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Container Soil vs. Garden Soil

January 24, 2021

We often talk about cultivating organic soil that is rich in microbial action, and full of organisms. Soil in the garden combines naturally occurring minerals...

Container Soil vs. Garden Soil

January 24, 2021

We often talk about cultivating organic soil that is rich in microbial action, and full of organisms. Soil in the garden combines naturally occurring minerals with various organic and and any organic or mineral...

Soil Amendments

January 24, 2021

Most potting soils have enough nutrients that fertilizers are not necessary for seedlings until they are transplanted to the garden. Generally speaking, you want the...

Soil Amendments

January 24, 2021

Most potting soils have enough nutrients that fertilizers are not necessary for seedlings until they are transplanted to the garden. Generally speaking, you want the fertilizer to go beneath each transplant, but not in...

The Poop on Manure

January 24, 2021

Stored manure is often referred to as “rotted manure.” It has no unpleasant smell, and its texture has changed since it was produced. Rotted manure...

The Poop on Manure

January 24, 2021

Stored manure is often referred to as “rotted manure.” It has no unpleasant smell, and its texture has changed since it was produced. Rotted manure is a fantastic soil amendment. Ideally it will retain...

Growing Food Indoors

January 21, 2021

Growing food outdoors over winter is easy if you equip yourself with the right gear. Outdoors, we use cloche protection, row cover, and mulches to...

Growing Food Indoors

January 21, 2021

Growing food outdoors over winter is easy if you equip yourself with the right gear. Outdoors, we use cloche protection, row cover, and mulches to insulate the soil and keep frost off plants. And...

Growing Food in Containers

January 21, 2021

No matter where you live, growing food in containers can be accomplished if you learn some basics. While some types of vegetables are simply better...

Growing Food in Containers

January 21, 2021

No matter where you live, growing food in containers can be accomplished if you learn some basics. While some types of vegetables are simply better suited to growing with their roots in the ground,...

Growing Food in Part Shade

January 21, 2021

In a relatively short growing season, we need to grow most food crops in a fairly intense way. We need to select crops that mature quickly....

Growing Food in Part Shade

January 21, 2021

In a relatively short growing season, we need to grow most food crops in a fairly intense way. We need to select crops that mature quickly. Some crops, like mescluns and salad greens grow so...

Andrea Bellamy's Top Patio Picks

January 21, 2021

Author and blogger Andrea Bellamy recommends these varieties for container growing on balconies and in other small spaces. These seeds are perfect for the urban...

Andrea Bellamy's Top Patio Picks

January 21, 2021

Author and blogger Andrea Bellamy recommends these varieties for container growing on balconies and in other small spaces. These seeds are perfect for the urban grower or part-time farmer who lacks garden space, but...

Gardening for Birds

January 20, 2021

Gardening for birds is another way to build biodiversity in garden spaces. Like pollinators and other insects, wild birds are under pressure due to habitat...

Gardening for Birds

January 20, 2021

Gardening for birds is another way to build biodiversity in garden spaces. Like pollinators and other insects, wild birds are under pressure due to habitat loss, pollution, and ever expanding human settlement. By including...

Garden Planning 101

January 13, 2021

With over 1,100 seed varieties to choose from, finding a clear path to the checkout can feel overwhelming. There are beginner mistakes to be made...

Garden Planning 101

January 13, 2021

With over 1,100 seed varieties to choose from, finding a clear path to the checkout can feel overwhelming. There are beginner mistakes to be made - as well as ways for seasoned gardeners to...

About Lavender

December 13, 2020

Lavender is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae that includes 47 species and a great many cultivars. The genus name Lavandula is thought to...

About Lavender

December 13, 2020

Lavender is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae that includes 47 species and a great many cultivars. The genus name Lavandula is thought to derive from the Latin verb lavare – “to wash,” and probably...

Heirloom Seeds and Heritage Seeds

November 16, 2020

The definition of “heirloom seeds” is a matter of debate. For our purposes, West Coast Seeds considers a plant an heirloom if it has been...

Heirloom Seeds and Heritage Seeds

November 16, 2020

The definition of “heirloom seeds” is a matter of debate. For our purposes, West Coast Seeds considers a plant an heirloom if it has been in cultivation for 50 years or more, although some...

20 Gift Ideas for Gardeners in 2020

October 29, 2020

Our 20 favourite gardening gifts in 2020, categorized for kids, indoor gardeners, beginner gardeners, experienced gardeners, and even those gardeners who seem to have everything.

20 Gift Ideas for Gardeners in 2020

October 29, 2020

Our 20 favourite gardening gifts in 2020, categorized for kids, indoor gardeners, beginner gardeners, experienced gardeners, and even those gardeners who seem to have everything.

