Chinese Aster Pink

5/ 5

<h2 class=""><strong>Beefsteak tomato seeds Pantano Romanesco</strong></h2> <h2><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Price for Package of 10 seeds.</strong></span></h2> <p>Tomato, beefsteak – Pantano Romanesco is the best beefsteak tomato of all time. The name ‘Lycopersicon derives from the Greek, ‘Lycos’ a wolf, and ‘persicon’, a peach probably in reference to its supposed poisonous qualities. ‘Esculentum’ however means edible. Rare Roman heirloom tomato said to have been grown in former marshes in Rome, Italy. Similar to Genovese Costoluto. Heirloom tomato seeds produce indeterminate, regular-leaf, highly productive vines yield large crops of 12 oz., brilliant-red, slightly-ribbed tomatoes with meaty interiors bursting with wonderful, rich, complex, tomato flavors. Expect a good production from these heirloom tomatoes. A great sauce tomato and a sensible choice for farmer's markets due to visual appeal and reputation for intense flavor.</p> <p><strong>History</strong></p> <p>Tomatoes are certainly one of the most exciting tunnels and greenhouse vegetables to grow. The flavor of home-grown tomatoes can never be matched by the bland and thick-skinned supermarket tomatoes. In fact, modern tomatoes are bred so that they will last for weeks on supermarket shelves and don’t bruise when handled. The other trouble is that they are grown without soil often in strawbale culture that is drenched with artificial fertilizers and with supplementary heat and lighting. They are nearly as badly treated as battery farmed hens.</p> <p>The tomato grows wild in South America. It was first cultivated in Mexico by American Indians and brought back to Spain by Spanish conquistadores. In 1544 it reached Italy. Soon after it spread throughout Europe.</p> <p><strong>Soil and site</strong></p> <p>Tomatoes require a very fertile soil. Just imagine a full-sized tomato plant – well over two meters tall and all the hundreds of fruits it produces. It surely needs a lot of nutrients. The best feed is composted farmyard manure or garden compost. I usually incorporate a full wheelbarrow composted manure into the soil for every three square meters.</p> <p>If they are grown in pots or grow bags ensure that the pots are large enough (40l) and that you don’t plant more than two plants per growbag.</p> <p><strong>Sowing</strong></p> <p>Tomatoes need to be raised on a heating or warm south-facing windowsill. Best results are achieved when the temperature is set on 21ºC. Seeds are best sown in late February until mid-March into traditional open seed trays (not modular trays). Seeds should be sown thinly into the trays (about 100 seeds per standard tray) or pots (about 10 seeds per 9cm pot). Then the seeds should be covered lightly with seed compost using a sieve and pressed in using a wooden board that fits snugly into the tray.</p> <p>Keep the trays moist at all times – never overwater them or let them dry out. The tomato seedlings should emerge after 10 days. It is very important to prick out the seedlings as early as possible, ideally into 10cm pots containing a richer potting compost. Remember to hold the seedling on the seed leaves (cotyledons) and plant the seedling so the seed leaves are just above soil level. During this stage, the plants should remain on the heating bench. Young plants in pots must be spaced out as soon as their leaves are touching – roughly about every three weeks. If you fail to do this the plants are becoming weak and spindly.</p> <p><strong>Sowing:</strong></p> <p>February to March</p> <p>Sow 5 seeds into a small pot (7cm) and keep in a warm place. Pot on into individual 7cm pots when ready. Plant into greenhouse or polytunnel.</p> <p>Spacing: Between rows- 50cm, Between plants in the row - 50cm</p> <p>Latin name: Lycopersicon esculentum</p> <p>Family: Solanaceae (Nightshade Family)</p> <p>Is it a fruit or a vegetable?</p> <p>A U.S court ruling from1893 decided that the tomato is officially a vegetable. However, botanically it is a fruit and politically a vegetable.</p> <p><strong>Planting</strong></p> <p>When the plants are well rooted in their pots and before they get pot bound, they can be planted into the greenhouse or polytunnel. I would never plant them out before May. Tomato plants can be trained up strings that are attached to an overhead wire. After digging the planting hole lay the bottom part of the string into the hole and the other end tied to the overhead wire. Plant the tomato plant on top of the string and cover and gently firm the soil around the plant to leave no air pocket around the plant. If your tomato plants have become leggy you can plant them deeper. This will strengthen the plants.</p> <p><strong>Spacing</strong></p> <p>The plants should be spaced out 50cm apart. You can have a single or double row per bed. The yield is obviously higher from a double row but a single row usually produces healthier plants.</p> <p><strong>Plant care</strong></p> <p>Every week you will have to side-shoot your tomato plants. Many beginners find it difficult to distinguish between a leaf, a side-shoot, and a fruiting truss. The side-shoot is always the one in the middle – the one between the main stem and the leaf. The fruiting truss can be recognized by small yellow flowers and there is never a leaf below. Obviously, never remove the trusses otherwise you’ll have no tomatoes.</p> <p>And no matter how long the side shoots are, even if they already have flowers or fruit on them – you have to remove them. When they are still quite small you can easily nip them off with your fingers. When they are bigger you better use a sharp knife or secateurs.</p> <p>Apart from regular side-shooting you should also wind the growing plant around the twine or tie onto canes if that is your training method.</p> <p>The lower leaves of the plants should be removed as soon as they start to discolor. There will be a much-improved air circulation around the plants and they will thank you with much healthier growth.</p> <p>Pantano Romanesco, Beefsteak (large fleshy fruit weighing up to 500g. Vigorous growing indeterminate type)</p> <script src="//cdn.public.n1ed.com/G3OMDFLT/widgets.js"></script>

