No. 145: Sun, stress, and suitcases? Let your garden flourish instead!

A few months ago, I let you know that we were busy setting up our Facebook page. Since then, weekly posts have appeared there about new acquisitions, offers, and what's happening behind the scenes. Are you not following us yet?

You can do so via this link: www.facebook.com/vreekenszaden

And... with great enthusiasm (and at your request!) I can now also announce that we have started Instagram for Vreeken's Zaden! We are still at the beginning, but behind the scenes, we are working hard to make something beautiful out of it. The link is below, but you can also find us under the name: vreekenszaden.

Follow us now and grow with us: www.instagram.com/vreekenszaden

Are you a fan of ours?! Do you like to be at the front of the line when ordering special offers? Or have exclusive access to special seeds?

We are also still very busy with the VreekenClub; we've had it for a while now, and we're going to breathe new life into it! We want to give our loyal customers an extra advantage; you can expect us to offer our special promotions to you first and that we will come up with many more great benefits. We also have special seeds that are so rare that we only want to offer them to our regular customers.

Take a look at our website and become a member of the VreekenClub!

This nasturtium stands out with its beautiful flowers in shades from purple-pink to antique rose. The climbing plants are ideal for growing on a trellis or for placing in pots and containers. Like the leaves, the flowers are also edible – adding both colour and flavour to your garden!

Due to its extra compact growth, this variety is perfect for smaller spaces – think window boxes, pots, or a sunny corner on the patio. The fresh green, round leaves, like the flowers, are edible and a festive addition to salads. The flowers bloom in soft shades from pink to salmon pink, with charming wine-red spots at the distinctively yellow throat. A beautiful sight and wonderfully versatile!

This nasturtium steals the show with its fresh lemon-yellow flowers and deep dark red spots in the heart – a beautiful color contrast! Thanks to its compact growth, this variety is ideally suited for pots, window boxes, or a small (vegetable) garden. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible and give salads a spicy, colorful twist. Practical, decorative, and tasty!

514372 – Clitoria ternatea ‘The Blues’

With strong growth, the Butterfly Pea produces an abundance of elegant, 5 cm single and double flowers with a yellow throat and a beautiful bulge in summer. After flowering, edible pods appear; remove them for a longer flowering period. If grown in a large pot, it can overwinter in a cool place. Give it a sunny to lightly shaded spot and enjoy! Did you know that in Asia, blue Clitoria is used to color rice blue? Unique and beautiful!

Order Clitoria here

580160 – Centaurea dealbata

This very hardy plant opens its bronze-colored buds into purplish-pink (magenta) flowers that seem almost luminous. The sturdy stems, about 90 cm tall, proudly bear the flowers and stand slightly above the foliage. Butterflies, bees, and other insects love them. Give the cornflower a sunny to semi-shaded spot and enjoy the vibrancy in your garden!

Order Centaurea here

586100 – Echinacea pupurea ‘Purple’

Sturdy stems bear a beautiful orange-bronze flower heart, surrounded by purplish-pink ray florets. This beauty blooms from mid-summer to late autumn and grows to about 100 cm tall. Give it a sunny spot in the garden. It is said that the plant can help boost immunity, for example against colds. Please note: when using medicinal herbs, it is always important to gather good information first!

Order Echinacea here

593920 – Lathyrus latifolius ‘Pink Pearl’

This elegant perennial sweet pea transforms your garden with its clusters of pearly pink flowers. With its sturdy tendrils, it climbs up to 2 meters high and brightens up every corner, from garden to balcony. A magnet for butterflies and a feast for the eyes! Give it a spot in the sun or light shade and enjoy its long flowering period from June to September. Sow, climb, and admire!

There are still plenty of vegetables you can sow in July! I've already highlighted a few favorites for you.

140300 – Kale ‘Lippischer Braunkohl’

This beautiful red kale, organically grown and with a rich history, comes from the region around Lippstadt. The blue-green 'Lippische Palm' can grow up to 2 meters tall and has slightly curled leaves. Its mild flavor even improves after a night of frost. After sowing, you can easily distinguish between the red- and green-leaved plants. Prune the flower stalks in spring, and you'll have a cheerful perennial tree that will bring you joy for years!

