WCS Academy

Gardening advice, How To Grow Guides, and Seasonal inspiration.

Explore practical articles on seed starting, crop-specific growing tips, seasonal planning, pest management, and garden projects from the West Coast Seeds team.

440 articles Updated seasonally by West Coast Seeds

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About StingingΒ Nettle Although maligned in modern times due to its hairy leaves that cause skin irrititations, Stinging Nettle actually has many favourable attributes. It is...

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About StingingΒ Nettle Although maligned in modern times due to its hairy leaves that cause skin irrititations, Stinging Nettle actually has many favourable attributes. It is a nutrient-rich food (cooking neutralizes the stinging) and both...

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Corn, beans, and squash have been grown together for centuries in the Americas, and for good reason: they naturally work in concert with each other....

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Corn, beans, and squash have been grown together for centuries in the Americas, and for good reason: they naturally work in concert with each other. Corn provides a growing support for the beans, which...

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One stalk of cooked broccoli gives you 75mg of vitamin C, 1300 IU of beta carotene, 3g of protein and 5g of dietary fibre with...

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One stalk of cooked broccoli gives you 75mg of vitamin C, 1300 IU of beta carotene, 3g of protein and 5g of dietary fibre with only 40 calories. The crown portion tastes great when...

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Garlic is a perennial member of the onion family, Alliaceae, and is closely related to leeks, onions, shallots, and chives. All of these plants send...

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Garlic is a perennial member of the onion family, Alliaceae, and is closely related to leeks, onions, shallots, and chives. All of these plants send up hollow, tubular (sometimes flattened) leaves from a bulb...

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Even in large scale, chemically dependent farm systems, Integrated Pest Management can reduce human and environmental exposure to chemical pesticides, and save a great deal...

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Even in large scale, chemically dependent farm systems, Integrated Pest Management can reduce human and environmental exposure to chemical pesticides, and save a great deal of money. For the organic grower IPM is the...

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

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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...

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The Perennial Wildflower Seeds ingredients are listed below. This is the right blend to establish where flowers are needed to come back year after year....

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The Perennial Wildflower Seeds ingredients are listed below. This is the right blend to establish where flowers are needed to come back year after year. Perennial flowers are often drought resistant and very winter...

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Although they arrived from Europe, they’re well at home now in BC’s Lower Mainland and many other regions. This lively beetle (Amphimallon majalis) has an...

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Although they arrived from Europe, they’re well at home now in BC’s Lower Mainland and many other regions. This lively beetle (Amphimallon majalis) has an annual life cycle that is worth understanding in an...

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Carrots are biennial plants, and store all of their first year’s energy in the long orange taproots we know so well. If left in the...

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Carrots are biennial plants, and store all of their first year’s energy in the long orange taproots we know so well. If left in the ground, they will flower in their second year, and...

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The Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend is one lawn solution for home owners challenged by the animals that feed on the European chafer beetle, and...

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The Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend is one lawn solution for home owners challenged by the animals that feed on the European chafer beetle, and dig up lawns in the process of hunting them.Β Continue...

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Cilantro and dill are both good examples of umbelliferous plants. When these plants bloom, the flower structure is in a shape called an umbel β€”...

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Cilantro and dill are both good examples of umbelliferous plants. When these plants bloom, the flower structure is in a shape called an umbel β€” scores of tiny flowers arranged on a more or...

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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...

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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...

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There are fundamental gardening basics that all new gardeners need to learn for the best success. Understanding the needs of plants β€” as living organisms...

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There are fundamental gardening basics that all new gardeners need to learn for the best success. Understanding the needs of plants β€” as living organisms β€” is essential to cultivating their health and productivity....

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This biennial relative of White Dutch cloverΒ improves soil structure, fixes nitrogen, provides nutritious pasturage, and feeds honey bees. Its widely branchedΒ taproots penetrate the subsoil deeply,Β drawing...

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This biennial relative of White Dutch cloverΒ improves soil structure, fixes nitrogen, provides nutritious pasturage, and feeds honey bees. Its widely branchedΒ taproots penetrate the subsoil deeply,Β drawing up nutrients unavailable to other plants. Continue reading below...

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The benefit of winter wheat is its hardiness. It all but eliminates winter soil erosion, and thenΒ supplies a source of carbon-rich organic matter to till...

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The benefit of winter wheat is its hardiness. It all but eliminates winter soil erosion, and thenΒ supplies a source of carbon-rich organic matter to till under before planting vegetable crops. Continue reading below for...

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and...

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on...

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Are chafer beetles causing your lawn grief in early spring? Consider replacing your lawn with White Dutch clover, or at least inter-planting with your grass...

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Are chafer beetles causing your lawn grief in early spring? Consider replacing your lawn with White Dutch clover, or at least inter-planting with your grass seeds. This clover is very hardy, and will stand...

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When rye pollen is used to pollinate wheat flowers, the result is the remarkable hybrid known as triticale. It has a similar, albeit weaker, allelopathic...

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When rye pollen is used to pollinate wheat flowers, the result is the remarkable hybrid known as triticale. It has a similar, albeit weaker, allelopathic effect to Fall Rye, but without the dense root...

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The purpose of this cover crop is not to build soil as much as toΒ generally benefit the garden. This is exactly the same seed that...

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The purpose of this cover crop is not to build soil as much as toΒ generally benefit the garden. This is exactly the same seed that we sell for flower gardens, only in bulk sizes...

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and...

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on...

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This is one of the fastest growing grasses of all, growing from seed to mow-able lawn in just 21 days. It’s a very tough, hardy...

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This is one of the fastest growing grasses of all, growing from seed to mow-able lawn in just 21 days. It’s a very tough, hardy grass that forms clumps, rather than spreading by rhizomes,...

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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...

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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. Continue reading...

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We love red clover as a cover crop. Its thick, deep roots access nutrients lower in the soil column than many plants can reach and...

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We love red clover as a cover crop. Its thick, deep roots access nutrients lower in the soil column than many plants can reach and bring them to the surface. It can stand up...

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Use Klondike Ladino clover as aΒ nitrogen fixing cover crop, or as a long term ground cover, either on its own, or in combination with grasses....

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Use Klondike Ladino clover as aΒ nitrogen fixing cover crop, or as a long term ground cover, either on its own, or in combination with grasses. It tolerates wet conditions and foot traffic. It reduces...

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