Soup & Stew Vegetables

Tomato Pink 'Maliniak' – Seeds (Solanum lycopersicum)

The Tomato Pink 'Maliniak' is a traditional Polish heirloom variety known for its large, pink, fleshy fruits bursting with rich, sweet flavor. This mid-season tomato is a favorite among home gardeners for its outstanding taste, meaty texture, and versatility in the kitchen. Perfect for slicing, fresh salads, and sandwiches, it also performs beautifully in sauces and preserves.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors from February to April, 0.5 cm deep in seed trays or pots.

• Keep at 18–22°C until germination.

• Transplant seedlings into larger pots when strong enough, then outdoors or into a greenhouse after frost has passed.

• Provide support as plants grow tall and bear heavy fruits.

Key Features

• Large, pink fleshy fruits with rich, sweet taste

• Traditional Polish heirloom tomato

• Mid-season variety with reliable yields

• Ideal for fresh eating and cooking

• Strong, healthy plants suitable for greenhouse or outdoor cultivation

Ideal For

• Fresh salads and sandwiches

• Cooking into sauces and soups

• Traditional and heirloom vegetable gardens

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: February to April

• Plant out: May to June (after frost)

• Harvest: July to September

Quick Tip

• For best flavor, allow fruits to fully ripen on the vine before picking. Regular feeding boosts size and sweetness.

Swiss Chard 'Rainbow' Mix – Seeds (Beta vulgaris)

Swiss Chard 'Rainbow' Mix is a vibrant blend of brightly colored chard varieties, producing stems in shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, and white. Not only is it highly decorative in the garden, but it’s also delicious and nutritious. The tender leaves can be used like spinach, while the crunchy stems add color and flavor to stir-fries, soups, and sautés. A cut-and-come-again crop, it will provide a long season of harvests from summer well into autumn.

How to Grow

• Sow outdoors: March – August, directly into prepared soil.

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

• Spacing: Thin seedlings to 25–30 cm apart.

• Keep soil consistently moist for tender, flavorful leaves.

Key Features

• Mix of colorful chard varieties

• Edible leaves and crunchy stems

• Long cropping season

• Cut-and-come-again harvests

• Both ornamental and edible

Ideal For

• Kitchen gardens and allotments

• Edible borders and decorative planting

• Healthy cooking and juicing

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: March – August

• Harvest: June – November

Quick Tip

Harvest young leaves regularly for salads and cooking. Mature stems can be steamed or sautéed for added color and flavor.

Spinach 'Matador' – Seeds

(Spinacia oleracea) – Fast-Growing, Productive Variety

Spinach 'Matador' is a vigorous and reliable variety producing large, dark green, smooth leaves with a tender texture and rich flavor. It is well-suited for both spring and autumn sowings, offering multiple harvests of vitamin-rich leaves. This cold-hardy variety is slow to bolt, making it a favorite for home gardeners and kitchen use.

Key Features

• Type: Leafy annual vegetable

• Height: 20–30 cm

• Leaves: Large, smooth, dark green, tender

• Flavor: Mild, rich, and slightly sweet

• Harvest: 40–50 days after sowing

• Special: Good resistance to bolting

Ideal For

• Fresh salads, smoothies, and juicing

• Steaming, sautéing, and soups

• Continuous cut-and-come-again harvest

• Home gardens, allotments, and pots

Sowing & Growing

• Sow outdoors: March–May and August–September

• Spacing: 20–30 cm between rows; thin to 10 cm between plants

• Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained soil

• Sunlight: Full sun or partial shade

• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist to avoid bolting

Care Tips

• Harvest young leaves regularly for best taste.

• Provide light shade in hot summers.

• Mulch to keep soil cool and retain moisture.

Parsley 'Festival 68' – Seeds (Petroselinum crispum)

Bring fresh, aromatic flavor to your kitchen with Parsley 'Festival 68', a robust, curly-leaf variety known for its high yield and exceptional flavor. Ideal for soups, salads, sauces, and garnishes, this versatile herb thrives in home gardens and containers. Easy to grow and slow to bolt, 'Festival 68' ensures a long-lasting supply of fresh parsley throughout the season.

How to Grow

. Sow indoors: February – April, 0.5–1 cm deep in pots or trays
. Sow outdoors: March – June in fertile, well-drained soil
. Thin seedlings to 15–20 cm apart
. Prefers full sun or partial shade and regular watering
. Harvest leaves continuously to encourage new growth

Key Features

. Curly-leaf parsley with strong flavor
. High-yielding and slow to bolt
. Suitable for beds, borders, and containers
. Long-lasting harvest for fresh cooking
. Easy to grow, versatile culinary herb

Ideal For

. Soups, salads, sauces, and garnishes
. Home gardeners and container cultivation
. Continuous fresh herb supply throughout the season
. Companion planting with tomatoes, carrots, or asparagus

Sowing & Harvest

. Sow: February – June
. Harvest: April – October

Quick Tip

Regularly snip outer leaves instead of cutting the entire plant to promote continuous growth.

Kale 'Red Russian' Seeds (Brassica oleracea)

Bring color and nutrition to your garden with Kale 'Red Russian', a hardy variety with tender, oak-shaped leaves flushed with purple-red veins. Sweeter and milder than many other kales, it’s perfect for salads, smoothies, steaming, and stir-fries. Cold-hardy and easy to grow, it thrives from early spring to late winter, providing a long season of nutrient-rich harvests.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors in early spring or direct outdoors from spring to mid-summer.

• Prefers fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

• Sow 1 cm deep in rows 45 cm apart.

• Thin or transplant seedlings to 40–50 cm apart.

• Harvest young leaves for salads or allow plants to mature for larger leaves.

