Vegetable Seeds

Toma Verde Tomatillo seeds are easy to grow with prolific yields of early-maturing tomatillos. Compact heirloom plants from Toma Verde tomatillo seeds are hardy and adapt well to a variety of climates. Fruits average 5 cm in diameter. Firm, uniform green fruit are wrapped in a papery husk that turns from green to tan and splits open as the fruit reaches full size and maturity. Fruits are tart when enjoyed fresh, and turn sweet when roasted. A Mexican favourite, try Toma Verde in savory sauces, snappy salsas, soups and dips. This plant works well in 5 gallon (or larger) containers, but it forms a large, somewhat sprawling bush so it benefits from some means of support like a tomato cage.

How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors in early spring with bottom heat, and transplant out in warm weather, once night time temperatures are consistently above 10°C.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm-1cm deep in individual pots or trays. Space transplants 45-60cm apart in rows 90-120cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0.  Full sun and regular watering will keep the plants producing. Plants need support to keep drooping branches off the ground. Tomato cages work well. Tomatillos and ground cherries are good candidates for large containers. Be sure to pick the fruit before it drops.

How To Grow, Harvest:  For salsa verde, harvest tomatillos when they’re just starting to lighten up on the blossom end. But for fresh eating, the fruit is sweetest when it turns yellow and splits its husks, sometimes falling to the ground. For ground cherries, the fruit ripen from green to yellow-gold, and drop to the ground in their husks.

Matures in 70 days

Approx 56 Seeds.

Physalis pruinosa. Sow Aunt Molly’s ground cherry seeds in the spring for a big harvest of sweet ground cherries by late summer. The plants and fruits resemble tomatillos, with each fruit growing inside a papery husk called a calyx. But fruits mature to a golden orange colour, and drop to the ground when ripe. The sweet little fruits will store for up to three months if kept in their husks, but you’ll want to use them faster than that in jams, fruit salads, and sauces. Aunt Molly’s originated in Poland and are productive in coastal gardens.

How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors in early spring with bottom heat, and transplant out in warm weather, once night time temperatures are consistently above 10°C.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm-1cm deep in individual pots or trays. Space transplants 45-60cm apart in rows 90-120cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0.  Full sun and regular watering will keep the plants producing. Plants need support to keep drooping branches off the ground. Tomato cages work well. Tomatillos and ground cherries are good candidates for large containers. Be sure to pick the fruit before it drops.

How To Grow, Harvest:  For salsa verde, harvest tomatillos when they’re just starting to lighten up on the blossom end. But for fresh eating, the fruit is sweetest when it turns yellow and splits its husks, sometimes falling to the ground. For ground cherries, the fruit ripen from green to yellow-gold, and drop to the ground in their husks.

Matures in 65-70 days.

Approx: 130 Seeds.

The small, 2.5cm fruits of this aptly named cherry tomato grow on large, multi-branched clusters of delicious, super sweet fruits that are perfect for a snack. Supersweet 100 is not only high yielding but also reliable, boasting high resistance to Fusurium and Verticillium wilt. Plants are widely adaptable, with good heat and drought resistance. Make sure to provide tall support as vines continue to bear fruit until frost.
Indeterminate (Vine).

How To Grow, Timing:  Start indoors in early spring over bottom heat. When seedlings germinate, remove from the heat and grow under bright lights. Grow seedlings on for 6-8 weeks at around 10°C. Early season tomatoes can be planted out once night time temperatures are reliably above 7°C – or later. Other types should be transplanted out when night time lows are 10°C or warmer – or later. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 25-35°C. With bottom heat seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 5mm-1cm deep. Keep seedlings under very bright light to prevent legginess. You may have to pot on seedlings more than once before they go out to allow for root growth. Space bush (determinate) transplants 45-60cm apart and vine (indeterminate) types 50-75cm apart in rows 1m apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.  Tomatoes like fertile, well drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Dig in finished compost and manure, and add 1 cup balanced organic fertilizer beneath each transplant. The nutrition from heavy clay soils is excellent for tomatoes, but they are slow to warm, so transplanting should be done later. By the same token, lighter soils warm more quickly, so transplants can go out sooner. Adding glacial rock dust will supply all the calcium they will need. Regular watering is vital, but don’t let the plants sit in water. Tomatoes are tropical plants so they require full sun and lots of heat. Vine varieties will require some kind of support such as a wire to grow up, or a trellis to be tied to as the plant grows. Bush types benefit from the support of a tomato cage in order to prevent sprawling. At the time of final transplant, plants can be buried up to their first pair of true leaves. This will encourage greater root growth, helping with both nutrient uptake and the plants’ ability to stand up to dry conditions.

