Vegetable Seeds

C. pepo. Sunburst scallopini seeds produce a big bush bearing vivid deep yellow pattypans that look like jewels. These dazzling miniatures are best picked at 5cm (2″). Steam them whole or saut̩ée in a little butter. These tasty summer squash remain tender up to about 15cm (6″) in diameter, but we prefer picking them shortly after pollination. The female flowers can also be picked the morning they open and stuffed, with the immature fruit ovary attached at the base. This makes a very striking addition to any gourmet meal, and the edible flowers are mild and delicious. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Matures in 50 days.

C. moschata. Tromboncino squash seeds produce rambling vines with very long, pale green Italian summer squash. Tromboncino fruits can grow to 2m (6′) long, with a tiny seed cavity just at the blossom end. Flavourful and firm, the seedless texture is a treat in the kitchen. This unusual squash has a mild flavour, but it is great when steamed, stir-fried, or even pickled. Trellis Tromboncino to get straight fruits (they will form hanging down), but the unique shapes of fruits that form on the ground are really fun. Harvest while still tender at 20-45cm (8-18″) long.

Matures in 80 days.

Olympia spinach seeds probably produce the best dark green plain leaf type for year round sowing and harvest. This fast growing spinach holds its leaves up off the ground and is an excellent choice for cooking and salads. Harvest promptly in mid-summer to preempt bolting. This variety was bred in the Pacific Northwest and is tolerant to downy mildew races 1, 2 and 3, 5, 8 and 9, 11, 12, and 14. Depend on Olympia for upright growth and attractive round leaves for spinach salad nearly any time of the year. Try this spinach in containers for baby leaf production in your patio garden.

Matures in 45 days

A speedy new hybrid for baby-leaf spinach production or full-size growing. The flavour is simple, but pronounced, and excellent for raw salad eating. Yukon spinach seeds grow so fast that it’s a good option for filling in between other main season crops. Try it for fall and early winter harvests under low tunnel protection. Yukon has high resistance to Downy Mildew races 1-12, 14, and 15, with intermediate resistance to race 13. Spinach does best in cool weather. Spinach will bolt once days get long and hot. Some varieties grow enough to harvest before they bolt. For continuous supply, plant every 3 weeks.

Matures in 38 days.

The raw seeds of Golden Sesame resemble the toasted seeds of white sesame. Once they are fully dry they turn a nice golden brown colour. The flavour is somewhat milder than the Black Sesame kind, but still tasty and appealing. Use this variety to grind into tahini, or toast the seeds and sprinkle them over salads or sushi. The subtle crunch and flavour really elevates nearly any dish. Remember that the plants are heat and drought loving. Any steps that will add heat will improve productivity. Try growing them in a raised bed with no irrigation. In our field trials, black plastic mulch seemed to produce a good response. This plant is excellent for xeriscaping and for attracting pollinators.

Matures in 75-110 days.

Easter Egg II radish seeds are a blend of six distinctly coloured radishes. The flesh is white and the roots can become relatively large without getting pithy. Look for white, rose pink, bubblegum pink, amethyst, mauve, scarlet and purple roots. The uniform roots are round, crisp, and flavourful, with tops that are good for bunching. Get the most out of your radish bed with this blend of diverse colours for spring and fall growing. Provide some frost protection, and you may be able to grow for winter harvests. Once radishes begin to bolt in response to warm soil in early summer, they should be pulled and composted. The process cannot be reversed, and a bolting radish is no good for eating.

Matures in 28 days.

Smooth-skinned, bright red radishes with a very round, uniform shape. Cherriette is bred to perform in higher temperatures, so it holds better potential for harvesting into summer. The ideal production time is spring and fall. The pure white flesh of Cherriette is dense and crisp, with a sweet, hot flavour. This is a very uniform radish variety that is slow to develop pith. Its tops are short, but sturdy for bunching. Cherriette has out performed the open pollinated varieties in our trials. Try Cherriette in window box type containers. Plant short rows every two weeks from March to early May, and again in September and October for fall harvests.

Matures in 24 days.

Carolina Reaper is one of the hottest peppers on record at an alarming 1.5 million SHUs (it has peaked at 2.2 million). The small peppers mature from green to fire engine red and are gnarled and bumpy with a distinctive pointed tip called “the stinger. This species of pepper can be grown as a perennial in warmer climates (or heated greenhouses) or brought inside over winter. They are somewhat challenging to grow and will need protection to increase heat and lengthen the growing season in most regions. Please take extreme caution when handling the seeds and eventual fruits they produce.

Super-hot peppers can be somewhat challenging to grow. The seeds can be difficult to germinate, and they need a long, hot season to produce fruit. Start indoors early and use bottom heat and seedling domes to create the warm, humid conditions they need to germinate. Be patient as germination may take 21-28 days or longer, even under ideal conditions.

Please use extreme caution when handling the seeds and fruits!

