West Coast Seeds

Hot pink to magenta stems and veins with dark jade coloured foliage, Magenta Sunset is a beauty among the chards. Magenta Sunset Swiss chard seeds are grown primarily for immature salad greens as it tends to bolt during summer heat. The leaves are smooth, and the stalks are narrow, even at full size. Kept in check, it will produce abundant nutritious leaves with a mild earthy flavour. Sow again in August for a fall harvest or for decorative, 60cm tall plants. Swiss chard is absolutely packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow any time from early spring to mid-summer. Chard is moderately winter hardy and may perform into the following spring where winters are mild. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 1cm deep, spaced 10-30cm apart in rows 45cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5.  Swiss chard prefers loose, deep, and fertile soil that is rich in organic matter. Plenty of consistent moisture is required, especially as plants grow larger. It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate light shade in summer. A liquid fertilizer or compost tea applied twice during summer will keep chard growing well.

How To Grow, Harvest: For salad mix, seed more densely and cut as baby leaves. Cut individual mature stalks using the large outer ones first. For salad mix, seed more densely and cut as baby leaves. Cut individual mature stalks using the large outer ones first.

Matures in 25-30 days.

Approx 145 Seeds.

Green Arrow shelling peas are excellent for fresh eating, freezing, canning, or cooking. Heavy yields of dark green pods up to 11cm long contain 9 -11 peas each, born in pairs at the top of the compact bush plants. A reliable, adaptable variety for gardeners and market growers.

Green Arrow shelling pea seeds were first bred in England as a main season pea crop and are listed in some UK sources as Green Shaft.

How To Grow, Timing:  Peas prefer cool weather. Plant as early in spring as the soil can be worked. If planting on the west coast after April 1, sow varieties that are listed as being enation resistant if you live in an area where aphids carry the enation virus. Sow again through the summer for a fall crop. The success of a fall crop will depend on the weather. Optimal soil temperature: 10-20°C.  Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Soaking seeds is not advised for damp soils. Sow seed 2cm deep. After April 15th, sow seed 5cm deep. Space seeds 2-7cm apart in the row. Do not thin. If the seeds fail to sprout, try to dig some up and check for rot or insect damage. The challenge with untreated pea seeds is to give them an early start but to avoid rot.

How To Grow, Growing:  Use well-drained soil amended with finished compost. Add 2 cups of rock phosphate or bonemeal for 3m of row. Plant most varieties along a trellis or fence for support as they climb. Dwarf varieties do not need a trellis, but may benefit from the support of some twigs poked into the soil in the row.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Pick when pods at the desired stage. In theory, all peas can be harvested before the seeds mature, as snow peas, and then as tender snap peas, and finally as shelling peas. Most varieties have an intended maturity for picking. Make multiple sowings or grow several varieties to extend the harvest season.

How To Blanch Peas:  Peas of all kinds freeze particularly well for use in the fall and winter. Prior to freezing, it’s important to briefly submerge peas in boiling water — this kills the natural enzymes that exist in peas that would otherwise reduce the nutrients and cause the peas to break down over time. We recommend using a large pot of water at a rolling boil, and a colander or sieve for dipping. Timing is everything. For snap and snow peas, dip the whole pods into boiling water for exactly two minutes, and then transfer the pods to a bowl of ice water. For shelled peas, ninety seconds is perfect. Use a timer. After ninety seconds, transfer the peas to a bowl of ice water. All peas (and pods) should then be dried thoroughly on kitchen towels before being stored in zip-top or vacuum bags, with as little air as possible in each bag.

Matures in 70 days.

Approx 75 seeds

Brassica oleraceae var. chinensis. This miniature pac choi can be picked at the “single serving” size. Dark green leaves and glistening white stems mark Toy Choy pac choi seeds as a standout among the many Chinese vegetables that grow so well in coastal gardens. You can use these delicacies gently braised and served whole to appreciate the mild flavour and graceful appearance. They add flavour and crunch to stir-fries, soups, and noodle dishes. Serve separate from the main course in the traditional manner so that the cooked greens can be appreciated on their own. This is a very good example of a crop you should sow a little at a time, over several weeks so that the whole crop does not mature at once.

How To Grow, Timing: All are cool season plants that grow quickly and then bolt. Direct sow with frost protection (a cloche or heavy row cover) as early as late winter, or without protection from four weeks before the last frost date to eight weeks after. Sowing short rows every 2-3 weeks allows for a fairly constant harvest time. Sow again in late summer, and provide frost protection as the first frost date approaches.