Stop watering around the end of July to encourage the fruit to ripen. If tomato plants are grown under cover, you can encourage pollination and fruit set by tapping the stem from time to time. Tomatoes do not rely on insects for pollination. Vibrating the plant shakes pollen loose within the flowers, which then self-pollinate.

Indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow and produce fruit until they are killed by frost. Remove any suckers (stems growing from the crotch of leaves) to keep the foliage under control, and they will set a later crop of larger fruit. Determinate varieties normally set fruit in a concentrated time period. Their suckers are not normally removed, though some trimming helps with ventilation.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Harvest when the fruit is the desired colour. Green tomatoes can be ripened indoors at a cool temperature when they are blemish free. Very dark green tomatoes are unlikely to ripen fully.

65 Days.

Approx:10 Seeds

The standard for rainbow chard, Bright Lights is a mix of many colours including red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. Leaf colour ranges from glossy bright green to dark green and bronze. You can choose the colours you’d like to grow out when thinning or start indoors to transplant the combination of your choosing. Suitable for growing all season long with good tolerance to bolting. Less frost hardy than other chard varieties.

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.

55 Days.

Approx:60 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. Steam them whole or saut̩ée in a little butter. These tasty summer squash remain tender up to about 15cm 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.

How To Grow, 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. Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 2cm 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 apart in rows 90-120cm apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm apart in rows 120-180cm  apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 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.

How To Grow, Harvest:   Summer Squash: Pick when small, if fruit gets big the plant stops producing. Check the plants regularly.

Winter Squash: Fruit is ripe if your thumbnail doesn’t mark the skin and the stem is dry and brown. Cut the stem about 4cm from the fruit. Squash survive a light frost, but store better if harvested before frost.

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 with low humidity with good air circulation. Try on a shelf in the garage.

Matures in 50 days.

Approx: 20 Seeds.

C. moschata. Tromboncino squash seeds produce rambling vines with very long, pale green Italian summer squash. Tromboncino fruits can grow to 2m 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  long.

How To Grow, Timing:  Direct sow or transplant in late spring once the soil is warm. Start transplants indoors 3 to 4 weeks prior. Optimal soil temperature: 25-35°C. Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow seeds 2cm 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 apart in rows 90-120cm apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm apart in rows 120-180cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 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.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Summer Squash: Pick when small, if fruit gets big the plant stops producing. Check the plants regularly.

Winter Squash: Fruit is ripe if your thumbnail doesn’t mark the skin and the stem is dry and brown. Cut the stem about 4cm from the fruit. Squash survive a light frost, but store better if harvested before frost.

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  with low humidity with good air circulation. Try on a shelf in the garage.

Matures in 80 days.

Approx: 16 Seeds.

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

Early maturing, extra-large jalapeno with wide adaptability. Spicy Slice’s 10cm (4”) fruit grow on vigorous, productive plants that offer good cover. Medium-dark green peppers have a good flavour with medium pungency, good for both fresh and processing. Uniform, green peppers will eventually mature to a sweeter red colour, but at the green stage they are pungent and hot at 2,500-4000 SHUs. Matures in 60 days.

Ghost Chili seeds are also known as the Bhut Jalokia. At over one million Scoville Heat Units, the Ghost Chili is one of the world’s hottest peppers. This pepper is so hot, in fact, that it should be treated with caution. We encourage very careful handling of the seeds and fruits. Use gloves when handling the fruits and be extremely careful not to bring the peppers or their residue in contact with eyes or mucous membranes. The pepper is said to be 400 times hotter than Tabasco Sauce, and easily three times hotter than our sweat inducing Red Habanero. This is a slow growing plant that produces fruits at the end of the growing season. If it can be kept going over winter, it can be grown as a perennial, producing much larger yields in the second year of growth. 1,000,000+ SHUs

Super-hot peppers are tricky to grow. The seeds are difficult to germinate under home growing conditions and they need a long, hot season to produce fruit. To mature in most regions, protection is needed to increase heat and lengthen the growing season.

How To Grow, Timing:  Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C. Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow indoors 5mm-1cm deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C in the day, and 16-18°C at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C. Then transplant them into 15cm pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C.

