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Vervain Blue – Northern Wildflowers
$4.00Perennial
2-5 feet tall
Full Sun
Blooms July to September
Medium to Moist Site
Over 200 seeds per pack
Zones 3-8Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) is a unique, eye-catching beauty in any garden. It grows quickly from seed and requires little care to maintain. Blue vervain will survive in dry sites, however the plant will be smaller and bear fewer flowers. Note that seeds are very small.
Growing Instructions
Wet and cold stratification required. Mix seeds with moist substrate (vermiculite, perlite or moss) and place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 6-8 weeks. Sow seed at soil surface. Do not let seedling dry out while it is establishing.
OR
Sow directly outdoors in late fall to overwinter.Add to cart -
Tomato – Sweet Gold – West Coast Seeds
$4.99Indeterminate yellow cherry tomato that is easy to grow and early to mature. Sweet Gold produces heavy yields of small, 10-15g (.35-.5oz) fruit growing in single and double clusters. For optimal flavour, harvest when fruit is bright yellow. A good choice for gardens with a relatively short growing season.
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Tomato – Purple Bumble Bee Organic – West Coast Seeds
$4.99Super cute red cherry tomatoes with purple stripes. The sweet round fruits have excellent flavour and grow to a uniform 4cm across. They hang in long trusses from tall indeterminate vines. Try Purple Bumble Bee in a 5-gallon (or larger) container but be sure to provide the support of a trellis or string, as the vines are vigorous. Keep the plants picked and snip back any suckers so the fruit production is limited to one central 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.
Indeterminate (vine) Matures in 70 days.
Approx:10 Seeds.
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Tomato – Black Krim Organic – West Coast Seeds
$4.49Gardener’s Delight cherry tomato has a wonderful, old-fashioned flavour and produces long trusses laden with clusters of 6-12 2.5cm, crack-resistant, bright-red morsels. A mid-maturity variety that can be grown in many regions without protection.
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.
Vine (indeterminate), Matures in 65 days.
Approx:40 Seeds.
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Tomato – Sweet Million Cherry – West Coast Seeds
$6.49Sweet Million cherry tomato seeds are easy to grow, and hardy plants adapt well to many climates. Tall vigorous vines grow masses of gorgeous red cherry tomatoes on long trusses. This variety is the winner of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit. Sweet Million tomato plants mature early and deliver incredible yields of delicious sweet cherry tomatoes all season long. A terrific snacking tomato that’s impossible to resist!
This extremely vigorous plant needs support for climbing habit, pruning may be required for containment in smaller areas. Uniform fruits are 2.5 cm average 10-15 grams. Sweet Million tomatoes are resistant to, or tolerant of, Fusarium Wilt (Race 1), Tomato (Tobacco) Mosaic Virus.
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.
Approx: 25 Seeds
Indeterminate (vine)
Matures in 65 days
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Tomato – Early Girl – West Coast Seeds
$5.69Choose Early Girl tomato seeds for a fast and early crop of delicious medium-sized red tomatoes. This is an early maturing variety for coastal grower. The plants keep bearing fruit heavily throughout the summer on manageable, disease resistant vines, producing baskets of tasty, 110-170g tomatoes. Early Girl is resistant to Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2. Some coastal growers choose early maturing tomatoes as a way to beat Late Blight. The disease usually strikes mid- to late summer, and by that time Early Girl has already produced the bulk of her fruit.
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.
Indeterminate (vine). Matures in 57 days.
Approx: 13 Seeds
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Swiss Chard – Magenta Sunset – West Coast Seeds
$3.69Hot 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.
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Squash Winter – Butterbaby Organic – West Coast Seeds
$5.99Adorable mini butternuts that are the perfect single serving size! Butterbaby is an excellent choice for home gardeners with its early maturity and high yields per plant. Uniform .5-.9kg tan fruits have sweet, dark orange flesh and good storability. Semi-vining plants.
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.
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Squash Zucchini – Black Beauty – West Coast Seeds
$3.99The standard summer squash, introduced in the 1920s. Large bush plants grow semi-upright and open, and are loaded with glossy dark green fruits with firm creamy white flesh and fine flavour. Plants are productive very early, and over a long period. Best eaten when under 20cm. Black Beauty zucchini seeds are the best variety for freezing. Black Beauty zucchini is a 20th Century heirloom that won the All American Selections prize back in 1957. It was first introduced to American market growers in the 1920s, and was commercially available as seed from the 1930s on.
