Seeds

Genovese organic 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.

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.

Matures in 100 days. (Open-pollinated seeds).

A special blend for the cut flower grower and owners of big vases! Giant Blue Point Zinnias produce dahlia-flowered zinnias with tall stems in large double blooms. Crimson red, lilac, rose, canary yellow, deep red, white and orange. This is the earliest flowering variety. Giant Blue Point Formula zinnia seeds zinnias are long blooming with excellent disease resistance. Picking off the dead flowers (deadheading) will prolong the bloom time, but so will cutting them for bouquets. The colours are brilliant and the stems are strong and upright, perfect for cutting.

Annual.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Giant Winter Organic spinach was bred specifically for autumn, winter, and early spring harvests. It is the most cold hardy spinach, and will thrive in a winter greenhouse or polytunnel, our outdoors under a layer of mulch. Or direct sow in October and November for a very early crop from February through April. This old heirloom grows to the size of Swiss chard leaves. Its leaves are dark green and slightly savoyed, and vaguely triangular in shape.

Matures in 45 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Excellent for boiling, baking and french frying.

Variety: Russet

Harvest: Late Summer

Potato Size: Large

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa. 

CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Uniformly cylindrical along its whole length, and intensely yellow in colour. Goldy’s fruits average 20-25cm (8-10″) long. Plant Goldy Organic zucchini seeds for relatively small plants that are open and vigorous with hardly any spines. The fruits are tender and delicious. Avoid aborted fruits by planting long blooming flowers around your squash bed. Fruits sometimes abort due to poor or incomplete pollination, resulting in fruits that turn black and shrivel from the blossom end. In a field setting, sunflowers work really well, attracting pollinators to the area like beacons. In the home garden or raised bed, try planting Alyssum, Phacelia, and other long-blooming flowers around the edge of the bed. Fruit set will be vastly improved.

Matures in 55 days. (Hybrid seeds)

This incredible bush bean was bred in Washington State and bears pods up to 22cm (8½”) long. They stay tender with nearly the best flavour of any bean we’ve tried. The pods are medium green and become fully mature at 28cm (11”) long. The plants are tolerant to Brown Spot and resistant to BCMV. This is a fine choice for home gardeners and market growers alike. F26 was the original breeder's personal reference number for the variety, but this titan bean will come to be known as Goliath. This bush bean is determinate and sets its pods more or less all at once in a short harvest period.

Matures in 57 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

A seed tape version of this flavourful tipburn resistant (TBR) variety. Grand Rapids TBR Looseleaf lettuce seeds produce a large, upright rosette of thick, juicy, light-green, frilly leaves and a blanched centre. The variety features very rapid growth in spring and fall, and grows better than any other variety under cool, damp, low-light conditions. Try Grand Rapids TBR in cold frames or beneath a cloche greenhouse for salad production all winter. In the spring and summer, sow short rows often so the crop can be harvested over a long period, and so that you are not overwhelmed by a garden full of mature lettuce all at once.

1 pack includes 2 x 2.5m (6.5') of tape and contains approximately 350 seeds in total.

Start by making shallow rows in prepared soil. Unfold tape and separate the two strips. Place tape in the rows and water. Cover with 5mm (0.25 inch) of soil. Water well. Keep consistent moisture until seeds sprout in 7-15 days.

Matures in 65 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

A seed tape version of this flavorful tip burn resistant (TBR) variety. Grand Rapids TBR Looseleaf lettuce seeds produce a large, upright rosette of thick, juicy, light-green, frilly leaves and a blanched center. The variety features very rapid growth in spring and fall, and grows better than any other variety under cool, damp, low-light conditions. Try Grand Rapids TBR in cold frames or beneath a cloche greenhouse for salad production all winter. In the spring and summer, sow short rows often so the crop can be harvested over a long period, and so that you are not overwhelmed by a garden full of mature lettuce all at once.

1 pack includes 2 x 2.5m (6.5') of tape and contains approximately 350 seeds in total.

