Vegetables

SEEDS (50pcs/bag)

Common names: Culantro, Ngò Gai, Recao, Chadon Beni, Mexican Coriander, Bandhaniya, Long Coriander, Sawtooth Coriander, Pak Chi Farang
Scientific name: Eryngium foetidum
Family: Apiaceae

Plant history & use:

Culantro, or Ngò Gai, is a perennial tropical herb that can be grown outdoors frost-free or in a pot and overwintered indoors for harvest all year round. It is related to "common" cilantro, Coriandrum sativum.

The taste of culantro is reminiscent of cilantro, but it is stronger and more solid. Culantro also retains its flavor and color significantly better when dried, making it popular in the dried spices industry.

Goes well with soups, rice and fish dishes. An example is the Thai soup Tom Yum, where it marries perfectly the other ingredients. It's also common in accompanying seafood sauces, often together with lime, chili and more.

The plant's leaves and roots are also to be used in tea to stimulate the appetite and relieve fever & stomach aches. There are additional areas of use. 

Cultivation:

Culantro is easy to grow and thrives best in well-drained soils in sun/part shade. The soil should be kept on the drier side, without drying out completely.

It takes about 60 days for the plant to be ready for the first harvest.

Sowing:

Sow directly on the plant site when the soil has warmed up or pre-cultivate indoors. 1 cm deep. Remember to keep the soil moist when growing indoors.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun/Part shade
Height: 30-60 cm
Germination Time: 10-30 days
USDA Zone: 7-11

SEEDS (15pcs/bag)

Common names: Gotu Kola, Indian Pennywort, Asiatic Pennywort, Spadeleaf, Brahmi Herb, Kodavan et.al
Scientific name: Centella asiatica / Hydrocotyl asiatica
Family: Apiaceae

Plant history & use:

Gotu Kola is a well-known medicinal plant that originates from Asia. It has long been used to alleviate e.g. stress and anxiety. It is also commonly used to cure skin conditions such as eczema, wounds and acne as it improves the elasticity of the skin. Gotu Kola is an adaptogen and therefore, like Ashwagandha, it is one of the few plants with an incredibly wide range of uses in traditional medicine. There are a variety of scientific articles to read for those interested in learning more in-depth.

For purely medicinal purposes, extracts are made from the Gotu Kola plant. But you can also use its health-promoting properties in food and drink.

In Burma for example, a salad is often made with "Pennywort" as a base together with tomato, onion & peanuts etc. You can also make tea brewed from the leaves or make a cooling drink.

Cultivation:

In its natural environment, Gotu Kola is often found growing in water, in moist-retaining soils as well as dryer areas along roadsides and hedgerows.

It is an easy-to-grow and vigorous plant that thrives best in moisture-retaining soil in semi-shady locations. It appreciates an airy soil with a lot of organic material that retains moisture and at the same time drains off excess water effectively. Gotu Kola can also grow in drier soils.

The Gotu Kola plant spreads quickly, so if growing in a pot, a wide pot is preferred.

This plant usually does not grow taller than 30 cm but, on the other hand, it likes to spread horisontally towards widths of 1 m. For this reason, it is an effective ground cover for intercropping with other crops.

Gotu Kola is a common water plant and is well qualified for hydroponic cultivation systems.

Sowing:

Put seeds in an airtight plastic bag with moist sand/peat/sowing soil in the fridge for 3 weeks. Then sow in moist soil. Cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep the soil moist.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Part shade/Sun
Height: 30 cm (width 1 m)
Germination Time: 2-8 weeks
USDA Zone: 7-10

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names: Roselle, Jamaican Sorrel, Ambali, Asam Susar
Scientific name: Hibiscus sabdariffa
Family: Malvaceae

Plant history & use:

Origin from Africa, then spread to Asia and the Caribbean.

Most popularly used to make juice (Agua de Jamaica) from the fresh sepals, but you can also let them dry to make hibiscus tea. Dried sepals are also used as a flavoring agent for Gin. The fresh leaves can also be used to add a sour flavor in salads and soups of Asian character.

In Asia, the leaves are fried, made soup of or cooked together with various dishes e.g. fish, chicken and beef.

Roselle is also often used for its health-enhancing properties .

Cultivation:

Roselle is a perennial plant that thrives in bright locations. Grow the plant indoors next to a bright window and feel free to move it outside in the summer. Alternatively, grow as an annual outdoor in pots or sow the seeds directly on open ground when the risk of frost is over.

Roselle is commercially grown in one-year periods. In nature, however, the plant is perennial and it can also be such when grown at home. Overwintering in a bright location is a prerequisite for growing Roselle as a perennial northern Europe.

In southern Europe: Spain, France's southern coast, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, southern Greece and west/south Turkey, Roselle can be grown outdoors as a perennial all year round. Roselle is USDA Zone 9-12.

The Roselle plant grows into a small tree/tall bush.

Sowing:

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with punctuated small holes to retain moisture. Optimum temperature for rapid germination is between 25-30 ºC, but the seeds also germinate at around 20 ºC. You may use a heating mat for improved germination conditions.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: up to 3 meters
Germination Time: 7-30 days
USDA Zone: 9-12

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common name: Caper, Caper Bush, Flinders Rose
Scientific name: Capparis spinosa
Family: Capparaceae

Plant history & use:

The Caper Bush is a Mediterranean plant that have a long history of being cultivated for its edible unopened flower buds. After picking, they are put in salt to release bitter compounds and to bring out the sourness. This is the kind of capers we often see canned in stores. You can also let the flowers remain on the plant until they eventually turn into fruits, the fruits can then similarly be put into salt to be made ready for consumption. 