How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow or transplant in late May or early June when soil is warm. For transplants, start seeds indoors in late April or early May. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 25-35°C. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 2cm deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot you want a plant to grow and thin to the strongest one. Aim to space zucchinis no less than 45-60cm apart in rows 90-120cm apart.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. These big, fast-growing plants need plenty of moisture and lots of food. Grow them in rich, well-drained soil in full sun. Dig finished compost or well-rotted manure into the beds, and dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer beneath each transplant. Water the soil around them when you irrigate, and always avoid overhead watering, as wet leaves will attract diseases like mildew. Keep weeded. Misshapen or withered fruits can result from incomplete pollination. Make sure to remove these from the plants as you see them, before they begin to rot, and put them in the compost. In the home garden it can be tempting to over-plant zucchinis. One well-grown plant will provide enough fruits for the average family. Instead of planting several zucchinis, use that space for other vegetables.
How To Grow, Harvest: Pick regularly to encourage the plant to keep on fruiting. Zucchini leaves are often very prickly, so pull delicate skinned fruit out carefully. Fully mature zucchini have a hard skin.
Matures in 60 days.
Approx: 15 Seeds.
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Radish – French Breakfast – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Bright rose scarlet at the top with white blunt tips, this popular heirloom radish is 5cm long and perfect for enjoying raw in salads. This variety grows well from spring through summer with upright tops that grow to about 15cm tall. Gather and refrigerate for best storage. This variety has been in cultivation since the 1880s, which speaks to its reliability, flavour, and charm. Learn when to plant radish seeds in our How to Grow Radishes instructions below. Be sure to sow some French Breakfast radish seeds in your organic vegetable garden.
How To Grow, Timing: Radishes can be grown all season but they’re easiest when sown just after the last frost date and again at the end of summer and into the fall. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C. Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 5mm deep, 25 seeds per 30cm in rows spaced 30-45cm apart, and thin to 6-12 plants per 30cm.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Radishes are moderate to heavy feeders. Best in rich, loamy soil amended with composted manure. Add 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row for background fertility. Lime beds the previous fall. The real secret to growing this little vegetable is speed. Sow a short row frequently, thin them quickly, keep them watered, eat them quickly, and sow some more.
How To Grow, Harvest: Harvest promptly when radishes are the size of large marbles. The leaves and developing seedpods are also tasty.
Matures in 25-30 days.
Approx: 440 Seeds.
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Radish – Cherriette – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Smooth-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.
How To Grow, Timing: Radishes can be grown all season but they’re easiest when sown just after the last frost date and again at the end of summer and into the fall. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C. Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 5mm deep, 25 seeds per 30cm in rows spaced 30-45cm apart, and thin to 6-12 plants per 30cm.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Radishes are moderate to heavy feeders. Best in rich, loamy soil amended with composted manure. Add 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row for background fertility. Lime beds the previous fall. The real secret to growing this little vegetable is speed. Sow a short row frequently, thin them quickly, keep them watered, eat them quickly, and sow some more.
How To Grow, Harvest: Harvest promptly when radishes are the size of large marbles. The leaves and developing seedpods are also tasty.
Matures in 24 days.
Approx: 130 Seeds.
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Pepper – King Of The North Organic – West Coast Seeds
$3.49King of the North Organic is one of the most reliable and productive bell peppers for northern gardens. It is known for its ability to produce substantial, blocky peppers in short, cool seasons. The plants are sturdy and upright, with thick-walled, lobed fruits that ripen from bright green to vivid red and get even sweeter as they do.
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 70 days.
Approx: 10 Seeds.
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Pepper Hot – Jalapeno M – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Jalapeno M Pepper Seeds produce pungent, thick-walled and juicy dark green peppers that are 8cm long and about 2cm (1″) wide with a blunt end. Fruits set well on mid-sized plants 60-90cm 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.
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 70 days.
Approx: 35 Seeds.
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Pepper Hot – Arapaho – West Coast Seeds
$4.69Early maturity and large, attractive fruit make Arapaho an excellent Cayenne pepper. Compact, 45cm tall plants produce high yields of 20-22cm 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.
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 70 days.
Approx: 10 Seeds.
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Pepper – California Wonder – West Coast Seeds
$3.29One of the standards for bell peppers, California Wonder bears large thick-walled, blocky peppers on vigorous 45-60cm tall plants. The peppers are 4-lobed and start out green but turn a lovely red, growing to nearly 13cm long and 10cm wide. Fruit is much sweeter when fully mature, Give this excellent variety very fertile soil and even moisture throughout 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 (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 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:Matures in 75 days.
Approx: 30 Seeds.
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Parsnips – Gladiator – West Coast Seeds
$5.49We like this parsnip for its quick germination and early growth; it is bigger and more vigorous right from the beginning. This variety is wide at the top with a short body. It is tender and delicious even to the largest sizes, with no core. Gladiator parsnip seeds are canker resistant. Our customer Louella is shown holding a truly enormous specimen of Gladiator. She attributes its massive size to her husband’s rich compost blend. In rich, fluffy soil, these parsnips can really get huge. Parsnips store well for winter use. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Take caution during sunny weather: touching the plant may cause skin burns.
