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.

86 articles Updated seasonally by West Coast Seeds

Filter Posts

All Filters

These big plants will grow in almost any soil, but getting the cob to mature is another matter. The maturity of the ears (cobs) is...

Continue Reading

These big plants will grow in almost any soil, but getting the cob to mature is another matter. The maturity of the ears (cobs) is not controlled by the size of the plant, nor...

Continue Reading

Kale contains higher levels of beta-carotene than any other green vegetable, and is also high in vitamin C and calcium. Collards are not far behind....

Continue Reading

Kale contains higher levels of beta-carotene than any other green vegetable, and is also high in vitamin C and calcium. Collards are not far behind. All are easy to grow, vigorous, nutritious, resistant to...

Continue Reading

Chickpeas require 90-100 days to mature. Start them indoors approximately 4 weeks before the last average frost date. Optimal soil temperature: 10°C (50°F). Seeds sprout in 14-21 days...

Continue Reading

Chickpeas require 90-100 days to mature. Start them indoors approximately 4 weeks before the last average frost date. Optimal soil temperature: 10°C (50°F). Seeds sprout in 14-21 days depending on conditions.

Continue Reading

The chicory family includes the food plants endive and radicchio, which range widely in shape, and in flavour from bitter to sweet. All varieties become...

Continue Reading

The chicory family includes the food plants endive and radicchio, which range widely in shape, and in flavour from bitter to sweet. All varieties become sweeter, and lose much of their bitterness, when cooked....

Continue Reading

Celery is a refreshing treat from the garden, and particularly flavourful when fresh. Celeriac is a variety of celery that is grown for its root,...

Continue Reading

Celery is a refreshing treat from the garden, and particularly flavourful when fresh. Celeriac is a variety of celery that is grown for its root, which can be used in a variety of dishes....

Continue Reading

From seedling to harvest, cauliflower must grow steadily to make a large plant and curd. If growth slows, scratch additional fertilizer into the surface of...

Continue Reading

From seedling to harvest, cauliflower must grow steadily to make a large plant and curd. If growth slows, scratch additional fertilizer into the surface of the soil around each plant. Maintain even soil moisture...

Continue Reading

It’s easy to learn how to grow carrots from seed. Carrots are biennials so they use their leaves in the first year to gather energy from...

Continue Reading

It’s easy to learn how to grow carrots from seed. Carrots are biennials so they use their leaves in the first year to gather energy from the sun to build a big, starchy root. This...

Continue Reading

Eating lots of cabbage may also protect the eyes from macular degeneration. To preserve its vitamins and mineral content, do not overcook cabbage. Store cut...

Continue Reading

Eating lots of cabbage may also protect the eyes from macular degeneration. To preserve its vitamins and mineral content, do not overcook cabbage. Store cut cabbage in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with...

Continue Reading

Fresh Brussels sprouts are a superb fall and winter treat. Like broccoli, these Brassicas are full of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fibre. After frost they become sweet,...

Continue Reading

Fresh Brussels sprouts are a superb fall and winter treat. Like broccoli, these Brassicas are full of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fibre. After frost they become sweet, as the plants convert starches into sugar as a kind...

Continue Reading

Beets are incredibly nutritious. Both the roots and the leaves are an excellent source of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamin C. They also contain betaine, a compound...

Continue Reading

Beets are incredibly nutritious. Both the roots and the leaves are an excellent source of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamin C. They also contain betaine, a compound that is essential for cardiovascular health. Eat them raw,...

Continue Reading

Direct sow from mid-spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm...

Continue Reading

Direct sow from mid-spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, the seeds may rot, especially our untreated seeds....

Continue Reading

Planting asparagus seeds is an exercise in patience, but one of the most rewarding of all garden tasks. Asparagus seeds germinate slowly, and the crowns...

Continue Reading

Planting asparagus seeds is an exercise in patience, but one of the most rewarding of all garden tasks. Asparagus seeds germinate slowly, and the crowns take three seasons before they can handle being harvested....