Preserving capers is very easy. It can be broken down into 4 steps:

• Put the fresh flower buds/fruits in a bowl of salt
• Leave the buds/fruits in the bowl with salt for 3-7 days (or longer if desired).
• Drain the water that accumulates in the bowl and add some extra salt every day.
• When preservation is finished, rinse off the salt from the buds/fruits and soak them in water. Soaking time is up to your own taste, but recommended minimal time is 15 minutes. You can soak for several hours if desired. Grab a spoon and make a taste test every once in a while to find the flavor that suits you.

You can also pickle younger shoots and leaves from the Caper Bush. If you want to use slightly older leaves and shoots, a tip is to blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before pickling. Mix your caper shoots & leaves with salt and vinegar, leave in the fridge for about 1 month. Ready to eat.

Cultivation of capers has been traced back as far as 7,000 years ago in present-day Turkey, Jordan and Syria. There, it is believed to have been used for both culinary and medicinal applications. In medicinal use, all plant parts were used, most prominently as a digestive aid.

In tropical & sub-tropical food forests (agroforestry) it is effectively used in the lower layer as a ground cover plant.

Cultivation:

In its natural environment, capers often grow in high temperatures and soils with poor water and nutrient availability. A typical adaptation to a nutrient-poor environment is its very widespread root system, which makes it suitable as a soil binder in shorelines or eroding soils etc. In its natural environment, it is often growing on rocky cliffs and slopes. It grows on the walls of many ancient Mediterranean fortifications. The caper is an easily cultivated bush for home growers in the Mediterranean region (Spain, Italy, Greece, the coastal Balkan countries and south & west Turkey).

The Caper Bush develops an extensive root system, hence it grows best in deep, medium-textured, loamy soils.

In temperate climate, capers are best grown in pots in bright locations and overwintered frost-free. Capers are characterized by an initial upright growth to later grow long horizontal lateral shoots that spread along the ground - or hang down along the wall that the plant has mounted.

The bush is productive and in optimal conditions there can be good harvests of up to 3000 buds per bush and season. In temperate climate, you can't really expect the same results, but you can do your best to mimic the plant's natural environment by:

• put it in direct sunlight throughout the summer months,
• let it grow in well-drained Mediterranean soil 
• let the soil dry out between waterings.

It's recommended to transplant your Caper Bush into a larger pot as the plant grows bigger.

As mentioned earlier, you harvest either the unopened flower buds or the fully formed fruits. If the flower bud is allowed to bloom, the bush produces sweetly scented, spectacular flowers. The Caper Bush can flower already in the first year sown from seed.

Caper buds are usually picked in the morning since that is when they're believed to have their highest aromatic value.

The Caper plant an be propagated via cuttings.

Sowing:

Caper seeds germinate irregularly. To create better germination conditions:

• Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 1 day
• Place the seeds between two pieces of damp tissue paper/moist sand and leave in the fridge for 4-6 weeks
• Soak the seeds one final time in lukewarm water for 1 day
• Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep in sowing soil

The roots of the young caper plants are usually easily disturbed and are sensitive to damage when transplanting. A good solution can be to sow the seeds in degradable growing trays that you can seamlessly transplant into a larger pot without disturbing the roots.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 50 cm
Germination Time: 1-12 weeks
USDA Zone: 8-10

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names : Goan bean, Wing bean, Square bean, Cigarillas, Manila bean, Kecipir
Scientific name : Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

The Goan bean is a perennial bean plant with several uses in cooking that is also often favored in cultivation for its strong disease resistance.

Sometimes mistakenly confused with the Asparagus Pea ( Tetragonolobus purpureus ), which is a different species. The Asparagus Pea has smaller legumes than the Goan Bean, red flowers and smaller, pea-like leaves.

The Goan bean has larger leaves of 10-15 cm and light blue flowers, as well as square beans that usually grow to 15-20 cm.

The goji bean is a nutritious plant and all parts of the plant can be eaten:

• Leaves can be eaten like spinach,
• Flowers can be added to salads,
• Root tubers can be eaten raw or cooked like potatoes - have a nutty flavor
• Seeds (dry beans) can be used in a similar way to soybeans. Both flour and milk can be made from dried, ground goji beans, which lack the distinctive "bean" flavor.
• The immature green bean pods can be eaten as a raw vegetable or cooked in a stir-fry. The taste is reminiscent of asparagus.

All parts of the Goan bean plant have a high protein content. The mature seeds (dry beans) contain 40%, the tubers 20% - which is higher than many root vegetables - and the leaves and flowers contain 10-15%.

The goba bean is currently a relatively unknown crop but is continuously increasing in commercial use.

The cowpea is an effective ground cover and a good weed suppressor. If you plant the cowpea without anything to climb on, it will instead spread at ground level and make it difficult for weeds to get up.

The goba also fixes nitrogen to the soil via rhizobacteria and can help rebuild nutrient-poor soils.

The goji bean can also be given as feed to ruminants, poultry and fish.

Cultivation :

The Goan bean is a perennial plant with a climbing habit (similar to the Long bean ). Large in its natural environment - can reach lengths of 3-4 meters.

Hardy for cultivation in the warmest parts of Skåne, Blekinge, Öland & Gotland. Winter cover the base with straw or similar when growing outdoors.

It is best to start growing as early in the year as possible, as the Goan bean needs a long growing season to produce beans in the same year. This is most likely due to the fact that it is a perennial bean variety, perennials usually grow slower than annuals as they are "programmed" to grow continuously for several years (- rather than quickly as annuals have to do to have time to reproduce during their short lifespan).