How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow from the last frost date to mid-summer. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-25°C. Seeds take 14-21 days to germinate.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 5mm-1cm deep. Cover seeds with compost and/or put row cover over planting area to shade the soil and conserve moisture. Thin to 7-10 cm apart in rows 45-60cm apart.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Prepare ground as for carrots, digging deeply to loosen soil prior to planting For even longer parsnips, you can dig or form holes 60cm deep. Weed carefully and keep watered. Contact with parsnip leaves causes a rash in some people, so harvest and weed with long sleeves and gloves.
How To Grow, Harvest: The flavour of parsnips is best after a couple of good frosts. Dig parsnips from late summer into the winter as needed. Protect from freezing in the soil with a thick straw mulch if it is a cold winter. Parsnips keep better in well-drained soil. The average family will be well supplied with a 6m row.
Matures in 110 days.
Approx: 250 Seeds.
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Peas – Sugar Lace II – West Coast Seeds
$4.99Sweet, stringless pods are borne on 80cm semi-leafless vines that do not require support. The pods are about 9cm long and average 2 pods per node. Sow Sugar Lace II seeds for giant harvests of very sweet snap peas. This variety is resistant to powdery mildew and pea enation mosaic virus, so it handles the cool weather at the end of the season better than others. Try planting as late as early August for harvests into October. It’s also a nice one for early spring planting – you can direct sow as early as mid-February on the coast.
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 68 days.
Approx: 80 Seeds.
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Peas – Little Marvel – West Coast Seeds
$3.49This early heirloom shelling pea forms stocky, semi-dwarf bushes from 30-45 cm tall and is well suited to growing in containers or the vegetable bed. Each of Little Marvel’s 8-10 cm pods contains 6-9 medium green, sugary peas. This is a winner of the RHS Award for Garden Merit. Can be grown in spring and cut back in time to plant a summer crop, leaving the soil enriched with nitrogen.
Little Marvel shelling pea seeds were first introduced as Sutton’s Little Marvel in 1900. It is an old, dependable variety with an extended season, fine quality, and heavy yields.
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 bone meal 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.
Matures in 62 days.
Approx: 95 seeds
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Peas – Bolero – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Pairs of 8cm (3″) long pods containing seven to nine peas each are borne atop bushy plants that grow to 75cm (30″) tall. Bolero’s tender peas are sweet and perfect for fresh eating or freezing. Since Bolero is not enation resistant, it is best grown for early spring planting in coastal regions so that it matures before the pea enation virus generally shows up in mid- to late summer.
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 part 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 bone meal 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.
Matures in 68 days.
Approx: 80 seeds
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Onion – Red Beard – West Coast Seeds
$3.49Grow this striking, red-stalked bunching onion at any time of the year, but for the richest red colour, plant it in late summer to early fall so it is exposed to a bit of cold weather before harvest. If hard frost is expected, just mulch around the stems with straw. If whiter stalks are desired, simply hill soil up around them. Red Beard can reach 60cm tall, with the red portion up to 30cm tall. The flavour is very mild, and the dark green leaves are tender.
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 65 days.
Approx: 425 Seeds.
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Bok Choi – Toy Choy – West Coast Seeds
$5.49Brassica 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
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Arugula – Bellezia Organic – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Diplotaxis tenuifolia. While technically this variety is a perennial, growers and home gardeners will probably prefer growing it as a fast maturing annual crop. Bellezia Organic arugula features highly upright growth for dense planting and easy harvesting. The leaves are darker green than most, with good looking serrated edges and mild flavour. This is the perfect arugula for raw salads or salad mixes, and it makes excellent micro-greens. It is suitable for container growing throughout the year, and features intermediate resistance to downy mildew.
How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow every 3 weeks from mid-March to April and again in September for a fall/winter crop. Arugula is a productive, cool season, annual salad green that works best in spring and fall, and can be managed all winter under cloche protection where winters are mild. In hot weather, arugula tends to bolt and go to seed. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 4-12°C.
How To Grow, Seeding: Sow no more than 5mm deep in well drained soil in full sun. Thin seedlings to 10-15cm apart in rows 45-60cm apart. Overcrowded plants will bolt earlier.
Seeds germinate in 4-8 days.How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0. In optimum conditions at least 75% of seeds will germinate. Keep moist until germinated and then just keep the area weeded.
Matures in 51 days.
Approx: 500 seeds
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Cress – Watercress – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Nasturtium officinale. True Watercress seeds produce a perennial cress that is rich in vitamins and has a delicious, distinctive taste for salads and vegetarian dishes. Little, dark-green leaves grow on crisp stems that come from thick, long roots. Direct-seed watercress about 5mm deep and 1cm apart, ideally in full sun near clear running water. Thin plants to 10cm and keep very well watered. Watercress does not thrive in acidic soil, so spread enough lime in the growing area to bring the pH as close to 7.0 as possible. Well finished compost is the other trick that will keep watercress growing rapidly. If you fail with watercress in your summer garden, try planting it beneath a cloche row cover for winter harvesting. The low light levels and cool temperatures seem to be ideal.
