WCS Academy

June 05, 2024

Now we’re just three weeks away from the longest day of the year (summer solstice on June 21st), so the soil is warm enough to...

Seeds to Start in June

June 05, 2024

Now we’re just three weeks away from the longest day of the year (summer solstice on June 21st), so the soil is warm enough to plant squash and bean seeds. Even in colder climates...

Seeds to Start in May

May 08, 2024

As far as the calendar is concerned, spring is half over, despite the sense for many of us in 2017 that is yet to begin!...

Seeds to Start in May

May 08, 2024

As far as the calendar is concerned, spring is half over, despite the sense for many of us in 2017 that is yet to begin! There are still dozens of seeds to start in...

Seeds to Start in March

March 02, 2024

As the frost recedes, the possibilities in our gardens expand. Around March 28, gardeners along the south coastal regions of British Columbia witness the last...

Seeds to Start in March

March 02, 2024

As the frost recedes, the possibilities in our gardens expand. Around March 28, gardeners along the south coastal regions of British Columbia witness the last average frost date. This pivotal time signals a period...

Seeds to Sow Mid-August

August 07, 2023

There are plenty of options for seeds that thrive when sown in late summer. The average first frost date for regions like Lower Mainland BC and neighbouring...

Seeds to Sow Mid-August

August 07, 2023

There are plenty of options for seeds that thrive when sown in late summer. The average first frost date for regions like Lower Mainland BC and neighbouring areas (Sunshine Coast, Gulf Islands, coastal Vancouver Island, Puget...

Seeds to Start in July

July 05, 2023

Who says your garden's bounty has to be a summer-only affair? There's a cornucopia of seeds just waiting to burst into life in July, especially...

Seeds to Start in July

July 05, 2023

Who says your garden's bounty has to be a summer-only affair? There's a cornucopia of seeds just waiting to burst into life in July, especially in areas that enjoy milder winters. Many of these...

Lettuce: Grow Your Own Salad

June 13, 2023

Everybody can grow a salad green garden. Small space gardeners, low-light gardeners, even indoor gardeners can plant seeds to grow a continuous supply of salad...

Lettuce: Grow Your Own Salad

June 13, 2023

Everybody can grow a salad green garden. Small space gardeners, low-light gardeners, even indoor gardeners can plant seeds to grow a continuous supply of salad through the gardening season. Watch the video below to...

Planting for Fall & Winter Harvests

June 22, 2021

Planting for fall & winter harvests has to start in the summer and fall. Just like we sow summer harvest crops in the late winter...

Planting for Fall & Winter Harvests

June 22, 2021

Planting for fall & winter harvests has to start in the summer and fall. Just like we sow summer harvest crops in the late winter and spring – it’s the same concept. Did you...

Companion Planting

May 20, 2021

West Coast Seeds has conducted significant research into the companion planting guidelines and has defined the best possible results and reasons for each of our...

Companion Planting

May 20, 2021

West Coast Seeds has conducted significant research into the companion planting guidelines and has defined the best possible results and reasons for each of our recommendations in our companion planting chart, below are a...

How to Grow Lettuce

April 08, 2021

Lettuce grows best in cool weather in the spring and fall, but it can be grown in the summer, and all winter long in milder...

How to Grow Lettuce

April 08, 2021

Lettuce grows best in cool weather in the spring and fall, but it can be grown in the summer, and all winter long in milder regions. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks following the...

Crop Rotation

January 31, 2021

Crop rotation is the practice of not growing plants where similar plants grew the previous year. Crop rotation prevents the build up of pests and diseases...

Crop Rotation

January 31, 2021

Crop rotation is the practice of not growing plants where similar plants grew the previous year. Crop rotation prevents the build up of pests and diseases and optimizes the use of soil nutrients. Plants from...

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...

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 Lettuce

June 05, 2020

Lettuce is recorded in ancient Egypt, described in carvings at a temple in Karnak, and was thought to be an aphrodisiac. It was also grown...

About Lettuce

June 05, 2020

Lettuce is recorded in ancient Egypt, described in carvings at a temple in Karnak, and was thought to be an aphrodisiac. It was also grown in Asia for at least as long. The Latin...

Best Winter Gardening Varieties

May 24, 2020

Some vegetable varieties thrive in the cool conditions of fall and early winter, and offered a bit of protection from extreme cold, they can be...

Best Winter Gardening Varieties

May 24, 2020

Some vegetable varieties thrive in the cool conditions of fall and early winter, and offered a bit of protection from extreme cold, they can be harvested right through until spring. The best winter gardening...

Beyond Lettuce: A World of Salad Greens

March 25, 2020

For many of us growing up, lettuce represented the primary source of vegetable greens in our diets. Lettuce is absolutely standard in sandwiches and burgers, and makes...

Beyond Lettuce: A World of Salad Greens

March 25, 2020

For many of us growing up, lettuce represented the primary source of vegetable greens in our diets. Lettuce is absolutely standard in sandwiches and burgers, and makes a simple, inoffensive base for salads. Its flavour is...

Bolting

June 05, 2018

The plant above is spinach, and it’s getting ready to bolt. As we approach the summer solstice, the spring garden is transformed into something quite...

Bolting

June 05, 2018

The plant above is spinach, and it’s getting ready to bolt. As we approach the summer solstice, the spring garden is transformed into something quite different. Various plants begin to behave in new ways....

Making a Cloche Greenhouse

May 03, 2017

These instructions will help you plan your garden, making a cloche greenhouse configuration, choose your covering material and pipe frame. Then they will help you...

Making a Cloche Greenhouse

May 03, 2017

These instructions will help you plan your garden, making a cloche greenhouse configuration, choose your covering material and pipe frame. Then they will help you set up your greenhouse and make the very best...

Succession Planting

April 22, 2017

Winter is finally over, and spring has arrived. It’s time to plant seeds! Many gardeners make the mistake of thinking of seed planting as a...

Succession Planting

April 22, 2017

Winter is finally over, and spring has arrived. It’s time to plant seeds! Many gardeners make the mistake of thinking of seed planting as a one time, annual event, as though it was something...

Seed Sowing for the Longest Harvest

June 13, 2015

With careful planning, seeds can be sown from winter to autumn in order to keep the garden productive pretty much all year round. Here are...

Seed Sowing for the Longest Harvest

June 13, 2015

With careful planning, seeds can be sown from winter to autumn in order to keep the garden productive pretty much all year round. Here are some tips for seed sowing for the longest harvest...

Baby Leaf Lettuce

September 14, 2014

Baby leaf lettuces are bred for their appeal at an immature stage. As baby greens they have traits that are particularly attractive for salad mixes....

Baby Leaf Lettuce

September 14, 2014

Baby leaf lettuces are bred for their appeal at an immature stage. As baby greens they have traits that are particularly attractive for salad mixes. The leaves are succulent and tasty, with good texture,...

Interplanting

September 10, 2014

There are many combinations of plants for interplanting – which combination suits your needs the most? One way of maximizing the return from garden space...

Interplanting

September 10, 2014

There are many combinations of plants for interplanting – which combination suits your needs the most? One way of maximizing the return from garden space is to interplant crops. This is the practice of...

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