West Coast Seeds

Salvia officinalis. CERTIFIED ORGANIC! The wonderfully aromatic, silvery-green leaves of sage bring a potent savoury accent to stews, soups, salads, and traditional stuffing. Beneficial insects love this plant and hummingbirds will feed from sage flowers. Direct seed organic sage seeds in early spring and thin to 30cm (12") apart. Harvest half of the plant before the purple flowers open in June, and dry the leaves in an airy spot away from direct sunlight. After flowering, cut back by a third to get a burst of fresh new leaves.

Tropaeolum majus. Salad Blend nasturtium seeds bring brilliant colour to summer salads. Salad Blend nasturtiums feature spurless, half-double flowers in tangerine, soft salmon, deep gold, deep mahogany, bright scarlet, cream and cherry-rose. Pick and wash a handful of these bright summer flowers and just tear them into pieces over a summer salad. The result transforms a simple salad into a work of art. Nasturtiums are very easy to grow, and quite drought tolerant, so they are a fine choice for xeriscaping. In the right environment nasturtiums will self sow and come back year after year.

Annual

C. pepo. While they are edible and actually quite tasty, most growers choose Jack Be Little pumpkin seeds for the compact vines and tiny, undeniably cute miniature pumpkins that follow. Each flattened, deeply-ribbed fruit measures only 5cm (2") tall and about 13cm (5") across the top. If cured fully on the vine, the fruits will last as ornaments for as long as twelve months! Jack Be Little makes perfect little bright orange pumpkins for fall decorations, and each plant produces up to eight fruits. Be sure to keep one or two for dicing into fall soups or slicing thin for tempura.

Matures in 95 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)

These wonderful large beans mature in 75-85 days when sown in the spring, or 6 months if fall sown. The plants grow 90-120cm (3-4') tall. The light green pods, which contain 6-7 large pale green seeds each, shell easily. Windsor broad bean seeds are superb for family gardens and easy for small children to handle. Broad Windsor is intended for growing as a food crop. The seeds it produces are large and succulent, unlike the small-seeded fava we offer as a cover crop. This large variety will fix nitrogen in your soil, so it’s perfect for planting in the fall, harvesting in the spring, and following with nitrogen loving crops like Brassicas, lettuce, or spinach. Fresh or dried, broad beans must be cooked before eating in order to rid them of potentially toxic alkaloids. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, or cooked like spinach. Broad beans are one of the world’s most ancient and widespread food crops.

Matures in 75-85 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Rudbeckia hirta. We did a double take when we saw this remarkable Rudbeckia during the summer flower trials. Large and very attractive bronze and chocolate coloured blooms appear over a very long flowering period from mid summer to frost. Cappuccino Rudbeckia seeds are an excellent garden performer with huge, richly coloured flowers to 10cm (4") across covering plants growing to 45-50cm (18-20") tall. This Rudbeckia would work well in a half-barrel or other large containers, and it looks sensational in big plantings. Impressive, low maintenance, and drought tolerant for xeriscaping. Deadhead spent flowers for a longer display. In very mild conditions, this plant may survive to bloom a second, or even third year. We treat it as an annual.

Annual

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)

Mildly hot, 15cm (6") long green peppers borne on vigorous, upright, bushy 45-60cm (18-24") tall plants. Anaheim pepper seeds are an heirloom from southern California have been around since at least 1913. The tapered fruits have thick walls that are excellent or roasting or smoking, and will mature to dark red if left on the plant. Much less hot than a Jalapeno at 100-500 SHUs. In a warm climate, the plants will bear continuously over a long period, with good foliage cover to protect the fruits. The fruits are two-celled with an appealing, crisp, crunchy texture. Anaheim makes a good, very mild substitute for Ancho in chile relleno recipes.

Matures in 70-90 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

What a wonderful flavour! The thick, pale green flesh of this Galia-type melon has a rich, tropical aroma and taste. Diplomat is tolerant to powdery mildew as well. The 2.2-2.8kg (5-6lbs) fruits have yellow skins and fine netting, and they grow on strong vines. Trellis these vines or let them sprawl on the ground. Grow in full sun, and do everything you can to increase heat around the plants. Black plastic mulch works well, building and trapping solar energy in the soil for warmer roots and less evaporation.