How To Grow, Timing: Seed every three weeks from just before the last frost date until the end of summer for a continuous harvest. Provide frost protection with a cloche or heavy row cover when frost looms in the fall. Many mesclun types and mixes will continue to grow all winter where winters are mild.
How To Grow, Starting: Plant in a block or in a wide row. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over prepared, moist soil. Try to space seeds about 1cm apart. Cover lightly with soil, and firm them in. Four grams of seed will plant a 12m row that is 7cm wide, so don’t plant the whole packet at once. For container growing, choose containers that are at least 10cm deep. Wider is better. The most common mistake is over-planting.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 7.0 Moderately fertile soil – particularly if you’re planning multiple harvests. Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer for every 3m of row. For containers, use peat or coir based mix with compost added. Water regularly. If growth slows after harvest, use a bit of kelp or fish based fertilizer to provide a boost of nutrition for the next growth spurt.
How To Grow, Harvest: There are two methods of gathering salad greens. You can use scissors to cut everything about 2-5cm from the ground, when the plants are about 10-15cm tall. Or, you can pick individual leaves as they’re needed. The first cutting may contain more brassicas than lettuces (arugula, mizuna) but if you cut the mix back when the leaves are still small, the lettuce will catch up. The salad greens will regrow for a second harvest in another 2 or 3 weeks.
Matures in 60 days.
Approx: 990 Seeds
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Lettuce – Newham Organic – West Coast Seeds
$4.99Newham little gem lettuce looks like a rose with its rounded, outward-curving leaves. Fast to mature, emerald green heads have a nice open yet upright habit and tight center, like a butterhead. It looks lovely in the garden, on the plate, and on the market table with our other compact varieties Truchas and Breen. Vigorous and reliable spring through fall and a good performer with protection to extend the season.
How To Grow, Timing: Lettuce grows best in cool weather in the spring and fall, but it can be grown in the summer, and all winter long in milder regions. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks following the last average frost date for a continual harvest. Using a cloche, cold frame, or greenhouse over mid-late summer plantings can extend the harvest period right into winter. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-22°C. Seeds should sprout in 7-15 days, depending on conditions. Lettuce seeds don’t sprout easily when the soil temperature is over 22°C in summer. Get around this by sprouting them indoors in a cool area, or pre-sprout by sprinkling seeds on a damp paper towel and placing it in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days. In hot weather most lettuce goes to seed rapidly, so have new plantings ready to go, and watch for “good resistance to bolting” in the product description.
How To Grow, Starting: Direct sow or start indoors and transplant. Sow seeds 5mm deep, or on the surface of the soil where the soil can be kept evenly moist. Space or thin heading lettuce to 30cm apart. Space or thin looseleaf varieties to 20-25cm apart. Space rows for all types 45-90cm (18-36″) apart. Babyleaf lettuce can be planted quite densely, as it is harvested at an immature size. Sowing babyleaf lettuce seeds closely together in narrow rows makes harvesting simpler.
Note on Pelleted Seeds: A number of our lettuce seeds are pelleted for machine planting. The white clay ball that covers each seed makes them easier to handle and easier to see when planted. While most lettuce seeds need to be barely covered (or sown on the surface of the soil), pelleted seeds need to be buried by about 1cm. Please keep your newly sown pelleted seeds evenly moist – use more water than with conventional seeds. If the soil is allowed to dry out, the clay pelleting material can wick water away from the seed, causing uneven or lower germination.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5. Aim for a soil with ample drainage and lots of organic matter. Add compost and lime at least 3 weeks prior to planting. One cup of balanced organic fertilizer per 3m of row will give adequate nutrition. Seedlings should be hardened off by reducing water and putting the plants outdoors 2 or 3 days before transplanting. This will help to prevent transplant shock and premature bolting. Regular watering is essential to prevent leaves from developing a bitter taste.
How To Grow, Harvest: Pick individual leaves or wait and harvest full heads. Mature summer lettuce stays in prime eating condition only a short time, so harvest promptly and keep planting. In fall and winter the plants stay in good harvest condition longer.
42 Days.
Approx: 50 Seeds.
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Kale – Lacinato – West Coast Seeds
$3.49Sow Lacinato kale seeds in the spring and early summer. A most elegant looking heirloom vegetable, the long, dark green leaves shoot from the central stem like ostrich plumes. A stunning addition to the ornamental vegetable garden, it grows 1m tall with deeply blistered, strap-like leaves that are frost hardy, but tender when cooked. Lacinato is often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size and distinctive, prehistoric look. It is an old descendent of Mediterranean kale. Plant Lacinato kale seeds in your organic vegetable garden and harvest this popular and nutritious super-food from summer to late fall.
