| Chieftain is a lovely red-skinned potato, but only one of our varieties of certified organic seed potatoes. Freshly dug spuds have a character and flavour unlike those you'll find in the grocery store. Freshness in potatoes, like in many other vegetable varieties, makes all the difference. Not only are potatoes easy to grow and incredibly nutritious, you can grow them in garden beds, in raised beds, or in containers right on your patio! |
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West Coast Seeds
3925 64 th Street, RR #1
Delta, British Columbia
Canada V4K 3N2
Google Map
Tel: 604-952-8820
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| Announcements |
Joy of Feeding
Sunday, May 15th, 1-4pm.
@ UBC Farm, 6182 South Campus Road. (See their website for directions). Celebrate comfort foods as prepared by 15 Canadian moms of different heritages, including Meeru Dhalwala of Vij's and Mary MacKay of Terra Breads. The event is a fundraiser for UBC Farm. Tickets are $50 and include a booklet with each mom's family recipe. One child under 12 years, per ticket, is free. Tickets are on sale April 1st at any Choices Market or on the UBC Farm website.
Getting Started in Small Scale Organic Market Gardening
Join Ellen Rainwalker for a 4-hour workshop on the practical aspects of growing for the market. Saturday, April 16th, at the Errington Hall on Vancouver Island (near Parksville). Contact Ellen to register and for more details.
The Land Conservancy of British Columbia
Pollinator Enhancement Project
The Land Conservancy of British Columbia believes strongly in the conservation of pollinators and is exited to launch a Native Pollinator Enhancement Project to address pollinator decline. To find out more about the project and receive a gift of pollinator friendly seeds from West Coast Seeds please contact Nathalie Chambers or visit the website.
Please support our important work and bee-come a member!
Workshops at ALM Organic Farm in Sooke
Join Mary Alice Johnson and other speakers for a spring series of workshops right on the farm. Please email Mary for full details of each workshop and directions to the farm. Check out their website.
Saturday, March 19, 10am-1pm
Salad Throughout the Seasons
Fee: $40.00
Sunday, March 20, 10am-1pm
Edible/Medicinal Herb Walk
Fee: $40.00
Saturday, March 26, 1-4pm
Grow Amazing Tomatoes!
Fee: $40.00
Saturday, April 16, 10am-3pm
Plant Propagation
Fee: $55.00
Organic Horticulture Courses by Gaia College
Registrations for their Winter and Spring courses are in full swing, and it looks like most courses will be full again. Please be sure to register quickly if you have your heart set on a particular course! All details and registration info can be found at gaiacollege.ca
Certified arborists can earn up to 30 pre-approved CEC's!
Lower Mainland:
Plant Knowledge for Organic Gardeners - Burnaby (Mar. 17)
Vancouver Island:
Organic Master Gardener Course - Victoria (Mar. 29), Shawnigan Lake (May 31), Coombs (Jun. 3)
Growing Food - Victoria (Feb. 28), Courtenay (Mar. 17)
Plant Knowledge for Organic Gardeners - Victoria (Mar. 17)
Contact Heidi Hermary for more information.
Seedy Saturday in Mission!
Enjoy the first ever Seedy Saturday event at the Mission City Farmers Market on April 2nd. More information here.
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| Spring beckons! |
The first day of spring arrives on March 20th this year, and marks the shift of seasons and (in theory) the dawn of warmer weather for gardeners and growers alike. Whether you're enjoying spring flowers already or counting the days 'til the snow melts, this is the time of year when you need to get your planting plans in order. For those near to West Coast Seeds, in the warm southwest of Canada, it's time to start tomatoes and peppers indoors, as well as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. If the weather is kind and the nights are warm, you can direct sow corn salad, kale, pac choi, arugula, and radishes.