Autumn Leaves: Nature's Annual Gift to Gardeners

October 26, 2020

Deciduous trees can't make enough of the short days and the sun appearing low on the horizon, so nearly all of them shed their leaves....

Autumn Leaves: Nature's Annual Gift to Gardeners

October 26, 2020

Deciduous trees can't make enough of the short days and the sun appearing low on the horizon, so nearly all of them shed their leaves. The sugars in the drying leaves convert into starches...

About Kale and Collards

October 13, 2020

Collards (Brassica oleracea Acephala group) Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala group) Russian or Napa Kale (Brassica rapus ssp. pabularia syn. B. napus) Learn about kale and...

About Kale and Collards

October 13, 2020

Collards (Brassica oleracea Acephala group) Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala group) Russian or Napa Kale (Brassica rapus ssp. pabularia syn. B. napus) Learn about kale and collards here. As the Latin name suggests, Brassicas in...

About Swiss Chard

September 28, 2020

Chard has been cultivated since at least as far back as the ancient Greek empire, and it was grown around the Mediterranean, particularly in Sicily....

About Swiss Chard

September 28, 2020

Chard has been cultivated since at least as far back as the ancient Greek empire, and it was grown around the Mediterranean, particularly in Sicily. Some people still think of it as Sicilian spinach...

How to Grow Microgreens

September 23, 2020

Learn how to grow microgreens from seed, and you’ll have an unlimited supply of fresh, nutritious, and tender salad greens. Microgreens can be pulled from...

How to Grow Microgreens

September 23, 2020

Learn how to grow microgreens from seed, and you’ll have an unlimited supply of fresh, nutritious, and tender salad greens. Microgreens can be pulled from the soil and rinsed until all the soil particles...

Time to Plant Legumes

September 14, 2020

It’s September, and much of the garden has been put to bed. As we approach the autumnal equinox, daylight hours begin to recede noticeably. Sunflower heads have...

Time to Plant Legumes

September 14, 2020

It’s September, and much of the garden has been put to bed. As we approach the autumnal equinox, daylight hours begin to recede noticeably. Sunflower heads have been cut for drying, tomatoes have been picked green...

How to Harvest Quinoa

September 03, 2020

Every fall people ask us how to harvest quinoa. These tall plants produce masses of seeds, each seed resulting from the pollination of a single...

How to Harvest Quinoa

September 03, 2020

Every fall people ask us how to harvest quinoa. These tall plants produce masses of seeds, each seed resulting from the pollination of a single flower in their beautiful inflorescences (flower clusters). When the...

Green Manure Cover Crops

August 10, 2020

“Green manure” is the name given to cover crops that are planted for the purpose of adding nutrients and organic matter to the soil. These...

Green Manure Cover Crops

August 10, 2020

“Green manure” is the name given to cover crops that are planted for the purpose of adding nutrients and organic matter to the soil. These plants can be as effective as animal manure in...

About Onions

August 05, 2020

Onions begin to form bulbs in response to temperature, but also the length of the day. In southern Canada and the northern U.S., choose “long-day”...

About Onions

August 05, 2020

Onions begin to form bulbs in response to temperature, but also the length of the day. In southern Canada and the northern U.S., choose “long-day” onions. Our summer days are much longer than our...

How to Store Seeds

July 29, 2020

One of the factors that most influences the germination rate of seeds is how they are stored. Like the plants that produce them, seeds come...

How to Store Seeds

July 29, 2020

One of the factors that most influences the germination rate of seeds is how they are stored. Like the plants that produce them, seeds come in all sorts of forms and sizes. They are...

How to Grow Cover Crops from Seed

July 27, 2020

Oats are not particularly cold hardy, so a summer planted crop will die back, holding the soil in place, and providing ample carbon-rich organic matter...

How to Grow Cover Crops from Seed

July 27, 2020

Oats are not particularly cold hardy, so a summer planted crop will die back, holding the soil in place, and providing ample carbon-rich organic matter to till under before planting spring vegetables.

Seeds to Start in August

July 27, 2020

Here's our list of seeds to start in August for fall and winter harvests. These fast-growing seeds are cold hardy, and will thrive as the...

Seeds to Start in August

July 27, 2020

Here's our list of seeds to start in August for fall and winter harvests. These fast-growing seeds are cold hardy, and will thrive as the nights get cooler in late August and September. Check...

About Melons

July 21, 2020

About Melons: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) & Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) Melons picked fresh from the vine are unbelievably sweet and, like so many other kinds of...

About Melons

July 21, 2020

About Melons: Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) & Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) Melons picked fresh from the vine are unbelievably sweet and, like so many other kinds of garden produce, are nothing at all like the ones...

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