Matures in 75-80 days. (Hybrid 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. maxima. Uchiki Red Kuri Organic squash seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC. This is a Japanese type Hubbard (red kuri), with dark, red/orange skin over tasty, cream coloured flesh. Popular in Japanese and Thai dishes, the flesh is flavourful and firm, and never stringy. Uchiki kuri squash plants are productive and robust in this climate. Sometimes known as "onion squash," the fruits average 1.5kg (just over 3 lbs) each. This is a very early maturing squash. In our trials, May sown plants are finished by September 1st, with three or more fruits per plant.

Matures in 100 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Echinacea hybrida 'Cheyenne Spirit.' Sow Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea Seeds in rows or clumps outdoors in early May for fall blooms. Sow indoors March 15th for August blooms. Plants bloom sixteen weeks after seeding. Germinate at 21°C (70°F), under bright lights. Cheyenne Spirit is a good, long lasting  cut flower. Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea blooms range from yellow to pink to crimson. All Echinacea plants are drought tolerant, but this variety is so dear, you'll want to baby them in the garden. This premium hybrid Echinacea blend is an All America Selections winner, and is sold by seed count.

Perennial

Lavandula stoechas. Sow French lavender seeds indoors, 6-8 weeks before last frost, or direct sow the seeds in early spring when a chance of frost is still possible. Uniform and distinctive, 'Sancho Panza' blooms from June to September on shrubby bushes that grow 35cm (14") tall. This variety of French lavender has a fantastic fragrance and dries particularly well. Great in containers, but in mass plantings the scent and colour are amazing. French lavender is also a very hardy perennial and drought tolerant, so good for use in xeriscaping. Cut back the whole plant by a third after flowering is finished to produce new growth.

Fresca strawberry seeds are so tiny it's hard to believe that these miniature seeds produce big, mouthwatering traditional strawberries. Start the seeds indoors during the winter and place the seedlings out after the last frost. While they may not produce much fruit the first year, these sprawling plants will eventually yield heavily over a long season. They are considered everbearing, and will flower over and over if plants are kept picked. This strawberry is ideal for containers, raised beds, or hanging baskets. For fruits the first year, give them a really early start in December or January. Follow the growing instructions below, and then grow the seedlings on under bright artificial lights.

Matures in 150 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Choose 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 4-6 oz) 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.

Indeterminate (vine). Matures in 57 days. (hybrid seeds)

C. maxima. Jumbo Pink Banana Squash is an heirloom that has been around for over 100 years. The smooth, salmon pink skin covers fibreless yellow-orange flesh that makes beautiful pies. Pick when less than 80cm (30") long for best eating quality. Left to grow, they can get as big as 33kg (70 lb) in weight and over 120cm (48") long. This squash has a vining habit, and plants get big, so provide lots of room. You'll be rewarded with two to three spectacular fruits per plant. These are terrific storage squash, and will last all winter if kept in a cool, dark place. Wash the squash with a diluted solution of water with a few drops of bleach after harvest. This will kill off any bacteria, and increase the shelf life of these special fruits.

Matures in 105 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Carolina Reaper is one of the hottest peppers on record at an alarming 1.5 million SHUs (it has peaked at 2.2 million). The small peppers mature from green to fire engine red and are gnarled and bumpy with a distinctive pointed tip called "the stinger. This species of pepper can be grown as a perennial in warmer climates (or heated greenhouses) or brought inside over winter. They are somewhat challenging to grow and will need protection to increase heat and lengthen the growing season in most regions. Please take extreme caution when handling the seeds and eventual fruits they produce.

Super-hot peppers can be somewhat challenging to grow. The seeds can be difficult to germinate, and they need a long, hot season to produce fruit. Start indoors early and use bottom heat and seedling domes to create the warm, humid conditions they need to germinate. Be patient as germination may take 21-28 days or longer, even under ideal conditions.

Please use extreme caution when handling the seeds and fruits!