How To Grow, 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. Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm apart in rows 75-90cm apart.
How To Grow, 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 of seed furrow
How To Grow, Harvest: Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting when plants are 5-8cm tall. They will re-grow. Or pick leaves from the bottom up on mature plants as you need them. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.
Matures in 65 days.
Approx: 280 Seeds
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Dill – Bouquet – West Coast Seeds
$3.29Bouquet dill seeds grow into compact plants around 75-90cm (30-36″) tall. Bouquet Dill is a particularly good variety to grow for nice looking bunching at the market table, and works well in containers or smaller herb gardens. This dill has fragrant, lacy foliage, large yellow flower heads, and large seeds, but the plants only grow about waist high.
The structure of dill’s flowers is known as an umbel. Thus dill is considered an umbelliferous plant. Other umbellifers include carrots, cilantro, fennel, parsnips, and Ammi. All of these plants are attractive to predatory insects such as lady beetles, Syrphid flies (hover-flies), lacewings, and tiny parasitoid wasps. Organic gardeners like to grow dill precisely to attract these beneficial insects, for they will control pest insects like aphids, thrips, whitefly, and the caterpillar of the Small White Butterfly (cabbage moth).
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Catnip – West Coast Seeds
$3.49Nepeta cataria. Not just for cats! Tall pink and white flower spikes are great in fresh and dried arrangements. Use the leaves in salads, sauces, teas, and soups – and of course fresh or dried for the cats! Catnip seeds are a good choice for a bee attractor that works well in containers on cat-free balconies. Protect seedlings from cats.
Catnip (and a few of its close relatives) contain the compound nepetalactone, which is extremely attractive to domestic and wild cats. It has the same effect on leopards, lynxes, and tigers as it does on house cats. Roughly 33% of all cats do not respond to catnip, and the response is believed to be hereditary.
How To Grow, Timing: Sow seeds indoors in late winter, and transplant or direct sow in 2-6 weeks after the last frost date. Catnip can also be direct sown in the fall where it is to grow. Bottom heat will speed germination. Ideal temperature for germination: 21-27°C (70-80°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-20 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow on the soil surface or barely covered with perlite. Thin plants or transplant to 30cm (12″) apart. Keep seedlings well protected from cats.
How To Grow, Growing: Catnip does very well in containers, raised beds, or borders in full sun to partial shade. The main challenge to growing it is protecting it from cats. After the main bloom, plants should be cut back hard to encourage a second bloom and tidy shape.
How To Grow, Harvest: To save the summer catmint bounty, harvest when fully grown, and keep the plant picked regularly.
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Borage – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Large, fuzzy, cucumber-scented leaves and vivid blue flowers attract bees all summer long. Usually grown for the bees and flowers, young leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in salads. Also known as the star flower because of the arrangement of its petals, the flowers have a light cucumber flavour and will stun with their vivid blue petals. A dramatic use is to make ice cubes with the petals frozen into them and drop into cold drinks. Borage seeds contain oils with the highest concentration (20% to 30%) of the fatty acid GLA, even higher than Evening Primrose. Altogether a versatile, attractive and useful herb, add starry blue flowers to salads, drinks, berry desserts for visual appeal. Borage may self sow. It is attractive to bumblebees that must buzz at a certain resonance to release a jet of pollen.
How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow in mid- to late spring. Borage develops a delicate taproot, so it’s best direct sown where it is to grow. Borage does not transplant well. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21°C. Seeds should sprout in 5-15 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 1cm deep, and thin to 60cm apart. Borage will get large and fill in spaces between plants.
How To Grow, Growing: Borage is an un-fussy, self-sowing annual. To avoid self-sowing, the flower heads need to be picked regularly. Borage does best in full sun in well drained soil.
How To Grow, Harvest: Pick fresh flowers for freezing or drying for bouquets. Cut the fresh leaves during the summer to add to salads or spreads.
Approx: 90 Seeds
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Basil – Sweet Basil – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Sweet Basil seeds produce vigorous plants that grow big, mid-green leaves all summer long. Keep picking the growing tips and the 2 pairs of leaves below them for the kitchen. More branches sprout more leaves. Sweet basil is a large-leaved Italian type that is glorious for pesto. Plant Sweet Basil seeds several times for a continuous supply until frost. Grow one on a warm and sunny windowsill through the winter, or try it as microgreens for a tasty and aromatic garnish. This basil makes excellent pesto, and it’s extremely easy to grow. Just supply good drainage and lots of sunshine.
How To Grow, Timing: Basil grows well in containers indoors at any time of year provided you can supply enough light. For outdoor growing, sow basil seeds throughout late spring for transplanting to the garden after the summer solstice. Or direct sow in early summer, once the soil has warmed up. Basil requires warm soil and full sun. Optimal temperature for germination: 21°C . Seeds should sprout in 5-10 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 1cm deep in sterilized seed starting mix. Basil is prone to damping off, so once seeds sprout, make sure they are adequately ventilated, and kept under very bright light. Thin to 20-25cm apart. Using bottom heat speeds germination.