Would like something to climb on, e.g. house wall, larger tree, pillar, sticks or tied wire.

Thrives in well-drained soils. Favors heat and moisture. Optimal temperature for growth and fruiting is around 25

°C. Lower temperatures favor root tuber growth while higher temperatures favor leaf growth.

Self-pollinating.

Fixes nitrogen on its own via rhizobacteria on the roots, fertilization is not a necessity.

The green bean pods are ready for harvest after 3-4 months from sowing.

Sowing :

Soak seeds in lukewarm water 1 day before sowing.

Sow seeds indoors early in the year (Jan-Feb). Transplant outdoors or in greenhouses March-May. Sowing depth 2 cm. Keep sowing moist.

Features :

Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun
Height: 2-4 m
Germination time: 1-2 weeks
Growing zone: 1

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common Names: Chili Pepper 'Purple Thai', Purple Chili Pepper, Purple Chili, Purple Bird's Eye Chili, Purple Thai Chili Pepper
Scientific name: Capsicum annuum
Family: Solanaceae 

Plant history & use:

An unusual purple-colored variant of the popular Thai chili pepper. The 'Purple Thai' chili is considered to have a perfect balance between flavor and heat, which contributes to its desirability in Asian cooking. The heat is described as medium and ranges between 50,000 - 100,000 Scoville Heat Units.

Culture:

All chili peppers originate from Central and South America. The genus has since been spread around the world by colonists, missionaries and traders, and new species have emerged through adaptation to the environment.

Chili peppers are generally easy to grow. They thrive in sunny, warm locations. They can be grown indoors in windows.

All chili peppers are perennial and can produce fruit all year round if given the right conditions. Heat, light, light nutrition and moisture contribute to continuous growth & production of the plant. Overwinter in a warm and bright place. If you want the plant to produce fruit also during the winter months, use a grow light to supplement the sunlight, possibly grow only under a grow light.

Keep the soil evenly moist and allow it to dry out slightly between waterings. Fertilize 2-3 times a week to ensure abundant fruit production.

The fruits turn from purple to orange in late maturity. The fruits can be eaten at all stages of maturity. 2-6 cm.

Sowing:

Pre-grow indoors at the beginning of the year.

Moisten the soil and press the seeds lightly against the surface. Cover with 1 cm of soil. Place in bright light and keep the seeds moist.

Features:

Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun
Height: 60-80 cm
Germination time: 5-10 days

SEEDS (15pcs/bag)

Trivial name: Loofah, Mushroom cucumber, Wash sponge cucumber, Bath sponge creeper
Scientific name: Luffa aegyptiaca
Family: Cucurbitaceae

Plant history & use:

Cultivated and used since the fourth century in the Roman Empire. Young fruits were eaten, ripe fruits were used as bath sponges. Loofah mushrooms were until WWII the most used mushroom in the United States.

The young, green fruit is eaten as a vegetable like ordinary cucumber. Quite early in the life of the fruit, it begins to form a distinct fibrous structure on the inside. On a fully ripe fruit, the skin easily peels off the fibrous interior, resulting in a near-perfect sponge that can be used in the same way as our regular household sponges - on the counter, in the bathroom or as a cleaning sponge.

An advantage of using a loofah sponge is that it stays fresh significantly longer than a "regular" synthetic sponge.

If you cut the loofah sponge along the long side so you can turn the sponge inside out, you can use the more textured inside as a stronger scrub and the smoother outside as a softer scrub.

Edible young shoots, leaves and flowers - a common way is to "stir" leaves and shoots in a little soy sauce etc. Asian sauces. Seeds left over after harvesting ripe luffa can be roasted and eaten like pumpkin seeds.

The fibers that run along the long side of the fruit's edges are durable and can be used as cords for tying up other plants, for example.

Culture:

Mushroom cucumber wants to be in a sunny location with good water supply. Grows best in locations with sunlight throughout the day. If you have a greenhouse, it is a perfect place for the mushroom cucumber.

Thrives best in a loamy, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. Regular nutrient supply is preferred.

Provide plenty of room for climbing for optimal growth.

At first, the fruit is firm in shape and green in color. It is when the fruit is around 10 cm that the fruit is edible. Soon after that a fibrous structure begins to form inside the skin that makes the fruit unsuitable for edible purposes.

When the fruit becomes lighter and the skin begins to feel looser against the inside and the color turns yellow to brownish, the fruit is ready to be harvested. Preferably harvest the fruits before they turn completely brown and the skin becomes dry, it can be difficult to peel the fruits without damaging the inside otherwise.

Pinch the fruits off the vine and let them dry for another day before soaking them for a couple of hours to help remove the skin. Do not soak for longer than 1 day as bacterial growth can occur. Remove seeds by opening the bottom of the fruit and shaking them out. Scale. Rinse the loofah sponge with water to remove loose plant debris. Lay to dry again - out in the sun protected from rain works great.

Should you, after all, let the fruits remain on the plant until they are completely brown and dry, it is easiest to remove the skin with an ordinary kitchen knife after soaking.

If it starts to approach the risk of frost and your fruits still don't look ready, an early harvest is still recommended, as repeated exposure to frost damages foliage and fruits can suffer from rot. Pinch off the fruits and hang them indoors with the skin on to dry. When you see that the shell goes from firm to loose (slightly shriveled appearance) and the color changes to brownish, it is time to open the shell.

The flowers are bright yellow.

Fruits can reach 75 cm in favorable conditions.

Sowing:

The mushroom cucumber needs some time to develop mature (strongly) fibrous fruits. So preferably already in February/March and start up indoors. When the risk of frost is over, the plants can be planted/exhibited.

