Semperflorens:
Annual, sow the very fine seed January-March on surface of compost, keep moist. Mixing the seed with fine silver sand makes it easier to spread it evenly over the compost. Germination takes 2-3 weeks at 22-24°C. Do not exclude light. Prick out after 6 weeks into 6-pack trays or pots. Supplementary light quickens development of the small seedlings. Grow on at 15-18°C. 70,000 seeds per gram. Total production time around 14-16 weeks depending on lighting and sowing time.
Sell in: 6 packs and 8-10cm pots.
End Use: Versatile, tolerant of rainy weather, long flowering season. For formal bedding, and baskets and containers.
For easier sowing choose pelleted seed.

Begonia Tuberous:
Cultural instructions as for semperflorens, except earlier sowing time (December-January) as takes 20 weeks sowing to flowering.
Sell in: 4 packs and 10cm pots.
End Use: Bedding schemes, baskets and containers. Resistant to rainy weather.

Semperflorens:
Annual, sow the very fine seed January-March on surface of compost, keep moist. Mixing the seed with fine silver sand makes it easier to spread it evenly over the compost. Germination takes 2-3 weeks at 22-24°C. Do not exclude light. Prick out after 6 weeks into 6-pack trays or pots. Supplementary light quickens development of the small seedlings. Grow on at 15-18°C. 70,000 seeds per gram. Total production time around 14-16 weeks depending on lighting and sowing time.
Sell in: 6 packs and 8-10cm pots.
End Use: Versatile, tolerant of rainy weather, long flowering season. For formal bedding, and baskets and containers.
For easier sowing choose pelleted seed.

Begonia Tuberous:
Cultural instructions as for semperflorens, except earlier sowing time (December-January) as takes 20 weeks sowing to flowering.
Sell in: 4 packs and 10cm pots.
End Use: Bedding schemes, baskets and containers. Resistant to rainy weather.

Semperflorens:
Annual, sow the very fine seed January-March on surface of compost, keep moist. Mixing the seed with fine silver sand makes it easier to spread it evenly over the compost. Germination takes 2-3 weeks at 22-24°C. Do not exclude light. Prick out after 6 weeks into 6-pack trays or pots. Supplementary light quickens development of the small seedlings. Grow on at 15-18°C. 70,000 seeds per gram. Total production time around 14-16 weeks depending on lighting and sowing time.
Sell in: 6 packs and 8-10cm pots.
End Use: Versatile, tolerant of rainy weather, long flowering season. For formal bedding, and baskets and containers.
For easier sowing choose pelleted seed.

Begonia Tuberous:
Cultural instructions as for semperflorens, except earlier sowing time (December-January) as takes 20 weeks sowing to flowering.
Sell in: 4 packs and 10cm pots.
End Use: Bedding schemes, baskets and containers. Resistant to rainy weather.

Cabbage can be produced throughout the year, providing growers with a continuous supply to their outlets. Faster-maturing spring greens are ideal for utilising redundant polytunnel or glasshouse space over the winter months. Cabbages are popular for young plant sales to home gardeners.
200-400 seeds per gram. Germinates between 10 and 25°C. Sowing and harvesting times as given in the charts. Seed rate approx. 600g per hectare transplanted, 1.25-2.5 kilos per hectare direct sown. Spacings 30 x 60cm, up to 60 x 90cm.

To crop under glass sow from February onwards (germinates between 16 and 25°C). Sow in modules for transplanting outside in May. Alternatively sow direct outside in May. Use a plant spacing of 25 x 75cm. Harvest from July onwards. Support netting or staking required. 2000 seeds per kilo. Seed requirement around 75-100 kilos per hectare.

Annual. For cut flower production sow direct into rows 25cm apart in Spring, or end Aug-start Sept for an overwintered crop, at 0.3g per metre of row. Seed germinates in 3-4 weeks, taking around 5 months sowing to flowering. 400 seeds per gram. Harmful if eaten.
End Use: Fresh and dried cut flower.

For production under plastic or glass, or sales to the home gardener as a young plant. Useful for box schemes, farm gate and roadside sales.
20-60 seeds per gram. Sow March-April into modules, germinates at 20-30°C. Space the plants at 30 x 150-200cm.

The higher cost of the F1 hybrids may be justified interms of uniformity, speed of flowering, clear flower colours and overall garden performance. In general, the larger flowered varieties tend to flower slightly later, and are especially suitable for late Spring and Summer flowering, as flower size tends to reduce as temperatures increase.
Seed count approx. 700 per gram.
Sow the seed into trays or plugs, cover lightly with vermiculite, and keep the compost moist. Germinate at 18-20°C, shading to avoid excessive temperatures which can depress germination. Germination should be apparent in about 7-10 days.
After 4-5 weeks, prick out into 6-packs or 8cm pots. Use a slow-release fertilizer or commence liquid feeding after 2-3 weeks.
For early Spring sales, it is necessary to harden off the plants prior to sale, by gradually reducing the temperatures.
Pansies are very susceptible to stretching where temperatures are high for a significant period of time. Where reasonably low temperatures (i.e. temperatures not above 14°C) cannot be guaranteed, then growth retardant chemicals should be considered, virtually all are suitable for use on pansies, subject to the manufacturers’ guidelines. Side effects may include a reduction in flower and leaf size.
Sow June for sales Aug-Sept.
Sow July for sales Sept-Oct.
Sow Aug for sales Nov-Feb.
Sow Oct-Dec for sales March.
Sow Jan for sales in April.

We offer a wide range of varieties designed to meet most growers' requirements. While the old established favourites are still popular, the recent hybrid introductions have resulted in plants which not only perform better but taste better, an important characteristic in any tomato variety. New hybrid varieties with more unusual fruit shapes, colours and sizes are proving very popular both with fresh market sales and retail plant sales. Young tomato plants remain the best seller for vegetable plant sales to the public.
For varietal fruit shape, size, colour and suitability please see technical table and individual product descriptions.

Winter squashes are characterised by the development of a hardened skin and the ability to be stored, typically up to six months. The wide range of winter squashes has become increasingly in demand in recent years, most notably butternet and kabocha types. A popular plant sales item.
5-7 seeds per gram. Sow April-end of May/early June, at 3.5-5kg per hectare. Space at 60-120 by 90-150cm, giving a plant population of around 5,000-18,000 per hectare. Harvest from July onwards, once the fruits have reached the desired size. Butternet squashes should not be planted out until the end of May, early planting may result in a poor and mishapen yield