How To Grow, Growing: Use any rich, loose, well drained soil. Once plants are 15cm tall, pinch out the growing tips to encourage really bushy growth prior to harvest. Watch for signs of flower buds forming in mid-summer, and pinch these off to promote more foliage.
How To Grow, Harvest: Frequent harvesting will prolong the life of the plant. Basil leaves have the best flavour just before the plant flowers, and if you plan to preserve some of your basil or make a big batch of pesto, this is the best time to harvest. Flowering can be delayed by pinching or clipping off new flower buds.
Tear basil rather than chop with a knife because chopping tends to bruise the leaves. Add basil to food just before serving so as to get the full aroma and effect. Cooking for any length tends to make the minty side of basil come to the forefront.
Basil is best fresh, but can be preserved by drying or by freezing. To freeze, tear the leaves into small pieces and freeze small batches of them, with water, in ice cube trays. Once frozen, the cubes can be saved in zip-lock type bags and labeled for later use. This will preserve the fresh flavour of basil for up to four months.
Approx: 300 Seeds.
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Basil – Genovese – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Genovese basil seeds are the very best Italian pesto variety of basil. This is the traditional Italian heirloom variety of basil. It has shiny, large, almond-shaped leaves have a more pronounced flavour, and stores well if chopped and frozen in ice cube trays. Pinch growing tips for bushier plants that grow to 60cm (24″) tall. Basil is a heat loving tender annual plant that requires good drainage and ample moisture during hot weather. If flowers develop, either save save the resulting seeds or separate them from the plants and sprinkle over pasta or salads. Basil flowers are highly attractive to honeybees and other wild pollinators.
Basil can be planted as a companion to tomato plants. It is said that basil improves the flavour of tomatoes.
How To Grow, Timing: Basil grows well in containers indoors at any time of year provided you can supply enough light. For outdoor growing, sow basil seeds throughout late spring for transplanting to the garden after the summer solstice. Or direct sow in early summer, once the soil has warmed up. Basil requires warm soil and full sun. Optimal temperature for germination: 21°C . Seeds should sprout in 5-10 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 1cm deep in sterilized seed starting mix. Basil is prone to damping off, so once seeds sprout, make sure they are adequately ventilated, and kept under very bright light. Thin to 20-25cm apart. Using bottom heat speeds germination.
How To Grow, Growing: Use any rich, loose, well drained soil. Once plants are 15cm tall, pinch out the growing tips to encourage really bushy growth prior to harvest. Watch for signs of flower buds forming in mid-summer, and pinch these off to promote more foliage.
How To Grow, Harvest: Frequent harvesting will prolong the life of the plant. Basil leaves have the best flavour just before the plant flowers, and if you plan to preserve some of your basil or make a big batch of pesto, this is the best time to harvest. Flowering can be delayed by pinching or clipping off new flower buds.
Tear basil rather than chop with a knife because chopping tends to bruise the leaves. Add basil to food just before serving so as to get the full aroma and effect. Cooking for any length tends to make the minty side of basil come to the forefront.
Basil is best fresh, but can be preserved by drying or by freezing. To freeze, tear the leaves into small pieces and freeze small batches of them, with water, in ice cube trays. Once frozen, the cubes can be saved in zip-lock type bags and labeled for later use. This will preserve the fresh flavour of basil for up to four months.
Approx:610 Seeds.
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Poppies – Black Peony – West Coast Seeds
$3.69Papaver somniferum. Black Peony poppies feature the deepest purple flowers available, with fully double, tightly packed petals for a very striking look. The dramatic, peony-shaped flowers only open for one day, but appear from July through September. They can grow to 10cm across. The dried seed heads are very useful in dried flower arrangements, and the edible seeds can be used in baking. Black Peony is highly attractive to bees and resistant to grazing deer. Expected plant height approximately 90cm. Annual.
How To Grow, Timing: Start perennial poppies outdoors in early spring, when some chance of frost is still a possibility. Start annual varieties outdoors at the same time in Zones 3-7. In Zones 8-10, the best bet is to direct sow in the fall.
Poppies are famously difficult to transplant, so starting them indoors is not recommended. If absolutely necessary, use peat or coir pots, and maintain a soil temperature of 12°C. Seeds will sprout in 20-30 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Thin to a minimum of 15cm apart.
How To Grow, Growing: Poppies are easy to grow and the self-sow with abandon, without becoming weedy. Simply pull up unwanted plants (an easy task) before they bloom, or better yet, let them tell you where they want to grow. They will thrive for years at a time in surprising spots, like a crack in the driveway. Other times, they simply won’t take, no matter how much you try. Keep them moderately well watered in hot, dry weather, and do not fertilize.
