Tomato - Duncan Wilson NEW TOMATO
Brandywine Red tomato - 160RG
Common companion plants to grow alongside your tomatoes
Borage, Chives, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Basil, Calendula, Carrots, Peppers, Sage, Onions, Garlic, Lettuce
Black Krim - 75SS
Propagation: Sow seeds in seed raising mix in Spring, prick out once 2 true leave appear.
Golden Light - 214SS
Propagation: Sow Golden Light Tomato seeds directly onto a firm bed of seed raising mix and press in well. Cover with a light layer of mix. Seedlings usually appear in two to three months depending on temperature.
Yellow Pear 143RG
Isle of Skye (Duncan Wilson) - 12RG
Tangella - 30SS
Lobella - 47NS
Toms Yellow Wonder - 18RW
Moonglow - 16RW
Russian Red - 45RG
Burpee long keeper
Purau Sweet Cherry - 99RG
Cherokee Purple - 148RG
Croatian - RS
Bloody Butcher - 202ALB
Tomatillo - 73RT
Oregon Spring - 97RG
Long Keeper - 20RW
Nev's TPS - 136NS
Even from a relatively early stage when they may only be 100mms tall, differences will be discernible between these individuals. They truly are individuals. They may not all prosper. They will each possess their own degree of disease resistance and vigour. As a propagator you will be rewarded, by those that flourish, with crops of distinctly unique potato tubers; diverse in both form, colour, flavour, texture, maturity and keeping qualities. This is a pursuit I have been involved in for at least 20 years. It is an exciting enterprise (if you are a potato Nerd!), and can result in the coming into being of very worthwhile, totally new, delicious cultivars that you can then continue into the future via the usual system of growing from tubers. But don't forget to keep seed from the best of them and continue the exploration of potatoes from true seed.
Roma - 20RS
Yellow current - 15RW
Marmande - 58RG
Sub-Arctic Maxi - 13NS
Black From Tula - 179RG
Why you should grow your own
So maybe you're wondering if now is the time to start to grow a few for your self and see what all the fuss is about?
Tomato selection All our tomato seed, including heirloom an...
Kauri - 194CMK
Lychnis - Coroaria Alba - 194SPH
Lychnis coronaria ‘Alba’ has striking white flowers.
Prefers a well-drained soil in full sun. It self-seeds readily. Rich nectar and pollen and a good bee attractor.
Leek - Portage - 94RW
Suggested growing method is to aim for a long length white stem of up to 40cm, sow seed late winter/ early spring close enough together aiming for a spacing of 2cm apart, by mid summer the plants should be up to 30cm tall, dig them up trying not to damage the roots too much and place in a bucket with enough water in it to cover the roots. The soil these plants go into needs to be deeply dug over then using a rake or shovel handle poke it down into the soil as deep as 40cm, wriggle it around to make a shaft to which a leek plant is dropped down, then pour a small amount of water down, its just then a matter of insuring that the growth tip can grow up and out of the shaft
Mullein- 250SPH
Sweet Orange - Capsicum - 240CMK
Sweet Cicely - 5SSPH
Sweet Annie - 273RS
Perennial Sweet pea - 126RW
Fennel - Sweet/common - 239SPH
Sweet William - 277RS
biennial or short lived perennial with densely packed clusters of small flowers coming through in late spring/early summer. Coming in a wide range of colours, this selection includes, light and dark pink, red, white, pink/white, red/white and various other
shades. Likes full sun and rich soil, great in containers or beds and borders. Propagate by seed, cutting or division. Seeds will not breed true but you’ll still get a nice mix of colours. An old fashioned favourite, has flowers with shades of pinks all summer. Great as a vege companion.
Sweet Pea, Old Spice - 47ASS
Propagation: Soak the seeds in warm water for up to 24hrs, then sow in a tray of seed raising mix in a warm sunny position.
Onion - Red Bunching - 76SS
Melon - Tigger - 237SPH
Pea - Oregon Giant Sugar Pod - 138aRW
Ipomoea batatas - Kamote
Update 31/8/2023. First seedling up from South Island grown seed seen in the attached photo.
Known in South America where is originates as Camote, it is also known here in NZ as as Kumara or Sweet Potato in North America. This widely grown tuber crop is normally grown each year from cuttings. Camote grown from seed rather than a clone is globally rare. The government funded DSIR back in the 70's or 80's carried out a short trial but for some reason was stopped, this may have been the only Ipomoea batatas seed had grown till 2017 when Richard-Paul was gifted some seed from a passionate home gardener/breeder in the US, he then set about starting a long term breeding program with the idea crossing it with a local Kumara.
