Seed Subscription: Vegetable, Cool Climate, Summer 2024

Subscriptions are an excellent way to explore new seed varieties without having to spend time choosing the seeds yourself, and are perfect for busy gardeners, delivering seeds and all the information you need to plant them directly to your letterbox. 

Each season we’ll choose a selection of seed varieties tailored to your climate, and send you the seeds plus a colour information sheet with photos, tips and sowing information - all you need to do is plant!

You are currently viewing a single season of seeds which can be purchased individually. To subscribe to a years worth of seeds click here.

Seeds included in this subscription:

• 

  Kale- Red Russian

  Red Russian' kale grows to 75cm quickly, with blue/green/red serrated leaves. Young leaves are eaten raw, old ones cooked. It has a sweet taste and is less prone to cabbage moth. Also known as Borecole.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 10mm. Germination 3-7 days @ 8-30°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 50cm, Height 75cm, Spacing 50cm. 55-65 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB MAR APR (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Chinese Celery- Pink

  Chinese celery variety, biennial but often grown annually. Produces tall, hollow, pink stems with a strong celery flavour and crisp texture. Ideal for soups, stews, stir fries, garnishes, or fresh eating. Leaves used for flavouring.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 1mm. Germination 21-28 days @ 18-20°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Height 45cm, Spacing 12cm. 100-140 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Silverbeet- Golden Sunrise

  A biennial usually grown annually, reaching 60cm. Features golden yellow stalks, veins, midribs, and shiny green leaves. Thick, tender stalks. Highly productive; suitable for baby leaves or as an ornamental. Also known as "Swiss Chard".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 15mm. Germination 5-10 days @ 10-30°C.Biennial. Rows 50cm, Spacing 30cm. 60 days (30 days for baby leaves).

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB MAR APR SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Garland- Serrate Leaf

  Annual plant growing to 80cm. Has dark green serrated leaves, edible raw or cooked. Strong flavour, ideal for soups and stir-fries. Fast growth, heavy production. Also known as "Chop Suey Greens" or "Shungiku".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 7-10 days @ 15-22°C.Annual. Height 80cm, Spacing 40cm. 30-50 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: FEB MAR APR SEP OCT NOV (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

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• 

  Parsnip- Melbourne White Skin

  Australian heirloom parsnip grows long white roots. flavour improves in cooler weather, including frost, as sugars develop in the root. In cold climates, they can be left in the ground over winter for spring harvest.

  Sow direct, 10mm. Germination 14-28 days @ 10-21°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 40cm, Height 60cm, Spacing 15-25cm. 90-130 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Kohlrabi- White Vienna

  Pale green skin with crisp white flesh; tender and sweet. Excellent sweet turnip-like flavour; can be eaten raw or cooked. Good in salads, soups and stews.

  Sow direct, 5mm. Germination 3-10 days @ 16-27°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 40cm, Spacing 20cm. 55-75 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB MAR AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Beetroot- Chioggia

  Very attractive beets with pink/red and white alternating rings. Extra sweet flavour. Looks great in salads. Good for boiling, pickling and baking. Sometimes called "Candystripe beet".

  Sow direct, 15mm. Germination 5-10 days @ Oct-30°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 50cm, Spacing 10cm. 60-65 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB MAR APR SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Leek- Carentan

  Giant French heirloom leek variety with short thick stems up to 5cm and long dark green leaves. Tender with mild flavour. Fast growing. Good for stews, soups, quiche, stir-fries and steamed.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 5mm. Germination 10-14 days @ 18-23°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 45cm, Spacing 12cm. 100 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB MAR APR SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Mizuna- Purple

  Bushy plants with purple-green leaves. Mild, spicy flavour. Can be used fresh in salads or cooked. Ideal for baby leaves. Good in stir-fries, soups. Tolerates wet, cold conditions. Also known as "Japanese mustard".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 5-10 days @ 7-25°C.Annual. Rows 30cm, Spacing 30cm. 40-60 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Bush Bean- Cherokee Wax

  Dwarf (bush) bean. Tender, stringless, straight, pale yellow pods growing to 16cm. Fast growing. Seeds turn black when mature.

  Sow direct, 20mm. Germination 6-10 days @ 16-30°C.Annual. Rows 50cm, Spacing 10cm. 55-60 days.

  Best months in Cool Climates: JAN OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

Tips for gardening in summer:

• Watering: Learn when to water by using your index finger to check soil moisture. Scratch back a little of the surface soil and use your finger to see if soil is moist about 5cm below the surface; if it’s on the dry side, it’s time to water.
• Crop protection: As fruit and veggies develop they may need protection from burrowing insects, fruit fly, birds, possums or bats. Berries, fruit trees and soft fruit like tomatoes are especially at risk. Use insect exclusion netting, bird netting or fruit protection bags to protect crops. Ensure your netting is pegged or tied securely at the bottom to stop pests getting in.
• Pinch for More Flowers: Pinch the main stems of flowering plants to encourage strong growth, a bushier habit and more flowers. Once plants are 20-40cm tall and have several sets of leaves, use sharp, clean snips or secateurs to cut off the top 10cm or so of the main stem of the plant, making the cut just above a set of leaves. Flowers including aster, zinnia, chrysanthemum, calendula, marigold and dahlia will all benefit from pinching.
• Provide shade for sensitive plants: Use shade cloth or even old sheets to protect delicate seedlings and leafy greens from the harsh summer sun, especially during the hottest part of the day.

Pests and diseases to look out for in summer:

• Aphids: Small, sap-sucking insects that congregate on the new shoots or the underside of leaves. They can cause leaves to wilt or become discoloured, and also excrete honeydew which can attract ants and other insect pests. To manage aphids, remove them by spraying with a garden hose, apply a soap or alcohol spray, or encourage predatory insects to your garden.
• Whitefly: A sap-sucking insect related to aphids, whitefly are found in large numbers on the underside of leaves, and will swarm in clouds when disturbed. Plants may have yellowing leaves or may wilt, and growth will be slowed. Whitefly can be removed with a garden hose or sprayed with soap spray. Badly affected plants should be destroyed.
• Slugs and snails: These slimy pests love the humidity of summer nights and can decimate seedlings and tender young plants. They leave tell-tale silvery trails and irregular holes in leaves. To control them, try hand-picking them at night (with a torch) and disposing of them, creating barriers crushed eggshells around vulnerable plants, or using beer traps.
• Fungal diseases: The combination of warm temperatures and summer humidity can form the perfect conditions for fungal diseases to spread. Water plants in the morning at ground level, avoiding wetting foliage wherever possible. Prune off affected foliage, space plants to allow more airflow, and treat fungal outbreaks with homemade or purchased sprays.

Product code: SS_VEG_COOL_SUM_2024