Ashwagandha, Vedic (Withania somnifera) seeds, organic
$4.95 – $59.10
Family: Nightshade (Solanacea)
Hardy to Zones 8 to 12 , otherwise grown as an annual, 110 days to maturity
Evergreen or herbaceous subshrub, native to India. Grows 2 to 3 feet tall, producing eventually the lantern-like pods enclosing the pea-sized fruits, green at first and becoming bright red as the inflated calyx dries and becomes transparent. Pretty little winter cherries. This ecotype is the one most commonly used in herbal medicine, and is somewhat smaller than the African ecotype. Traditional usage (Ayurveda): energy and sexual tonic. Plant prefers full sun, fast-draining, alkaline (pH 7.5 to 8.0) soil and moderately dry conditions. Sweeten regular garden soil with ground limestone. Light dependent germinator. Sow in early spring indoors or in the greenhouse. Average germ time 15 days. Space 1 foot apart. Pretty little winter cherries. In colder zones, at the end of the first season, when the tops freeze back, dig the root, wash, cut up and dry the pieces for herbal use. In the warmer zones, it is possible to harvest a larger root in the fall of the second year.
Packet contains 50 seeds
1 g contains ~650 seeds
5 g contains ~3,250 seeds
10 g contains ~6,500 seeds
100 g contains ~65,000 seeds
Certified Organically Grown
Question
Sam (verified owner) –
Hey! So kinda nuts, I planted these seeds in a pot this time last year, and about 2 months ago they finally sprouted. I’m in zone 9. When should I transplant them?
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Richo Cech –
hi sam, how cool, we were just going out to the greenhouse to pot up more vedic ashwagandha starts. but ours came up in thje winter greenhouse
in the usual manner, taking a week or two. We transplant to larger pots when the second set of true leaves appear, and we keep close tabs on insect pests which seem to really love the solanacea. richo
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August –
is it possible to buy from Japan?
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Richo Cech –
Hello August, If you can buy it, we will send it, and we cannot guarantee receipt. Sometimes sending seeds to Japan is successful. Richo
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Gagan Deep Singh (verified owner) –
Hi, I just received my seeds and I’m in zone 8b. Can I still start the plants for this season? Or should I now wait for the next year?
Also, do i need any pretreatment for the seeds before I sow?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Gagan,
This is a great time to plant these fast-growing plants, do not hesitate! The seeds reuire no pretreatment–just barely cover with soil, tamp, and keep warm and in the light.
Richo
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Question
Stephen (verified owner) –
Living in zone 6, iwhat can I do to grow this as a perennial? If I can’t, will one year of growth yield enough root to harvest? Thank you!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Stephen, Thanks for writing. Even in India, these are generally dug and processed after only one season of growth. In a zone 6 summer, you start the seeds indoors 6 weeks before last frost, transplant out when the soil warms and dig the root right after the first frost. Yes, the root yield is good, this is the way we grow them, too. richo
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Virginia –
Can this be grown in containers and if so, what size container? I am using grow bags. I Purchased seeds from you in the fall.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Virginia, Thanks for writing! Plants grown for their taproot are not generally considered a good choice for containerized culture unless rather large containers are employed. I’d say 5 gallon minimum to accommodate the taproot. All the best, richo
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Question
Wendi –
Am I able to save seed from this plant (open pollenated)? Would I need to hand pollenate or simply protect it from crossing with other nightshades, or does it have a low affinity for crossing with other plants in the family?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Wendy, Thanks for contacting with a thoughtful question. You’ll love “Growing Plant Medicine Vol 2” which has monographs for the solanaceous plants and discusses pollination, isolation distances, etc. Ashwagandha is self-fertile and apomictic, it really requires no pollinators and doesn’t cross with other solanacea, Richo
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Claudio –
Please help, how can I consume my plants that are this big and when to save the seeds
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Richo Cech –
Hi Claudio, the light can come from the sun. The seeds need light to germinate. average germ time 15 days. The leaves are very high in withanolides and normally not taken–it is the root that is used. richo
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Question
DONNA WUNSCHE –
Hello, Can you send certificate with organic seeds to U.K.? Thanks
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Richo Cech –
hi donna, very sorry, we don’t ship to U.K. or E.U., the regulations have us beat. r
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Question
Sara (verified owner) –
Hi Richo, will you have the 5g or 10g packets available soon?