Order the kale here

020700 – Beets ‘Bull’s Blood’

After 35 days, you'll harvest young, deep dark red leaves – beautiful and ideal for salads. Even with less sun, the color remains intense! After 60 days, the bulbs are ripe; sliced raw, they reveal a striking pattern of red and white. So, you can process the thinned plants immediately. A versatile mix of beauty and taste!

Order the beets here

304000 – Spring Onions ‘White Lisbon’

This classic among spring onions grows quickly and yields beautiful, firm white bulbs with fresh, green stems. Perfect for use anywhere in the kitchen: from salads to soups and sauces. Its mild, slightly spicy flavor makes it a true flavor enhancer that you won't want to miss. Easily sow them in your garden or in a large pot and harvest throughout the season!

Order the spring onions here

880020 – Mushroom Spawn Summer Sale

To continue supplying good and fresh grow kits, we are also selling off this product in the summer to clear out the cold room. The composition of the collection may vary slightly, but the discount is the same. The package may contain: mushroom kits and/or plugs.

Order the summer sale here

Proper pruning is important for the growth and flowering of your plants. It helps to remove old branches, maintain shape, and strengthen the plants. With the right tools, this work becomes much easier and more precise. Our harvesting and pruning tools are durable and comfortable, allowing you to maintain your garden with pleasure and care. This way, you keep your plants healthy and your garden beautiful, season after season.

A package full of exciting, unique, and tasty potatoes from our extensive assortment. We'll choose for you what's currently available.

You can still plant potatoes in July – and even into August. Many have already done so and enjoyed delicious, young potatoes in the autumn!

If you plant bulbs in the coming weeks, they will "shoot" out of the ground, I promise you! Our enormous assortment is of course never completely sold out, which is why we are also starting a great sale with these colorful and cheerful bulbs and tubers, feel free to be tempted! We deliver 55-110% more bulbs for the purchase price (35-55% discount, so...)

There's still plenty available within our edible bulb and tuber assortment:

• Seed potatoes: fun to plant late in the year, so you can enjoy delicious, young potatoes in the autumn.
  
  
• Garlic, onion sets, and shallots: these classics speak for themselves and can be harvested at any growth stage.
  
  
• Elephant garlic: perennial, with a mild garlic flavor and beautiful blooms.
  
  
• Oca, Indian potato, Yam, etc.: we still have a small assortment of these unique tubers that will let you discover new flavors.

We will put together a nice package of (some of) the above varieties worth €50,- and offer it for half price: only €25,-!

880009 – Sweet Potato Surprise

We've put together a lovely package with 10 sweet potato plants. It's a surprise what varieties are included! Normally valued at €11.25, we're offering this package for €7.50.

This well-known tuber has been cultivated in South America for over 5,000 years. This important source of carbohydrates is now spread throughout the entire (sub)tropical world. Besides the (cooked) tuber, the leaves – prepared like spinach – are also very popular. The "starter plants" you purchase can be propagated by cuttings throughout the season, quickly filling a bed with plants.

Order the sweet potato surprise here

Want to choose your own sweet potatoes? Then be sure to check out our extensive online assortment!

View all our sweet potatoes here

840500 – Winter Begonia

The grey-green, heart-shaped leaves with a reddish-brown underside are an immediate eye-catcher. The small, single, light pink flowers, which are softly fragrant and edible, bring the plant to about 1 meter in height. This star performer blooms deep into autumn! Give it a semi- to fully shaded, moist spot and let yourself be surprised, year after year. A little winter cover is recommended, as they tolerate frost down to -10°C.

Order the winter begonia here

Spicy Peppers

We have beautiful pepper plants that will set your taste buds on fire! Think of the yellow and red Adjuma, and one of the hottest peppers in the world: the Carolina Reaper. A party in your mouth (though perhaps a little less festive after eating).

Order the peppers here

We also have a collection with all 3 peppers and 2 packets of pepper surprise seeds

Finally, a nice report from Franska! She has a lovely website full of news and facts, interesting to follow. She pointed out that she had mentioned us in a post about her visit to Dordrecht.