Veg Addict Subscription – September

Hello Veg Addict

Welcome to your guide for your September ‘veg addict’ seed subscription!

Here’s what’s in your box:

• Collard Greens Champion
• Lettuce Bronze Beauty
• Perennial Spinach New Zealand
• Mustard Spinach Purple Komatsuna
• Pansy Giant Black

Collard Greens Champion

Sowing info

Sow seed indoors from February to March at a depth of 1cm deep. Keep at a temp of 20-25C until germination (4 -7 days). Grow plants on in cooler conditions until all risk of frost has passed and plants have 2-3 true leaves. Acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7 – 10 days before planting out in full sun.

Growing info

Plant in fertile soil at a distance of 50cm apart and cover with a protective netting or fleece to prevent attack from birds and insects. Water the plants thoroughly after planting. A second sowing from August to September can be made for overwintering. If all flower shoots are diligently removed, plants can be treated almost as perennial.

Lettuce Bronze Beauty

Sowing info

Surface sow onto moist compost and just cover. Lettuce will not germinate in hot weather, so do not supplement heat and avoid sowing in the hottest days of summer. Plant out after last frost.

Growing info

Heat tolerant and slow to bolt. When you harvest lettuce, you can just remove the lower, outer leaves to significantly extend your harvest period as the plant will continue to grow. Regular succession sowing will ensure a contiunuous crop.

Blog – How to Sow and Grow Lettuce

Perennial Spinach New Zealand

Sowing info

Sow in module trays 1cm deep. Grow on in the greenhouse until ready to plant out after the last frost.

Growing info

Ready to harvest in 50 days. Harvest regularly to extend the cropping season and control its natural trailing habit. If plants do not survive a harsh winter, new plants will appear in spring as it naturally self seeds. Note – must be cooked before eating.

Mustard Spinach Purple Komatsuna

Sowing info

Surface sow onto moist compost and just cover. Plant out when big enough to handle. Alternatively sow direct 1cm deep. Regular succession sowing throughout the year will give an almost year round supply.

Growing info

Prone to bolting in mid summer so will perform better in the cooler months. Treat as a cut and come again when harvesting. May require some netting if bird and insect pests prove a problem and keep moist to avoid premature bolting. Cold hardy but will need some protection outside in the coldest months.

Pansy Giant Black

Sowing info

Surface sow in small pots and just cover. This crop can usually be sown throughout spring, summer, or autumn, but it’s now too late for this year, so sowings will only be suitable for overwintering. Keep seedlings undercover in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or cold frame. When seedlings are large enough to handle, pot them on individually and continue to grow them in a cooler spot. Plant out once roots have filled the pots or modules.

Growing info

Regularly harvesting the flowers or dead heading will encourage a continual supply over a long period. A hardy perennial this plant will come back year after year.

Garden jobs for this September

• Harvest and Store – Keep gathering what’s ready and store it carefully so it lasts into the colder months.
• Prepare for Next Season – Clear away old plants and refresh the soil to get beds ready for future sowing.
• Tidy and Protect – Weed, mulch, and cover beds to keep them neat and protected as the weather cools.