Continue Reading

Arugula is a productive, cool season, annual salad green that works best in spring and fall, and can be managed all winter under cloche protection...

Continue Reading

Arugula is a productive, cool season, annual salad green that works best in spring and fall, and can be managed all winter under cloche protection where winters are mild. In hot weather, arugula tends to...

Continue Reading

It takes some work and a lot of patience to grow artichokes from seed, but it’s worth the effort. Commercial culture is limited to warm...

Continue Reading

It takes some work and a lot of patience to grow artichokes from seed, but it’s worth the effort. Commercial culture is limited to warm areas in Zone 7 and above. Artichokes require good...

Continue Reading

Whether growing amaranth from seed for its nutritious leaves or its high-protein, gluten-free seeds, it is easy to grow in warm soil with lots of...

Continue Reading

Whether growing amaranth from seed for its nutritious leaves or its high-protein, gluten-free seeds, it is easy to grow in warm soil with lots of sunlight. Amaranth is closely related to quinoa, but also...

Continue Reading

With over 1,100 seed varieties to choose from, finding a clear path to the checkout can feel overwhelming. There are beginner mistakes to be made...

Continue Reading

With over 1,100 seed varieties to choose from, finding a clear path to the checkout can feel overwhelming. There are beginner mistakes to be made - as well as ways for seasoned gardeners to...

Continue Reading

Learn how to grow microgreens from seed, and you’ll have an unlimited supply of fresh, nutritious, and tender salad greens. Microgreens can be pulled from...

Continue Reading

Learn how to grow microgreens from seed, and you’ll have an unlimited supply of fresh, nutritious, and tender salad greens. Microgreens can be pulled from the soil and rinsed until all the soil particles...

Continue Reading

Every fall people ask us how to harvest quinoa. These tall plants produce masses of seeds, each seed resulting from the pollination of a single...

Continue Reading

Every fall people ask us how to harvest quinoa. These tall plants produce masses of seeds, each seed resulting from the pollination of a single flower in their beautiful inflorescences (flower clusters). When the...

Continue Reading

Where bees are scant, or in settings like balconies that cannot accommodate flowers to attract bees, hand pollination is another option. The principle is fairly...

Continue Reading

Where bees are scant, or in settings like balconies that cannot accommodate flowers to attract bees, hand pollination is another option. The principle is fairly straight forward: Pollen is transferred from the open male...

Continue Reading

Rhubarb is a perennial member of the family Polygonaceae, so it is related to buckwheat and knotweed. This plant’s ancestry lies in the western and...

Continue Reading

Rhubarb is a perennial member of the family Polygonaceae, so it is related to buckwheat and knotweed. This plant’s ancestry lies in the western and northwestern provinces of China and in Tibet, where it...

Continue Reading

Asparagus crowns are live goods that have been freshly harvested from the soil. Like seed potatoes and hops rhizomes, they have only recently been dug...

Continue Reading

Asparagus crowns are live goods that have been freshly harvested from the soil. Like seed potatoes and hops rhizomes, they have only recently been dug from the soil, and are in a state of...

Continue Reading

Broccoli has quite a few close relatives and variations, and these are designated in botany by the use of “cultivar groups.” Kale and collards, Chinese...

Continue Reading

Broccoli has quite a few close relatives and variations, and these are designated in botany by the use of “cultivar groups.” Kale and collards, Chinese broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi all share...

Continue Reading

Last summer I planted a few rows of fall and winter harvest leeks in our demonstration beds at Kirkland House here in Ladner. We chose...

Continue Reading

Last 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 “winter harvest” since they are...

Continue Reading

Well it’s that time of year again… The 2018 Gardening Guide is out in the hands of many gardeners, and providing a glimmer of hope...

Continue Reading

Well it’s that time of year again… The 2018 Gardening Guide is out in the hands of many gardeners, and providing a glimmer of hope about the coming season. Winter is just about to...

Continue Reading