Soak seeds 1 day in advance. Sow seeds in seed soil, cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep the seed moist. In order to more easily maintain good humidity, the seed can be covered with plastic foil provided with air holes.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 2 meter
Germination Time: 5-20 days
USDA Zone: 10-12

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common names: Thai Aubergine, Thai Aubergine, Thai Green Eggplant
Scientific name: Solanum melongena
Family: Solanaceae

Plant history & use:

The typical Thai round green eggplant. Widely used in various types of curies and stews. Can also be eaten as a raw vegetable alongside the main course.

Culture:

Thai Aubergine is perennial, but usually needs a frost-free winter to make it through to next year. It can survive the winter outdoors in the most favorable Swedish conditions. When trying to overwinter outdoors, the base of the plant should be winter-covered with straw or similar to protect against the cold. If there is access to a greenhouse, it is an excellent place for the Thai eggplant.

Alternatively, grow as an annual in Sweden. Flowering occurs approximately 6 weeks after germination and harvesting can begin after 2-3 months.

Grows well in most soils but thrives in a well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. Placed in sun/part shade. Benefit from abundant irrigation.

Plants are placed approximately 60 cm apart.

Fertilize regularly once/month during the summer months. First given about a month after germination.

Self-pollinating.

When fruiting begins, it is recommended to keep the number of fruits per plant around 4-5.

Fruits are harvested when they are green-white. If you wait until the fruits turn yellow, they are more bitter, but still edible.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors in February-March, alternatively sown outdoors in April-May. Seeds are covered with a 1 cm layer of soil. Keep seed moist.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun / partial shade
Height: 50-100 cm
Germination time: 3-10 days
Plant zone: 1 (favorable locations)

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common name: Somborka pepper, Somborckina
Scientific name: Capsicum annuum
Family: Solanaceae 

Plant history & use:

Somborka is a pepper that originates from the Balkan region of Europe. Some of its most distinctive characteristics are that it has a thick flesh while also having a heat that is about halfway to a "regular" chili. So you could say that it is a meaty pepper with heat.

Perfect for pickling. Pickled Somborka makes a sour but hot addition as a side dish and is suitable to be eaten with a lot of dishes.

You can also fill the Somborkan with, for example, rice, minced meat and other optional ingredients to cook in the oven.

Both of these methods are common applications in Balkan cuisine.

Culture:

Thrives in sunny, warm and sheltered locations. Best grown in greenhouses.

More resistant than regular peppers and chilies.

Sowing:

Pre-grow indoors at the beginning of the year or sow outdoors when the risk of frost is over.

Moisten the soil and press the seeds lightly against the surface. Place in bright light and keep the seeds moist.

Features:

Year: One year
Growing position: sun
Height: 60 cm
Germination time: 5-14 days

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common name: Okra, Lady's Fingers, Gumbo, Bendi
Scientific name: Abelmoschus esculentus
Family: Malvaceae

Plant history & use:

Okra is a plant with many uses and its fruits are one of the most popular tropical vegetables worldwide.

The fruit is a well-used ingredient in cooking thanks to its crispy texture and gelatinous, texture-giving properties. The fruit contains binding substances, which makes it very suitable for stews and soups. It can also be eaten raw - for example in Asian cuisine it is often served alongside the main course as a raw vegetable together with accompanying sauce.

Like spinach, the leaves can be used raw in salads or thrown into a wok. Even the leaves possess slightly binding properties.

Roasted okra seeds can also be used as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee.

In West Africa, where okra is widely cultivated, flower buds and the blossoms are also eaten.

The average nutritional value of okra is higher than that of tomato, eggplant, most cucumber plants and many other common vegetables.

Okra seeds contain approximately 20% protein as well as 20% oil which can be extracted from the seeds.

Cultivation:

Okra originates from South Asia/Africa and is in its natural environment a perennial. It thrives in heat and is sensitive to frost. Optimum growth temperature is 20+ ºC and temperatures below 10 ºC can be harmful to the plant.

For the above mentioned reasons, Okra therefore grows best in greenhouses/cultivation tunnels if you are growing in northern Europe. It can be grown outdoors, but the harvest may be slightly less than what would be possible under optimal conditions. To improve the conditions for outdoor cultivation, in the spring when the soil has warmed up, you can cover the ground with plastic or other ground cover such as straw/bark to prevent heat radiation and thereby extend the growing season towards the autumn.

It is however stated that Okra is capable of growing outdoors as an annual over the summer months all the way down to USDA Zone 5. This does not imply overwintering outdoors in USDA Zone 5.

If you are living in southern Europe: Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and parts of France and the Balkan region - you can grow Okra as a perennial outdoors, all year round. See the European USDA Zone Hardiness Map for reference. 

The okra is drought-resistant, but fruit formation is favored by consistent irrigation and nutrient supplementing.

Grows best in well-drained loamy soil.

Okra is self-pollinating which means you only need one plant to produce fruit.

The fruits are harvested at an early (unripe) stage while they are green to avoid a woody taste. One tip is to try breaking off the tip of the fruit - if it breaks, it's fresh, if it bends instead, it's too ripe and the fruit is better suited for seed harvesting.

Sowing:

Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing. Sow the seeds in moist soil and cover with a 1-2 cm layer of soil. Keep the soil moist. The seeds should germinate after 2-3 weeks. Germination happens faster at temperatures above 25 ºC.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 1–2 m
Germination Time: 1-8 weeks
USDA Zone: (5*)9-12
*grown as an annual = no overwintering outdoors

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common name: Thai Chili Pepper'Bird's Eye', Prik Ki Noo
Scientific name: Capsicum annuum
Family: Solanaceae 

Plant history & use:

A true Thai high heat chili pepper that has a well established use down in Southeast Asia. The chili is often eaten raw together with, among other things, the dish Khao Kha Moo or as a snack with northern Thai barbecue skewers. It is also widely prepared in woks, stews and soups.

