December Tips
DECEMBER.
NOW IS THE TIME TO…..
sort out any remaining packets of seeds you have tucked away (hopefully in a cool dark place, stored in an airtight container, to prolong the life of the seeds). You can see if old seeds will still germinate by sowing a few on damp kitchen paper and putting in the airing cupboard or window sill, depending on the requirements of the seeds.
Look through the seed catalogues and make a preliminary list of what you’d like to grow, taking the amount of available space into consideration! It’s best to go through the list again before you place your order, or you are likely to end up with enough seeds to sow in a field!
December is also a good time for some INDOOR GARDENING.
You can grow MUSTARD AND CRESS in a dish or old container, which you probably did as a child. Just sow the seeds on damp kitchen paper. Put in the window sill and make sure the seeds don’t dry out. The seedlings will be ready to use (in turkey sandwiches?) in a week or so.
BEAN SPROUTS are easy to grow too. Take a handful of mung bean seeds (available at the Trading Post) and soak them in warm water in a large jar for about 8 hours. Stand the jar in a dark place, away from sunlight. Use water from the cold tap which is heated, not from the hot tap, to avoid bacterial contamination. Drain and rinse the beans with warm water. Cover loosely with kitchen paper. Thereafter, rinse twice daily with warm water until the sprouting seeds have two tiny yellow leaves, like ‘ears’. Rinse off the green husks with cold water. You can store the bean sprouts in the fridge for a day or two until you want to use them in stir fries or salads.
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