Chris's Weblog – City Chickens

My diary from 2004

Tag Archive: Seekay

Chris's Weblog - City Chickens > Seekay

Nasturtium Jewel of Africa – Tropaeolum

April 1, 2018 Garden, Photos by Glenn and Laura , , , ,

Although last year I grew these seeds from a direct sowing and they performed really well, I have decided to pop some into a plastic egg box today as the weather is extremely cold for the time of year. They are Tropaeolum Jewel Of Africa from Seekay and at 99p for a hundred seeds a good buy. Another plus is that they self seed and so, unless you fancy a different variety, you don’t have to buy seeds more than once. This is a tall growing variety of Nasturtium that produces an abundance of mixed coloured flowers held clear above very attractive variegated foliage. An easy to grow variety that gives a mass of colour.  Eventual height eight feet. This plant caught me by surprise last year by how high it climbed. Laura rigged up a bit of a frame for it by the shed and it romped away. Leaves and flowers are supposed to be edible but I have never risked it. Apparently the flowers and leaves add a peppery taste to salads and are a great garnish. Update 9th April 2018 – These seeds went in on 1st April and are showing through now on the 9th.

Sow seeds in April in cells or pots and cover lightly with compost.

Germinate best with a little heat and should take 10 days.

Harden off prior to planting out after all risk of frost has passed.

Like a light sunny position with well drained soil.

 

 

In my opinion no garden should be without Nasturtium as they carry on and on giving and the bees love them too.

 

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California Poppy – Escholtzia Californica 2018

March 10, 2018 Garden , ,

I had no flowers from these seeds last year at all but I have persevered and scattered more seeds into the garden this year. I have sown both white and orange and am hoping for more success this time. 

Escholtzia californica was named after Dr Johann Friedrich Eschscholz, a Russian physician who was one of a party that discovered and described the plant in 1815 while exploring the Pacific coastline of what is now California. It would have been hard to miss, as great sheets of yellow and gold clothed the rocky hillsides. Technically a perennial but often grown as an annual, owing to its ability to go from seed to flower in a matter of weeks. A single plant can flower profusely over a long period before eventually setting seed and producing new flowering plants in the same season. These Poppies thrive in dry, gravely, well drained soil. Once established it will seed itself around. The most successful and cost effective way to grow the California poppy is by sowing directly into prepared gravelly ground during spring. Work your topsoil into a reasonably fine tilth before applying a 2″ thick layer of gritty sharp sand or pea gravel. The seed can be broadcast directly on to this free draining layer before being watered in. A succession of sowings from early April to May should result in a succession of plants over the Summer.

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Vinca Mediterranean XP Mix – Madagascar Periwinkle

March 8, 2018 Garden , , ,

I ordered these seeds from Seekay not realising that there would only be ten in the packet. Not much room for grower error. This variety of Vinca is said to be ideal for container growing. The plants grow 10 – 15 cm in height with a spreading, trailing habit. Mediterranean mix has a good range of colours from red to pure white. The plants should flower from late spring to late summer. Having read the instruction I have decided to plant the seeds singly into 3″ pots rather than a tray so cutting out the need to move them. These ten seeds have gone in today, 9th March 2018. I have used 3″ pressed card pots so that I can put the whole thing directly into the garden soil when they are big enough.
Cultivation
  • Sow the seeds in March – April.
  • The seeds should be sown on the surface of a good quality moistened seed compost
  • Cover the seeds lightly with Vermiculite and maintain a temp of 24 – 27 deg C. (this is best done in a propagator as temps are very important)
  • Keep compost moist but not waterlogged.
  • Germination will occur in 1 – 2 weeks
  • Once large enough to handle pot on into 3″ pots prior to planting out in to their final position.

Herbs and Spices 3 – Cumin – Cuminum Cyminum

February 24, 2018 Cooking, Garden, Herbs, Spices , , , ,

This morning the postman bought me a parcel of twelve packets of seeds, ordered from my favourite supplier of the moment, Seekay. Amongst them was a packet of Cumin seeds. Another new spice to me and one I intend to learn how to grow and cook with. This is number three of my posts about herbs and spices. I am sowing a few of these this month in moist compost and sealing in a polythene bag. Germination should take up to 14 days. These seeds went in on 24th February and today, 10th March, after 14 days, six very spindly seedling are through. I have moved them on to the window ledge but think they may need more light than nature is giving to us at the moment.

Sow the seeds in April – May where they are to flower or indoors from February. For Apr / May sowings sow the seed where they are to flower 10 mm deep. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Germination should occur within 10 -14 days. Thin out once the plants are large enough to handle. Harvest the seeds after flowering. Seekay

Number 3 – Cumin

Cumin is an aromatic spice native to eastern Mediteranean countries and Upper Egypt. This warm, flavoursome and slightly bitter spice derives from the seed of the Cumin plant and is traditionally added to curries, Mexican dishes and Moroccan lamb dishes. White cumin seeds are the most commonly available variety whilst black cumin seeds are slightly smaller and sweeter in flavour. The aromatic seeds are the part of the plant that is utilised. Cumin seeds are brown, oblong-shaped and are ground to make cumin powder. Seeds may be used both whole and ground. 

