Seeds

These crunchy elongated beauties color up bright cherry-red with contrasting pure white tips. Worth growing for their showy colors alone, these French specialties are known for their refined shape, juicy, tender-crisp mild flesh and adaptability to a wide variety of conditions. Tuck a handful of seeds in wherever you have a little space as they’ll be ready in no time.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
In early spring as soon as ground can be worked, sow radish seeds in well-worked, fertile soil in full sun. Space seeds 1 inch apart in wide rows 6 inches apart. Keep soil evenly moist and well weeded. If first sowing comes up unevenly, replant right away. Sow in late summer for a fall crop.

GROWING NOTES
Sow this quick cool season crop wherever you intend to plant heat lovers later. Radishes thrive with crisp flesh and mild flavor when given consistent moisture. Sow small amounts a week apart to mature in warm but not hot weather. Thin quick-growing seedlings early to 2 inches apart so roots have room to size up. Protect radishes with floating row covers if marauding birds or flea beetles that chew holes in the leaves are a problem.

HARVEST AND USE
Pull young round roots at large marble size and cylindrical ones at 2 to 3 inches long. If weather turns hot, harvest, cut off tops and store in fridge. Radishes’ flavor is mildest in cool weather, spicier in hot conditions. Picked young and tender, these refined French treats make crispy snacks or attractive appetizers, and add appealing color and crunch to green salads. Especially delicious sliced and tossed with a sesame flavored dressing.

Garden Babies are brand-new, baby butterheads originally developed for the Japanese luxury market where a premium is put on flavor and quality. These cute, perfectly formed little butterhead rosettes have softly folded leaves, a lovely buttery texture and outstanding sweet taste. Ideal for growing in containers, Garden Babies are slow to bolt, heat tolerant, and make compact 5 to 6 inch heads at maturity. Perfect for individual servings and absolutely delicious with blue cheese dressing!

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
In cool spring weather, start seeds in in full sun. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart in fertile, well-drained soil mix. After the seedlings germinate and begin to grow, it’s important to thin the young plants so they have room to mature. Thin seedlings when they are 1 to 2 inches tall to a final spacing of about 4 to 5 inches apart. 5 to 7 plants can grow to maturity in a 12 to 15 inch container or 3 plants in an 8-inch pot.

GROWING NOTES
Lettuce thrives in cool conditions with consistent moisture. Be sure to thin properly and keep evenly moist for sweet tasting, full heads. For a constant supply, make several sowings a few weeks apart until summer weather turns hot. Plant again in late summer for fall harvest. In hot weather, give lettuce some afternoon shade to extend harvest season and check water daily. Keep soil evenly moist and feed with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks. Consider transplanting lettuce seedlings around the edges of a big pot containing a young tomato or pepper plant. The lettuces will be ready to eat just as the bigger plant grows larger and needs the space.

HARVEST AND USE
Savor young thinnings in your first spring salads. Then harvest plants by cutting mature heads when they feel firm and well-filled out. Pull over-mature plants if they begin to elongate (“bolt”) in hot weather, as leaves turn bitter at this stage.

This early bearing pickling or “Kirby” cucumber is a kitchen garden dynamo that produces an extended harvest of dark green, crispy, curved fruits with the traditional knobby “pickle” skin. Hybrid Endeavor is great tasting and high yielding. Vines will keep you well supplied for putting up many jars of your favorite treats like kosher dills, bread-and-butter slices, relish and traditional sweet pickles. Endeavor is also a fine crunchy, fresh-eating cucumber right from the vine. Plants are resistant to mosaic viruses and downy mildew.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
Plant heat loving cucumbers only when weather is warm and settled and night temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C). Amend soil well with aged manure or compost. Sow groups of 2 to 3 seeds 1 1/2 feet apart and 1 inch deep with 3 feet between rows.

Thin to 1 seedling per group. Or make slightly mounded hills 5 feet apart, sowing 5 or 6 seeds in each hill. Thin to the 3 strongest plants.

GROWING NOTES
Protect seedlings from marauding birds with plastic berry baskets, removing before plants get crowded. Shallow rooted cucumbers need ample and consistent moisture. Avoid overly wet or dry periods for good quality fruit. Growing cucumber vines up vertical supports gives you long straight fruits, saves garden space and makes them easy to harvest.