VT 68 (10 S)

5/ 5

<h2><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="">Tomato Seed AURIGA (Solanum lycopersicum)</span></em></strong></h2> <h3><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Price for Package of 10 seeds. &nbsp;</strong></span></h3> <p>This is a lovely variety of tomato from east Germany, and is particularly well suited for outdoor growing - in fact, it is just as happy growing outside as it is under protection.</p> <p>Fairly early to start ripening, the fruits are just a little smaller than a billiard ball in size. Thin-skinned, they are extremely sweet and juicy. If you let them mature on a little longer to 'very ripe' the flavor of the fruit changes to a gorgeous almost Melon taste - very distinctive!</p> <p>Vigorous but compact inhabit this is a such a good variety in so many ways!</p> <p>This is an indeterminate variety and best grown as a cordon (vine)</p> <p>For best yields and size of fruit - stop at 5th truss if growing under protection (4th outside)</p> <p>Suitable for growing both outsides and under protection.</p><script src="//cdn.public.n1ed.com/G3OMDFLT/widgets.js"></script>

VT 150 (10 S)

5/ 5

<div id="idTab1" class="rte"> <h2><strong>Common Flax Seeds (Linum usitatissimum)</strong></h2> <h2><span style="color: #ff0000;" class=""><strong>Price for Package of 120 (1g) seeds.</strong></span></h2> <p>Flax (also known as common flax or linseed), with the binomial name Linum usitatissimum, is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is a food and fiber crop that is grown in cooler regions of the world. In addition to referring to the plant itself, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant. The plant species is known only as a cultivated plant, and appears to have been domesticated just once from the wild species Linum bienne, called pale flax.</p> <p><strong>Description</strong></p> <p>Several other species in the genus Linum are similar in appearance to Linum usitatissimum, cultivated flax, including some that have similar blue flowers, and others with white, yellow, or red flowers. Some of these are perennial plants, unlike L. usitatissimum, which is an annual plant.</p> <p>Cultivated flax plants grow to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) tall, with slender stems. The leaves are glaucous green, slender lanceolate, 20–40 mm long and 3 mm broad.</p> <p>The flowers are pure pale blue, 15–25 mm diameter, with five petals. The fruit is a round, dry capsule 5–9 mm diameter, containing several glossy brown seeds shaped like an apple pip, 4–7 mm long.</p> <p><strong>Uses</strong></p> <p>Flax is grown for its oil, used as a nutritional supplement, and as an ingredient in many wood-finishing products. Flax is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Flax fibers are used to make linen. The Latin species name usitatissimum means most useful.</p> <p>Flax fibres are taken from the stem of the plant and are two to three times as strong as those of cotton. As well, flax fibers are naturally smooth and straight. Europe and North America depended on flax for vegetable-based cloth until the nineteenth century, when cotton overtook flax as the most common plant used for making rag-based paper. Flax is grown on the Canadian Prairies for linseed oil, which is used as a drying oil in paints and varnish and in products such as linoleum and printing inks.</p> <p><strong>History</strong></p> <p>The earliest evidence of humans using wild flax as a textile comes from the present day Republic of Georgia, where spun, dyed, and knotted wild flax fibers were found in Dzudzuana Cave and dated to the Upper Paleolithic, 30,000 years ago. Flax was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent region. There is evidence of a domesticated oil-seed flax with increased seed size by 9,000 years ago from Tell Ramad in Syria. Use of the crop steadily spread, reaching places as far as Switzerland and Germany by 5,000 years ago (3,000 BCE). In China and India domesticated flax was cultivated by at least 5,000 years ago (3,000 BCE).</p> <p>Flax was extensively cultivated in ancient Egypt, where temple walls had paintings of flowering flax and mummies were entombed in linen. Egyptian priests only wore linen, as flax was considered a symbol of purity. Phoenicians traded Egyptian linen throughout the Mediterranean, and the Romans used it for their sails. As the Roman Empire declined, so did flax production, but Charlemagne revived the crop in the 8th century CE with laws designed to publicize the hygiene of linen textiles and the health of linseed oil. Eventually, Flanders became the major center of the linen industry in the European Middle Ages. In North America, flax was introduced by the colonists and it flourished there. But by the early 20th century cheap cotton and rising farm wages had caused production of flax to become concentrated in northern Russia, which came to provide 90% of the world's output. Since then flax has lost its importance as a commercial crop, due to the easy availability of more durable fibers.</p> <p><strong>Flax seeds</strong></p> <p>Flax seeds come in two basic varieties: 1. brown; and 2. yellow or golden (also known as golden linseeds). Most types have similar nutritional characteristics and equal numbers of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The exception is a type of yellow flax called solin (trade name Linola), which has a completely different oil profile and is very low in omega-3 FAs. Flax seeds produce a vegetable oil known as flaxseed oil or linseed oil, which is one of the oldest commercial oils. It is an edible oil obtained by expeller pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction. Solvent-processed flax seed oil has been used for many centuries as a drying oil in painting and varnishing.