This little British bred super star can be on your plate 3 weeks from sowing.  Price for 100 seeds.

SOW & GROW: at any time of the year but best with protection from late autumn to early spring.  At these times it can be grown in a cool greenhouse, cold frame or under cloches.  Astra is suitable for container growing: successional sowing will keep you going almost all year round.  Picking frequently encourages new growth and discourages bolting in warmer weather (Astra is bolt resistant).  You can treat it as cut-&-come-again – cut about 3cm above the ground and it will sprout more than once.

EAT: enjoy the traditional peppery rocket flavour of Astra in your salad or try it wilted as an alternative to (or indeed mixed with) spinach.

This fabulous fivesome will really maximise your mini leaves… salads come in all shapes and sizes but baby leaves have all their flavour packed in their tender young growth thus they are also a speedy choice!  Keep picking for even more lushness and repeat sow every few weeks so a small space can produce meals and meals worth of flavour and all this for one great price saving you 15%

Contains one packet each of...

Italiko Rosso ~ featuring bright red stems and ribs and dark green serrated leaves this heirloom is a stunner.  Start cutting when they are 5-7cm tall and add whole or shred this chicory for your salad mix.  (100 seeds)

Magentaspreen ~ cut the plants when 10-15 tall.  You can simply cut or chop a few leaves into a mixed salad.  Wilt them in a little butter in a pan, add to stir fry or steam and serve with olive oil and lemon juice:  these yummy leaves and stem tips are "dusted" with beautiful iridescent magenta  (100 seeds)

Molokia ~ with thousands of years of history behind this veg some bright spark has now called them a “new” superfood! Certainly a super time trying out all the different things that they can be used for: from salads to soups and so much more  (100 seds)                                     

Red Carpet ~ a bold rich red right from the first growth with a mild flavour when young…think of adding this to your burgers for a homegrown BBQ boost!  Keep picking as they will resprout several times  (150 seeds)

Red Wizard F1 ~ sow then wait 20-25 days, full of flavour and goodness this Pak Choi also features a rich colour that is retained through hotter weather (100 seeds).

The scrumptious sweet leaves are a dark glossy green, they can be harvested after just 4 weeks. Theses leaves have a slightly curled edge (for the technically inclined this gives the leaves ‘lift’ in a salad mix by creating air spaces!). The lovely white stems can be eaten raw (great for dips) or cooked. Price for 40 seeds

The steel blue leaf surface of Blue Pepe is set against purplish undersides and dramatic red flowers.  Perfect at a small size for your salads to add a dash of peppery flavour.  The flowers combine a sweet and spicy flavour with the hint of fruit.  They will also make a delicious addition to your salads. Price for 20 seeds

Bull’s Blood Beetroot belongs in this baby leaf section because it is the fabulous leaf that is the primary reason for growing it rather than the root!

The bold deep burgundy colour and sweet flavour make it a stunning addition to your salads. You can take your first picking after about 5 weeks from sowing, and if you keep them moist they will resprout for a second salad cut.

Picking the leaves takes energy away from the root growth so that these are much slower to form and often will stay insignificant as you harvest the leaves.  Any roots are dark red, well flavoured and can have an attractive striped interior; pull after 6 weeks or so lovely mini beets but they are very slow to put on any more bulk than this.

For the best beetroot roots take a look at the main beetroot section.

Featuring bright red stems and ribs and dark green serrated leaves Italiko Rosso is a stunning heirloom. Harvest young for a tangy, colourful salad leaf.  Cut them as you need them, the smaller leaves and the inner ones have a milder flavour.  A useful plant choice for a shaded patch which will also result in a milder flavour. 100 Seeds.

SOW: from early spring right through to the autumn, in modules or in situ (with protection for early and late sowings). 

GROW: for cut-&-come-again start cutting when they are 5-7cm tall.   Keep them well watered particularly in hot weather.  Later sowings can produce leaves through the winter if grown on under cover.  Pick small leaves, and the inner ones, for a milder flavour: at their best no taller than 20cm 

EAT:  simply add whole or shred for your salad mix.  The flavour balances well with stronger flavours from ingredients such as anchovies, mackerel, sharp cheese & sun dried toms.  Lightly cook for a subtle change in flavour and use as a base for cooked vegetables, fish and pasta.

For a mixed salad simply cut and chop a few leaves and pop them in your salad bowl – the leaves and stem tips are "dusted" with beautiful iridescent magenta, Magentaspreen can also be cooked.