Every time spices are added to a dish they boost nutritional content without adding calories. Cumin is appreciated not only for its versatility but also because of its many health benefits. Thought to be the second most popular spice next to black pepper, cumin is harvested from an herbaceous member of the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family, which includes parsley and fennel.

Cumin is highly valued in different cuisines. Mexicans, Indians and North Africans love using it to add color and flavor to their dishes. Cumin is also a primary component of curry powder. Cumin adds a nutty and peppery flavor. Cumin seeds strong flavor adds a warm perception on your taste buds, mainly due to the essential oils they contain. Dry frying cumin before grinding it brings out its flavour and softens its very spicy punch. Heat a frying pan, do not add oil, and add cumin seeds and toss until they expel a warm, rich aroma. Leave seeds to cool slightly, then grind and add to curry mixtures, soups and stews.

Cumin’s uses as a culinary spice have been well known ever since the ancient times but there are other uses for it too. Ancient Egyptians used cumin to mummify pharaohs, while in the Bible, it was mentioned that the spice was given to priests as tithes. Cumin even became a symbol of love and fidelity. Guests attending a wedding carried cumin in their pockets while wives sent their soldier husbands off to war with cumin bread.

The most popular use for cumin is as a seasoning or condiment adding a deep flavor to various recipes. This spice is a mainstay in curries and rice dishes. Cumin powder can be used in sauces and soups, rubbed on meats prior to grilling or roasting or for pickling. Cumin seeds are best gently toasted or roasted before adding to dishes. Grind the seeds when you’re ready to use them to keep its fragrance and flavor intact. Remember that ground cumin is spicy and peppery so don’t use excessively. If you have the seeds on hand make your own cumin powder by grinding them with a mortar and pestle.

Sowing the Seeds

Cumin doesn’t transplant well so start the seeds in 7″ deep pots. Using seed compost sow three seeds about 1/4″ deep in each pot. Place each container in a plastic bag to preserve moisture. Cumin seeds need heat to germinate. Check pots daily to aerate them and check soil moisture. Cumin can take 7-14 days to germinate.

After Germination 

The moment the seeds sprout they need light. Without enough light the seedlings can become leggy. After removing the pots from the plastic bags place them on a sunny window ledge and rotate them periodically so the seedlings grow upright and don’t have to reach for light. Alternatively suspend a daylight 40 watt bulb about 6″ above the pots. Keep the lamps on for 16 hours a day and move them up as the seedlings grow so they’re always 6 inches above the pots. Thin the seedlings to one strong seedling in each pot and continue growing the plants indoors. If you want to transplant them outside wait until after the frost when the plants are about 2″ tall and the temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant 1′ apart in a sunny area of the garden with well-drained, fertile soil. Although cumin is tolerant to drought it benefits from moderate water during dry, hot spells.

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Favourite Flower 2017 – Didiscus

October 22, 2017 Chickens, Garden, Pets , , , ,

The growing season is at an end and after long consideration I have chosen my favourite flower from the new seeds that I have never grown before. I have gone for Didiscus for its beautiful form and colour. It is still in flower now at the end of October. This plant is aptly named as it is indeed disc shaped and both flower and foliage are lacy. The seeds I bought are mixed colours but the only one to perform for me was the beautiful blue. This years flowers are still blooming and although I scattered a few seeds in the pot I think the chickens have already taken them. I have brought the pot indoors and sown a few more seeds. After a long chicken less interval I have introduced five chickens into the garden and so must now learn to think differently about seedlings.

Coleus Wizard Mix Merlin – Lamiaceae

May 13, 2017 Garden , ,

I bought seeds of Coleus Wizard Mix from Seekay. There are 50 pelleted seeds in a tiny plastic tube and cost 99p. I have had them in the fridge for a week and now plan to put them onto a tray of moist sandy compost in a flat tray and keep them in the light. Wizard Merlin is said to be a good mix of foliage colours with single and double coloured leaves. It is a little late to sow but nevertheless I am going to have a go. Sowing advice says January to May. I will use half and try the other half next January.  I may use some of these in my pots but planned to use them as house plants in the main. The advice is to pinch out growing tips to promote a bushy plant. Coleus are a greenhouse Perennial but are often grown as an annual. The plants prefer a site with deep moist well drained soil in full sun.  My first job is to get them to germinate and make a few decent plants. I have put ten of these seeds to germinate today 12th May. Friday 17th May update…I can see tiny seedlings coming through already at five days.

Coleus is a former genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The genus is no longer recognized and the species are instead placed in the genera Plectranthus and Solenostemon. Coleus is regarded as a synonym of Plectranthus. The term “coleus” is often used as a common name for the species that are cultivated as ornamental foliage plants . Wiki.