The Thai Bird's Eye chili is also used to make different types of Nam Prik - Thai chili paste. The chili is roasted together with, among other things, onions, garlic and then ground down and mixed with oil and flavorings such as lemongrass, tamarind, etc. The chili paste is then used to dip vegetables in or is eaten with rice dishes.

Another easy way to incorporate chili into your meals is to thinly slice it along with garlic and then mix with lime and fish sauce to have as an extra flavoring to pour over your food Besides.

Scoville strength 100,000 – 140,000.

Cultivation:

All chili peppers originate from Central and South America. The genus has since been spread with the help of colonists, missionaries and traders worldwide and new species have emerged through adaptation to the environment.

Chili peppers are generally easy to grow. They thrive in sunny and warm locations. Can be grown indoors in a window.

All chili peppers are perennial and can produce fruit all year round if given the right conditions. Heat, light, light nutrition and moisture contribute to a continuous growth & production of the plant. If you want the plant to produce fruit even during the winter months, use a plant lamp to supplement the sunlight, possibly grow only under a plant lamp.

Keep the soil evenly moist and let the soil dry out slightly between waterings. Fertilize with advantage 2-3 times a week to provide abundant fruit production.

The fruits range from green (yellow-orange) to red. The fruits can be eaten at any stage of maturity. 2-6 cm.

Sowing:

Grown indoors at the beginning of the year.

Put the seeds in warm water 1 day before sowing. Moisten the seed soil and lightly press the seeds down against the surface. Cover with 1 cm of soil. Place bright and keep the seed moist.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: sun
Height: 50-150 cm
Germination Time: 5-15 days

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common names : Long bean, Asparagus bean, Meter bean, Snake bean, Bodi
Scientific name : Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

Grown for its edible long beans. The beans are crispy, string-free and have a slightly nutty taste. The name comes from the length of the beans, which is often around 40-75 cm.

Usually used and prepared in a similar way to green beans - i.e. the bean pods are harvested in an immature stage to be cooked or eaten raw. The long bean is very good to eat raw, unlike many other split beans, thanks to its crispy texture and rich, nutty flavor.

You can also leave the bean pods on the plant until they have reached full maturity and cook the dry beans inside the pod in the same way as, for example, kidney beans.

Long beans should be eaten raw alongside other dishes, cooked in woks, stews or made into salads. A popular example is in papaya salad (Som Tam) where the raw beans are cut into 2-3 cm long pieces and mixed with the grated papaya and other ingredients.

Cultivation :

Thrives in heat & direct sun, prefers high humidity but it is not a requirement. Relatively drought tolerant once the plant is established. Can be grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Use an airy and well-drained soil. You can give it a soil with a slightly acidic pH value (5.5-7.5) it is an advantage.

As a legume, the long bean fixes its own nitrogen in the soil and does not necessarily need to be given any additional fertilizer.

The long bean is a so-called sturgeon bean and has a climbing habit. Give it some space and something to climb on to get a strong growth and fruiting. When the adult stage is reached and the temperature is around 27-32 °C, the long bean grows vigorously and produces abundantly.

Feel free to prune the tops of side shoots for a bountiful harvest.

Harvested 2-3 months after germination.

Flowers vary from pink to lavender in color.

Sowing :

Can be sown directly outdoors / in greenhouses when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Keep sowing moist.

Features :

Year: One year
Growing position: sun
Height: 125-200 cm
Germination time: 1-2 weeks

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names: White Roselle, White Rosell hibiscus, White Sorrel
Scientific name: Hibiscus sabdariffa
Family: Malvaceae

Plant history & use:

Unlike the more commonly known red roselle hibiscus, the white roselle hibiscus has green-white sepals (what is normally referred to as the "fruit" of roselle hibiscus) more deep yellow flowers and green stem. The fruits are also smaller with white roselle, but the total yield is higher than from regular red roselle.

The fruits and leaves are used in the same way as fruit and leaves from ordinary roselle - however, the juice becomes transparent / amber colored instead of the deep red color of ordinary roselle.

Hibiscus sabdariffa originated in Africa and spread from there to Asia and the Caribbean.

Most popularly used to make juice (Agua de Jamaica) from the fresh sepals, but you can also let them dry to make hibiscus tea. Dried sepals are also used as a flavoring agent for Gin. The fresh leaves can also be used as a sour addition in salads or in soups of an Asian character.

In Asia, the leaves are usually fried, made into soup or used for prepared dishes with e.g. fish, chicken and beef.

Roselle is also often used for its health-enhancing properties.

Culture:

Roselle thrives in bright locations. Grow indoors in a bright window and feel free to move outside in the summers. Alternatively, sow the seeds directly in open ground when the risk of frost is over.

Roselle is grown commercially in one-year periods. In nature, however, the plant is perennial and it can also become so when grown at home. Wintering in a bright location is a prerequisite for perennials in Sweden. Grows into a small tree / tall shrub.

Sowing:

Soak the seeds 1 day in advance. Sow in moist soil and preferably cover with plastic with small holes in it to retain moisture. Optimum temperature for rapid germination is between 25-30 ºC , but the seeds germinate even at 20+ ºC . If necessary, use a heating mat for better germination conditions.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun
Height: up to 2 meters
Germination time: 7-30 days

SEEDS (5pcs/bag)

Common names : Purple Goan Bean, Purple Wing Bean, Square Bean, Cigarillas, Manila Bean, Kecipir
Scientific name : Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

The Purple Goan Bean is just like the green one The Goan bean is a perennial bean plant with several uses in cooking that is also often favored in cultivation for its strong disease resistance.