And our certified organic seed potatoes have arrived! We have begun shipping these to customers in the south of BC. As spring progresses, we'll be sending them out to cooler areas up north and out east. If you haven't gotten your order in yet, do it soon, as we will run out. If you're in the area, our full selection of seed potatoes are available at our retail store in Ladner. |
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| March Features |
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Potato Growing Tips
Potatoes are nutritious, they store well, and you can grow them pretty much anywhere - in the ground, on the patio, even in your parking stall at work! With a wide variety to choose from, you can really make the most of these versatile root vegetables.
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Notes on Spring
Spring is just around the corner, but does it arrive as a date on the calendar? Has spring arrived when the Forsythia blooms? Or is it more about the right time to plant seeds and transplant delicate seedlings outside? How do gardeners use the last average frost date as a guide for spring planting?
Learn more about the arrival of spring here! |
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Two new Cauliflowers
Now in stock for spring planting, Terzolo and Amazing are two new cauliflower varieties for the Pacific Northwest. Terzolo is a hybrid that will mature in 70 days from transplant, making it incredibly early. Amazing is an open pollinated type with amazing holding ability in the garden. Pick it as you need it!
See more cauliflower varieties here! |
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| Sign Up for Our Gardening Classes |
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West Coast Seeds new retail store is equipped with a new, even larger classroom, where we'll be offering a series of classes and lectures. The retail store is located at 4930 Elliott Street in Ladner, British Columbia - right on the corner of Elliott Street and River Road, beside the Ladner Recycling Centre. As new classes are confirmed, details will be posted here, so check back often. Refreshments will be provided at each of our classes.
Pre-registration is required. If you'd like to attend, you can register in person at our retail outlet, or by phone: (604) 952-8820. Please register as early as possible for each course that interests you.
Sunday March 20th, 1-3pm: The Art of Grafting
Join us to celebrate the arrival of spring as Brian Campbell discusses his passion for grafting heritage dwarf apple, and other fruit trees. Learn the timeless craft of grafting scionwood to rootstock to create your own tree. These trees are ideal for patio planters, small gardens, and to espalier against a wall or fence. Learn about the vast number of varieties to choose from. Please bring a sharp, sturdy knife, and $15 extra for materials that Brian will supply.
Cost: $12.00 (+$15.00)
Sunday March 27th, 1-3pm: Saving Your Own Seeds
Thinking of growing a little seed independence? Concerned about food security? Then come and hear Brian Campbell explain how to successfully save viable and vigorous seeds from year to year!
Cost: $12.00
Sunday April 3rd, 1-3pm: All About Tomatoes
Vegetable expert Mark Macdonald is back with a repeat of his talk on the joys of tomato growing. Learn about the history of this important food crop, how to plant the seeds, raise transplants, and cultivate mature vines. Learn how to avoid Coastal issues like blight and blossom end rot, and hear about last year's tomato trials, when Mark grew more than 50 tomato varieties!
Cost: $12.00
Sunday April 10th, 1-3pm: Success with Seeds
Due to demand, this course has changed from Beginner Plant Breeding to Brian Campbell's incredibly popular Success with Seeds. Brian will share all the tricks and tips on how to germinate and succeed with the most difficult varieties. Everyone can grow food plants from seed!
Cost: $12.00
Sunday April 17th, 1-3pm: Containers & Raised Beds
Some food plants grow perfectly well in pots, containers, and raised beds - and some actually prefer these conditions. This class is for condo owners, apartment dwellers, and anyone who would like to make better use of their limited growing space.
Cost: $12.00
Sunday May 1st, 1-3pm: Companion Planting
Plants, like people, live in communities. Learn how certain combinations of plants can increase your garden's health, reduce damage from pests, and even improve flavour.
Cost: $12.00
Sunday May 15th, 1-3pm: Urban Beekeeping
Thinking of taking up beekeeping? Master Beekeeper Brian Campbell will discuss the beekeeper's year, the tools and equipment you'll need, and the challenges faced by both the bees and their keepers.
Cost: $12.00
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