Matures in 120 days

The aptly named Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is an extremely hot pepper native to the region of Moruga in Trinidad and Tobago. Although it has clocked in at 2 million SHUs at its most potent, on average the peppers are in the 1.2 million Scoville heat unit range. The small, puckered fruits mature from green through orange and then to a deep red, at which point the flavour is the most refined and fruity. This species of pepper can be grown as a perennial in warmer climates (or heated greenhouses) or brought inside over winter. To mature in most regions, they will need to be grown with protection for the added heat and to lengthen the growing season. Can be grown in containers.

Super-hot peppers can be somewhat challenging to grow. The seeds can be difficult to germinate, and they need a long, hot season to produce fruit. Start indoors early and use bottom heat and seedling domes to create the warm, humid conditions they need to germinate. Be patient as germination may take 21-28 days or longer, even under ideal conditions.

Please use extreme caution when handling the seeds and fruits!

Matures in 120 days.

Biquinho Red peppers grow on highly ornamental plants that form a canopy of dangling fruits above stems just 50cm (20″) tall. They look amazing in containers. Named for the “little beak” or pointed tip, these mildly hot chilies originated in Brazil. They can be enjoyed raw or cooked, but they are ideal for pickling. Each fruit is just over one inch long, very round, with that distinctive pointed tip. We recommend growing with some protection in most regions to ripen these late maturing peppers. 500 to 1000 SHUs.

Matures in 100 days.

SPICY HOT! So named because of its resemblance to a Tam o’ Shanter Scottish cap, this little pepper packs a rather powerful kick. Scotch Bonnet pepper seeds produce the brightly coloured chile peppers that are widely used in Jamaican and other Caribbean cooking and have a flavour profile that is quite distinct from its close cousin the Habanero. If you want the traditional flavour of jerk paste, you have to use Scotch Bonnets. Give this variety a little extra time to mature and as much heat as possible. 150,000 – 325,000 SHUs. These late maturing peppers need protection to fully ripen. Can be planted in containers.

Matures in 120 days

Jalapeno M Pepper Seeds produce pungent, thick-walled and juicy dark green peppers that are 8cm (3″) long and about 2cm (1″) wide with a blunt end. Fruits set well on mid-sized plants 60-90cm (24-36″) tall. If there are still green peppers on the plant at the end of the season, pull up the whole plant and hang in a dry spot for it to finish ripening to red. Use green peppers for fresh eating, pickling, and sauces, and dry the red ones. 2,000 – 5,000 SHU’s. Jalapeno M works well in 3–5-gallon containers and is suitable for patio growing. Dried, smoked jalapenos are known as chipotle peppers.

Matures in 70 days.

Habanero pepper seeds are central to the cuisine of Yucatan, Mexico. The little lime-green peppers ripen first to sunset golden, and then to “You’ve been warned” red. Mature 5cm (2″) habaneros have a citrusy flavour and aroma. The seed is slower to germinate (up to 3 weeks) and should be kept at 21-24°C (70-75°F). Use bottom heat of a Seedling Warmer heat mat to accelerate germination. Plants need fertile soil and lots of heat to mature but are well worth the time – and the tears. For most regions in Canada, providing protection to increase heat and lengthen the growing season is necessary for success. At 100,000 – 350,000 SHU’s, these powerful chiles are for spice lovers, and not for the faint of heart. Can be grown in containers.

Matures in 100 days.

Chocolate Beauty produces medium large, mostly 4-lobed bell peppers that turn from shiny green to rich chocolate brown if left to mature. As green bell peppers, they have somewhat average flavour, but as they fully ripen to dark brown, the sweetness increases and they become positively delectable. Chocolate Beauty peppers are visually stunning when mixed with yellow bell peppers in a salad. The unusual colour brings eye catching visual allure to any pepper dish. Try these peppers in containers – one plant per 3–5-gallon pot.

Matures in 75 days.

Early maturity and large, attractive fruit make Arapaho an excellent Cayenne pepper. Compact, 45cm (18″) tall plants produce high yields of 20-22cm (8-9″) long fruit with moderately thick walls and mild heat. The peppers dry well for making homemade hot chile powder, and they’re the perfect size for creating decorative ristras. 2,000-4,000 SHUs. Pepper seeds can take their time germinating, so always use the bottom heat provided by a Seedling Warmer heat mat.

Matures in 70 days

Purple Beauty pepper seeds produce compact, bushy plants with thick protective foliage. The fruits begin to form mid-summer, starting as big, blocky, 3-4 lobed green bell peppers, before maturing to an astonishing bright purple colour. Purple Beauty was grown out from the original hybrid Purple Belle and now produces open pollinated seeds for seed saving and home seed production. The flavour of these remarkable fruits is mild, sweet, and succulent, with a fine, crispy texture. The cut fruits look absolutely spectacular mixed with yellow or orange peppers, so they belong in every foodie’s garden. Peppers will turn green when cooked.

Matures in 75 days.