Sometimes mistakenly confused with Asparagus pea (

Tetragonolobus purpureus ) which is, however, a different species. The asparagus pea has smaller legumes than the Goan bean, red flowers and smaller, pea-like leaves.

The Purple Goan Bean has larger leaves of 10-15 cm and light purple flowers as well as square beans that usually grow to 15-20 cm.

Purple Goan Bean is a nutritious plant and all parts of the plant can be eaten:

• Leaves can be eaten like spinach,
• Flowers can be added to salads,
• Root tubers can be eaten raw or cooked like potatoes - have a nutty flavor
• Seeds (dry beans) can be used in a similar way to soybeans. Both flour and milk can be made from dried, ground goji beans, which lack the distinctive "bean" flavor.
• The unripe bean pods can be eaten as a raw vegetable or cooked in a stir-fry. The taste is reminiscent of asparagus.

All parts of the Goan bean plant have a high protein content. The mature seeds (dry beans) contain 40%, the tubers 20% - which is higher than many root vegetables - and the leaves and flowers contain 10-15%.

The Purple Goan Bean is currently a relatively unknown crop but, together with the Green Goan Bean, is continuously increasing in commercial use.

Purple Goan Bean is an effective ground cover and a good weed suppressor. If you plant the bean without anything to climb on, it will instead spread at ground level and make it difficult for weeds to get up.

The Purple Goan Bean also fixes nitrogen to the soil via rhizobacteria and can help rebuild nutrient-poor soils.

Purple Goan beans can also be fed to ruminants, poultry and fish.

Cultivation :

The Purple Goan Bean is a perennial plant with a climbing habit (similar to Long bean ). Large in its natural environment - can reach lengths of 3-4 meters.

Hardy for cultivation in the warmest parts of Skåne, Blekinge, Öland & Gotland. Winter cover the base with straw or similar when growing outdoors.

It is best to start growing as early in the year as possible, as the Goan bean needs a long growing season to produce beans in the same year. This is most likely due to the fact that it is a perennial bean variety, perennials usually grow slower than annuals as they are "programmed" to grow continuously for several years (- rather than quickly as annuals have to do to have time to reproduce during their short lifespan).

Would like something to climb on, e.g. house wall, larger tree, pillar, sticks or tied wire.

Thrives in well-drained soils. Favors heat and moisture. Optimal temperature for growth and fruiting is around 25

°C. Lower temperatures favor root tuber growth while higher temperatures favor leaf growth.

Self-pollinating.

Fixes nitrogen on its own via rhizobacteria on the roots, fertilization is not a necessity.

The purple bean pods are ready for harvest after 3-4 months from sowing.

Sowing :

Soak seeds in lukewarm water 1 day before sowing.

Sow seeds indoors early in the year (Jan-Feb). Transplant outdoors or in greenhouses March-May. Sowing depth 2 cm. Keep sowing moist.

Features :

Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun
Height: 2-4 m
Germination time: 1-2 weeks
Growing zone: 1

SEEDS (50pcs/bag)

Common Names: African Cabbage, Spiderwisp, Shona Cabbage, African Cabbage, African Spider Flower
Scientific name: Cleome gynandra
Family: Cleomaceae 

SEEDS (50pcs/bag)
Common name: Spiderwisp, African cabbage, Shona cabbage, African Spider Flower, Cat's whiskers, Chinsaga, Maman, Stinkweed
Scientific name: Cleome gynandra
Family: Cleomaceae

Plant history & use:

Leaves and shoots are used for stuffing/pickling and eaten as a side dish. They can also be cooked and eaten like spinach or added to stews.

The whole plant is rich in vitamins and above-ground plant parts have a peppery, mustard-like taste.

Ground seeds can be used as a substitute for mustard.

Also grown in conjunction with other crops for its pest repelling properties.

Liquid from leaves and roots is used to relieve earaches etc.

Culture:

Thrives best in an airy, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil in warm and sunny locations.

African Cabbage is drought tolerant but thrives best in moist soils.

Sowing:

Sow directly outdoors when the risk of frost is over, alternatively pre-cultivate indoors early in the year. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil.

Characteristics:

Duration: One year
Plant position: sun / partial shade
Height: 60 cm
Germination time: 5-14 days

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common Name: Tomato 'Indigo Rose'
Scientific name: Solanum lycopersicum
Family: Solanaceae

Plant history & use:

Blue tomatoes are produced for their high content of the antioxidant anthocyanin - a substance that gives many fruits & berries their blue/purple hue and also to some extent helps to protect the plant from insect attacks and diseases. Anthocyanins are found in all tomato varieties, but usually not in the fruits but instead in the leaves and stems.

This dark purple tomato has a slight plum-like flavor. The fruits are ripe when they have turned from a blue-purple to purple-brown hue. Parts of the tomato that have not been exposed to sunlight can, just like regular tomatoes, turn from green to red when ripening off the plant.

Unripe green tomatoes can be pickled or fried together with olive oil and lemon.

Cultivation:

Thrives in warm conditions, both indoors and outdoors. Greenhouse cultivation is a perfect fit. Grows best in well-drained and nutrient-rich soil.

'Indigo Rose' is a very tall tomato, it grows up to 2 meters. Stem support and branch binding is beneficial. The side shoots that emerge from the the crevice between the main stem and the leaf stem are pinched off to favor flowering = more tomatoes! This variety gives harvest for longer periods than short-grown tomato varieties.

