Crops in: 90 Days

Flowers: Summer

Height: 18 inches

Position: Full Sun

Hardiness Rating: 5 6 7 8

Description: Ideal for rich foods plus traditional sage and onion stuffing with duck and goose. A useful gargle for sore throats. And don't forget that it also looks great in the perennial border. Companion Plant: Reputed to ward off carrot fly planted next to carrots. With cabbage said to improve their flavour and digestibility and to repel Cabbage Moth and Cabbage White Butterfly.

Sowing Instructions: Sow March to May on the surface of lightly firmed, moist compost in pots or trays and cover with a 12mm (½ inch) layer of compost or vermiculite. Keep at a temperature of between 15-20C (59-68F). After sowing, do not exclude light as this helps germination. Keep the surface of the compost moist but not waterlogged; germination will usually take 14-21 days.

Growing Instructions: When large enough to handle, transplant seedlings into 7.5cm (3 inch) pots or trays. Gradually acclimatise young plants to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 45-60cm (18 to 24 inches) apart.

Aftercare Instructions: For best results, provide any well-drained soil in full sun, however try to avoid acidic soils. The flavour of the leaves will be best in warm, dry conditions. To keep plants bushy, prune in spring to encourage new shoots with strong flavour. Harvest leaves as and when required once plants are well grown.