Seeds

Cymbopogon flexuosus. Lemongrass is a tropical plant from the grass family (Poaceae) that will grow well in temperate regions if given the right conditions. Sow Lemongrass seeds indoors in late winter using bottom heat or a seedling heat mat. Maintain moist conditions and a temperature around 21°C (70°F), and the seeds will germinate in 5 to 21 days. Be sure to use sterilized seed starting mix, and either a clear dome over your seedling tray, or sealed into a plastic bag to maintain moisture. Transplant outdoors or into containers in full sun once the weather has warmed up in early summer. At the end of summer move container plants into a frost free environment with good air circulation. Reduce watering to almost none, making the soil barely moist once a week.

When using Lemongrass in the kitchen, remove any loose, outer layers. Either use whole pieces, crushed slightly with a pestle or under the back of your cleaver, or slice sections very thinly in cross section. This will help break up the strong fibres of the grass stalks.

Tender Perennial

The best known loose leaf variety. Medium to large upright, light green leaves which are frilled and crisp. Mild and flavorful. Earliest to bear and an exceptionally fast grower. Slow to bolt. It can be grown later in the spring than most other varieties.

Days to Germination: 7 to 10 days

Days to Maturity: 45 days

Best Container Size: 12" +

Grand Rapids is the best known loose leaf lettuce variety. This variety produces medium to large upright, light green leaves. The mild and flavorful leaves are frilled and crisp. Being an exceptionally fast grower, it is the earliest to bear. This cool season plant is slow to bolt and can be grown later in the spring than most other varieties.

Please Note: Seed tapes require consistent moisture to ensure best germination.

Days to Germination: 7 to 10 days

Days to Maturity: 45 days

Best Container Size: 18" +

The best known loose leaf variety. Medium to large upright, light green leaves which are frilled and crisp. Mild and flavorful. Earliest to bear and an exceptionally fast grower. Slow to bolt. It can be grown later in the spring than most other varieties.

Days to Germination: 7 to 10 days

Days to Maturity: 45 days

Best Container Size: 18" +

Lettuce Leaf basil seeds produce very large, bright, puckered green leaves with a glorious aroma. Provide high soil fertility and a light, well-dug soil to get the largest leaves. We recommend using potting soil with two tablespoons of Gaia All Purpose 4-4-4 per liter of soil. Try this mix in containers in your patio herb garden. Tear the big leaves into salad mixes or use whole leaves to wrap savory morsels like brochettes or salad rolls. Lettuce Leaf Basil is a sweet basil, with milder flavour than the Genovese types. It's perfect for the home gardener, but it also makes an eye catching and unique bundle for the market table.

Romaine Lettuce develops elongated heads with long, ribbed leaves. The coarse outer leaves of this cool weather crop are a dark green, while the inner leaves are a lighter green. This Romaine variety is of splendid quality for Caesar salad.

Please Note: Seed tapes require consistent moisture to ensure best germination.

Days to Germination: 7 to 10 days

Days to Maturity: 65 to 85 days

This loose-leaved lettuce is slow to bolt to seed. The crisp, tender leaves have an appealing apple-green color. Cool weather crop.

Please Note: Seed tapes require consistent moisture to ensure best germination.

Days to Maturity: 50 days

Best Container Size: 12" +

Agastache foeniculum. With heavily licorice-scented leaves and tall spikes of edible lavender flowers, Licorice Mint has been used medicinally for generations. It also happens to be one of the key suppliers of nectar to Skippers and other butterflies and is highly attractive to bees. A beautiful non-invasive mint for the corner of the garden. Also known as Anise Hyssop. Agastache seeds grow to heights of 120cm (48").

Companion Planting: Agastache is fragrant and highly attractive to pollinating insects. Plant a row of Agastache away from the garden to lure cabbage moths away from Brassica crops. Avoid planting near radishes.

Perennial

Feathery foliage on tall and vigorous dill plants that mature and form seed quickly from large umbels of yellow flowers. Sow Long Island Mammoth dill seeds at the back of the herb or vegetable bed, as plants can reach 2m (6') tall or more. In fact, it gets so tall, it makes a nice specimen plant, central in the garden. Harvest the leaves as needed. The leaves and seeds dry well.

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. WCS recommends that organic gardeners should grow some 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).

Sometimes listed as Fingerling or Long Purple Italian, Long Purple Eggplant seeds produce stocky, productive plants that bear four or more fruits per plant. The fruits are dark purple and club shaped 20-25cm (8-10") long and around 6cm (2.5") in diameter. The flesh is firm and mild in flavour, and it's lovely when cooked, taking on the flavours it is cooked with. This old heirloom variety arrived in American gardens back in the 1850s. Try growing this eggplant in a three to five gallon pot on your patio. Eggplants thrive in hot weather, and this variety does particularly well in northern areas.

Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Love-Lies-Bleeding looks as pretty in the garden as it does in cut and dried bouquets. Long, vibrant burgundy tassels hang from tall, lush green plants. Its easy to grow these vigorous 90-150cm (36-60”) plants. Pair with Hot Biscuits and Green Tails for maximum impact.

Stunning creamy white carrots with light green shoulders. Almost coreless, the sweet but mild flavour develops early so it is a great choice for baby carrots. This heirloom carrot variety is great for cooking, which brings out the sweetness even more. These tender, tapered, 15-30.5cm (6-12") roots have a pleasantly crisp and crunchy texture. White carrots are closest to the original carrots first cultivated hundreds of years ago.

Matures in 60 days

Capsicum baccatum. This eye-catching variation on the Bishop's Cap pepper variety is a new, award winning hybrid with superior plant vigour and higher yield than its OP cousins. The flattened disc shaped pods of Mad Hatter provide a crisp and crunchy texture for snacking at the mature green or red stage. Grown in arid conditions, the peppers will take on a slight heat around the seed cavity, but otherwise the flesh remains sweet and mild. This All America Selections Winner grows to a maximum height of 122cm (48"), but it's suitable for large containers and super productive in open field or high tunnel settings.

Matures in 65-70 days to green, 85-90 days to red. (Hybrid seeds)

Lathyrus odoratus. Striking shades of crimson, lavender, deep rose, navy blue, rose pink, and salmon, these climbers are 1.6m (6ft) and perfect for cut flowers. Sow Mammoth Blend sweet pea seeds for the earliest sweet peas to bloom from late spring to early summer. Direct sow sweet pea seeds at three week intervals for an extended bloom period. This variety has particularly large flowers on particularly long stems, so they're a great cut flower for the farm table or the home garden. While they have a distinct fragrance, they are not like the intense Spencers or High Scent, so they will appeal to growers who prefer subdued scents.

Annual

Among the largest available snow peas, these 10-13 cm (4-5") long pods are produced on 1.2m (4') tall plants that require a trellis. The large white flowers of this heirloom variety are pretty enough to use as cut flowers. Mammoth Melting Sugar snow pea seeds produce pods are sweet and tender, even sweeter and more tender than Dwarf Gray Sugar. Plants are high yielding, early, uniform, and productive. This variety is more productive in cool weather, so it's perfect for early spring planting, and a second planting in early August for fall production. Mammoth Melting Sugar is Wilt resistant.

Matures in 70 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Melissa officinalis. This special cultivar of conventional lemon balm has been selected for its distinctive and pronounced orange scent. Mandarina Orange Balm grows with a trailing habit, so it makes a beautiful "spiller" in hanging baskets and raised garden beds. It can even be used as a ground cover, and used to cover slopes and other difficult areas. Small white flowers appear in summer that are very attractive to bees. Use the leaves as a relaxing tea. This plant grows 30-35cm (12-14"), and a little shorter in containers. It is perennial to Zone 4 and even deer resistant.

Manitoba Tomato seeds produce vigorous determinate plants that thrive in cool climates with short seasons. An early producer with excellent yields, Originally developed in the mid 1950's by the Morden Experimental Farm in Morden, MB to ripen during the short summer season. An excellent choice on the West Coast.

A prairie favourite, Manitoba tomato plants bear medium-large fruits 170 grams (6 oz). The bright red fruits have smooth skin and firm, meaty flesh with a refreshing, tangy tomato taste. Well suited for slicing and preserving.

Determinate (bush)

Matures in 60 days (Open-pollinated seeds)

Crackerjack Marigolds grow large double blooms 10-12.5 cm (4-5") in diameter in shades of yellow, gold, and bright orange. The fluffy flowers on this African marigold are carried well above the foliage. This gorgeous plant is easy to grow and tolerates heat and poor weather.

Growing Information: Safe for bees

Days to Germination: 5 to 8 days

Grows best in: Full Sun

Best Container Size: 12"+

Growing Height: 24-36"

This French filet type bean has superb flavour. The tender, uniform, 10cm (4”) long beans are produced in abundant yields on tidy, upright plants. The plants’ petite size make them a good choice for containers. Masai bush bean is resistant to BCMV, and tolerant to Curly Top virus, bacterial brown spot, and halo blight. The beans are produced in a concentrated set on the upper half of the plants, so they are easy to see and harvest. Try some in the balcony vegetable garden or community plot.