The magenta colour rubs off and was once used as an alternative to lipstick!  Do keep an eye on these as the leaves are less tender when they grow larger... and they can grow - the alternative name is Tree Spinach and plants can each over 100cms so do pull them out before this and resow!   Price for 100 seeds

SOW & GROW: from March onwards to September (protect late sowings from frost).  Sow sparingly a pinch every few weeks for a supply of young leaves.  They prefer sun but will grow, with less colouring, in the shade. 

EAT: cut the plants when 10-15 tall.  You can simply cut or chop a few leaves into a mixed salad.  Wilt them in a little butter in a pan, add to stir fry or steam and serve with olive oil and lemon juice.  

With a history dating back to the Pharaohs Molokia will give you a tasty crop of leaves starting from 8 weeks from planting and then right through to the first frosts.  For cooking or salad use. 100 seeds

SOW: from MID-SPRING to MID-SUMMER, Molokia likes warm weather. Before sowing, the Molokia seeds need waking up! To do this, soak the seeds in hand-hot water for a few seconds. Then, soak them in room temperature water overnight. Once the soaking is complete, you can sow the seeds: sow a few seeds in each module or compostable pot and put on a sunny windowsill, in a cold frame or greenhouse. The seeds germinate very quickly, usually within 2 or 3 days. Thin to one plant per pot after 2 weeks.

GROW: once they have 5-7 leaves transplant carefully and space at 35-40cm apart (or 3 plants per container) and grow them in a sunny place. These are fast growing, and you can trim leaves after 6-8 weeks or so. They like a rich soil, and steady watering – not too much but they also dislike drought!   Plants will grow in a shrubby way and in warm climates can reach well over 1.5m so trim to keep small.  Prune the top couple of inches off each stem once the plant reaches 30cm in height. The leaves and stems that are removed can be enjoyed either raw or cooked. The more you cut the stems, the bushier it will grow. In autumn plants can produce small, yellow flowers. Followed by thin elongated seed pods. These pods are also edible

EAT & ENJOY: We think cooking them is the best way to enjoy them. Cooked leaves have a pleasant savory taste, with a distinctive aroma similar to coriander and even garlic. Try using them in the traditional Egyptian molokhia stew, paired with some lamb or fish. For a spicy twist, use the leaves in a Levantine-style soup, along with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and chili peppers.  Don’t forget to try the seed pods: harvest and use in the same way as okra. Molokia leaves can be eaten raw, although they tend to have a sharper almost bitter taste – mix them with a range of other salad leaves to add piquancy. Molokia leaves can also be dried and used to make tea or turned into a powder and used in cooking. Molokia greens are a staple ingredient in several African cuisines. They are full of nutrients & antioxidants, a great source of calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, and the vitamin B complex. With thousands of years of history behind them some bright spark has now called them a “new” superfood!

Red Carpet displays its rich red right from the first growth: stems, cotyledons and leaves are striking and start mild with a little more pepper to their flavour as they grow. Price for 150 seeds

SOW: in the open between April and August where you are wanting them to grow and just cover the seeds.  Apart from the coldest part of the winter you can also sow and grow these with protection for cool season use

GROW: it just grows!  Use them for cut-&-come-again cropping, it will resprout several times.  Keep watered in very dry weather, ready to harvest after 6-8 weeks, a little longer at cooler times of the year. 

EAT: milder when young (perfect for salads), larger leaves are more peppery and can be stir fried.  They go very well with red meat (i.e. beef) and burgers & sausages.

From its very first leaves Red Ruble produces intense dark wine-red serrated leaves.  A perfect babyleaf ready from 6 weeks, full of tasty goodness (with ten times the iron content of other kales), indeed the colour fades as the growth matures so keep picking the little leaves!  This variety can be sown and enjoyed all year round. Price for 100 seeds

SOW: indoors at any time of the year, happy on a window sill and outdoors from spring to autumn. Just lightly cover the seeds – lightly scatter in a seed tray or sow in rows outside.

GROW: These germinate quickly: and you ought to be able to start eating them from about 6 weeks or from about 5cm tall, takes a little longer at cooler times of the year.  You can use them as cut-&-come-again cropping, resprouting several times. You can sow every 2-3 weeks for a continuous supply of the young leaves: this variety can grow into larger plants but you will see that the colour fades away as the plants mature.

EAT: mix with lettuce and other baby leaves to enjoy richly textured and colourful tasty meals