How To Grow, Seeding: Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm-1cm deep in each spot you want a plant to grow. Thin to the strongest plant at a spacing of 15-20cm between plants in rows 30-45cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  1 cup of complete organic fertilizer will provide sufficient nutrition to 3m (10′) of row. Choi Sum is harvested just before it flowers, so keep a close watch on each row. Pac Choi can be harvested at any stage, but if you want full-sized plants, watch for signs of bolting. Flower buds will appear at the centre of each plant, and a stem will form quickly as the plant turns from urn-shaped into a tall cone. Harvest as quickly as possible once flower buds are visible. Keep plants well-watered throughout their growth.

Matures in 30-50 days.

Approx: 135 seeds

Melothria scabra. Also known as the Mexican Sour Gherkin, cucamelon seeds produce vines that could be mistaken for regular cucumber plants. The plants are not quite as productive as cucumbers, but the fruits are amazingly cute and novel. They look like tiny watermelons, but have a very appealing cucumber flavour with slight citrus notes. Eat them fresh or pickle them for a crunchy treat. Harvest them at the 2cm size, before the seeds develop. This is a heat loving tropical plant that is most productive in hot weather or a greenhouse setting. Start the seeds indoors and treat as you would a conventional cucumber seedling.

How To Grow, Timing:  Cucumbers need very warm soil to germinate. If direct sowing, wait until mid-June. If weather turns cool and wet after that, just re-sow. Or start transplants indoors in individual peat or coir pots 3-4 weeks before transplanting out into warm soil. If starting indoors, use bottom heat. Transplant when the plants develop their third true leaf. If the plants are too big, they may experience transplant shock. Optimal soil temperature for germination (and transplanting): 15-30°C.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow 3-4 seeds 2cm deep in each spot you want a plant to grow. Thin to the strongest seedling. Space plants 23cm apart in rows 90cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:   Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  Choose a warm, well-drained soil. Raised beds work well. Add diolomite lime and compost or well-rotted manure to the bed and ½-1 cup of complete organic fertilizer mixed into the soil beneath each transplant. Cucumbers are vigorous and need lots of nutrition and water. Use plastic mulch, plant under floating row cover or cloches – anything to warm things up. Once the weather warms up, keep soil evenly moist. When plants begin to flower, remove covers so bees can access the flowers to pollinate. Fruit that is not fully pollinated will be very small and shriveled, and should be removed from the plant. Most varieties should produce fruits until the weather begins to cool down. Keep plants well picked for better production. Try to water the soil only, keeping the leaves as dry as possible.

Almost all cucumbers benefit from being trained onto a trellis of some kind. Some vines can reach 7 or 8 feet in length, so growing them upward onto a trellis makes good use of garden space. Fruits that grow hanging into space tend to be straighter than those that form on the ground.

How To Grow, Harvest:  For a continuous harvest, make successive plantings every 2 to 3 weeks until about 3 months before first fall frost date. Keep picking the cucumbers regularly, because if they get too big, the plant will stop producing. About one month before first frost, start pinching off new flowers so plants channel energy into ripening existing fruit.

Matures in 67 days.

Approx: 30 Seeds

This early maturing purple cauliflower is so fast to produce its violet crowns that you may miss them if you don’t keep an eye out! Purple Moon is widely adaptable to many growing regions yielding a concentrated harvest a full two weeks before Graffiti. Make succession plantings spring through mid-summer to extend the harvest.

How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors four weeks before the last frost to late spring. Transplant in 5-6 weeks. Direct seed when temperatures are reliably above 10°C. Overwintering types are started in July where winters are mild, and transplanted by mid-August. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C. Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm deep in each spot you want a plant to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space transplants 45-60cm apart in rows 60-90cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  Humus-rich soil amended with composted manure is best. Mix ½ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant. From seedling to harvest, cauliflower must grow steadily to make a large plant and curd. If growth slows, scratch additional fertilizer into the surface of the soil around each plant. Maintain even soil moisture with regular watering. Shade the developing curds from sun by tying up leaves or using newspaper. This is known as “blanching,” and will keep them white. Add 20-25 days to the maturity dates if direct sowing.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Once curd forms, check every day and cut when the florets are just beginning to separate. At this point the flavour is at peak quality and the size is maximum.

Matures in 62 days

Approx: 10 Seeds

This highly productive zucchini bears attractive, 18-20cm (7-8″) cylindrical fruit with glossy, dark green skins that have a long shelf life. The plants are almost spineless and have an open habit, making harvest an easier task. Good resistance to mosiac viruses helps plant bear over a long period.

