Seeds

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)

The Hummingbird Garden Wildflower Mix features many different annual, perennial, and biennial flower varieties. The assortment is great for attracting hummingbirds to your garden. When the flowers are grown in close proximity this mix also provides a natural meadow look.

Packet illustration is a guide only to the contents.

Growing Information: Safe for bees & good for pollinators

Days to Germination: 7 to 14 days

Grows best in: Full Sun

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)

Callistephus chinensis. The King Size China Asters are very showy, and make superb cut flowers. The King Size Formula Mix blends the whole series: Appleblossom, Mid-Blue, Pink, Rose, Red, and White. These sumptuous flowers top stems around 90cm (35") tall and bloom all summer. The plants are very upright in growth, with numerous multi-branching stems. Be sure to take frequent harvests of cut flowers, or at least keep the plants dead-headed to prolong and enhance the bloom time. Please follow the planting and spacing instructions closely.

Annual

Kitchen Basil Blend seeds combines three unique basil varieties with green and purple leaves for use in the kitchen. The Blend includes basil with large, smooth leaves that are suitable for pestos, pastas and salads, and also more pungent varieties to make vinegars and herbal teas. Basil flowers are also edible so add them to your dishes too!  Basil also makes sensational microgreens - they take a little while to germinate but are worth the wait for the gourmet flavour. This Kitchen Blend can be grown on the windowsill, in the garden or in containers on the patio. All types of basil enjoy warm, freely draining soil and lots of moisture in summer heat.

Knee High Meadow Blend wildflower seeds should be sown any place where the flowers can be left on their own to grow around knee high over the spring and summer. This diverse mix of annuals and perennials looks wonderful when it is allowed to cover large areas. But it works just as well in containers, producing plants that grow to around 50cm (20") tall. Many of the species are deer resistant, which can help fill in areas in coastal gardens. And while you are enjoying the ever changing colours, you are providing local pollinators and beneficial insects with crucial forage.
Recommended rate of application: 142g per 1,000 square feet.

Kolibri kohlrabi seeds produce surprisingly uniform bulbous stems with bright purple, extremely smooth skins over succulent and crisp white flesh. This variety can become quite large without losing any of its appealing texture. The purple colour of Kolibri is so appealing that they really stand out in the garden. Kohlrabi has the attractive texture of a crisp apple with a mild Brassica flavour that hints of cabbage. Its crispness lends it well for use in salads with thick dressings. Shredded, it makes a delicious coleslaw. And like its Brassica cousins, kohlrabi is an excellent source of phosphorus and potassium as well as dietary fibre, and (somewhat surprisingly) vitamin C. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Matures in 55 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Sow 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 (3′) 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.

Matures in 65 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Melissa officinalis. Plant lemon balm seeds and rub the light green leaves for a sudden hit of lemon scent. Use in bouquets to lemon scent a room or brew an invigorating medicinal tea. Lemon Balm seeds produce a herbaceous perennial self-sows and bees love it. Plants grow vigorously so keep self-sown seedlings thinned out. The plants are deer resistant, so a useful filler plant for coastal areas. Chop back the plants by two thirds once the flowers have faded to prevent self sowing and to encourage the growth of new leaves. This plant belongs in every organic herb garden and has been cultivated for centuries as a medicinal plant.

Create delightful displays with these bright yellow stacking pumpkins. Expect large yields of 15-20cm (6-8") fruit weighing 1.5-2.25kg (3-5lbs) on vining plants. Stack Lemon Cake alone, with Moon Cake, or with our other stacking varieties. Early maturity makes them very adaptable.

Helianthus annuus. Lemon Queen Organic sunflower seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Lemon Queen is a wonderful, medium tall sunflower with brilliant light lemon yellow flowers that are typically 10-13cm (5-6") wide. with chocolate brown centers. This sunflower develops numerous branches, and each bears multiple flowers. Grow some for cut flowers and enjoy the bright colour indoors. Lemon Queen grows to about 1.8-2m (6-7') tall. Direct sow sunflower seeds in full sun in well drained soil once it warms up from April to June. Plant more seeds at three week intervals for a much longer bloom period. This sunflower begins flowering about 90 days after sowing.

Annual

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" +