HARVEST AND USE
Cut rather than pull fruits from vines when 3 to 4 inches long. Harvest often: every few days for longest fruit production and so cucumbers don’t get too big on the vine. Try to put up pickles very soon after harvesting for best results. Enjoy some Endeavor cucumbers fresh picked from the garden, sliced up with tomatoes and chopped dill or chives with olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Our favorite early white for top eating quality. Sugar Pearl’s fast-growing, vigorous stalks grow just 5 to 5 1/2 feet tall, producing delicious ears of pearly white sweet kernels with that delicate, meltingly tender flavor that characterizes really delicious white corn. Sugar Pearl was bred for specialty and farmers markets where taste is the prime criteria for success. This trouble-free and reliable variety is ideal for short or early season growing, ripening succulent ears before most other white varieties.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
In spring, once weather is warm and settled and night temperatures stay securely above 55°F (13°C), plant seeds in well-worked, fertile soil in full sun. Poke seeds in 1 inch deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Plant in a block of 4 side-by-side rows, each row at least 1 foot apart. Thin seedlings to 1 foot apart when several inches tall. Protect from marauding birds if necessary. If first sowing doesn’t germinate evenly, replant right away as new seedlings catch up quickly. Make several sowings 2 or 3 weeks apart until early June to have successive harvests.

GROWING NOTES
There is no need to isolate Sugar Pearl from other varieties, but plant seeds in blocks of at least 4 parallel rows to ensure good wind pollination and well filled out ears. Corn is a heavy feeder, so add plenty of compost or aged manure to the soil at sowing time, and then fertilize when young plants are 7 to 8 inches tall and again as ears begin to form.

HARVEST AND USE
Well filled out ears of corn are ready to eat when the silks are very dark brown but not dried out. Test by choosing a plump ear and peeling back the husk very slightly. The kernels should be tender and milky when slit with a fingernail. Sugar Pearl is a SE corn, so the tender crisp kernels will hold their sweetness after harvest.

Sourced from Japan especially for us, these quick growing, pretty little globe-shaped roots have crisp, pearly-white flesh. Enjoy their mild flavor sliced up raw for green salads and crunchy snacks or quickly stirfry, sauté or roast them whole in the oven – they cook in minutes. Mikado’s tasty and nutritious tops make fine cooked greens. These baby turnips are a spring garden treasure that you can happily sow again in late summer for abundant fall harvests.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
In early spring, as soon as ground can be worked, sow in well-worked, fertile soil in full sun. Sow this quick growing, cool season crop wherever you intend to plant heat lovers later. Space seeds 1 inch apart in wide rows 6 inches apart. Cover 1/2 inch deep. Keep soil evenly moist and well weeded.

GROWING NOTES
Thin seedlings early to stand 3 inches apart, giving them room to size up. Provide consistent moisture. Sow small amounts a week apart for successive harvests until summer heat comes on. Protect with floating row covers if marauding birds or flea beetles that chew holes in the leaves are a problem. Be sure to sow again in late summer for productive harvests in cool fall weather.

HARVEST AND USE
Harvest these sweet baby turnips from when they are as big as walnuts to when they are the size of ping-pong balls. If weather turns unexpectedly hot, pull and store the roots in the refrigerator. Turnips will be spicier in hot weather. Pearly white baby turnips are delicious sliced raw into green salads, or you can steam or sauté them briefly, or toss in oil and roast whole to bring out their natural sugars. Enjoy the tasty, nutritious green tops steamed or quickly braised.

Most yellow cherry tomatoes are grown mainly for their color not taste, but Sweet Gold has both full, sweet tomato flavor and jewel toned golden yellow fruits. These glossy 1 inch cherries are delicious eaten right from the vine, enjoyed for snacks, or for adorning summer salads and stir fries. The vigorous indeterminate vines grow effortlessly, start bearing early and reliably produce heavy clusters of these brightly colored, tasty little fruits throughout the summer.

STARTING SEEDLINGS
Start indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before outdoor night temperatures are reliably in the 55° (13°C) range. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep and 1 inch apart in a container of seed starting mix. Keep moist but not soggy and very warm, 80°F (27°C). Provide a strong light source until seedlings are ready to plant outside.

When they are 2 inches tall, transplant into 4 inch pots, burying stems up to base of leaves. Maintain around 70°F (21°C). Feed with half-strength fertilizer every 2 weeks until weather is warm enough to gradually acclimate seedlings to outdoor conditions.

Transplant these vigorous indeterminate climbers 3 feet apart into rich soil in full sun.

GROWING NOTES
Prepare soil well with aged manure or compost. Plant tomatoes several inches deeper than they were growing in pots. Provide strong stakes or tall wire cages at planting time as plants grow tall with heavy fruit loads. Mulch to provide the even moisture that prevents cracking. Don’t overwater once fruit begins to ripen.

HARVEST AND USE
Pick fruits when fully golden yellow for best flavor. Enjoy for sweet snacks right out of the garden, in salads or stuffed with herbed cream cheese. For a delicious side dish, briefly sauté Sweet Gold in a garlicky olive oil, then sprinkle with chopped fresh chives and basil.