Timing: Direct sow or transplant in late spring once the soil is warm. For transplants, start seeds indoors during the first two weeks of May. Optimal soil temperature: 25-35°C (77-95°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

Starting: Sow seeds 2cm (1″) deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot where you want a plant to grow, and thin to the strongest plant. Space summer squash 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm (36-48″) apart in rows 120-180cm (48-72″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH is 6.0-6.8. These big plants need lots of food. Use 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil beneath each plant. All squash grow male flowers first, at later female flowers. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of their petals and require pollination by bees mostly. Incomplete pollination often happens at the beginning of the season, and results in misshapen fruits that are withered at the blossom end. Just discard these damaged fruits before they begin to rot. Encourage bees to visit the garden by growing Phacelia, sunflowers, or buckwheat for improved pollination.

Harvest: Pick when small, if fruit gets big the plant stops producing. Check the plants regularly.

Storage: Field-cure for 10 days in the sun, or cure indoors in a warm room for 4 or 5 days. To prevent mould sponge the skins with a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach. Store at 10-15ºC (50-60ºF) with low humidity with good air circulation. Try on a shelf in the garage.

Diseases & Pests: Bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) – Remove and destroy infested plants. If striped or spotted cucumber beetles appear, control as early as possible. Powdery mildew – avoid wetting foliage if possible. Water early in the day so that above ground parts of the plants dry as quickly as possible. Avoid crowding plants and eliminate weeds around plants and garden area to improve air circulation. Viral disease – remove and destroy entire infested plant along with immediately surrounding soil and soil clinging to roots.

Silky Sweet turnip seeds produce high yields of sweet white turnips with the most amazing texture. They really are silky — very tender with smooth flesh and a distinct sweetness. This turnip is ideal for spring and autumn harvests, and is best picked at 7cm (3″) in diameter. It’s a great candidate for succession planting. Direct sow short rows every two weeks starting at the last average frost date, and harvest just 35 days later. This turnip has high resistance to White Rust. Matures in 35 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Timing: Direct sow short rows starting just after the last frost date, through summer, and into the fall. Where winters are mild they can be started right into October. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 18-21°C (66-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.

Starting: Sow 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep in rows spaced 60cm (24″) apart, and thin to 15-20cm (6-8″) apart in the row.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Humus-rich, deeply cultivated soil is key. Add plenty of well rotted compost or manure to the beds and cultivate to a depth of 20cm (8″). Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. The real secret to success with turnips is speed. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks, thin them quickly, keep them watered, harvest, and then sow some more.

Harvest: Gather greens and roots throughout summer as needed. Their immature seed pods are also tasty.

Diseases & Pests: Remember that turnips are members of the Brassica family, so they should not be planted where other Brassicas have been grown in the past 4 years. This simple crop rotation will prevent nearly all diseases from occurring in the first place. Floating row cover will protect plants from cabbage moth and flea beetles.

This pretty little white roots are usually harvested at about 5cm (2″) for salads or steamed and eaten with butter. Or leave them in the ground to maturity – they can grow up to 15cm (6″) in diameter without becoming pithy. The flavour has just the smallest bit of “bite.” The leaves are delicious steamed like spinach. Tokyo Cross turnip seeds are quick and easy to grow. For their speed, uniformity, and flavour, This is an All America Selections winner. It’s also a winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. They are cold tolerant and also slow to bolt, so plant short rows from spring to fall and enjoy them over a long harvest period. Matures in 35-40 days. (Hybrid seeds).

Timing: Direct sow short rows starting just after the last frost date, through summer, and into the fall. Where winters are mild they can be started right into October. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 18-21°C (66-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.

Starting: Sow 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep in rows spaced 60cm (24″) apart, and thin to 15-20cm (6-8″) apart in the row.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Humus-rich, deeply cultivated soil is key. Add plenty of well rotted compost or manure to the beds and cultivate to a depth of 20cm (8″). Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m (10′) of row. The real secret to success with turnips is speed. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks, thin them quickly, keep them watered, harvest, and then sow some more.

Harvest: Gather greens and roots throughout summer as needed. Their immature seed pods are also tasty.

Diseases & Pests: Remember that turnips are members of the Brassica family, so they should not be planted where other Brassicas have been grown in the past 4 years. This simple crop rotation will prevent nearly all diseases from occurring in the first place. Floating row cover will protect plants from cabbage moth and flea beetles.