Matures in 120 days. (Open-pollinated seeds).

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).

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.

Sweet is the key word in Orange You Sweet from the Hungarian Cheese series of peppers. These ones start out green and grassy but as the sugar content builds in the fruits they turn bright orange. Thick walled and succulent, but smaller than an apple, they're the right size to tuck in a lunchbox or just your pocket on the way out the door. Enjoy the appealing texture raw or chop them into a favourite pasta sauce. These are fast growing, vigorous plants that do well in containers or in the organic garden bed.

Matures in 65 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Shishito peppers are trending, turning up in gourmet menus across North America. They may be the perfect bite-sized pepper for blistering under the broiler and serving with a sauce. The 60cm (24”) tall plants produced buckets of slender, mild peppers in our field trials. And they kept producing into October. Tasty at the green stage, it matures first to orange and then to deep red when its sugars are the highest. Its thin walls make it ideal for tempura or roasting. We found that every tenth or twelfth pepper had a bit of heat to it, but they were still milder than a jalapeño.

Matures in 60 days. (Hybrid seeds)

New to North America, this Japanese heirloom is a medium sized, oblong daikon type. The wasabi-green skin and flesh is crisp and succulent, with a strong heat reminiscent of the much loved Japanese horseradish paste. The flavour is sharp and tear-inducing for lovers of spice. Wasabi radish seeds also make excellent micro-greens, with the spiciness developing early on in its tiny leaves. Radishes can be grown all season but they're easiest when sown March/April and again August through October. Optimal soil temperature: 18-24°C (65-75°F). Seeds should sprout in 5-7 days.

Matures in 60 days. (Open pollinated seeds)

Vine. This potato-leaf type is exceptionally early for an open-pollinated beefsteak tomato. An heirloom wonder, Pruden's purple is actually more of a distinctive pink. The flattened, slightly ribbed fruits can grow up to 1lb and it has smooth, thin skin that resists cracking. The flesh is firm and meaty with a delicious, rich flavour that is highly rated. Great eaten raw in sandwiches and salads as well as in sauces.  

Matures in 72 days.

Parsley Pea seeds produce tendrils that are unique and delicious. Technically a snap pea, this curious pea is more often grown for its edible tendrils, leaflets, and flowers. Harvest whole plants when they are 15-20cm (6-8") tall or cut above the first node and get a second flush of growth. Plants will produce snap peas at about 60 days on 1m (3') tall vines if not harvested for greens. Try growing Parsley Peas in a 5-gallon patio container or in flower boxes, and harvest the fresh tendrils as needed. They make a fresh and crunchy addition to salads and sandwiches.

Matures in 24-60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

The high performing Potomac snapdragon series was selected for stem and flower quality for production during long summer days. Tall, strong stems have long, refined spikes of ivory white flowers. 80-120cm (32-48") tall plants can be grown in the field and garden, or in a greenhouse.

Dianthus plumarius. Sweetness Dianthus seeds are the Fleuroselect award winning variety and much loved for their ability to produce flowers in the first year of growth. The variable, frilled, pink to white flowers appear from July to October atop stems that grow only 15cm (6") tall. Try it in containers or raised beds. Dianthus is quite drought tolerant, so it is a good option for xeriscaping. This variety of Dianthus is easy to grow from seeds. Mulch in winter if really cold weather is expected, or simply grow it as an annual with new seeds each spring. Hardy to Zone 3.

Perennial

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

One of the most beautiful and productive grape tomatoes. Sweet Hearts grape tomato seeds plants produce masses of crack-resistant, super-sweet 4cm (1 1/2") long tomatoes on long vining trusses. These delicious fruits are resistant to tobacco mosaic virus. Perfect for growing in containers and small spaces.

Vine (indeterminate)

Matures in 60 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Gardener's Delight cherry tomato has a wonderful, old-fashioned flavour and produces long trusses laden with clusters of 6-12 2.5cm (1"), crack-resistant, bright-red morsels. A mid-maturity variety that can be grown in many regions without protection.

Vine (indeterminate), Matures in 65 days. (open pollinated seeds)