Start by making shallow rows in prepared soil. Unfold tape and separate the two strips. Place tape in the rows and water. Cover with 5mm (0.25 inch) of soil. Water well. Keep consistent moisture until seeds sprout in 7-15 days.

Matures in 65 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Greek oregano organic seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Greek oregano offers the best, most pungently flavoured oregano leaves for cooking. Plants are very hardy when established and impart a wonderful wild mountain aroma in the garden with their tiny white or pink flowers. Bees adore oregano when it is in bloom. Germination may be slow, so be patient. Oregano is one of the best herbs for drying because it maintains a strong flavour for months after harvest. Pick and dry whole stalks or whole plants - hang them upside down in an airy place out of direct sunlight. Once the plants are completely dry, they can be stored in open plastic bags. Otherwise, pull off the leaves and store them in sealed jars.

Greek oregano pairs brilliantly with meats, eggs, and roasted vegetables like zucchini and eggplant.

Green Arrow shelling peas are excellent for fresh eating, freezing, canning, or cooking. Heavy yields of dark green pods up to 11cm (4.5") long contain 9 -11 peas each, born in pairs at the top of the compact bush plants. A reliable, adaptable variety for gardeners and market growers.

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

Matures in 70 days.  (Open-pollinated seeds)

Hot pink to magenta stems and veins with dark jade coloured foliage, Magenta Sunset is a beauty among the chards. Magenta Sunset Swiss chard seeds are grown primarily for immature salad greens as it tends to bolt during summer heat. The leaves are smooth, and the stalks are narrow, even at full size. Kept in check, it will produce abundant nutritious leaves with a mild earthy flavour. Sow again in August for a fall harvest or for decorative, 60cm (24") tall plants. Swiss chard is absolutely packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.

Matures in 60 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Salad Bowl lettuce seeds are a traditional stand-by for salad mixes. These large, lime-green rosettes resist bolting for a long time in summer and do not get bitter. The frilly, deeply cut oakleaf shape has excellent flavour and good texture. They add loft and character to salad mixes. Rapid cool-weather growth makes it a prime candidate for spring cold frame growing. This heirloom lettuce dates back to 1952, the year it was given a well deserved AAS Award. It's also a winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Give it a try in patio containers to keep near the kitchen. The individual leaves are a nice addition to sandwiches, or just as garnishes.

Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

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

Matures in 100 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Ipomoea tricolor. It is a great shame that so many gardeners confuse this tidy heirloom annual with the invasive bindweed, Convovulus arvensis. Both share the name Morning Glory, and both have trumpet shaped flowers, but the similarities end there. Heavenly Blue morning glory seeds produce short vines bearing copious, huge, intensely blue flowers that open each morning and then fade to pink before closing for good in the evening. Every day more flowers open from mid to late summer. It looks spectacular climbing along a fence or trellis, with really large flowers that can only be described as Heavenly Blue.

Note: This variety is not an invasive weed.

Annual

Helenor Organic rutabaga seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC! The colour develops early on these nice, uniform, round roots. The flesh is light orange and sweetly flavoured. Helenor is an excellent choice for fall and winter harvests.

Rutabagas are surprisingly versatile in the kitchen and are widely used around the northern hemisphere. They can be julienned and eaten raw as a side salad, or roasted, boiled, or grilled. Many recipes call for mashing rutabagas after cooking, and the classic Scottish dish neeps and tatties combines them with mashed potato. It is a useful winter source of vitamin C, and the roots will store for months.

These seeds are coated with an inert, organically certified layer which helps to minimize clumping in storage and seed sowing machines. The coating is approved by organic certifiers in Canada, the US, EU, and Japan.

Matures in 90 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Hilda Romano pole bean has flat pods, no strings, and great flavour. This bean is one of the first to produce in the summer and keeps going until frost if kept picked. It needs a strong support, but produces an incredible harvest. The pods grow to 23cm (9”) long and the plants are BCMV resistant.