</p> <p>Although brown flax can be consumed as readily as yellow, and has been for thousands of years, its better-known uses are in paints, for fiber, and for cattle feed.</p> <p><strong>Culinary</strong></p> <p>One hundred grams of ground flax seed supplies about 450 calories, 41 grams of fat, 28 grams of fiber, and 20 grams of protein.</p> <p>Flax seed sprouts are edible, with a slightly spicy flavor. Excessive consumption of flax seeds with inadequate water can cause bowel obstruction. In northern India, flaxseed, called (tisi or alsi), is traditionally roasted, powdered, and eaten with boiled rice, a little water, and a little salt.</p> <p>Whole flax seeds are chemically stable, but ground flaxseed can go rancid at room temperature in as little as one week, although there is contrary evidence. Refrigeration and storage in sealed containers will keep ground flax from becoming rancid for a longer period; under conditions similar to those found in commercial bakeries, trained sensory panelists could not detect differences between bread made with freshly ground flax and bread made with milled flax stored for four months at room temperature. Milled flax is stable to oxidation when stored for nine months at room temperature if packed immediately without exposure to air and light and for 20 months at ambient temperatures under warehouse conditions.</p> <p>Three natural phenolic glucosides, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, p-coumaric acid glucoside and ferulic acid glucoside, can be found in commercial breads containing flaxseed.</p> <p><strong>Medicinal</strong></p> <p>Linum usitatissimum seeds are mentioned in the Ayurveda and have been used in the traditional Austrian medicine internally (directly soaked or as tea) and externally (as compresses or oil extracts) for treatment of disorders of the respiratory tract, eyes, infections, cold, flu, fever, rheumatism and gout.</p> <p><strong>Nutrients and clinical research</strong></p> <p>Flax seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber as well as lignans, an abundance of micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids (table). Studies have shown that flax seeds may lower cholesterol levels, although with differing results depending on the sex of the consumer. One study found results were better for women whereas a later study found benefits only for men. Initial studies suggest that flax seeds taken in the diet may benefit individuals with certain types of breast&nbsp; and prostate cancers.</p> <p>A study done at Duke University suggests that flaxseed may stunt the growth of prostate tumors, although a meta-analysis found the evidence on this point to be inconclusive. Flax may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels. There is some support for the use of flax seed as a laxative due to its dietary fiber content &nbsp;though excessive consumption without liquid can result in intestinal blockage. Consuming large amounts of flax seed may impair the effectiveness of certain oral medications, due to its fiber content,. Flaxseed has shown to lower the concentration of pro-inflammatory oxylipins in humans &nbsp;as well as lower blood pressure in patients with peripheral arterial disease and high blood pressure.</p> <p>Flax seeds contain 23% 18:3 Omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA) and 6% 18:2 Omega-6 fatty acids. Flaxseed oil contains 53% 18:3 Omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA) and 13% 18:2 Omega-6 fatty acids.</p> <p>One of the main components of flax is lignan, which has plant estrogen as well as antioxidants (flax contains up to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods contain).</p> <p><strong>Toxicity</strong></p> <p>Flaxseed oil has repeatedly been demonstrated to be non-toxic and is generally recognized as safe for human consumption. The cyanogenic glycoside linamarin occurs at low levels in the seed and cannot be detected in flaxseed oil. Cyanogenic glycosides are common food substances and are particularly toxic when consumed in larger quantities in staple foods like cassava. Flaxseed is not a staple food and the cyanogenic glycosides do not present a feasible risk in flaxseed product consumption.</p> <p><strong>Flax fibers</strong></p> <p>Flax fiber is extracted from the bast or skin of the stem of the flax plant. Flax fiber is soft, lustrous and flexible; bundles of fiber have the appearance of blonde hair, hence the description "flaxen". It is stronger than cotton fiber but less elastic. The best grades are used for linen fabrics such as damasks, lace and sheeting. Coarser grades are used for the manufacturing of twine and rope, and historically for canvas and webbing equipment. Flax fiber is a raw material used in the high-quality paper industry for the use of printed banknotes and rolling paper for cigarettes and tea bags. Flax mills for spinning flaxen yarn were invented by John Kendrew and Thomas Porthouse of Darlington in 1787. New methods of processing flax and the rising price of cotton have led to renewed interest in the use of flax as an industrial fiber.