Matures in 55 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Aquilegia x hybrida. All America Selections Winner. Tall, graceful and intricate, long spurred blossoms are perfect for cutting. Nodding and dainty, the huge 8cm (3") wide blooms are held high above delicate foliage. This mix is marvelous in woodland plantings or any shady location. McKana's Giant Mix Columbine seeds bloom mid-spring to early summer. White, cream, yellow, and red. Deadhead the seed pods before they open to control self-sowing. Or better yet, watch for them to open on the plants after they begin to dry out, and collect the seeds from the ornamental seed pods for planting around the garden or sharing with friends. Plant height 75cm (30").

Perennial

Mesclun Gourmet Greens Mixture is a gourmet blend of salad greens. Enjoy the complementary flavors and textures of Arugula, Endive, Red Kale, Red and Green Romaine, Salad Bowl, and Lolla Rossa Lettuce. Beautiful in the garden and on the plate!

Noted for its combination of flavors, colors, and textures, it is a fun choice for salads. The leaves are most enjoyable if harvested when young and crisp.

Please Note: Seed tapes require consistent moisture to ensure best germination.

Days to Germination: 7 to 10 days

Days to Maturity: 40 to 65 days

Best Container Size: 12"+

Fragaria vesca. This French delicacy may be the perfect little strawberry. Mignonette alpine strawberry seeds produce fruits that grow bigger than most alpine strawberries.  Bright red, deliciously sweet, and easy to care for. The compact perennial plants form pretty little mounds that will bear strawberries the first year. Set them around the edges of the flower garden, in hanging baskets, and windowsill planters for easy picking.

Most often called wild strawberries, or the woodland strawberry. The alpine strawberry, or European strawberry, also called "fraise des bois," is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows naturally throughout much of North America, and is a favourite of naturalists everywhere.

Matures in 80 days. 

CERTIFIED ORGANIC! This thick-walled orange bell pepper was bred for early maturity and disease resistance. The three to four lobed fruits are crisp, deliciously sweet, and abundant in the greenhouse or open field. Milena's plants will grow well in raised beds and balcony containers. Harvest the peppers at the green stage or allow them to turn bright orange at full maturity. 

Matures in 70 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Lovely white flesh streaked with purple, and deep purple skins are the product of Mini Purple Daikon radish seeds. The flavour of the root is quite mild compared with the spicy (edible) leaves. Expect 5 to 10% white off-types. This is the perfect variety for kimchi or pickles, and just a nice raw addition to salads for crunch and visual appeal. Learn when to plant radish seeds in our How to Grow Radish instructions by clicking on the tab below. Daikon radishes do best in cool weather so they're a great crop for spring and fall growing, and can be harvested in the winter if grown with crop protection.

Matures in 40 days. (Hybrid seeds)

CERTIFIED ORGANIC. This parthenocarpic, early variety bears an abundance of 7-8cm (2.5-3 inch) fruit that are perfect for snacking. Mini-Me is a productive plant that performs well in the field as well as in greenhouses as it does not require pollination. The mini cucumbers are uniform with smooth skins and crisp, mildly sweet flesh. Harvest the cucumbers often so plants keep producing. An excellent choice to fill lunch boxes and crudités platters!

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

Matures in 100 days

Mokum carrot seeds are back by popular demand! The finest flavour and so crisp and delicate that it actually has to be hand dug, not just pulled out by the tops. You can enjoy these as baby carrots (they colour up quickly) or longer at 15-20 cm (6-8"). These deep orange carrots are high in Vitamin A and sugars. Mokum is an Amsterdam type - an imperator with blunt (as opposed to pointed) ends. Be sure to plant this variety in soil that has been deeply cultivated. Use a garden fork to break up all dirt clods and remove all stones. And thinning carrots is critical if you want them to grow straight and unblemished.

Matures in 60 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Morning Glory Mix produces an excellent show of blooms that open in the morning and close late in the afternoon. Flowers bloom in beautiful dark shades of red and purple. Its drought tolerant vines climb rapidly on fences, porches, trellises, and hanging baskets.

Caution: Seeds are poisonous if ingested.

Growing Information: Safe for bees

Days to Germination: 10 to 14 days

Grows best in: Full Sun

Growing Height: 3.5m (12')

CERTIFIED ORGANIC. Dating back to 1930s West Virginia, this classic heirloom beefsteak has pinkish skin, few seeds, and superb tomato flavour. Mortgage Lifter fruits are generally free from cracking and average 454g (1-2lbs) each. They mature a little later in the season, but the classic heirloom tomato flavour is worth the wait. Provide sturdy support for this climber that usually grows over 90cm (3') tall.

Indeterminate (vine) Matures in 85 days. (Open-pollinated seeds).