This is a similar bean to Helda, bred in southern Europe, but Hilda produces a slightly longer bean that stays tender for longer as the pods mature.

Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Recent conventional corn breeding has produced this outstanding triplesweet with two types of kernels on each cob: 75% sugary enhanced (SE), and 25% super sweet (sh2). A winner of the All-America Selections award, Honey Select corn seeds were bred for the home gardener, and the plants do not require isolation from other varieties to produce their fantastic flavour. This is the sweetest variety for the home grower. The combination of hybrid kernels means excellent flavour is matched by a long harvest window and good keeping after harvest. The tender, sweet ears average 20-23cm (8-9") long.

Matures in 79 days. (triplesweet hybrid seeds)

Gorgeous jalapeno-shaped peppers mature from bright green to nearly jet black, and finally to intense scarlet red. The productive 60cm (24") tall plants are loaded with fruits of medium heat. Use these interchangeably with jalapeno peppers for a a dash of drama in dips and salsas. The flavour really brightens as they mature, and the colour stands out on market tables. Try Black Hungarian pepper seeds in patio containers but aim to keep the soil constantly moist during the growing season and allow for good air circulation around plants. Mildly spicy 1,000-2,5000 SHUs.

Matures in 70 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Papaver nudicaule. The Iceland Poppy is a hardy, but short-lived perennial, grown as a biennial in Coastal gardens. Either way, they self sow readily, so will last for years at a time. The large, cup shaped blooms have a texture like crepe paper and appear in a range of subdued pastel colours - apricot, gold, tangerine, and white. Sow Iceland Poppy seeds in early spring or late fall where they are to grow permanently. The flower stalks grow to around 30c (12") tall, and are among the longest-lasting poppies as cut flowers. They are highly attractive to honeybees and bumblebees, with seeds that are easy to collect and disperse. Unlike the California Poppy, this variety usually remains where it was planted. All parts of the plant are mildly toxic, but acrid enough that animals will not eat them.

Perennial

C. pepo. When Jackpot zucchini starts producing, you'll think you hit the jackpot! Bushy plants have few spines, very high yield, and continuous production. Very similar to Ambassador in terms of its upright growth along one single stem, but even earlier to mature. Jackpot zucchini squash seeds fruits are cylindrical, and perfect to pick at 17cm (6") long, not long after the flowers are pollinated. Jackpot zucchini squash seeds make an excellent replacement for Ambassador zucchini seeds. Its upright growth makes Jackpot a good candidate for raised garden beds, or any place where space is limited.

Matures in 50 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Viola 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 (0.25") 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.

Hardy Annual

Dark-green leaves are supported by thick, sweet, white stalks that are mild and juicy with a delicate flavour. Joi Choi pac choi seeds can be planted in cool soil and grow to 45cm (18") tall.

Tagetes erecta. These vigorous, very upright marigolds feature large, deeply orange flowers with highly ruffled petals. Kees' Orange marigold grows to 60-70cm (24-28") tall, and works well in containers or in the vegetable garden where it makes a generalist companion plant for pretty much all crops. It attracts beneficial insects and repels pests. It is great as a long-lasting cut flower, and looks amazing planted in large groups. Space them carefully to allow for good air circulation.

Annual

For truly enormous onions, choose Kelsae sweet onion seeds. This HEIRLOOM cross of two exhibition onions was developed in Scotland in the 1950s. Kelsae is a sweet, mild, white onion of the long day variety, suited to growing in northern regions. In 1995 one grower managed the world record of the largest onion ever grown at 16 lbs, 8 1/2 oz. Most growers will not achieve this size, but the bulbs will certainly be large. Kelsae keeps well into the following year. Although it was the result of a crossed parentage, Kelsae is not a traditional hybrid. It will produce viable seeds for seed saving.

These seeds are coated with an inert, organically certified layer which helps to minimize clumping in storage and seed sowing machines. The coating is approved by organic certifiers in Canada, the US, EU, and Japan.

Matures in 110 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)