Tomatoes function well in co-cultivations, add garlic, cress and tagetes as undergrowth to keep aphids away.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors or sown directly outdoors when the risk of frost is over. Cover only with a thin layer of soil. Keep the seed moist. Usually rapid germination, 5-15 days.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Annual
Location: Sun
Height: 150-200 cm
Germination Time: 5-15 days
USDA Zone: 10-12

SEEDS (10pcs/bag)

Common names : Long bean 'Pomegranate', Purple Asparagus Bean, Little Meter Bean, Purple Snake Bean, Bodi
Scientific name : Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis
Family : Fabaceae

Plant history & use :

A red/purple variant of the long bean. Like most other purple vegetables & fruits, the color comes from substances called anthocyanins and act as antioxidants. The name comes from the length of the beans, which for the Purple Long Bean is 55-60 cm.

Usually used and prepared in a similar way to green beans - i.e. the bean pods are harvested in an immature stage to be cooked or eaten raw. The long bean is very good to eat raw, unlike many other split beans, thanks to its crispy texture and rich, nutty flavor.

You can also leave the bean pods on the plant until they have reached full maturity and cook the dry beans inside the pod in the same way as, for example, kidney beans.

Long beans should be eaten raw alongside other dishes, cooked in woks, stews or made into salads. A popular example is in papaya salad (Som Tam) where the raw beans are cut into 2-3 cm long pieces and mixed with the grated papaya and other ingredients.

Purple Long Bean contains, among other things, vitamins A, B, C and, as I said, anthocyanins.

Cultivation :

Thrives in heat & direct sun, prefers high humidity but it is not a requirement. Relatively drought tolerant once the plant is established. Can be grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Use an airy and well-drained soil. You can give it a soil with a slightly acidic pH value (5.5-7.5) it is an advantage.

As a legume, the long bean fixes its own nitrogen in the soil and does not necessarily need to be given any additional fertilizer.

The long bean is a so-called sturgeon bean and has a climbing habit. Give it some space and something to climb on to get a strong growth and fruiting. When the adult stage is reached and the temperature is around 27-32 °C, the long bean grows vigorously and produces abundantly.

Feel free to prune the tops of side shoots for a bountiful harvest.

Harvested 2-3 months after germination.

Flowers vary from pink to lavender in color.

Sowing :

Can be sown directly outdoors / in greenhouses when the soil temperature has reached above 15 °C. Alternatively, pre-cultivate indoors for planting out in late spring. Keep sowing warm and moist.

Features :

Year: One year
Growing position: sun
Height: 125-200 cm
Germination time: 1-2 weeks

SEEDS (30pcs/bag)

Common Names : Green Shiso, Leaf Mint, Chinese Mint, Veripeippi, Sesame Sauvage, Schwarznessel, Wilder Sesam, Beefsteak Plant, Shiso Zoku, Bai Su Zi
Scientific name : Perilla frutescens
Family : Lamiaceae

Plant history & use :

Shiso, or Spearmint as the herb is called in Swedish, originates from the Far East: Korea, Japan, China, etc. Its natural habitat is from the Himalayas to eastern Asia where it often grows wild in moist, open woodland.

Both seeds, leaves and young shoots/plants are used as a spice. The taste may be considered unfamiliar to Western palates at first, some people detect cinnamon, others coriander or citrus.

Shoots or young plants are added to salads, while older leaves are often used as a garnish or seasoning. However, the uses of Shiso are wide-ranging.

Larger leaves can be used to wrap bulgogi , a Korean beef dish. Leaves from purple-colored Shiso varieties are used in Japan to color and flavor pickles: e.g. ginger and plum. Older leaves can also be salted and used to flavor tofu and as a garnish for tempura . Since the leaves have a "curry-like" flavor, they are an ingredient in many soups and stews. It is also common to make dishes with steamed Shiso leaves, e.g. Perilla Leaf Kimchi . The leaves can also be dried for later use.

Unopened flower buds are used as a garnish for soups and other dishes, eaten fresh in salads, pickled (like capers ) or stir-fried with other vegetables .

The seeds can be sprinkled over salads and dishes. They are one of the ingredients in the well-known spice mixtures 'Shichimi' and 'Seven Spice'. Energy bars are also made with Shiso seeds. It is the seeds from the red-colored Shiso varieties that are preferred for culinary use.

U From the seeds, you can also extract so-called perilla oil , which is used in industrial contexts - for example, in perfumery and dental care products, as well as in the paper and paint industries. However, the oil is also used for culinary purposes as a flavoring for sweets and various sauces. From the seeds, you can also extract an oil that is effectively used to treat wood, similar to linseed oil.

The seeds contain approximately 21.5% protein, 43.4% fat, 11.3% carbohydrate, 4.4% minerals of various kinds. The seeds of Shison are also rich in linolenic acid (ALA).

Shiso is a valued medicinal plant in oriental medicine, where it is described as a pungent, aromatic and warming herb. Both the leaves, stems and seeds are used . The leaves are used in the treatment of colds, respiratory infections, vomiting, abdominal pain, etc. (Yeung. Him-Che.). The seeds are antiasthmatic, cough suppressant, emollient and expectorant. The juice from the leaves is applied to cuts and wounds (Manandhar. NP). Extracts from the plant are used internally in the treatment of asthma, colds and chills, nausea, abdominal pain, food poisoning and allergic reactions (especially those from shellfish), bronchitis and constipation (Duke. JA and Ayensu. ES). The stems are a traditional Chinese remedy for morning sickness (Bown. D.).

