With the passing of Imbolc and the noticeably longer days, Spring is drawing nearer. We usually like to wait a few more weeks to really steam ahead with our sowings but if you're lucky enough to have undercover propagation and growing space, now is a great time to get your peppers, chillies and aubergines started.

For those itching to sow tomatoes, we recommend waiting until early March. Tomatoes are usually much faster to grow and if sown now, will usually get too big too soon before it starts to warm up.

Our tried and tested methods for getting these seeds off to the best start is below. This is the same techniques for peppers, chillies, aubergines and tomatoes, so keep these notes handy for when it's time to sow your tomatoes too!

Need to stock up your seed stash in preparation? We've got a fantastic range of delicious open pollinated chillies, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines on our online shop below!

Top tips for sowing your tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and chillies:

1. Fill a 9cm pot or seed tray with fine seed sowing compost
2. Sprinkle some seeds on the surface and then cover with a thin layer of compost ~5mm and press down to make sure seeds have good contact with the compost
3. Water with a very fine-rose watering can, being careful not to displace the seeds
4. Place in a warm spot; you can use an electric propagator, or a sunny windowsill above a radiator. The seeds will germinate best with even temperatures of 25C; if they get cold at night they will take longer to come up
5. You can also wrap the propagator with blankets / a duvet to keep them extra cosy at night
6. Once the seedlings have emerged, they can be pricked out into module trays or pots depending on the space you have available. If you use modules you may need to pot on again once the plants are 4 inches tall
7. Keep well watered but do be careful not to over-water, especially chillies and peppers. Your compost should be as moist as a moist chocolate cake but no wetter or the plants will suffer
8. Once risk of frost has passed, probably around mid-May, your plants can be planted out in a sunny sheltered spot or under cover. They may still benefit from being covered by a bit of horticultural fleece if the weather is cold

A winter warmer soup - squash and cardamom

Our friends at the Little Cooking Pot have come up with another fantastic way to use up your winter squash.

Serves 4-6

You will need a hand blender or food mill (passatutto)

Extra virgin olive oil

1 large squash, seeds removed, cut into similar size wedges

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and roughly ground.

8 cardamom pods, cracked open

2 shallots, peeled & sliced into half moons

A thumb of fresh turmeric, finely grated or 1 teaspoon powdered turmeric

A big thumb of ginger, finely grated

2 green chillies, finely chopped sea salt

400ml good quality coconut milk

1 lime

Tamari or soy sauce

Thai basil, sweet basil or coriander

Toasted pumpkin seeds

Chilli oil

• Set your oven to 200c and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Pop your squash onto the tray and drizzle with olive oil, the coriander seeds and a good pinch of sea salt & freshly cracked pepper. Use your hands to massage the squash, making sure all the pieces are coated with oil before putting into the oven. Roast the squash until the pieces are soft and slightly charred in places, around 35-45 minutes, depending on their size.
• When the squash is ready, heat a few glugs of oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Add the cardamom pods, frying for a minute to flavour the oil, before adding the shallots, turmeric, ginger and chillies. Gently fry until the shallots soften and the garlic turns golden. Next add the roasted squash, mix well, then add the coconut milk and 1.2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the squash is beginning to melt into the broth.
• Turn off the heat and use a hand blender or food mill, to purée the soup. Add a good squeeze of lime and a splash of soy sauce, mix well and have a taste. Once you’re happy with the flavour, ladle into bowls and top with fresh herbs, toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of chilli oil.

Enjoy!

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All the best and happy seed sowing :)

Chloe and the rest of the team

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P.S. our next newsletter will dive into all things sowing as we step into the busiest time of year for propagation, March! - stay tuned!