How To Grow, Growing:  Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

How To Grow, Harvest:  When the fruit is large and firm it is ready to pick. Or wait for the fruit to ripen further turning red, yellow, brown, or purple. The sweetness and vitamin C content go up dramatically as the fruit changes colour. If you pick green, the total numbers of peppers harvested will increase. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers.

Matures in 100 days.

Approx: 10 Seeds.

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.

How To Grow, Timing:  Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C (55°F) before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C (78-85°F). Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow indoors 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C (64-75°F) in the day, and 16-18°C (61-64°F) at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm (3″) pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C (55°F). Then transplant them into 15cm (6″) pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C (70°F).

How To Grow, Growing:  Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm (12-24″) apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

How To Grow, Harvest:  When the fruit is large and firm it is ready to pick. Or wait for the fruit to ripen further turning red, yellow, brown, or purple. The sweetness and vitamin C content go up dramatically as the fruit changes colour. If you pick green, the total numbers of peppers harvested will increase. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers.

Matures in 120 days

Harvest multiple colours of ripe mini bells from one plant! Prism’s snack size peppers mature from yellow-green to orange to red and are tasty at every stage. Tall plants are loaded with 5.5 x 5.5cm 3-5 lobed fruit and can benefit from support. A great choice for gardeners with its high yield per plant compared to standard size bells. Productive late into the season.

How To Grow, Timing:  Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C. Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

How To Grow, Starting:  Sow indoors 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C in the day, and 16-18°C at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C. Then transplant them into 15cm pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C.

How To Grow, Growing:  Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

How To Grow, Harvest:  When the fruit is large and firm it is ready to pick. Or wait for the fruit to ripen further turning red, yellow, brown, or purple. The sweetness and vitamin C content go up dramatically as the fruit changes colour. If you pick green, the total numbers of peppers harvested will increase. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers.

80 days.

Approx: 10 Seeds.

Avalanche snow pea produces 13.5cm pods that are sweet and tender. Plants are a semi-leafless, afila type that produce tendrils that can be used for a garnish and loads of double pods for an abundant harvest. Plant two to three rows close together and plants will intertwine, providing support for each other. Expect a height of 90cm.

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 60 days.

Approx: 75 Seeds.

Among the largest available snow peas, these 10-13 cm long pods are produced on 1.2m tall plants that require a trellis. The large white flowers of this heirloom variety are pretty enough to use as cut flowers. Mammoth Melting Sugar snow pea seeds produce pods that are sweet and tender. Plants are high yielding, early, uniform, and productive. This variety is more productive in cool weather, so it’s perfect for early spring planting.

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.

This improved version of Sugar Snap produces the sweetest dark green snap peas with an excellent crunch. Super Sugar Snap’s 10cm (4″) long, plump pods grow in pairs on 1.5-2m (5-6′) tall vines. The most renown snap pea for its incomparable flavour and high yields. The vigorous climbing vines must be trellised. Although Super Sugar Snap is not resistant to the enation virus, it is typically trouble free, providing easy-to-harvest peas in June and July.

Matures in 68 days.

This RHS Award of Garden Merit winner produces large, 13cm long pods that are thick and very sweet. Oregon Giant is often grown for use as young snow peas, but they remain tender even when the pods expand. Bush plants are 1.2m and benefit from staking. Sow as late as July to enjoy a second crop in the fall.

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 60 days.

Approx: 55 Seeds.

Widely regarded as one of the best snow peas for flavour, quality, and productivity. Flat 10cm pods grow on 80cm tall plants. Developed at Oregon State University back in the 1980s, Oregon Sugar Pod II snow pea seeds have been a reliable go-to variety for coastal gardeners ever since. Expect heavy yields of tasty, smooth, light-green stringless pods. An excellent disease package makes them a good choice for late season plantings. Excellent grown for tender pea shoots as well. Available as conventional and organic seed.

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 60 days.

Approx: 75 Seeds

Ramrod is a white-bulbing Lisbon type scallion (or bunching onion) with sturdy, erect leaves. Make successive sowings from spring to Autumn. September-sown seedlings are very cold-hardy and can overwinter well for early spring harvests. A high-performance, boldly flavoured scallion bred for English gardens, but perfect for the coast. To increase the blanched white lower portion, simply sow or transplant into a shallow trench and hill soil up around the stems as they grow. Matures in 65 days

Ailsa Craig forms huge, straw-coloured globes up to 20cm in diameter. They are firm with mild, sweet flesh, for fresh use and short storage. This customer favourite is fine textured, and excellent for salads and sandwiches. It is tolerant of cold weather, so it can be ready for harvest before some other Spanish storage onions. Ailsa Craig is a stony island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland.

