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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Here is a list of the wildflower seeds in our Alternative Lawn Blend. These are short growing flowers, primarily annuals, that will form a carpet...

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Here is a list of the wildflower seeds in our Alternative Lawn Blend. These are short growing flowers, primarily annuals, that will form a carpet of diverse colours that changes with the seasons. From...

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Bulbs are easy to plant and easy to grow. Flower Bulbs are broken down into two very general groups – Fall planting bulbs benefit from...

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Bulbs are easy to plant and easy to grow. Flower Bulbs are broken down into two very general groups – Fall planting bulbs benefit from sitting in cold soil. Spring planting bulbs do not...

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Baby leaf lettuces are bred for their appeal at an immature stage. As baby greens they have traits that are particularly attractive for salad mixes....

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Baby leaf lettuces are bred for their appeal at an immature stage. As baby greens they have traits that are particularly attractive for salad mixes. The leaves are succulent and tasty, with good texture,...

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Inspired by Chinese cuisine? Your garden can be too! Many of the greens we associate with Asia are hardy and thrive in cool spring weather....

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Inspired by Chinese cuisine? Your garden can be too! Many of the greens we associate with Asia are hardy and thrive in cool spring weather. These crops are very easy to grow, and early...

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The Lower Mainland of BC tends to enjoy very damp spring and early summer weather. This dampness creates the ideal habitat for Woodlice – often...

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The Lower Mainland of BC tends to enjoy very damp spring and early summer weather. This dampness creates the ideal habitat for Woodlice – often called sow bugs or pill bugs. These are the...

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Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease affects cucumber, squash, calendula, hollyhocks, zinnias, and many other garden plants. Small patches of grey appear on otherwise healthy...

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Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease affects cucumber, squash, calendula, hollyhocks, zinnias, and many other garden plants. Small patches of grey appear on otherwise healthy looking leaves, and if it is not treated right...

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Known as greenflies in the UK, there are over 5,000 species of aphids worldwide. Fewer than 10% of known species are agricultural pests, but they...

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Known as greenflies in the UK, there are over 5,000 species of aphids worldwide. Fewer than 10% of known species are agricultural pests, but they are a genuine nuisance. Like whiteflies, aphids are classed...

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Whiteflies are members of the order Hemiptera, a group of insects classed together because of the similarity of their sucking mouthparts, with which they feed...

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Whiteflies are members of the order Hemiptera, a group of insects classed together because of the similarity of their sucking mouthparts, with which they feed on the juices of plants. They are closely related...

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We’ve often spoken to gardeners who just shake their heads despairingly when we mention growing tomatoes. The Tomato Late Blight fungus really has hit Coastal gardeners...

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We’ve often spoken to gardeners who just shake their heads despairingly when we mention growing tomatoes. The Tomato Late Blight fungus really has hit Coastal gardeners hard and, from what we hear, has now even...

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Cabbage moth is the name given to the very common Small White butterfly (Pieris rapae) in North America. True Cabbageworms and Cabbage Moth introduced from Europe...

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Cabbage moth is the name given to the very common Small White butterfly (Pieris rapae) in North America. True Cabbageworms and Cabbage Moth introduced from Europe (Mamestra brassicae) are small and brown, but both types...

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In this time of garden dreaming, you may be dreaming of a child’s garden as well, whether it’s for your own family or for a...

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In this time of garden dreaming, you may be dreaming of a child’s garden as well, whether it’s for your own family or for a school or childcare centre. Or perhaps your budding gardeners...

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When asked the question, “What are genetically engineered seeds?” we explain that scientists can now bypass the traditional breeding methods of manipulating plant characteristics. Rather...

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When asked the question, “What are genetically engineered seeds?” we explain that scientists can now bypass the traditional breeding methods of manipulating plant characteristics. Rather than cross-breeding plants, they can work directly with plant...

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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...

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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...

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As the summer wanes and the fall rains come, our local animals are preparing for the winter. While some birds leave the premises for the...

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As the summer wanes and the fall rains come, our local animals are preparing for the winter. While some birds leave the premises for the winter season and fly south to warmer climes, other...

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Before the severe cold and damp of winter arrive, it’s a good idea to take a couple of steps to care for garden tools. With...

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Before the severe cold and damp of winter arrive, it’s a good idea to take a couple of steps to care for garden tools. With a bit of simple care, you can extend the...

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Like its close cousins in the endive group, all about radicchio varieties are members of the Chicory family. Radicchio has been in cultivation since the...

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Like its close cousins in the endive group, all about radicchio varieties are members of the Chicory family. Radicchio has been in cultivation since the fifteenth century in Veneto, a region in the northeast...

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Back in the 1600s, Tulip Bulbs were more valuable than GOLD! Dandelions might seem like weeds, but the flowers and leaves are a good source...

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Back in the 1600s, Tulip Bulbs were more valuable than GOLD! Dandelions might seem like weeds, but the flowers and leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and potassium....

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Whether you intend on planting potatoes in a garden trench, in containers, or even in your unused parking lot stall at work, your key to...

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Whether you intend on planting potatoes in a garden trench, in containers, or even in your unused parking lot stall at work, your key to success is an understanding of how potato plants grow....

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Garlic is an excellent plant to grow in your garden. It is a relatively carefree plant and has few pests or diseases. Because the bulb is...

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Garlic is an excellent plant to grow in your garden. It is a relatively carefree plant and has few pests or diseases. Because the bulb is located so close to the surface, only shallow cultivation...

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True zucchinis are evenly narrow along their length, and they are long – never round. We include summer pumpkins here as “round zucchinis” because they are...

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True zucchinis are evenly narrow along their length, and they are long – never round. We include summer pumpkins here as “round zucchinis” because they are so similar in growth habit and usefulness. Zucchinis that...

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This perennial is usually grown as an annual. It is often listed under its synonym name Cheiranthus cheiri or under its common name Agean Wallflower....

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This perennial is usually grown as an annual. It is often listed under its synonym name Cheiranthus cheiri or under its common name Agean Wallflower. It is to grow wallflowers from seed, just follow...

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Verbena is a perennial plant sometimes grown as an annual. It’s also known as Vervain, Purpletop, and Clustertop. Some references call this variety Brazilian Verbena,...

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Verbena is a perennial plant sometimes grown as an annual. It’s also known as Vervain, Purpletop, and Clustertop. Some references call this variety Brazilian Verbena, but this isn’t really correct, as the true Brazilian...

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Growing Sprouts from Seed Home grown sprouts are easy to grow and fast to sprout. You can grow them in a mason jar, in a...

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Growing Sprouts from Seed Home grown sprouts are easy to grow and fast to sprout. You can grow them in a mason jar, in a kitchen sieve, or in one of several specialized sprouters. Follow...

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Preserving Summer Morning chill and shorter daylight hours signify the slowing down of the summer garden. We harvest and share the last of our favourites...

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Preserving Summer Morning chill and shorter daylight hours signify the slowing down of the summer garden. We harvest and share the last of our favourites – tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, corn, peppers, but we also...

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