HOW TO SOW YOUR MANGROVE SEEDS

How to Sow Your Mangrove Seeds

If you have received a Mangrove Seed Packet, welcome!

Here is what you need to get started:

Sweet Basil
Description: Traditional and versatile, bright green aromatic leaves used in a huge range of Mediterranean dishes. Basil loves the high temperatures of summer and grows happily in containers or open soil, but also makes a good plant for the kitchen windowsill or conservatory.
Half Hardy Annual. Height - 30 to 45cm

Growing instructions:

Where? Under protection in prepared seed or plug trays. Cover with perlite. After initial watering do not water until germination, approximately 10-14 days.
When? Spring/Autumn.
Next steps? Prick out and plant 45cm apart after danger of frosts has past in rich well-drained soil in warm sheltered position.
Harvest: Harvest the leaves when young and from the top to encourage new growth. To harvest the flowers - as the tops open in summer/early autumn.

Uses/Recipe Ideas: Pumpkin & Basil Soup* (serves 6):

Ingredients: 1kg (2lb) pumpkin - peeled & roughly chopped; 2 potatoes - peeled & roughly chopped; 1 onion chopped; 1 tablespoon chopped basil; 2 chicken stock cubes; 5 cups (1.5L) water.
Directions: Boil all ingredients, adding salt & pepper if desired, until tender. Cool and puree in blender or press through a sieve. Return soup to the saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes until thick. Serve with sour cream.

Viola Tricolor (Wild Pansy)
Description: A delicate version of today’s rather brash and huge pansies. The flowers are three coloured in golden yellow, yellow and violet, but often many shades and combinations of all three. Throats often marked with little "whiskers". Tolerant of pretty well all soils and sun or semi-shade. Once established they will spread rapidly. The flowers are edible and are a lovely - and colourful - addition to a salad. Annual. Height. 10-20cm

Growing instructions:

Where? Scatter the seeds and cover lightly with soil where they are to flower OR sow in seed trays.
When? April to September
Next steps? Plants raised in trays should be transplanted when large enough to handle. Keep direct sown plants free of competition until established.

Little Gem Letuce
Description: Forms small heads of reasonable dense leaves, which are lovely bright green on the outer part and shade to yellow/green towards the heart. The outer part of the leaf has the texture of a butterhead and the ribs are like a crisp cos/romaine type. Best harvested whole when the head would sit nicely in your hand. If you were only using one variety to make a salad this should be high on the list.

Growing instructions:

Where? Sow the seeds 1cm deep and 15cm apart in the soil or individually in modules/peat pots for transplanting.
When? March to July. Sow indoors March for transplanting later.
Next steps? Thin the seedlings as soon as the first true leaves appear. Keep the plants well watered and weed free. Transplant young plants when 3 or 4 leaves have formed. Sow successionally to avoid gaps in production.
Harvest: June to October. Lettuce is ready for harvesting as soon as a firm heart has formed 8-12 weeks after sowing.

Sage
Description: The soft grey-green leaves are full of flavour. Keep trimmed to avoid plants getting leggy. Hardy Perennial. Height - 60cm

Growing instructions:

Where? Sow in seed trays/plugs under protection cover with perlite.
Warm 15-21degrees Celsius. Should give germination in 2-3 weeks.
When? Early Spring.
Next steps? When the seedlings are big enough and have been hardened off Plant out 45-60cm apart in full sun in poor well drained soil. Does not like acid soil.
Harvesting: The leaves can be used any time in the year. As sage is prone to becoming woody, replace every 4-5 years. Prune in Spring to encourage young shoots.

Uses/Recipe ideas: Sage Hair Tonic*: Sage is still used in some commercial hair tonics to prevent hair from going grey. Try making your own hair tonic:

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon of tea and 1 tablespoon of dried sage
Directions: Put tea and sage into a 1 kg (2 lb) jam jar, cover with boiling water and simmer for 2 hours. Cool and strain. Rub into scalp four or five times a week. Gradually greyness will disappear, and hair will become dark brown. Tonic will keep for 1 week. For longer keeping, add 1 tablespoon of rum, gin or Eau-de-cologne.

Dill
Description: The feathery leaves have a slight aniseed flavour and are used in cooking. The seeds are dried and are a common ingredient in pickles and marinades for fish. Half Hardy Annual. Height - 90cm

Growing instructions:

Where? Use pots or plugs as its tap root does not like being distrubed. Evenly space seeds and cover with perlite. Germination takes 2-4 weeks. Or sow in drills 30-45cm apart and 3cm deep -thin seedlings as soon as large enough.
When? Early Spring under cover and onwards.
Next steps? As soon as large enough to handle after threats of frosts plant out 28cm apart. In hot summers water regularly.
Harvest - Pick leaves fresh approx 8 weeks after sowing. For seeds, pick seed head remove stalk and dry in a paper bag in a warm place for a week. Store in airtight container.

Uses/Recipe Ideas: Caper and dill dressing** (serves 4).

Ingredients: 2 tbsp creme fraiche; 1-2 lemons, juice only (to taste); small bunch lemon balm, chopped; 3/4 tbsp water; 1 tsp capers, drained and chopped; 1/2 garlic clove, crushed; small handful dill, chopped; small handful parsley, chopped; few chives, chopped
Directions: Place the creme fraiche, lemon juice to taste, lemon balm, water, capers and garlic in a bowl and mix to thoroughly combine. Scatter the chopped herbs over and stir well. Serve the dressing with your favourite combination of salad leaves or with seafood.

Calendula (Pot Marigold)
Commonly named the Pot Marigold, this plant is ideal to start children’s interest in gardening. Very easy to grow, its edible flowers are making a resurgence which add beautiful shades of yellow and orange to salads. Plants grow well in poor soil conditions and equally well in the sun or partial shade. Calendula’s tend to produce masses of flower heads about their hairy leaves.

Growing instructions: Sow your Calendula seeds in March to early June or September to give a fine display in early spring. Sow the seeds approximately 1cm (1/2") deep in your window box, thin and pinch out shoots as required to encourage bushiness.

*John and Rosemary Hemphill, ‘Herbs - their cultivation and usage'
**http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes

The Mangrove

How to Sow Your Mangrove Seeds