Golden Pearls - Solanum Villosum - Rare Sweet & Tangy Berries

Solanum Villosum, also known as the Hairy Nightshade, is a plant in the solanaceae (nightshade) family. It's been consumed by African cultures for centuries, and has finally made its debut appearance in North America. The berries have a very unique and delicious flavour. Although they can be eaten and enjoyed fresh, their flavour really shines when the ripe berries are picked as a cluster, and then left on a surface to further ripen until they shrivel like raisins; this really brings out their sweetness and complex flavours. When dried, they make an excellent addition to trail mixes, or can just be eaten plain by themselves. The fresh berries make an excellent tasting jam too.

Growing Instructions:

For the highest yields, It’s best to start Solanum Villosum seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost; we start them here on the farm in mid march. It's good to sow them in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). The soil should be made moist, but not damp. Sow the seeds 1/4 inch below the soil surface. Store in a warm area until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. A heat mat greatly aids in this step, but is not necessary. Seeds can take up to 2 weeks to germinate, but may take less time too. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures are consistently 8°C or higher; for us at the farm, this is around early May.

All seeds are organic and open pollinated.

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