Six new cultivars were germinated from the first shipment of seed some were able to produce flowers but no seed, this following three seasons were the same till that generation of cultivars died out because they had been cloned six times.
2020 a second attempt was make where fresh seed was sent again from the US breeder and a small number of new cultivars started, but this time cutting were shared with a gardener in the North Island who managed a successful crossing and a small amount of seed was produced. This seed was gifted back and a second crop of 28 seeds was grown 2022-23 form 7 new cultivars. Plans are 2023-24 the 28 seeds will be germinated where its hopes are for at least 5 new cultivars and again more seed, maybe even enough to be made available via our website.... stay tuned by hitting the 'watch' tab
Apple cucumber - 69SS
Kascade Korn - 85NS
Kale - Red Ursa - 51RT
Open Source Seed Initiative Pledge: You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives. https://osseeds.org/
Dill - 217NS
Purple Snake - 234CMK
Purple Sprouting Broccoli - 242SPH
Green Grape - 147RG
Carrot - Benhorn - 60RW
Asparagus - Pacific Purple - 82RW
Queensland Blue Pumpkin - 225CMK
Kale - Red Russian - 51RG
Edible Chrysanthemum - 90RG
Waltham Butternut - 215CMK
How to grow capsicum
Capsicums are frost tender and need warmth to ripen the fruit to the brilliant reds and yellows of commercial ones. They can be used green but are not as sweet.
There are a number of colours available, chocolate, black, yellow, orange as well as red. They all start off green and change as they ripen.
Harvest in 70-90 days
Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks.
Best planted at soil temperatures between 18°C and 35°C.
Space plants: 100-150cm
Onion - Mammoth improved - 231RW
Sow seed early spring in the South Island, North Islanders may be able to sow autumn through winter as well, feedback from customers would be appreciated
https://www.mammothonion.co.uk/product/seeds-plants/onion-family/onion/mammoth-improved-onion/
Mangelbeet - 66RW
Best eaten when small, while still sweet. Larger roots can be used as animal feed. Sow in late summer for winter harvest. They can bolt to seed if sown too early.
Medbury Gardens
Richard-Paul Watson started growing seed when he was given what was later to be renamed the Benhorn carrot.This was in the late 1980's and two years later he joined up with Kay Baxter who had only just set up Koanga Gardens, as a volunteer heirloom seed grower.
Through the 1990's he leased land in around Rangiora area which helped build his knowledge and understanding of the complexities of growing seed but it wasn't until he and his family bought 5.1 hectares in the Amuri basin that he was able to increase both the number and the volume of seed lines. In more resent years Richards interest has shifted more to developing landrace cultivars and working towards enabling clone grown cultivars to reproduce from true seed such as garlic and sweet potatoes.
El Beano -138NS
Open Source Seed Initiative Pledge: You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.
Pink Raspberry - 5RW
Cuttings will be available during winter, hit the watch tab and a notification will be email out.
Passionfruit - Black Beauty - 119CMK
Carrot - Baby Slenderette - 32NS
Red Ruffled Kale - Medbury Gardens & Neville Sinclair
Capsicum - Soroksari - 10RW
Brussels Sprout - Darkmar - 102RW
Pumpkin - Rouge Vif d'Etampes - 208CMK
Capsicum - Botinecka Zuta - 8RW
Standard Butternut Pumpkin - 69CMK
Blue Hopi - Maize - 74RG
Radish - Qingluobo - 104RW
Radish - Pink Beauty - 96RW
Richards selection work with this cultivar involves sowing earlier than normal for this summer radish, this way it helps expose the plants that want to go into reproduction in its first growing year, as they are considered a biennial , this means any plants that bolt early sees a one way trip to the cold composting heap, what plants do make it through a Amuri Plains winter without going to seed or rotting are saved for seed production the following summer
Toconjoin - corn - 180RW
Over 200 plants are first used to achieve as much cross pollination as possible. The photo shows a selection of the best cobs from that 2020/21 crop.
13/7/2022 - During the growing season of 2020/21, one singe plant produced slightly purple kennels, those seeds were separated and grown 2021/22, this crop went on to produce around 10 plants with white kennels. No other maize or corn was grown nearby, there for there would not have been any contamination from outside of the garden. By combining a large pool of genetic diversity together, it can help in releasing genes that have been locked away from expressing themself, its possible that could go back 40-50 years.