How To Grow, Timing:  Start shallots and storage onions indoors in late winter and early spring, and transplant 2-4 weeks after the last frost date. Overwintering onions need to be started in early summer, and transplanted by the middle of August. Scallions can be direct sown every 3 weeks from two weeks after the last frost date to late summer. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-25°C. Seeds will emerge in 6-12 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Transplants are preferred for home gardeners. Sow 3 seeds 5mm-1cm deep in each cell of a 72-cell tray. Transplant as a clump, spacing each 15cm apart in rows 45-75cm apart. Scallions can be spaced at 2-5cm apart in rows 15cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 5.5-6.5 (6.0-6.8 for scallions).  Fertile and well-drained soil in full sun is essential. Add well-rotted compost and dig ½-1 cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each 3m of row. Keep moisture high in the top 20-30cm of soil. Most of the bulb should form on the surface of the soil, so don’t transplant too deeply. Bulb size is dependent on the size of the tops: the bigger the tops, the bigger the bulb. Provide August-planted scallions with the frost protection of a cloche or heavy row cover as the first frost date approaches.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Stop watering in the beginning of August to mature the bulbs in dry soil. After half the tops have fallen, push over the remainder, wait a week and lift the bulbs. Curing is essential for long storage: Spread bulbs out in a single layer in an airy spot out of direct sunlight. Once no more green is visible on any of the leaves, and they are dry and crisp, the onion is cured. If weather is poor, cure indoors. Storage: Keep onions in mesh sacks or hang in braids so they get good ventilation, and hang sacks where air is dry and very cool, but not freezing. Check them regularly and remove any sprouting or rotting onions. Well-cured storage onions should keep until late spring.

Matures in 100 days.

Approx: 140 Seeds.

This is the classic large overwintering onion of the Pacific Northwest. A very large, juicy onion with a mild sweet flavour. It can be planted in the spring if given a really early start indoors, or in August to overwinter. Spring planted Walla Walla sweet onion seeds result in bulbs that are not quite as mild as the overwintered ones and may not size up as well. Plants can also be harvested as a delicious, sweet bunching onion.This variety is hardy to -23°C. It is most definitely a long day onion, suitable for planting between the 35th and 55th parallels. It might not have good storage ability, but it makes beautiful, caramelized onions!

How To Grow, Timing:  Start shallots and storage onions indoors in late winter and early spring, and transplant 2-4 weeks after the last frost date. Overwintering onions need to be started in early summer, and transplanted by the middle of August. Scallions can be direct sown every 3 weeks from two weeks after the last frost date to late summer. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-25°C. Seeds will emerge in 6-12 days, depending on conditions.

How To Grow, Starting:  Transplants are preferred for home gardeners. Sow 3 seeds 5mm-1cm deep in each cell of a 72-cell tray. Transplant as a clump, spacing each 15cm apart in rows 45-75cm apart. Scallions can be spaced at 2-5cm apart in rows 15cm apart.

How To Grow, Growing:  Ideal pH: 5.5-6.5 (6.0-6.8 for scallions).  Fertile and well-drained soil in full sun is essential. Add well-rotted compost and dig ½-1 cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each 3m of row. Keep moisture high in the top 20-30cm of soil. Most of the bulb should form on the surface of the soil, so don’t transplant too deeply. Bulb size is dependent on the size of the tops: the bigger the tops, the bigger the bulb. Provide August-planted scallions with the frost protection of a cloche or heavy row cover as the first frost date approaches.

How To Grow, Harvest:  Stop watering in the beginning of August to mature the bulbs in dry soil. After half the tops have fallen, push over the remainder, wait a week and lift the bulbs. Curing is essential for long storage: Spread bulbs out in a single layer in an airy spot out of direct sunlight. Once no more green is visible on any of the leaves, and they are dry and crisp, the onion is cured. If weather is poor, cure indoors. Storage: Keep onions in mesh sacks or hang in braids so they get good ventilation, and hang sacks where air is dry and very cool, but not freezing. Check them regularly and remove any sprouting or rotting onions. Well-cured storage onions should keep until late spring.

Matures in 125 days, spring sown – 300 days fall sown.

Approx: 275 Seeds.