For the largest heads on Papaver somniferum: Sow seeds in the fall or early winter. Thin plants to allow them some space, and keep the area weeded as plants grow larger. Grow this variety in full sun in well-drained, but ordinary garden soil. If spring and summer are cool and damp, or plants are over-crowded, expect smaller seed heads.
Approx: 690 Seeds.
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Alyssum – Sweet Bliss Blend – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Sweet Bliss is a blend of white, pink and purple alyssum flowers, and will spread into a charming multi-hued carpet of tiny, fragrant blossoms. These excellent edging/border plants grow no more than 10cm tall. Alyssum is a great pollinator plant and it makes a fantastic companion for any flowering/fruiting vegetable. Drought tolerant and suitable for containers or hanging baskets.
How To Grow, Timing: Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Transplant out after all danger of frost has passed. Or, direct sow while some danger of light frost still exists. It’s very easy, either way.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds on the surface of the soil. If starting indoors, use a sterilized seed starting mix and maintain a soil temperature of 12-21°F under bright lights. The seeds require light to germinate, so do not cover them. They should sprout in 5-14 days.
How To Grow, Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-7.0. Transplant 20-30cm apart once all risk of frost has passed. Alyssum prefers freely draining, loamy soil. It is tolerant of dry soil and hot weather, and can be used for xeriscaping. If watering is abundant, Alyssum responds by growing rapidly. If growth slows in mid-summer due to heat, shear plants back by half to encourage compact growth and a second bloom. This annual may self sow.
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Wildflowers – Perennial Blend – West Coast Seeds
$4.99All perennials in this blend! These species will provide many colours for years of enjoyment. When fall planted, the flowers will blossom the following spring. When spring planted, if the conditions are right, there will be some flowering, but most will not flower until the following spring. The advantage of spring or summer planting is that the plants have a well-established root system for the following spring. Perennial Mix wildflower seeds will grow to an approximate height of 90-110cm under normal conditions. This mix blends nicely with our other wildflowers to provide a good perennial base.
Recommended rate of application: 141g per 1,000 square feet.How To Grow, Timing: Try to direct sow wildflower seeds during the period two weeks before, and eight weeks after, your last average frost date. Sowing when there is some risk of minor frost may improve germination. Wildflower seeds can also be sown in the autumn, but a certain percentage of seeds to may be lost to water, birds, and animals. To make the most of the annual species, direct sow in early spring.
How To Grow, Starting:
Site Selection: If there are already no plants (including weeds) growing in the planting site, there may be a problem with the soil. Possible issues may be soil fertility, lack of drainage, or the need for soil amendments to improve texture. In such spots (eg, beneath a cedar tree), few plants will thrive, including wildflowers.
Site Preparation: Remove as much existing vegetation as possible through pulling or tilling under in order to minimize competition. Loosen the soil by scraping, raking, or tilling. Wildflower blends will not usually take if planted into existing lawn because the thatch prevents their contact with soil.
Seed Application: In small areas, seeds can be scattered by hand. In larger areas, you may want to employ a lawn spreader or some other mechanical means. We recommend adding 1-2 parts clean, dry sand to 1 part wildflower seeds which will help the seeds spread evenly. Do not use beach sand, as it usually contains salt. It may be wise to spread most of the seed, but to save some for filling in bald spots at a later date. Seeds must come into contact with the soil in order to germinate. Do not bury seeds more than 2-3 times their thickness.
Planting rates: Aim for a planting density of 70 seeds per square foot. 90g of seeds will cover 1,000 ft². Use 4kg per acre. 500g covers about 5,500 ft². If seeding an area where site preparation and weeding are not possible, double this rate.
How To Grow, Growing: Keep the seeded area as evenly moist as possible to help the seeds germinate and the young seedlings become established. Weeds need to be kept under control. Once they are growing, most mixes will not require additional water except in long periods of hot, dry weather. All of our mixes should re-grow for several years, but will eventually benefit from re-seeding. In late summer, many of the components will produce seed heads that can be harvested and replanted the following spring.
5 grams of Seeds.
Blend Ingredients:
Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata Butterfly Milkweed Asclepias tuberosa California Poppy Eschscholzia californica Candytuft Iberis umbellata China Aster Calliestephus chinensis Dwarf Godetia Clarkia amoena Dwarf Plains Coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria Gayfeather Liatris spicatus Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella Lance-Leaf Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata Lemon Beebalm Monarda citriodora Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Rocket Larkspur Delphinium consolida Siberian Wallflower Cheiranthus allionii Scarlet Salvia Salvia coccinea Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima Add to cart -
Viola – Johnny Jump Up – West Coast Seeds
$3.49Viola cornuta. These perky little flowers are old-fashioned heirloom favourites and look like miniature pansies with lavender, yellow, and white faces. Direct seed Johnny Jump Up viola seeds from April to July. Sow seeds 0.6cm deep, and they should germinate in 12-14 days. Johnny Jump Up viola seeds self sow fairly readily, but they do not take over, and can be easily raked under if unwanted. These look rather good in containers, and their flowers are edible. If you want to try your hand at making candied violets, Johnny Jump Ups are the place to start. Or simply pick some of the fresh flowers and scatter them over salads and summer meals. Annual.
