Organic Seed

Thyme for Tea?

2010-05-30T16:36:00.031+01:00

Organic herbs can be used to make refreshing, soothing, relaxing or even invigorating teas, many of which have the added benefit of having therapeutic qualities. At the Green Seed Company we're particularly partial to, no, not green tea (far too predictable!), but a cup or 2 of chamomile tea, enjoyed in the warm summer afternoons, ah bliss ....

As a general guide, allow around one teaspoon of dried or 2 teaspoons of fresh herbs per cup,(1 tablespoon of dried or 2 tablespoons of fresh for an average sized tea pot) pour over boiled water and steep for around 5 minutes. Bruising the leaves of fresh herbs beforehand can help to release the flavours of more delicate varieties.

Mr Green prefers to use disposable tea filters (see our special offer below), made with unbleached tea bag paper, which allow him to stop the infusion at precisely the right time, there's no need for straining (we all know Mr Green doesn't like to strain himself!) and the used bag and contents can be chucked straight onto the compost heap. Sometimes the used tea bag has even been known to make a detour via a relaxing bath before reaching its final destination!

Some herbal teas to try include thyme (possibly sweetened with honey) to promote sleep, peppermint to aid indigestion and improve appetite, lemon balm 'Melissa' tea as a remedy for headaches and tiredness, sage, for coughs and colds, basil, to relieve nausia, parsley as a diruetic and to relieve rheumatic pain, and chamomile (made with the flowers only) for a soothing, pleasant pick-me-up.

Alternatively, try some deliciously refreshing iced teas, make some peppermint milk for an alternative nightcap or simply add your favourite herb to traditional tea leaves. Experiment by combining several herbs or by adding honey or lemon juice. Don't forget the leaves of other fruit plants such as strawberries or raspberries make delicious infusions too.

Special offer: Buy 6 or more packets of herb seeds from Green Seed Company between now and 30th June 2010 and we'll send you 6 disposable tea filters free of charge.

From Artichoke to Zucchini

2010-04-23T13:36:00.088+01:00

Well, it's been a while! Between filling seed packets and fulfilling customer orders as quickly as we can, it's been a busy period, and finding the time to escape to the Green Seed Company greenhouse hasn't been easy. Mr Green has, however, succeeded where I have failed! Well, you know what they say.... all work and no play. And so this morning, having had a brief , if somewhat wet, wander around the organic veg patch and the herb garden, I sought shelter in the greenhouse, and am pleased to report that the Green Seed organic seedlings are coming along very nicely.... well, most of them anyway!

Those who know me well will realise that I like a list (cringe), and preferably a red pen for ticking off completed tasks (even worse)! Being a bit wet this morning though, I had to make do with a mental list, and pretty soon realised that, although we (and by we, I obviously mean Mr Green) had sown practically everything in between, we'd (he'd!) missed out A and Z. No artichoke and no zucchini! My suspicious mind wonders if this has anything at all to do with the fact that Mr Green likes neither! Not to worry, still plenty of time.

Having quickly sown four organic globe artichoke seeds (Imperial Star) and two organic courgette seeds (Dundoo F1), I set about reminding Mr Green why it is we like to grow these!

As well as producing deliciously tasty globes, artichokes are beautiful architectural plants and, for those who don't enjoy preparing or eating the buds, (mentioning no names, of course!) they're still very much worth growing for the beautiful flowers that the uncut buds will turn into. Not only do these look striking in the border, they'll be enjoyed by beneficial insects and can even be left on the plant to dry and then cut and used for decoration indoors.

We normally only sow a couple of courgettes. With each plant producing anything up to 20 fruits and the fact that Mr Green isn't that keen (nor the kids for that matter!), two plants is more than ample!

Courgettes are so easy to grow and so versatile. All you have to do is remember to harvest them, well, that, and be on slug patrol! I've actually managed to persuade even Mr Green to enjoy Jamie Oliver's 'Courgette Carbonara' and our younger daughter, having been initially disgusted that the school dinner ladies should dare to add grated courgette to her favourite chocolate muffins has, eventually, plucked up the courage to try one and reluctantly agrees that they're actually, surprisingly, very tasty!

So, there is hope. Maybe next year I won't have to remind Mr Green to sow A and Z.... we might even grow 3 courgette plants next year!

Go on, grow green!

Welcome ..... a Chilli start

2010-02-21T15:09:00.038Z

What an absolutely gorgeous day! Still a definite nip in the air up here in the glorious green glens of Angus, but fantastic all the same. Certainly puts a wee smile on your face and a spring in your step!

Anyway, on to the green stuff! Having emptied the Green Seed Company greenhouse (well, come on, what colour would you expect the house of the Green Seed Company to be?) yesterday, and scrubbed the old terracotta pots, inside and out, it was, at long last, time to get down to the serious stuff.

A little early, perhaps, but armed with a nice new bag of organic compost, and some Broadleaf P4, an eco-friendly water storer come soil conditioner we're trialling, we set up our shabby old potting table in the sun and set about sowing a selection of organic Green Seed Company seeds - early jalapeno, habanero, hungarian hot wax and ring o' fire (that one certainly doesn't leave much to the imagination!).

Having drowned the P4 with a few pints of water, which the granules soon soaked up, it turned into little lumps of wobbly jelly, then magically disappeared as we mixed it into the crumbly compost. Then it was just a case of filling the pots, dropping a seed on the surface, then covering it with a fine layer of compost. A wee drink of tepid water, a label, and the chilli pots, because the Green Seed Company greenhouse is unheated, have been allowed indoors onto a nice sunny windowsill (no, it's not green!).

Now, it's time to watch and wait. The Broadleaf P4 promises improved germination and root growth, as well as reducing watering by up to 75%. So, together with the best quality Green Seed Company organic seeds, there'll be no problem!

Go on, grow green!