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 few thoughtful suggestions for you while planning your garden this year.
Continue ReadingPotatoes, just like other vegetables, flower in the summer. If the flowers are pollinated, small fruits can form that look like tiny tomatoes. If the fruits mature, they can develop seeds. In most cases, the genetics of potato seeds are not predictable, and may produce undesirable traits. In this case, the seeds are hybrids that have been carefully produced by plant breeders, so they will produce consistent results.
Continue ReadingDespite what many online sources declare, the distinction between determinate (bush) and indeterminate (vine) potatoes are not clearly defined and distract from the essentials of potato growing. This is not the same topic as bush vs. vine tomatoes or bush vs. pole beans.
Continue ReadingCrop 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 different “families” need different amounts of...
Continue ReadingWhether the goal is to harvest tender, immature “new potatoes,” or to harvest fully mature potatoes for storage and use over the fall and winter, it’s helpful to follow some basic guidelines on how and when to harvest potatoes. New...
Continue ReadingAs a vegetable crop (as opposed to a grain crop), the potato is the world’s most important foodstuff, so there are many interesting facts about potatoes. The starchy tubers of the potato plant are exceptionally nutritious and so rich in...
Continue ReadingOur seed potatoes are grown on this farm in the Pemberton Valley. What’s so special about seed potatoes from West Coast Seeds? Well, for a start, they are certified organic. That means that the farm where they are grown is...
Continue ReadingPotatoes are important to the self-sufficient gardener and the gourmet gardener. Easy to grow, highly nutritious and there is a variety for every use in the kitchen. Kids of all ages love to grow potatoes. Some are for baking, some...
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