Extracts of the herb have recently begun to be used in the Western world, against certain allergies and as an alternative to antibiotics and cortisone. In the last 20 years or so, there has been interest in the herb's effect on asthma (Almark L. & Flising L. - Swedish Herbal Society).

Cultivation :

Does best in a light, moisture-retaining soil in a sunny location. Shison is not frost-resistant so it needs to be overwintered frost-free if you want to grow it as a perennial. Otherwise, it is suitable for growing as an annual due to its high growth rate.

Easy to grow, like most other plants in the Lamiaceae family: Greek Mountain Tea, Holy Basil, Tree Basil, Thai Basil, Lemon Basil .

USDA zone is stated to be 7-10. The approximate translation from USDA zone 7-8 to our Swedish system is growing zone 1-2. However, since the systems are not measured in the same way, they are not directly translatable. Experiments can be done at your own risk, there is a chance that the roots of the plants can overwinter in the mildest parts of the country, even if the above-ground part freezes during the winter.

Sowing :

Pre-cultivate indoors, or sow outdoors in late spring when the soil is warm. The seeds are light-germinating - therefore cover the seeds with an extremely thin layer of soil or do not cover at all. Keep the seeds moist. One way to maintain good humidity is to cover the seed with plastic with air holes.

Optimal germination temperature is 18-25 °C.

Features :

Annuality: Perennial in warmer climates, otherwise annual
Growing position: sun
Height: 60-100 cm
Germination time: 5-15 days
USDA zone : 7-10

SEEDS (5pcs/bag)

Common names: Orchid Tree, Camel's Foot, Mountain Ebony, Kachnar
Scientific name: Bauhinia variegata 'Candida' / 'Alba'
Family: Fabaceae

Plant history & use:

The Orchid Tree, also known as Mountain Ebony, is a beautiful flowering tree that belongs to the pea family. It is originally from South Asia and is known for its distinctive and colorful flowers. The tree got its name from the similarity between its flowers and orchid flowers. The flowers on the Orchid Tree are very fragrant - they have a honeysuckle-like scent. These seeds are from the variety 'Candida' with white flowers.

Leaves and flower buds are edible. In India, the unopened flower buds, which are called Kachnar, are used to both prepare curries and make various pickles. You can compare it to the fact that here in Europe we use the unopened flower buds from the Caper plant to make pickles and consume.

Oil can be extracted from the seeds of the Orchid tree.

There are also some medicinal uses for the plant. It is then mainly sap from the bark that is used.

The tree thrives best in subtropical and tropical climates, but can also do well in sheltered and sunny locations in temperate climates. Read more about cultivation below.

Cultivation:

The Orchid Tree has its origins in subtropical and tropical climates in southern Asia. However, it tolerates frost and temperatures as low as -7 degrees. If you place the tree in a favorable sunny and windless place, you can theoretically succeed with outdoor cultivation all year round in the most favorable parts of Sweden - Skåne, Öland & Gotland, among others. The specified USDA zone for the tree is zone 8, which corresponds precisely to the most favorable locations in Sweden's zone 1. Read more about the relationship between Swedish plant zones & USDA zones here .

To further protect the tree during the colder months, the base of the tree can be covered with straw or the like to create protection against wind, prevent the radiation of ground heat and insulate against external penetrating cold. This can be done with basically all trees that are on the border of hardiness in an attempt to succeed in wintering outdoors.

Otherwise, you can always grow in a pot that is moved in for the winter.

Use a nutrient-rich, well-drained soil for your Orchid tree.

The orchid tree is slightly sensitive to lime - add peat or other pH-lowering substrate to your soil if it is naturally chalky (higher range of pH values ​​- 7.5 and above) to give the tree optimal conditions for successful growth. Acceptable values ​​for the Orchid Tree are pH 5.5-7.5.

The tree can be propagated by cuttings as well as seeds.

Sowing:

Soak the seeds for 1-2 days before sowing.

Preferably sow indoors or in a greenhouse under a 1 cm layer of soil. Keep the seed moist. The seeds can still be considered quick-germinating, it usually does not take more than about 1 week before the seeds start to germinate, some of the seeds take longer.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun / Partial shade
Height: 2-10 m
Germination Time: 1-4 weeks

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common names: Purple Thai Aubergine, Purple Thai Aubergine, Thai Round Purple Eggplant
Scientific name: Solanum melongena
Family: Solanaceae

Plant history & use:

A purple variant of the typical Thai, round eggplant. Widely used in various types of curies and stews. Can also be eaten as a raw vegetable alongside the main course.

Culture:

Purple Thai Aubergine is perennial, but usually needs a frost-free winter in order to make it through to next year. It can survive the winter outdoors in the most favorable Swedish conditions. When trying to overwinter outdoors, the base of the plant should be winter-covered with straw or similar to protect against the cold. If there is access to a greenhouse, it is an excellent place for the Thai eggplant.

Alternatively, grow as an annual in Sweden. Flowering occurs approximately 6 weeks after germination and harvesting can begin after 2-3 months.

Grows well in most soils but thrives in a well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. Placed in sun/part shade. Benefit from abundant irrigation.

Plants are placed approximately 60 cm apart.

Fertilize regularly once/month during the summer months. First given about a month after germination.

Self-pollinating.

When fruiting begins, it is recommended to keep the number of fruits per plant around 4-5.

Sowing:

Pre-cultivated indoors in February-March, alternatively sown outdoors in April-May. Seeds are covered with a 1 cm layer of soil. Keep seed moist.

Characteristics:

Age: Perennial
Plant position: sun / partial shade
Height: 50-100 cm
Germination time: 3-10 days
Plant zone: 1 (favorable locations)