Our mixed seed packet offers an easy way to grow a delicious trio of different colored pattypan squashes. Buttercup-yellow fluted “Sunburst” is tender and nutty tasting simply steamed or poached in broth. Dark green, glossy little “Starship” has zucchini color and flavor in a unique flying saucer shape. Pretty apple-green “Peter Pan” scallops are creamy and sweet fleshed – a treat to sauté or slice and grill.

Seeds are color coded with USDA food grade stain to distinguish varieties. Be sure to plant some of each for colorful harvests!

Pink seed = yellow Sunburst F-1
Undyed seed = apple green Peter Pan F-1
Green seed = dark green Starship F-1

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
Squash needs full sun, rich fertile soil and warm temperatures. Plant only when spring weather is warm and settled and night temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C). Sow groups of 2 to 3 seeds 1 inch deep and 1 1/2 feet apart in rows 2 feet apart. When several inches long, thin to 1 strong seedling per group. Or, plant in slightly mounded hills, 2 feet in diameter and 2 feet apart. Sow 5 to 6 seeds 1 inch deep and 4 inches apart in each hill. When seedlings are several inches long, thin hill-planted seedlings to the 2 strongest plants so they have ample room to grow.

HARVEST AND USE
Harvest scallops when no more than 2 to 3 inches across for best flavor and tenderness. Frequent harvesting keeps plants producing tasty new squashes instead of maturing large, tough and pithy ones. Steam or stir fry the little pattypans and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs like chives, basil, finely snipped dill or lemon basil. Cook and toss all 3 jewel-toned squashes with freshly ground pepper, butter and grated Parmesan.

GROWING NOTES
Amend soil well before sowing with lots of aged manure or compost. Protect young seedlings from marauding birds by covering with green plastic berry baskets at planting time, removing when plants get crowded. Be sure to thin properly — you will have more productive, disease-free plants if seedlings have enough room to mature.

This wonderful Italian heirloom summer squash is a vigorous climbing vine, producing many 12 to 15 inch, lime-green fruits with a curvaceous trumpet shape and a delicate mild taste with a hint of nutty artichoke flavor. Trombetta’s flesh is seedless and firm and doesn’t get watery or mushy like regular zucchini. The rambling plants will soon cover a trellis, fence or stakes with graceful fruits that hang like jade ornaments cloaked in a lush canopy of big, heart-shaped leaves.

START SEEDS OUTDOORS
Squash needs full sun, rich fertile soil and warm temperatures. Plant only when spring weather is warm and settled and night temperatures stay above 55°F (13°C). Train vigorous Trombetta vines up 6 to 8 foot stakes or a fence or trellis where they will make a lush leafy arbor or canopy and save garden space. Plant in full sun, sowing groups of 2-3 seeds 1 inch deep and 4 inches from vertical supports. Thin to the strongest seedling for each pole or to 12 inches apart along a fence.

GROWING NOTES
Amend soil well before sowing with lots of aged manure or compost. Protect young seedlings from marauding birds by covering with plastic berry baskets at planting time, removing when plants get crowded. Thin properly to get best quality fruits and highest yield. As young plants grow, tie them to supports.

HARVEST AND USE
Softly curved, lime-green Trombetta squashes are best harvested no longer than 10 to 12 inches long and as thick around as cucumbers. Sauté or stuff them, or use in any of your favorite summer squash recipes. Cook until just tender to enjoy their fine flavor and texture.

Gypsy broccoli was bred for heat resistance, so it holds better in summer heatwaves and is extremely slow bolting. What that means for the gardener or grower is less urgency when harvesting from mid-summer to the fall. The dome-shaped heads of this outstanding variety are uniform, deep green, and very tasty. The large plants have intermediate resistance to powdery mildew and are productive even in cool weather. After the main head is harvested, lots of small but delicious side shoots are produced, extending the harvest potential.

Timing: Start indoors right around the last frost date or later in spring for summer harvest in 2 to 3 months. For fall harvest, start indoors late spring and transplant in July, harvesting just before the first frost date. For overwintering sprouting broccoli in mild winter areas, start indoors late March to mid-April, and harvest the following February to May. Seeds will germinate in 7-10 days. Optimal temperature for germination: 10-30°C (50-85°F).

Starting: Sow indoors, 3 or 4 seeds per pot, 5mm (¼”) deep, under very bright light. Thin to the strongest plant. Space transplants 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Broccoli is a moderate to heavy feeder that does best in humus-rich soil amended with composted manure. Mix ¼-½ cup complete organic fertilizer into the soil under each transplant. Transplants should be set out by the time they have 6-8 true leaves. When plants are 20-25cm (8-10″) tall, push soil around the stems up to the first big leaf to encourage side shoots. Broccoli does best in cool weather.

Harvest: Cut the crown portion of the broccoli with 5 to 6 inches of stem, after it’s fully developed, but before it begins to loosen and separate and the individual flowers start to develop into bright yellow blooms. Removing the central head stimulates regrowth to develop for later pickings. Cutting the head lower on the stem will encourage fewer, but larger side-shoots. The regrowth portion grows from the base of the lower leaves. You can usually continue to harvest broccoli for several weeks.

