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.

419 articles Updated seasonally by West Coast Seeds

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Season & ZoneExposure: Full sun to partial shade. Zone: This blend is hardy to Zone 4. TimingDirect sow during the period two weeks before and...

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Season & ZoneExposure: Full sun to partial shade. Zone: This blend is hardy to Zone 4. TimingDirect sow during the period two weeks before and up to eight weeks after your last average frost...

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Grub Resistant Lawn Blend stands up to pests, traffic, drought, and summer stress. It combines tough Turf Type Tall Fescue with Micro-Clover to create a...

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Grub Resistant Lawn Blend stands up to pests, traffic, drought, and summer stress. It combines tough Turf Type Tall Fescue with Micro-Clover to create a resilient, low-thatch lawn that discourages beetle egg laying. Designed...

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A short growing season doesn’t have to mean a small harvest. With the right strategies, you can extend your growing window, boost yields, and protect...

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A short growing season doesn’t have to mean a small harvest. With the right strategies, you can extend your growing window, boost yields, and protect your plants from undesirable weather. Here’s how to make...

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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...

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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...

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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!...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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If you're trying to figure out whether your potato plants are determinate or indeterminate, you can breathe a sigh of relief. It's not as critical...

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If you're trying to figure out whether your potato plants are determinate or indeterminate, you can breathe a sigh of relief. It's not as critical as it might seem. In the world of potato...

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As the festive energy of the holidays gives way to the quieter days of early winter, it's a prime time for gardeners to engage in...

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As the festive energy of the holidays gives way to the quieter days of early winter, it's a prime time for gardeners to engage in contemplative planning and to dream about the upcoming season's...

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The Scoville Scale measures the pungency or spiciness of peppers in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The higher the SHU, the hotter the pepper: 0 SHU...

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The Scoville Scale measures the pungency or spiciness of peppers in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The higher the SHU, the hotter the pepper: 0 SHU (No Heat): These peppers are sweet and have no...

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Discover the unique qualities of our Certified Organic Seed Potatoes, a hallmark of sustainable agriculture from the fertile Pemberton Valley. These potatoes are more than...

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Discover the unique qualities of our Certified Organic Seed Potatoes, a hallmark of sustainable agriculture from the fertile Pemberton Valley. These potatoes are more than just a crop; they're a testament to the sustainable...

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Whether you've harvested a bumper crop or picked a bunch ofΒ carrotsΒ from your local market, storing them properly means you can enjoy their crisp, earthy goodness...

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Whether you've harvested a bumper crop or picked a bunch ofΒ carrotsΒ from your local market, storing them properly means you can enjoy their crisp, earthy goodness well into the cooler months. Let's walk through the...

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As we approach a new growing season, we begin with the inevitable anticipation of how and what we are going to start in the garden....

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As we approach a new growing season, we begin with the inevitable anticipation of how and what we are going to start in the garden. Here at the farm, we start roughly 20,000 seeds...

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This is the first year I planted my entire garden with West Coast Seeds. Having a five-acre homestead, we maintain a very large garden with...

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This is the first year I planted my entire garden with West Coast Seeds. Having a five-acre homestead, we maintain a very large garden with individual beds for each vegetable and 3 greenhouses for...

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Everlasting dried flowers are having a glow up. Because the secret’s out β€” this β€œgrandma craft” is grandma chic! A dried flower arrangement can be...

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Everlasting dried flowers are having a glow up. Because the secret’s out β€” this β€œgrandma craft” is grandma chic! A dried flower arrangement can be classy with whimsical soft pastels or energetically bursting with...

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Coleus is often grown as an annual bedding plant or in patio containers to provide a showy splash of vivid colour. Native to tropical regions...

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Coleus is often grown as an annual bedding plant or in patio containers to provide a showy splash of vivid colour. Native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia, this shade tolerant plant can...

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Gomphrena, commonly known as Globe Amaranth, belongs to the Amaranth family and are often grown as annual bedding plants.

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Gomphrena, commonly known as Globe Amaranth, belongs to the Amaranth family and are often grown as annual bedding plants.

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Commonly known as Lace Flower, Didiscus is admired for their delicate umbels of tiny, star-shaped flowers that are mildly fragrant.

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Commonly known as Lace Flower, Didiscus is admired for their delicate umbels of tiny, star-shaped flowers that are mildly fragrant.

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

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There are plenty of optionsΒ for seedsΒ 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...

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Love it or hate it, Cilantro can be a tricky yet rewarding crop to grow, especially when you have a continuous supply in the garden....

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Love it or hate it, Cilantro can be a tricky yet rewarding crop to grow, especially when you have a continuous supply in the garden. Cilantro is an annual plant, unlike many other perennial...

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In milder climates, gardeners can make use of the lengthy winter months through a gardening technique known as overwintering. This method involves planting crops in...

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In milder climates, gardeners can make use of the lengthy winter months through a gardening technique known as overwintering. This method involves planting crops in the summer and fall, then leaving them in the...

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The Brassica family contains the highest number of food bearing plants in all of the plant families, including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collards, cauliflower, and...

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The Brassica family contains the highest number of food bearing plants in all of the plant families, including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collards, cauliflower, and broccoli. All of these plants share the quality of...

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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...

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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...

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Peas, Pole Beans, Indeterminate Tomatoes and Cucumbers make great vegetables to grow along an arch or trellis. By growing vertically, you’ll get more sun, better...

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Peas, Pole Beans, Indeterminate Tomatoes and Cucumbers make great vegetables to grow along an arch or trellis. By growing vertically, you’ll get more sun, better air circulation (which also means less chance of disease),...

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Unlock The Secrets to Inviting Hummingbirds to Your Garden Let's meet our feathered friends, the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) and Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna). Typically,...

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Unlock The Secrets to Inviting Hummingbirds to Your Garden Let's meet our feathered friends, the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) and Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna). Typically, the Rufous marks the onset of spring, arriving around...

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