Growing your own allspice is tricky but rewarding.
Though allspice tastes like a mixture of many different spices, it's actually a spice all its own. Native to the West Indies and South America, allspice grows on the pimiento tree as small, dark blue berries. The spice on your kitchen counter comes from dried berries ground into a fine powder. If you live in a subtropical area and want to try an unusual gardening project, allspice may be a plant to try. Its glossy, evergreen leaves and smooth bark offer beauty to your garden even as the berries give your food flavor.
Instructions
1. Pour your fresh berries into a large, clean plastic bucket. Cover them with room temperature water and let them soak overnight. This saturation softens and plumps the berries, making it easier to remove the seeds.
2. Slit open the berries and gently pry out the seeds with a sharp knife. Lay the seeds on a soft cloth while you harvest. This prevents them from getting too dry or coming in contact with germs.
3. Fill a seed flat with soil. Press one seed about 1/2 inch down into each seed flat. Water each well with about 1/4 cup of water and mulch the seeds with 1/2 inch of mature compost.
4. Place the seed flats in a warm, bright, humid area. The temperatures must not dip below 75 degrees Fahrenheit. You may place the plants in a room with a grow light or cover them with plastic wrap and set them outdoors if your nights are warm enough.
5. Water the seeds every two days with 1/4 cup of water each. When the seedlings reach about 3 inches tall, transplant them to 8-inch terracotta pots with flood trays. Fill the flood trays with river rocks and water to keep the area around the pots humid and moist.
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