</p> <p><strong>Cultivation</strong></p> <p>The soils most suitable for flax, besides the alluvial kind, are deep loams, and containing a large proportion of organic matter. Flax is often found growing just above the waterline in cranberry bogs. Heavy clays are unsuitable, as are soils of a gravelly or dry sandy nature. Farming flax requires few fertilizers or pesticides. Within eight weeks of sowing, the plant will reach 10–15 cm in height and will grow several centimeters per day under its optimal growth conditions, reaching 70–80 cm within fifteen days.</p> <p><strong><em>Harvesting</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Maturation</strong></p> <p>Flax is harvested for fiber production after approximately 100 days, or a month after the plant flowers and two weeks after the seed capsules form. The base of the plant will begin to turn yellow. If the plant is still green, the seed will not be useful, and the fiber will be underdeveloped. The fiber degrades once the plant is brown.</p> <p><strong>Methods</strong></p> <p>There are two ways to harvest flax, one involving mechanized equipment (combines), and a second method, more manual and targeted towards maximizing the fiber length.</p> <p><strong>Mechanical</strong></p> <p>The mature plant is cut with mowing equipment, similar to hay harvesting, and raked into windrows. When dried sufficiently, a combine then harvests the seeds similar to wheat or oat harvesting. The amount of weeds in the straw affects its marketability, and this coupled with market prices determined whether the farmer chose to harvest the flax straw. If the flax was not harvested, it was typically burned, since the straw stalk is quite tough and decomposes slowly (i.e., not in a single season), and still being somewhat in a windrow from the harvesting process, the straw would often clog up tillage and planting equipment. It was common, in the flax growing regions of western Minnesota, to see the harvested flax straw (square) bale stacks start appearing every July, the size of some stacks being estimated at 10-15 yards wide by 50 or more yards long, and as tall as a two-story house</p> <p><strong>Manual</strong></p> <p>The mature plant is pulled up with the roots (not cut), so as to maximize the fiber length. After this, the flax is allowed to dry, the seeds are removed, and is then retted. Dependent upon climatic conditions, characteristics of the sown flax and fields, the flax remains on the ground between two weeks and two months for retting. As a result of alternating rain and the sun, an enzymatic action degrades the pectins which bind fibers to the straw. The farmers turn over the straw during retting to evenly rett the stalks. When the straw is retted and sufficiently dry, it is rolled up. It will then be stored by farmers before scutching to extract fibers.</p> <p>Flax grown for seed is allowed to mature until the seed capsules are yellow and just starting to split; it is then harvested by combine harvester and dried to extract the seed.</p> <p><strong>Threshing flax</strong></p> <p>Threshing is the process of removing the seeds from the rest of the plant. As noted above in the Mechanical section, the threshing could be done in the field by a machine, or in another process, a description of which follows:</p> <p>The process is divided into two parts: the first part is intended for the farmer, or flax-grower, to bring the flax into a fit state for general or common purposes. This is performed by three machines: one for threshing out the seed, one for breaking and separating the straw (stem) from the fiber, and one for further separating the broken straw and matter from the fiber. In some cases the farmers thrash out the seed in their own mill and therefore, in such cases, the first machine will be unnecessary.</p> <p>The second part of the process is intended for the manufacturer to bring the flax into a state for the very finest purposes, such as lace, cambric, damask, and very fine linen. This second part is performed by the refining machine only.</p> <p>The threshing process would be conducted as follows:</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Take the flax in small bundles, as it comes from the field or stack, and holding it in the left hand, put the seed end between the threshing machine and the bed or block against which the machine is to strike; then take the handle of the machine in the right hand, and move the machine backward and forward, to strike on the flax, until the seed is all threshed out.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Take the flax in small handfuls in the left hand, spread it flat between the third and little finger, with the seed end downwards, and the root-end above, as near the hand as possible.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Put the handful between the beater of the breaking machine, and beat it gently till the three or four inches, which have been under the operation of the machine, appear to be soft.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Remove the flax a little higher in the hand, so as to let the soft part of the flax rest upon the little finger, and continue to beat it till all is soft, and the wood is separated from the fiber, keeping the left hand close to the block and the flax as flat upon the block as possible.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The other end of the flax is then to be turned, and the end which has been beaten is to be wrapped round the little finger, the root end flat, and beaten in the machine till the wood is separated, exactly in the same way as the other end was beaten.</p> </div><script src="//cdn.public.n1ed.com/G3OMDFLT/widgets.js"></script>