How To Grow, Timing: Start indoors 10-12 weeks before planting out. For spring planting after last frost, that means up to 3 months growing time indoors. Otherwise, sow direct outdoors in summer to early autumn. For winter-flowering pansies in Zones 7-9, start seeds in mid to late June. For V. odorata: Direct sow in autumn or early spring. This variety benefits from a long exposure to cool soil.
How To Grow, Starting: Even though the seeds are tiny, they need to be sown 5mm deep. Keep the soil at 18-25°C, in complete darkness until they germinate in around 14 days. Then provide bright light to keep plants compact. Space at 15-23cm in the garden. For V. odorata: Barely cover the tiny seeds. Sow in flats sunk into the ground against a north-facing wall, and cover with glass or plastic. Remove cover when seedlings emerge. Germination can take up to 50 days, so be patient.
How To Grow, Growing: After germination, pansies and violas are easy. Fertilize once or twice in early growth and provide a mulch around plants to keep roots cool as weather warms. Deadhead to prevent self-sowing, particularly with Johnny-Jump-Ups.
For V. odorata: Transplant after last frost or in the autumn where winters are mild, spacing at 15-30cm apart. Grow in partial shade, or in full sun where summers are cool. This variety prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0. Add well-rotted manure at transplant time.
Approx: 420 Seeds.
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Sweet Peas – Early Multiflora Blend – West Coast Seeds
$4.69Lathyrus odoratus. Long vines grow 2-3m tall with sturdy stems making excellent cut flowers. Early Multiflora sweet pea seeds can be planted in early spring. Planted in the fall, it may bloom well into winter in mild or protected winter areas. This variety is an excellent candidate for forcing in the greenhouse. The abundant flowers appear in solid colours with good fragrance, and they look smashing in a bouquet. Be sure to pick off the spent flowers before they turn into seed pods in order to keep the vines flowering over a longer period. Sweet pea seeds may germinate more quickly if they are soaked in luke warm water for six hours prior to planting. Annual.
How To Grow, Timing: Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last average frost date for your area. Or direct sow outdoors in early spring, while the soil is still cool and light frost is still possible. Plants are strongest from an early, indoor sowing. Sweet peas can also be direct sown in the fall where winters are mild.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 1cm deep. If starting indoors, chip seeds or soak them in warm water for 24 hours. Use a seed inoculant for the best results. Maintain a soil temperature of 12-18°C. Seeds should germinate in 10-20 days.
How To Grow, Growing: For best results, prepare the sweet pea bed the previous fall. Cultivate the soil to 45cm (18″) deep, incorporating a generous amount of finished compost. Also dig in bone meal. At transplant time, dig ¼ cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each plant. Space vines at 15cm and provide trellis support. Mulch around plants to keep the soil as cool as possible, and water during dry weather. Keep plants picked to prolong the blooming period.
Approx 55 Seeds.
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Sunflowers – Peredovik Organic – West Coast Seeds
$3.99Peredovik Organic sunflower seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC! This heirloom cultivar produces the black oil seed used for making sunflower oil and is the very top choice for feeding birds. Plants average one big head with few side branches. The birds will tell you when the small, oil-rich seeds are ripe! Black oil sunflower seeds for organic growing. Plant this Russian heirloom organic sunflower seed in and around your squash and pumpkin plants to lure pollinators to the area and you will get increased fruit set and larger harvests. Peredovik grows to a height of 1.5-2m. Annual.
How To Grow, Timing: Direct sow repeatedly after the last frost date. Starting indoors is possible, but does not gain much time. If sunflowers are allowed to get root-bound, they will lack stability at transplant time, and will require staking. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-30°C. Seeds should sprout in 10-14 days.
How To Grow, Starting: Sow seeds 5mm-1cm deep. Space dwarf varieties 15cm apart, but give the giants lots of room at 1m between plants.
How To Grow, Growing: To grow really big plants with really big flowers, enrich the soil with organic matter and incorporate 2 cups of balanced organic fertilizer per 3m of row, and irrigate regularly. When the plants are 30cm tall, dissolve 5ml of borax in 350 ml of water and spread the solution over 5m of row. Be careful not to over-apply this solution. This application of boron will produce bigger seeds and flower heads. Do not apply boron to other garden plants. When the back of the flower head turns yellow, it is ready to be cut from the plant.
Approx: 85 Seeds.
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