Approx. 45 seeds

A dark purple kale grown primarily for babyleaf harvest, holding its small size for an extended period. KX-1 is purple from emergence, unlike other varieties that develop colour later in the season. Perfect for microgreens, salads, and braising mixes.

Timing: Direct sow in early spring to mid-summer for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C (50-85°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Starting: Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ¼ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10′) of seed furrow.

Harvest: Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting baby leaves. They will re-grow if you pick leaves from the bottom up, as you need them. Continue harvesting lower leaves as they mature—plants will keep producing all season. Kale can overwinter in many areas. In fact, the leaves get sweeter after frost, though growth will slow. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.

Diseases & Pests: Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Approx. 250 seeds

Sow slow-bolting Vates Blue Curled Scotch kale seeds in early spring for summer harvests, or July for fall and winter harvests. Vates is a low-growing dwarf type with finely curled blue-green leaves. It’s suitable for large containers (minimum five gallons) for patio growing. It grows to only 30-40cm (12-16″) tall, and about 60cm (24″) in diameter. Like most kale varieties, it’s especially tender and sweet after a light frost.

Timing: Direct sow in early spring to mid-summer for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C (50-85°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Starting: Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36″) apart.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ¼ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10′) of seed furrow.

Harvest: Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting baby leaves. They will re-grow if you pick leaves from the bottom up, as you need them. Continue harvesting lower leaves as they mature—plants will keep producing all season. Kale can overwinter in many areas. In fact, the leaves get sweeter after frost, though growth will slow. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.

Diseases & Pests: Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Approx. 260 seeds

Redbor kale seeds produce tall plants with the darkest red colour of all kales. After frost the leaves turn even darker and sweeter at the same time. Hybrid vigour means fast, uniform growth and consistent results every time. The splendid red leaves make excellent garnishes – they even look good in flower arrangements. Add finely chopped kale leaves to salads, or use the whole leaves cooked or in smoothies for a delicious blast of nutrients. A single serving of red kale contains 150mg of calcium, and that’s 15% of the recommended daily dosage. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Matures in 50 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Nicely lobed purple/bronze leaves have serrated edges that add interest to fresh salad and braising mixes. The underside of the leaves and stems are green for an attractive colour contrast. Best grown to baby leaf size, Ruby mizuna performs exceptionally well in cool weather and is fast to germinate, even in cool soil. It is a good choice for container growing, for winter harvests, and for microgreens. Sow repeated short rows at three-week intervals and you can have a continuous harvest of mild, nutritious greens.

Deeply ribbed and slightly flattened fruit are made for fall stacking displays. Mint Prince’s colour is a pretty mint green that is complimented by the dark green of Jade Knight and the pale pink of Porcelain Princess, which all have a similar size and shape. Bright orange flesh looks and eats like a kabocha. 3-4.5kg (7-10lb) Full vines.

Deeply ribbed, shiny pale pink pumpkins are shaped perfectly for stacking. Porcelain Princess is tasty as well, with bright orange flesh and flavour similar to a kabocha squash. 3-4.5kg (7-10lb) flattened fruit grow on long, full size vines. Create colourful displays with the dark and light green stacking pumpkins Jade Knight and Mint Prince which have a similar size and shape.

C. maxima. Dill’s Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds hold the world record for giant pumpkins, and produce the largest fruit in the plant kingdom. Bred in eastern Canada by Howard Dill, Atlantic Giant can reach 1,000 lbs or more! The record is 2,624.6 lbs – updated for 2020! The really big ones look like big orange Volkswagen Beetles. These giants grow on very large plants, with vines up to 50′ long, so they require lots of room, full sun, and fertile soil to produce the giant pumpkins. For the largest size, prepare a growing area 20 x 20 feet, and dig down three feet. Fill this with soil mixed heavily with fully composted manure and glacial rock dust. Apply a balanced organic fertilizer at transplant time, and feed the plant every two weeks with liquid kelp or fish fertilizer. Once a fruit begins to grow, remove all female flowers that follow so that there is only one fruit per plant. Consider placing a tarp or board beneath the fruit as it develops in order to shift it once it is fully grown.

C. maxima. Give Big Max pumpkin seeds a good early start indoors in May and transplant them out once the soil is warm in June. Provide deeply dug, very fertile soil, and you can expect very large Jack-o-Lantern type pumpkins up to 23kg (50 lbs) each! For the real competition size pumpkins, go with Dill’s Atlantic Giant. But those require a lot of work and soil preparation. Meanwhile, Big Max will produce a pumpkin that kids of any age will be proud to call their grand champion. This variety is great fun to grow with children, but be prepared for the large size of the plants.