West Coast Seeds

Pennisetum glaucum. With its cousins Purple Majesty and Jade Princess, Copper Prince Millet is the very picture of ornamental grass. The golden green foliage darkens at the points most exposed to the sun, becoming more mahogany in tone. About mid summer, the rush-like panicles begin to emerge, rising to a height of 90cm (36"). They become bushier and bushier and then form a layer of densely packed, dark brown seeds. This grass looks tantalizing in mass plantings or rows used to define garden edges. But it is decorative enough to warrant individual specimens in patio containers. It was a hit in our field trials.

Annual.

This fabulous container sweet pea only grows to 30cm (12") tall. Its lightly fragrant flowers have wavy petals in shades of red, pink, light blue, deep blue, and white. Try Patio Mix sweet pea seeds in containers or hanging baskets, in window boxes or raised beds. It is a great edging plant, and looks great planted between rows of vegetables. All sweet peas fix nitrogen in the soil, so compact varieties like this one make useful companion plants for nitrogen-hungry leafy vegetables. Even though the plants are short, the stems still make nice cut flowers.

Cuminum cyminum. Cumin is one of the most widely used spices in the world. Its strong flavour balances well with other aromatic spices, and it is central to an incredibly wide range of spice mixes and marinades. In a good hot summer, cumin will produce a wide, robust umbel of tiny white flowers, followed by the unmistakable seeds. While in bloom, cumin joins its cousins cilantro, caraway, and dill as highly prized food sources for a host of beneficial insects. Cumin can even be planted for this single purpose, and it will attract ladybird beetles, lacewings, hover flies, and a wide range of predatory wasps. Cumin grows to about 50cm (20") tall.

Matures in 120 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Silky Sweet turnip seeds produce high yields of sweet white turnips with the most amazing texture. They really are silky — very tender with smooth flesh and a distinct sweetness. This turnip is ideal for spring and autumn harvests, and is best picked at 7cm (3") in diameter. It's a great candidate for succession planting. Direct sow short rows every two weeks starting at the last average frost date, and harvest just 35 days later. This turnip has high resistance to White Rust.

Matures in 35 days. (Hybrid seeds)

This amazing tomato is a favourite with several local growers, and very productive. Mountain Magic tomato seeds produce very sweet cocktail-type fruits, larger than cherry tomatoes, but just the right size for fresh salads. The high-yielding plants produce round, red, crack resistant fruits on early maturing vines. The plants boast high resistance to Fusarium Wilt races 0 to 2, late blight, and Verticillium Wilt, with intermediate resistance to early blight. It good choice for coastal growers who face the risk of blight in late summer.

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 66 days. (Hybrid seeds)

CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Green Zebra Organic tomato seeds yield wildly popular, beautiful fruit that are chartreuse in colour with deep lime green stripes. Green Zebra is an easy to grow mid-season tomato. Plants mature late with prolific yields of tasty fruit 4-6 cm (1.5-2") round. Skin is smooth, interior texture is firm and pulpy. Green Zebra organic tomatoes have an amazing, unique rich taste commonly described as sweet with a complex zing. A favourite of gourmet chefs, use Green Zebra to enhance the flavour of salsas, salads, soups and entrees. Also enjoy fresh from the garden for a zesty snack!

Green Zebra organic tomatoes were developed by heirloom breeder Thomas Wagner in the mid 1980's from 4 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Vines show some resistance to Septoria Leaf Spot. For best flavour allow Green Zebra organic tomatoes to fully ripen on the vine. A slight yellowish blush in colour and a firm feel with a bit of "give" are signs the fruit is ripe for picking. Fruit will taste bitter if picked too early, and if left too late may become mealy.

Indeterminate (vine)

Matures in 75 days (Hybrid seeds)

CERTIFIED ORGANIC. Glacier Organic are among the earliest maturing of early season tomatoes. The productive little plants are compact and well suited to containers and balcony growing. Glacier's 'saladette' fruits are small at just 5cm (2") in diameter, but they are very sweet, with a superior flavour to some other early maturing varieties. The stout plants grow to only 60-75cm (24-30") tall, and bear most of their fruit in a concentrated set. The plants are relatively cold tolerant and perform well in short season northern gardens.

Determinate (bush) Matures in 55 days. (Open-pollinated 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! Traviata Organic eggplant seeds produce relatively large, spineless plants. The fruits are large, very dark purple, and have shiny skins and an overall appealing look. The classic bell shaped fruits are quite abundant on each plant, and the plants keep producing over a long season. The plants are well suited to greenhouse cultivation, but will perform in the field setting too. They are even productive in patio containers, but use fertile soil and provide plenty of heat. For container growing, select pots with good drainage at least three to five gallons in size. Harvest the fruits at 15cm (6") for the best flavour.

Matures in 58 days. (Hybrid 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)

Broccoli raab is sometimes called rapini. Like broccoli, it is grown for its unopened flower buds. The flavour is very similar to broccoli, with a touch of bitterness that is surprisingly appealing. Broccoli raab is actually more closely related to turnips than broccoli, but is not grown as a root crop. Sorrento broccoli raab seeds produce uniform dark green florets approximately 5cm (2") in diameter. Sorrento is the fastest rapini to mature. Gather the tender stems with a few leaves and the unopened flower buds for a reliable and nutritious addition to the kitchen or market garden. Plant in mid to late summer for a cool weather harvest well into winter. Expect plants to grow to 78cm (30") tall.

Matures in 40-45 days. (Open-pollinated 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)

This red-spotted, open romaine lettuce is sure to turn some heads. The mid-sized plant is open with glossy, green leaves flecked with maroon; making it a delightful and colourful addition to salad mixes. As the leaves get larger, the markings become even more prominent. The leaves of Freckles lettuce are speckled, not blotchy, so they have quite an elegant look. And the flavour is excellent. Freckles lettuce seeds, also known as Forellenschluss are an heirloom variety of Austrian lineage. Be sure to plant some Freckles lettuce seeds in your organic vegetable garden this spring.

Matures in 55-70 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

C. pepo. These beautifully shaped, bright orange pumpkins have strong, dark green handles and make perfect Jack-O-Lanterns. Plant Neon pumpkin seeds for productive, semi-bush plants that take up less space in the garden or field, and produces higher yields per acre if grown commercially. The uniform fruits average 3kg (7-8 lbs). If grown in a cool summer, fruit may be faintly bi-coloured when immature. By harvest time they become the normal golden colour as shown. Pumpkins thrive in any region with hot summers.

Matures in 70 days. (Hybrid seeds)