temperature. Germination will take approximately 21 days. Plant out in full sun in a deep, rich, well-drained, soil, compost and manures are beneficial. The pH of the soil should be 6.5, lime if necessary. After the 1st year, remove female berry-bearing plants as the berries will germinate and choke the bed if left. Care should be taken to avoid harvesting the first few years, to allow the crowns to build strength. More growing information... |
![]() Asparagus 'Connover's Colossal' is an American heirloom from the 1870's distinctive for its very thick spears, up to 3.8 cm (1½") across at the base. It produces an excellent yield of bright green spears tinged with purple at the tips with wonderful flavour raw or cooked. It has thick, large, ferny leaves and is an early maturing variety. SA134approx. 10 seeds SA135approx. 300 seeds |
![]() 'Mary Washington' produces thick, straight, dark green spears tinged with purple at the tightly folded tips; wonderful flavour raw or cooked. SA111approx. 20 seeds SA115approx. 300 seeds SA126 Crowns are available seasonally. |
![]() 'Sweet Purple' asparagus has large, deep-burgundy spears which are very tender with a mild, nutty flavour when cooked. The spears are much more tender than green asparagus because the vascular bundles have less lignin per spear, which make the spears less stringy. This allows the cook to use the entire spear with very little waste. It also has a 20% higher sugar content. Because of this extra sweetness, this vegetable is often eaten raw. Some restaurants like to garnish salads with purple asparagus. SA103approx. 10 seeds SA118approx. 300 seeds SA121 Crowns are available seasonally. |
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