Key Features

• Attractive purple-red veined leaves with tender texture

• Mild, sweet flavor compared to traditional kales

• Cold-hardy and reliable through autumn and winter

• Perfect for cut-and-come-again harvesting

• Nutrient-rich superfood, high in vitamins and minerals

Ideal For

• Fresh salads and smoothies

• Stir-fries, soups, and steaming

• Year-round kitchen gardens

• Gardeners seeking hardy, reliable greens

Sowing

• Best time: March to July

• Depth: 1 cm

• Row spacing: 45 cm

• Plant spacing: 40–50 cm

• Harvest: From 6–8 weeks after sowing

Quick Tip

• Harvest young leaves regularly to promote fresh growth and sweeter flavor.

Dwarf Dill 'Forrest' – Seeds

(Anethum graveolens) – Compact, Aromatic Herb

Dwarf Dill 'Forrest' is a compact, slow-bolting variety ideal for small gardens, pots, and window boxes. Its fragrant, feathery leaves are perfect for seasoning salads, soups, pickles, and fish dishes. This variety produces consistent, tender foliage and is easy to grow even in limited space.

Key Features

• Type: Annual herb

• Height: Dwarf, 25–35 cm

• Flavor: Classic aromatic dill, mild and fresh

• Harvest: Leaf harvest from 40–50 days after sowing

• Use: Culinary seasoning, pickling, fresh salads

Ideal For

• Small gardens, balconies, and containers

• Culinary use in salads, soups, and sauces

• Companion planting in vegetable beds

• Homegrown, fresh herb supply

Sowing & Growing

• Sow outdoors: March–June, thin seedlings to 10–15 cm apart.

• Sow indoors: February–April, transplant seedlings carefully.

• Soil: Light, well-drained, moderately fertile.

• Sunlight: Full sun preferred.

• Harvest: Cut leaves as needed; avoid cutting entire plants for continuous growth.

Care Tips

• Keep soil evenly moist for tender leaves.

• Regular harvesting encourages bushier growth.

• Protect young plants from strong wind or heavy rain.

Winter Leek ‘Elephant’ – 400 Seeds

(Allium porrum) – Giant Winter Leek

The Winter Leek ‘Elephant’ is a traditional variety producing thick, tall stems with excellent cold tolerance, making it perfect for harvesting right through the winter months. With its mild, sweet onion-like flavor and robust size, it is a reliable crop for the kitchen garden. Ideal for soups, stews, roasting, and classic leek dishes.

Key Features

• Type: Winter-hardy leek

• Stems: Thick, long, and upright

• Flavor: Mild, sweet, and tender

• Harvest period: November to March

• Position: Full sun or partial shade

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained, moisture-retentive

Ideal For

• Winter harvesting and extended cropping

• Soups, stews, casseroles, and roasting

• Kitchen gardens, allotments, and small farms

• Cold-climate vegetable production

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: January–March in modules or seed trays.

• Sow outdoors: March–April in a prepared seedbed.

• Transplant: May–June, spacing 15 cm apart in rows 30–40 cm apart.

• Harvest: From late autumn through to early spring.

Care Tips

• Earth up around stems to blanch them and keep them tender.

• Keep soil moist during dry spells.

• Rotate crops yearly to avoid onion pests and diseases.

Welsh Onion 'Kroll' – Seeds (Allium fistulosum)

The Welsh Onion 'Kroll' is a hardy and versatile perennial onion grown for its slender, upright stems and mild, onion-like flavor. Unlike bulb onions, it does not form bulbs but produces clusters of long, hollow stems that can be cut and used fresh like spring onions or left to grow for a stronger flavor. An easy, cut-and-come-again crop that thrives year after year.

How to Grow

• Sow seeds outdoors from March to July or indoors earlier for transplanting.

• Sow thinly, 1 cm deep, in rows 20 cm apart.

• Thin seedlings to 10 cm spacing once established.

• Prefers well-drained, fertile soil in full sun.

• Harvest by cutting stems as required, leaving roots intact for regrowth.

Key Features

• Perennial onion producing clusters of hollow stems

• Mild, fresh onion flavor

• Easy cut-and-come-again harvest

• Hardy and long-lived in the garden

• Perfect alternative to spring onions

Ideal For

• Soups, salads, stir-fries, and garnishes

• Kitchen gardens, allotments, and containers

• Low-maintenance perennial cropping

• Year-round use in cooking

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: March to July

• Depth: 1 cm

• Spacing: 10 cm between plants, 20 cm between rows

• Harvest: June to October, with regrowth year after year

Quick Tip

• Divide clumps every few years to keep plants vigorous and productive.

Spinach 'Winter Giant' – Seeds (Spinacia oleracea)

Spinach 'Winter Giant' is a hardy, reliable variety that thrives in cooler conditions, producing large, dark green leaves with a tender texture and rich flavor. As one of the best winter spinach types, it’s perfect for autumn sowing and will provide fresh harvests well into the colder months.

Packed with vitamins and minerals, this spinach is ideal for healthy salads, steaming, sautéing, or adding to soups and casseroles.

How to Grow

. Sow directly outdoors from August to October for overwintering crops
. Space seeds 5 cm apart, thinning seedlings to 10–15 cm apart
. Prefers fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade
. Keep soil moist to prevent bolting and ensure tender leaves
. Harvest young leaves regularly to encourage continuous growth

Key Features

. Hardy winter variety, excellent for cool-season growing
. Large, deep green leaves with great flavor
. Rich in vitamins A, C, and iron
. Ideal for salads, cooking, and freezing
. Reliable harvests even in colder weather

Sowing & Harvest

. Sow from August to October
. Harvest from October to March

Short Tip

Pick leaves regularly when young and tender for the best flavor and continued production.