VE 215 (1g)

5/ 5

<h2><strong>"Vezanka" Chili Seeds Old Serbian variety</strong></h2> <h2><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Price for Package of 10 or 50 seeds.</strong></span></h2> <div><span><strong><em>Vezanka, Vezena</em>&nbsp;</strong>peppers are medium to large in size and are long, slender, and taper to a point at the non-stem end, averaging one centimeter in diameter near the stem cap and 15-30 centimeters in length. The pods have prominent, horizontal tan lines, also known as corking, and these lines create a leathery texture. The skin matures from green to red and is very thin, moist, and slightly chewy. Inside the pod, there is a hollow seed cavity housing many round, pale white to cream-colored seeds that are slippery, firm, and crunchy. Vezena peppers have a mild to medium heat, are very aromatic, and are initially sweet with a nutty finish. </span> <h2>Current Facts</h2> <span>Vezena peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are a rare heirloom variety native to Eastern Europe that grows on small plants reaching just under one meter in height. Also known as the Rezha Macedonian pepper, Vezeni Piperki, Vezenka, Vezanka, and Vezhenka, the name Vezena Piperka often translates to “engraved” or “embroidered,” a descriptor used to identify the pepper’s unique corked skin. Vezena peppers vary considerably in heat and average between 1,200-5,000 units on the Scoville Heat Scale, with some peppers carrying less capsaicin having a milder taste and some peppers carrying stronger heat similar to jalapeno. Vezena peppers are commonly used as decoration and are also dried and ground for use in spices such as paprika.&nbsp;</span><br> <h2>Nutritional Value</h2> <span>Vezena peppers contain vitamins C, A, K, and B6, potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, and fiber.&nbsp;</span><br> <h2>Applications</h2> <span>Vezena peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as grilling and roasting. They can be chopped, diced, and incorporated into salsas or they can be roasted or boiled and used in marmalades and spreads. Vezena peppers are also commonly dried and hung for extended use or ground into paprika and chile salt. They can also be pickled or smoked for an added flavor. Vezena peppers pair well with savory foods, omelets, onion, garlic, sour cream, yogurt, meats such as poultry, pork, beef, and fish, creamy sauces, rice, potatoes, goulash, and boiled or steamed vegetables. They will keep up to one week when stored in a paper bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Vezena peppers have extremely thin skin and will dry out quickly if left in a dry, warm environment.&nbsp;</span><br> <h2>Ethnic/Cultural Info</h2> <span>In Serbia, Vezena peppers are often hung in large clusters around homes and are dried naturally in the autumn sun. The peppers are then left as decoration or are used for grinding into spices and powders. Vezena peppers have been grown in Serbia for hundreds of years, and the Serbian farmers search for the fruits with the most corking striations and collect the seeds as these peppers are considered the most valuable to grow.&nbsp;</span><br> <h2>Geography/History</h2> <span>Vezena peppers are native to Eastern Europe, specifically to Serbia. The exact origins are unknown, but these peppers are believed to have been cultivated for hundreds of years and are also found in Albania, Yugoslavia, and other select areas in the Balkan region.</span></div><script src="//cdn.public.n1ed.com/G3OMDFLT/widgets.js"></script>

C 57