Shirogoma Sesame (85 Days)

White Seeded. Imagine homegrown sesame seed, toasted and sprinkled over your favorite dish or freshly baked rolls. Shirogoma Sesame is an ancient crop dating back thousands of years. Tropical like plants thrive in long, hot summers and are easy to grow. Begins flowering approximately 2 months from seeding with tubular-shaped flowers growing in clusters around the stem. Older flowers, located lower on the plant, produce the first seed pods while newer flowers begin to form above. This process continues throughout the growing season with each plant growing 3-4 feet. Multi-stemmed plants produce 1-2 inch pods with approximately 30 on each stem. Allow pods to dry on or off the plant. They are ready to harvest when the pods begin to split.    500 Seeds PLANTING Sesame indicum Annual Germination: 7-12 days Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 70-85ºF. Seed Sowing Depth: 1/4” deep Starting Indoors: 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot. Thin to the strongest seedling. Provide 70-85ºF soil temperature. Transplant after last frost,  6-12" apart in rows 12-24" apart. Do not overwater seedlings, let the soil dry out between waterings. Sowing Outdoors: After the last frost when the soil temperature reaches at least 70ºF. Sow 5-6 seeds per foot, thin to 6-12" apart when they are 4" tall. Harvest: Pods start ripening from the bottom of the plant and begin to split when they are ready to harvest. In a shorter growing season, you can cut the pod covered stems from the base and dry them indoors on a flat surface. Once the pods have opened collect the seeds by hitting the plants against the side of a container or over a cloth/tarp. Another way is to collect the green pods off the plant and place them in a paper bag until they are dried.  Tips: Plant Shirogoma Sesame into average, well-drained soil. Keep well weeded. Do not overwater seedlings, allow the soil to dry out between waterings.