Portulaca oleracea - glistrida Listing for 200 seeds Sow: Late winter/late spring and late summer/autumn. Surface sow at 1.5mm (1/16in) deep in pots or trays containing good seed compost. Do not cover the seed as they need light for germination. Make sure the compost is moist but not wet and seal inside a polythene bag until germination which usually takes 5 to 21 days at 20*C (68*F). Transplant the indoor seedlings when large enough to handle into pots and grow on. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Their ideal position would be in full sun, with a fertile soil that is not too wet. Space 30cm (12in) Water regularly until mature. Cultivation: Prune in spring or after flowering to encourage bushiness. It self-seeds easily when happy, so deadhead it if you don't want a lot more rue. It is perennial, but mulch in winter in very cold areas. Once it gets going, you can propagate it by cutting off the tips of branches and rooting them. Root rot may occur, particularly in poorly drained soils. Wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning or handling the foliage. Culinary Uses: It is commonly encountered in ancient Roman cooking and is sometimes still used in Italy; it is a favorite in Ethiopian dishes. It goes well with acidic flavours and is added to pickles. It also flavours meat, cheese, or eggs and tastes good with olives and capers in sauces. You can get the rue flavour without its bitterness by putting it in a boiling sauce for no more than a minute and then removing it. That way only the essential oils are extracted into the sauce and not the bitter rutin. Extracting into oil should also provide less of the bitter principle. Rue sometimes flavours liquors, as in grappa con ruta Fresh leaves are used in cooking in very small amounts and are said to give a flavour like strong blue cheese ("graveolens" means strong smell in Latin). Rue is in the citrus family and contains lots of rutin, the same bitter stuff that is in the white parts of oranges. Medicinal Uses: Many modern herbalists have concerns about its safety when used by unqualified practitioners. All parts of this plant are poisonous in large quantities and should not be used at all by pregnant women since it can induce abortions. ******************************************************************** Follow as on Instagram : darkwingsshop Like as on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/darkwingstheshop Take a look at our new shop : https://www.etsy.com/shop/darkwingsshop ********************************************************************* All seeds in my shop are from my organic garden here in Greece. * I give a lot of time and effort to keep you all satisfied so PLEASE READ THE SHOP POLICIES before you purchase something from my shop. If you purchase something you automatically accept shop policies. * UPGRADE YOUR ORDER TO REGISTER MAIL if you want safer transaction, tracking number and faster delivery. * Germination rate depends on the country and the weather conditions