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Early Gem - 84RW
Millet - foxtail - 247RS
Corn Maize Seed Sweet corn, with its high sugar content, ...
Glass Gem Popping Corn - 100CMK
Manuka - 64CMK
Kowhai, Cook Strait - 32ASS
Propagation: Seed is best sown in Autumn after a chip has been removed from the side of the seed with something like a sharp knife or sandpaper. This allows moisture to enter and help germination. Outside of autumn, chill seed in a fridge for two months. Sow seeds in a firm bed of seed raising mix and press in, cover with a light layer of mix. Seeds should germinate in 14 days.
Poppy - Papaver
Please be aware not all poppy seeds are edible.
Catnip - 132RG
Carex Comans - 209CMK
Tobacco - 175RW
This is a pink flowered variety that can grow to close on 2m and flowers from Dec till late autumn. It attracts bumble bees big time. The second year after the plants have died they become quite useful for growing peas as the stems remain sturdy in the ground. Tobacco is very good as a carbon crop given its extensive root systems
Australian Blue Oat Grass - 253CMK
Kanuka - 161RW
Onion - Pukekohe long keeper, Mammoth Improved cross - 36RW
When growing seed from this early cross expect diversity in type.
Poppies- mixed colours - 27SPH
Mitrosideros Mistral Rata - Pohutukawa Hybrid - 195CMK
Pohutukawa - Springfire/Mauri Princess - 124CMK
New Zealand wind Grass - 176CMK
Pohutukawa Metrosideros exselsa - 110CMK
Poppy - Pink Pom Pom - 191RW
Ailsa Craig - 14RG
Richards mix- 129RW
Seed is best sown in autumn then transfer the tiny seedlings to pots and grow through winter in a frost free area, In areas that get frosts even green houses can freeze inside. Springtime plant out and allow each of these new varieties to grow till their tops die down late in the season, then its a matter of digging up each plant and assessing which plant has produced the best yield and for desirable shape and colours. The first year tubers are not always the largest but instead its normally when they are replanted in the second season that they will produce far greater yield. It's worth remembering that new TPS cultivars are virus free.
Red Rascal seed is the latest to be added to Richards potato gene pool
Parsnip - Kralcrown - 61RW
Kraslcrown is the result of a cross pollination carried out by Richard in 2010 between Hollow crown and Kral, hence the name Kralcrown.
The key to growing parsnips is using fresh seed. Many gardeners say they have no luck growing parsnips which is normally because of using old seed. Parsnip seed only remains viable for two years at room temperature. Sentinels parsnip seed is regrown every year meaning it should give great germination results.
Epazote - 154RW
Various native peoples in the American and Mexican West today drink epazote tea or eat the plant to facilitate childbirth and ease painful menstruation as well as to expel worms and relieve gastrointestinal disorders (some of which might be brought on by the worms). Epazote leaves can be poulticed on arthritic joints, athlete’s foot, and insect bites.
Toi toi - Mini - 91aCMK
Purau Gardens
Rick Gender's Purau Gardens is located in Purau by the Lyttleton Harbour. Well known as an historic early market garden for Christchurch with a great climate and rich volcanic soil. No chemicals or fertilisers are required for the production of fantastic fruit and vegetables and its relative isolation makes this a great area for specialist seed production and development.
Giant Alderman - 57RG
Sara Pepers-Hiltrop
Gardening and growing is my life. This is a picture of me in my 3 year old garden which was rank, clumpy cocksfoot grass and heavy clay in March 2020 when we moved here. I've worked really hard to build up the soil and am a firm believer in the no dig and chop and drop methods, to mimic nature. So far I’ve scoped out about an acre of food forest with fruit trees, berries, root crops, perennials, natives, shrubs, bulbs and flower gardens, vegetable beds and tunnel houses. I'm looking forward to sharing what I have grown here and spreading the love of seeds and gardening.
Carla McKnight
At age 15 she had at least 40 plants in her room, some rather large.
Still keen on house plants, just a few more than 40 now, she believes a house without plants is an empty shell.
Now married to husband Paul, together they have three grown children with seven young grand kids, on an eleven acres in the Waikato with three Clydesdales, two miniature horses and a Quarter horse x, two cats and a dog.
Carla has spent most of her life working in gardens, has always had a keen interest in growing indoor and outside plants especially interested in native plantings. Now has big vegetable gardens/fruit trees and a small mostly native nursery keeping her busy. Wanting to make that little bit of difference for our environment and wildlife, the more people plant trees and grow their own produce the better.