Seed Subscription: Vegetable, Tropical Climate, Winter 2026

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:

• 

  Perilla- Green

  Annual herb growing to 60cm. Also known as "Shiso". Plants are bushy with decorative green foliage. Grown for it roundish serrated leaves, which have an amazing flavour; commonly used in sushi. Can also be used as a bedding plant.

  Raise seedlings, 1mm. Germination 7-21 days @ 19-21°C.Annual. Height 60cm, Spacing 30cm. 70 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Chives

  Perennial growing to 25cm. Grows in slowly spreading clumps. Plant has green, hollow, tubular leaves that have a mild onion flavour; used as a garnish, in sauces, dips, stews, casseroles, salads and soups. Can be grown in containers.

  Sow direct, 5mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 18-21°C.Perennial. Height 25cm, Spacing 15cm. 60-90 days.

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

• 

  Celery- Tall Utah

  Upright, compact plant with dark green, slightly ribbed, stringless stalks up to 70cm. Leaves used fresh or dried for flavouring. Ideal for salads, soups, stews, or as a cooked vegetable. Good disease tolerance.

  Raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 21-25°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 80cm, Height 70cm, Spacing 30cm. 120 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Kohlrabi- Purple Vienna

  Purple skin with crisp white flesh; tender and sweet. Excellent 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 Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

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• 

  Bunching Onion- Red Beard

  Attractive red stems with green tops. Tender with mild flavour. Good both raw and cooked. Hardy variety; good for winter. Bunching onions are also known as "Welsh onions", often used as "spring onions" and sometimes incorrectly called "Shallots".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 5mm. Germination 7-10 days @ 15-25°C.Perennial (usually grown as an annual). Spacing 3cm. 60-90 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Spinach- Winter Giant

  A frost-hardy English spinach variety, ideal for autumn, winter, and early spring growth. Fast-growing annual plants with large, dark green, slightly crinkled leaves. Suitable for baby leaf production. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Best in cooler climates.

  Sow direct , 10mm. Germination 5-10 days @ 4-25°C.Annual. Rows 40cm, Spacing 30cm. 40 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: APR MAY JUN (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Radish- Raphael F1

  Round cherry-sized radish with deep rich red skin. These uniform sized radishes are ideal for salads and garnishes. Less prone to becoming pithy but as with all radishes, and for best results, will benefit from regular watering in hot weather.

  Sow direct, 10mm. Germination 3-14 days @ 8-30°C.Annual. Rows 30cm, Spacing 10cm. 30 days.

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

• 

  Carrot- Samurai Red

  Heirloom Japanese variety with long, tapering, rosy-red roots. Flavour is sweet, and texture is crisp and tender, with colour holding up during cooking. Roots can grow 25-28 cm in length.

  Sow direct, 4mm. Germination 14-20 days @ 10-30°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Rows 25cm, Height 15-20cm, Spacing 5cm. 70 days.

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

• 

  Kale- Red Winter

  An improved selection of the popular Red Russian Kale. The dark green frilled leaves have purple-red veins and are more tender, and sweeter, than some other kale varieties. Use young leaves in salads. Mature leaves have a sweet flavour.

  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 Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Sprouting Seeds- Mung Bean 50g

  Mung bean seeds can be sprouted indoors at any time of year. Grow sprouts in a position away from direct sunlight. Growing the sprouts in the dark will produce sweeter shoots than growing them in a brightly lit position.

  1) Place seed in a sieve and wash to remove any dust and damaged or discoloured seeds. (2) Add seed to a large flat-sided jar and cover with lukewarm water. A 500ml jar needs around 15ml of seed. (3) Cover jar with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. (4) Let soak for 12hrs then tip the jar upside down and let excess water drain through the cheesecloth. Rinse and drain again. (5) Place jar on its side in a dark warm location. (6) Rinse and drain the seeds every 8-12 hours until the shoots are approx. 3.5-5cm long. (7) Your sprouts are now ready to eat

Tips for gardening in winter:

Weeding and tidying: Rain helps weed seeds germinate and it is easier to remove them when the soil is damp. Be sure to remove weeds before they get a chance to mature and set seed, and ensure you get the weeds out roots and all. Hand tools are useful for small areas and hoes or tillers make the job go faster in larger gardens. Rake up fallen leaves so they don’t form a compact layer which can stop water reaching the soil. Add these extra leaves to your compost heap. Clear out any dead or diseased plants and to prevent the spread of disease, place this plant material in the bin rather than the compost bin.

Pruning: Check your tools. Cleaning and sharpening your secateurs and pruning saws makes the job much easier, and a clean cut means there is less chance for disease to enter ragged wounds. It is easier to prune deciduous trees and shrubs in winter because you can see the structure of the plant more clearly. Remove any dead wood, and take out crossing branches or stems that might rub against each other. 

Watering: You may not need to water your plants as frequently in winter, but make sure your plants are still getting enough. If required, give them a deep soak once a week early in the day so that excess moisture can evaporate before nightfall and avoid the risk of fungal diseases.

Plot and plan: Use some of the down time in winter to review your garden and think about what you’d like to plant in the coming seasons. If you’re growing annuals, do you want to plant the same again, or try some new varieties or colour schemes? If you’re growing veggies, remember that crop rotation is a good idea to break the cycle or build-up of any pests and diseases that may be in the soil. This has the added benefit of reducing, or even eliminating, the need to spray with chemicals.

Pests and diseases to look out for in winter:

Slugs and snails: These pests can damage a wide range of plants, especially flower and vegetable seedlings. They are most active in the cooler wetter months, or when thunderstorms activate them in summer, and come out at night to feed. Controlling weeds and removing places that can harbour slugs and snails can be an effective way to control and reduce the number of these pests. If you choose to use bait, it is best applied in Autumn before snails get a chance to lay eggs. Most baits can be toxic to pets and other wildlife, so use any bait with caution.

Fungal diseases: A range of fungal diseases can occur in winter. You can prevent these from taking hold by practising good hygiene. Pick up any fallen and rotting fruit and put it into the rubbish, as it can cause disease which carries over into the following year’s crop.

Product code: SS_VEG_TROP_WIN_2026