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Richo Cech –
hi sara, sorry, no, not until the new harvest. 1 g will be out of stock soon. hurry. r
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Question
Luis –
Richo,
If started in container what size should I transplant b4 it gets too big? If I wanted to grow it out in a container what size you’d recommend for its roots?
Should I avoid containers period?
Thanks, always!
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Richo Cech –
hi luis, these are worked up more or less the same as a tomato. I do think it makes sense to start them indoors and pot up to a 3-inch, then a 6 inch, then out to the garden. Like most plants it does better with its feet in real soil but if it must be kept potted, then 3-gal minimum. r
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Question
Lake Lamb –
Are you able to ship to Ecuador? Also do you have a germination rate?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Lake, If you can successfully order, we will ship, and we cannot guarantee receipt. These are germinating at 99%. Richo
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Question
Barb –
Enjoying your large selection of medicinals! Wondering if you ship to Canada? Thank you:)
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Richo Cech –
hi barb, we ship seeds to canada. richo
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Richo Cech –
i am sorry, we cannot ship to Brazil, the seeds are taken at customs. r
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Question
Martha –
Can ashwagandha seeds be shipped to Nigeria?
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Richo Cech –
sorry, we cannot ship successfully to Africa any more, wish we could! r
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Sara Gerbi –
Question
Can you ship seeds to Israel or the UK?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Sara, I believe Israel is still enabled on our shipping grid although the UK and the EU are not. If you can manage to order them, we will ship them, and we give no longer give guarantees on international shipments. Richo
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Anjali Sujay –
can it be shipped to Oman muscat?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Anjali, if you can order it, we will ship it, and we cannot guarantee delivery. r
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Margarat Nee (verified owner) –
Thanks so much for posting this! I’m without your book as it’s between editions right now so I was hoping for some info here.
Now that my seed question is answered, my other one is: do I wait for dieback to harvest the root? I’m in California, 92114 zip code.
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Richo Cech –
hi margaret, no, dig the root in November or after first frost, whichever comes first. richo
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Kelly Schoen –
Loved reading this. Early spring I planted tom thumb snap peas found hidden in the garage dated 2013. My husband said “you won’t get a thing”. On a lark, I said “you want to bet”, never expecting anything either. Two weeks later the container was overflowing with tom thumb pea seedlings, much to everyone’s delight.
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Question
Sarah (verified owner) –
Will you have ashwagandha seed available in bulk as well for the 2021 season?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Sarah,
Yes, it would make sense to wait but check back frequently. New crop African Ashwagandha is in stock but we’re still processing the vedic type. Richo
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ray hughes –
Do you sell bulk ashwagandha seeds to New Zealand ?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Ray, Thanks for contacting and I’m very sorry to not be able to serve you. Since last year, we can’t sell any seeds at all to New Zealand or Australia. I know that some of them are supposed to be allowed in, but it is our experience that they are stopped at customs and destroyed.
Richo
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ruff –
can you sell and send to the philippines?
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Richo Cech –
rarely with any success
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Aura –
FOR MEDICINAL TONIC USE, would one use the berries or the root or both?
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Richo Cech –
The roots of the plant have a long history of use in ayurveda.
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Marek –
Do you send to Netherlands?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Marek, my apologies, we cannot ship to any countries in the EU, due to restrictive regulayions that date back to 1999. Richo
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Alycia Skousen (verified owner) –
Germinated and grew seedlings indoors under T5/LED lamps. Then moved to sunroom then greenhouse. Pandemic has brought a lot of disruptions to get greenhouse timely, but this ashwagandha dna has done awesome!
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Barbara Henderson –
These were easily grown from seed with almost 96% germination, though at different times. So far, they have transplanted well and I look forward to seeing how they fair in container culture.
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Janet Wilkie –
Ashwagandha is an effective antidepressant. This is also its drawback: do NOT stop taking it suddenly. Like pharmaceutical antidepressants, it is best to taper off. You might get away with stopping suddenly, but you may not. My mother was taken off it abruptly in the hospital, and she had the one and only psychotic episode of her life. When I got her back on it, she was fine. Ashwagandha is a real antidepressant, and should be treated with respect.
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Terrie –
Makes me feel calm if I get anxious, but I have only tried capsules. Subtle
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Kelly Schoen –
I like Terrie’s description. Have used ashwagandha for years on and off, as necessary, when I feel “stressed” out. It is one of few plants that actually removes cortisol from the body. Being in the nightshade family it can cause headaches for some, but for others it is a wonderous healer. I have only ever used 1 capsule at a time though.
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