Many varieties of maize are grown for dried, fully mature seed, which is eaten as a grain, but sweet corn is picked before the seeds mature fully, before its sugars convert back into starch. This is why fresh corn must be eaten fairly quickly after harvest, before it degrades and becomes starchy.
Continue ReadingThe precursor to the modern Brussels sprout were likely grown in ancient Rome, and todayβs vegetable was perfected and popularized as early as the 13thΒ century, in Belgium, which explains their common name. By the mid-16thΒ century, they were being cultivated in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.
Continue ReadingBroccoli has quite a few close relatives and variations, and these are designated in botany by the use of βcultivar groups.β Kale and collards, Chinese broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi all share the Latin nameΒ B. oleracea, but belong to different groups within that single species. Broccoli itself has several varieties: The most common youβre likely to see in grocery stores is called Calabrese in the UK, and just βbroccoliβ here in North America.
Continue ReadingThe wildflower seeds in our Knee High Meadow Blend produce a waist-high field of brilliantly coloured flowers that bloom over a very long period from spring to fall. This blend is best for areas that will be protected from foot...
Continue ReadingMany people in North America think of kohlrabi as being a distinctly European vegetable, but it is actually a staple ingredient in many international cuisines. It is has been a popular crop, for instance, in Northern India and Kashmir since the 1600s.
Continue ReadingArchaeological evidence suggestsΒ peas were grown as food crops in Neolithic Turkey, Syria, and Jordan, and in the Nile valley in Egypt as early as 4500 BC. Dried peas remained an important foodstuff in Europe into the Middle Ages, but some time in the late 1600s eating green peas (as we do today) became a culinary fad in France and England.
Continue ReadingWe like to make distinctions that do not exist in the natural world. Bees are descended from wasps and are so closely related we should think of them as wasps with good PR. So, the next time someone says bees are good and wasps are bad please correct them.
Continue ReadingKnown since ancient Greece and Rome, the modern cabbage is a descendant of wild mustard. The Roman statesman Cato the Elder wrote of its medicinal properties, βIt is the cabbage which surpasses all other vegetables.β The seventeenth century English physician...
Continue ReadingΒ For optimal performance as a lawn alternative, Microclover should comprise approximately 5% of the total seed mix by weight. If your goal is a full lawn replacement, we strongly advise maintaining this ratio to establish a resilient, long-lasting, and...
Continue ReadingThe component seeds in our wildflower mixes are carefully selected using a number of criteria. We select for variety of colour, for length of bloom time, for uniform height, and overall performance. We also consider longevity a key selling point...
Continue ReadingThis blend of annual and perennial wildflowers is selected to attract and feed a wide array of bumble bees. The Bumble Bee Blend Wildflowers are hardy to Zone 4, and are best grown in full sun. Different components of the...
Continue ReadingThe Biodiversity Blend provides the widest, most diverse combination of flower types in any of our wildflower blends. There are flowers to tempt every sort of pollinator, but particularly butterflies, wild bees, and hummingbirds. Several species are included that produce...
Continue ReadingThe plant above is spinach, and itβs 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. Growth really kicks in for vine-forming...
Continue ReadingGardening instructions can be full of peculiar phrases from British gardening traditions. βPotting on,β βpricking out,β and βhardening offβ are all things we do with seedlings to help them prepare for eventual transplanting out into the garden. Hardening off seedlings...
Continue ReadingThe changing seasons, and the longer daylight hours in summer are a result of the angle of the Earthβs axis in relation to the sun. Itβs easy to forget how these changes can affect the growth of plants, and in...
Continue ReadingLast summer I planted a few rows of fall and winter harvest leeks in our demonstration beds at Kirkland House here in Ladner. We chose the varieties described as βwinter harvestβ since they are bred to stand up to frost,...
Continue ReadingThis is a list of seeds to start in April for south coastal British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest. Finally itβs April and we are past the last average frost date in the BC Lower Mainland. Because this date...
Continue ReadingIt is thought that there are over three thousand heirloom tomatoes in cultivation, from the very well known Black Krim to the rather more obscure Sibirskiy Skorospely (Early Siberian). With modern bred open pollinated and hybrid varieties, the number is...
Continue ReadingSpring is the time for planting wildflower seeds. These little seeds can be direct sown from late March to early May. If youβre aiming for an annual flower garden, planting early will give you a head start on flowering. Choose...
Continue ReadingLearn about keeping orchard mason bees. In late winter, hang your mason bee nest against a wall in a sunny location that has morning light. Placing it about eye level is best. That way you can watch them coming and...
Continue ReadingThere are loads of ways to start seeds indoors in the late winter and early spring. You can use really basic tools like egg cartons on a windowsill, and this will achieve a perfectly reasonable end for most types of...
Continue ReadingAll gardeners can appreciate a gift that is thoughtful and useful. From newbies to gardening veterans, we have a gift that any gardener will love. Check out our favourite holiday gifts for gardeners, and consider adding a few to your...
Continue ReadingHorseradish belongs in the perennial food garden. Once the plants are established, they can be harvested at any time of the year, and the flavour is particularly good in winter, when cold temperatures bring out a sweetness in the roots....
Continue ReadingHere is a blend of flowers native to eastern North America that are adapted to survive the sometimes shifting weather of the Maritimes, New England, and the St. Lawrence coast. This mix of fourteen showy plants is primarily composed of...
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