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Sweet Pea Cupid Mahogany – Bush Type

May 10, 2017 Garden , , ,

Sweet Pea Cupid Mahogany is a bush type ideal for hanging baskets and tubs. It is said to have beautifully perfumed flowers. I have grown Sweet Peas many times before but have never tried an everlasting one or a basket type. It will be interesting to see how these turn out. The Cupid are soaking in tepid water for sowing tomorrow. These seeds are in compost now. They should germinate in seven to fourteen days. Seven days on ands no sign of the seedlings yet. Three out of eight germinated. They will be potted on today 28th May.

It was in Sicily, in Palermo, that a Franciscan monk named Father Cupani first took an interest in what became known as “the scented pea”. He grew it in his monastery garden and in cultivation, its flowers grew half as big again as those that grew wild. In 1699 he sent seed to England and Holland. The flower’s ease of cultivation and willingness to set seed, coupled with its perfume and colour, guaranteed that it was in popular demand and it became widely distributed. information from Carol Klein.

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Lathyrus Latifolius Red Pearl – Everlasting Sweet Pea

May 10, 2017 Garden , , , ,

An everlasting Sweet peas, Red Pearl, is a reliable, easy to grow perennial plant. It will scramble up trellis or through a shrub and give cut flowers all summer. Cut back in autumn and they will shoot up again in the spring. Being leguminous they provide nitrogen to the soil.  Best in a well drained position against a trellis or wall in sun or part shade. Hardy perennial. I have soaked ten of these seeds overnight and they are now in a module tray.

Lathyrus latifolius, the perennial pea vine, perennial pea, broad-leaved everlasting-pea, or just everlasting pea, is a robust, sprawling perennial in the Pea Family Fabaceae. It is native to Europe but is present on other continents, such as North America and Australia, where it is most often seen along roadsides.

Lathyrus latifolius keeps its roots in a tidy clump, is easy to raise from seed, and is wonderfully fresh at a difficult time of year. Plant it next to something that dies down after midsummer or put it under a shrub and let it climb through the branches. It is best to sow indoors and put out when you get a strong plant.

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Californian Poppy – Eschscholzia Californica

April 15, 2017 Garden , , ,

Eschscholzia californica is a species of flowering plant in the Papaveraceae family and native to the United States and Mexico. It is an ornamental plant and it is used medicinally and in cooking. It became the official state flower of California in 1903. I love these graceful wild orange poppies. I had an abundance of them both in the garden and at the allotment but they seem to have vanished while my back was turned. This year I have bought seeds of both the orange King and the white, Ivory Castle, variety. I am planning to introduce both of them back into the garden in the hope that they will naturalise. I have scattered the seeds here and there around the garden.

 

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Sowing Lupin Russell Noble Maiden White 2017

April 12, 2017 Garden, Photos by Glenn and Laura , , , , , , , ,

I bought seeds of Lupin Noble Maiden White from Seekay and after an overnight soak they were sown into module trays of damp compost and covered in a polythene bag, I sowed two lots about a week apart and germination has been very good, as with most of the seed from this supplier. It looks like I may not see any flowers this year which is sad. These seedlings have been potted on twice now 25th May, and are producing some good roots.

Update 26th April 2018 – These seedlings are now all large leafy plants and I am looking forward to seeing beautiful white lupin flowers very soon. Today I have sown another eight seeds for flowers next year.

This is said to be a robust Lupin that produces densely packed spikes of creamy white flowers in mid summer and often again in early autumn. Lupins are stalwarts of the cottage garden and are perfect for the border. Easy to grow and undemanding they put on quite a show with the minimum of fuss as long as they have enough moisture when actively growing.

A Hardy perennial , Noble Maiden bears pinnacles of White flowers. Sow the seeds from April – July after having soaked them over night. Sow in damp compost and cover in a polythene bag. Germination can take up to 21 days. When large enough to handle pot on into 3″ pots prior to planting out after all risk of frost has passed. According to the National Gardening Institute, all parts of a Russell Lupin plant are toxic. Overwintered plants will flower in the summer but those sown in March may not flower until the next year.  Young plants need to be potted on frequently whenever their large roots stick out of the pot. Wait until they are at least 12″ tall  before putting them out then you will  get a good strong plant. Originally Lupins, Lupinus polyphyllus, were introduced into Britain from North America in 1826. This cottage garden perennial had the plain blue flowered spikes with occasional whiter flowers. In 1937 the RHS awarded its highest honour to a  jobbing gardener George Russell for developing a strain of Lupins that caused a sensation.  George Russell developed his Lupins by selection of seedlings achieving a central spike covered with flowers. Bred for a long flowering period with unbeatable garden performance. He produced one of the most popular plants in history, the ever popular Russell Hybrids.

The Russell Hybrids, Band of Nobles series, have exceptionally bright and strong colours.  Noble Maiden, occasionally called Fraülein, feature soft ivory white buds that open to pure clean white. Stunning in the border or in a vase. Growing to around 3-4ft the plant forms a well established leafy foundation with several flowering stems rising out of a single base. Tall spires of tightly packed flowers rise above beautiful green clumps of palmate foliage. The flowers open from the bottom up making for a longer blooming period.  Lupins are very hardy plants, surviving extreme temperatures withstanding frost and are extremely attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.   Lupinus x Russellii Noble Maiden has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

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