WCS Academy

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,...

Tomato Hornworm

November 01, 2020

From time to time in early summer, a very large brown and grey moth can be seen in the garden, visiting flowers, particularly large, white,...

Tomato Hornworm

November 01, 2020

From time to time in early summer, a very large brown and grey moth can be seen in the garden, visiting flowers, particularly large, white, fragrant ones. This conspicuous insect is variously known as...

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...

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...

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...

All creatures great and small eat seedlings

July 28, 2020

Organic gardeners share one challenge that has many faces – how to nurse newly emerged seedlings along to the point when they are strong enough...

All creatures great and small eat seedlings

July 28, 2020

Organic gardeners share one challenge that has many faces – how to nurse newly emerged seedlings along to the point when they are strong enough to defend themselves. Because seedlings are so tender and...

Too Much Nitrogen

June 01, 2020

Nitrogen is one of the three most important so-called “macronutrients” for the healthy growth of plants, along with its equally important cousins phosphorus and potassium....

Too Much Nitrogen

June 01, 2020

Nitrogen is one of the three most important so-called “macronutrients” for the healthy growth of plants, along with its equally important cousins phosphorus and potassium. These three elements are the central components of most...

This Is The Cause Of Your Rotten Tomatoes And How To Prevent it

July 23, 2019

It’s a beautiful summer day. Since sowing your tomato seeds in Spring, you’ve been nurturing your container garden, preparing for harvest. There is nothing like...

This Is The Cause Of Your Rotten Tomatoes And How To Prevent it

July 23, 2019

It’s a beautiful summer day. Since sowing your tomato seeds in Spring, you’ve been nurturing your container garden, preparing for harvest. There is nothing like a juicy, summer-ripened tomato fresh from the garden. Finally,...

Xeriscaping

April 03, 2019

What the heck is xeriscaping? Simply put, xeriscaping is a system of landscaping with water conservation as the priority. In areas that receive little rainfall...

Xeriscaping

April 03, 2019

What the heck is xeriscaping? Simply put, xeriscaping is a system of landscaping with water conservation as the priority. In areas that receive little rainfall in the summer, some thoughtful xeriscaping will allow flowering...

Raised Garden Beds

February 25, 2019

Building raised beds for your vegetable (or herb, or flower) garden requires an investment of work plus the cost of materials, but they will reward...

Raised Garden Beds

February 25, 2019

Building raised beds for your vegetable (or herb, or flower) garden requires an investment of work plus the cost of materials, but they will reward you in the coming years in a number of...

Soil Temperature and Day Length

May 08, 2018

The changing seasons, and the longer daylight hours in summer are a result of the angle of the Earth’s axis in relation to the sun....

Soil Temperature and Day Length

May 08, 2018

The changing seasons, and the longer daylight hours in summer are a result of the angle of the Earth’s axis in relation to the sun. It’s easy to forget how these changes can affect...

Commit to Grow Day 15: Planting Trees

April 16, 2017

As we continue this Twenty-one Days of Green, planting trees seemed like an obvious choice. There are several fruit trees already growing on the farm...

Commit to Grow Day 15: Planting Trees

April 16, 2017

As we continue this Twenty-one Days of Green, planting trees seemed like an obvious choice. There are several fruit trees already growing on the farm at West Coast Seeds, so the idea came to...

New Raised Beds

March 13, 2017

It’s already the middle of March, 2017, and spring seems hesitant to start this year. Despite the rain (and melted snow), we know that fairer...

New Raised Beds

March 13, 2017

It’s already the middle of March, 2017, and spring seems hesitant to start this year. Despite the rain (and melted snow), we know that fairer weather is coming. So we’re building twenty raised beds...

What the Heck is N-P-K ?

March 15, 2015

Most fertilizers (and many soil amendments) show this formula somewhere prominently on the package: N-P-K. This shows the ratio of the three most important plant...

What the Heck is N-P-K ?

March 15, 2015

Most fertilizers (and many soil amendments) show this formula somewhere prominently on the package: N-P-K. This shows the ratio of the three most important plant nutrients, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Potassium gets a ‘K’...

Lime Aid

September 14, 2014

To lime, or not to lime? Most homeowners ponder this question. 1. What is dolomite lime? Lime is an important alkaline source of calcium and...

Lime Aid

September 14, 2014

To lime, or not to lime? Most homeowners ponder this question. 1. What is dolomite lime? Lime is an important alkaline source of calcium and magnesium for your lawn and garden, mainly composed of...

Soil Block Recipe

September 11, 2014

Soil Blockers have been around for many years, but their popularity is spreading fast, largely by word of mouth. Using this Soil Block recipe and Soil...

Soil Block Recipe

September 11, 2014

Soil Blockers have been around for many years, but their popularity is spreading fast, largely by word of mouth. Using this Soil Block recipe and Soil blockers will eliminate the need for plastic seedling trays...

Spring is on the Way

September 11, 2014

Have you heard the chickadees chatting about their spring plans? Yes, spring is on the way. The birds know it and the plants know it...

Spring is on the Way

September 11, 2014

Have you heard the chickadees chatting about their spring plans? Yes, spring is on the way. The birds know it and the plants know it too, as the tiny tops of bulbs begin to...

How to Grow a School Garden in September

September 10, 2014

It’s September. The kids are back in school and the you can’t keep up with the number of zucchinis that just keep coming. But seeings...

How to Grow a School Garden in September

September 10, 2014

It’s September. The kids are back in school and the you can’t keep up with the number of zucchinis that just keep coming. But seeings as this is back-to-school time, it’s a good time...

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...

Fertilizer Blend

September 10, 2014

Many people ask us for the “Mary’s Mix” complete organic fertilizer blend recipe. For smaller gardens, it may be more economical to purchase some premixed...

Fertilizer Blend

September 10, 2014

Many people ask us for the “Mary’s Mix” complete organic fertilizer blend recipe. For smaller gardens, it may be more economical to purchase some premixed 4-4-4 Complete Organic Fertilizer from Gaia Green. We love...

Raised Garden Beds

August 27, 2014

Building raised beds for your vegetable (or herb, or flower) garden requires an investment of work plus the cost of materials, but they will reward...

Raised Garden Beds

August 27, 2014

Building raised beds for your vegetable (or herb, or flower) garden requires an investment of work plus the cost of materials, but they will reward you in the coming years in a number of...

Nitrogen fixers

August 26, 2014

Here’s a bit of geeky plant science for you. David Bradbeer at the Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust sent me this great image of the...

Nitrogen fixers

August 26, 2014

Here’s a bit of geeky plant science for you. David Bradbeer at the Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust sent me this great image of the roots of white clover. You can plainly see bumps...

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