WCS Academy

June 08, 2020

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...

About Rhubarb

June 08, 2020

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...

About Lettuce

June 05, 2020

Lettuce is recorded in ancient Egypt, described in carvings at a temple in Karnak, and was thought to be an aphrodisiac. It was also grown...

About Lettuce

June 05, 2020

Lettuce is recorded in ancient Egypt, described in carvings at a temple in Karnak, and was thought to be an aphrodisiac. It was also grown in Asia for at least as long. The Latin...

About Squash

June 04, 2020

Squash (Curcurbita sp.) Of all the vegetable varieties, squashes are by far the most diverse in shape, size, and overall appearance. The sheer complexity of...

About Squash

June 04, 2020

Squash (Curcurbita sp.) Of all the vegetable varieties, squashes are by far the most diverse in shape, size, and overall appearance. The sheer complexity of this vegetable group invites growers on a life-long adventure....

About Dill

June 03, 2020

Dill (Anethum graveolens) This well-known herb has been cultivated since at least 3000 BC by the ancient Babylonians and Assyrians, and is mentioned more than...

About Dill

June 03, 2020

Dill (Anethum graveolens) This well-known herb has been cultivated since at least 3000 BC by the ancient Babylonians and Assyrians, and is mentioned more than once in the Bible. Dill was thought by medieval...

Too Much Nitrogen

June 01, 2020

Nitrogen is one of the three most important so-called “macronutrients” for the healthy growth of plants, along with its equally important cousins phosphorus and potassium....

Too Much Nitrogen

June 01, 2020

Nitrogen is one of the three most important so-called “macronutrients” for the healthy growth of plants, along with its equally important cousins phosphorus and potassium. These three elements are the central components of most...

Improve Pollination with Phacelia

May 27, 2020

Purple Tansy is the common name for one of the garden’s supreme workhorses, Phacelia tanacetifolia. Gardeners who have had trouble with fruit setting on squash,...

Improve Pollination with Phacelia

May 27, 2020

Purple Tansy is the common name for one of the garden’s supreme workhorses, Phacelia tanacetifolia. Gardeners who have had trouble with fruit setting on squash, melons, or cucumbers need to learn how to improve...

Best Winter Gardening Varieties

May 24, 2020

Some vegetable varieties thrive in the cool conditions of fall and early winter, and offered a bit of protection from extreme cold, they can be...

Best Winter Gardening Varieties

May 24, 2020

Some vegetable varieties thrive in the cool conditions of fall and early winter, and offered a bit of protection from extreme cold, they can be harvested right through until spring. The best winter gardening...

About Peppers

May 20, 2020

The most notable capsaicinoid about peppers is called capsaicin, a crystalline substance found almost entirely in the pithy flesh that holds the seeds in place...

About Peppers

May 20, 2020

The most notable capsaicinoid about peppers is called capsaicin, a crystalline substance found almost entirely in the pithy flesh that holds the seeds in place inside the chili. The seeds and skin contain very...

About Beans

May 19, 2020

The bean is an annual plant of the family Fabaceae. This is a huge plant family, with over 19,000 species, so there are many interesting...

About Beans

May 19, 2020

The bean is an annual plant of the family Fabaceae. This is a huge plant family, with over 19,000 species, so there are many interesting facts about beans. Only orchids and asters outnumber the...

About Radishes

May 18, 2020

Certified Organic Plum Purple radishes Radish (Raphanus sativus) The genus name for this vegetable, Raphanus, comes from the Greek for “quickly appearing,” and it’s wholly...

About Radishes

May 18, 2020

Certified Organic Plum Purple radishes Radish (Raphanus sativus) The genus name for this vegetable, Raphanus, comes from the Greek for “quickly appearing,” and it’s wholly appropriate.

All About Sunflowers

May 11, 2020

We’re going to tell you all about sunflowers so you can be a sunflower expert. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) It is thought that sunflowers may have...

All About Sunflowers

May 11, 2020

We’re going to tell you all about sunflowers so you can be a sunflower expert. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) It is thought that sunflowers may have been domesticated before corn, as early as 3000 BC...

Waiting to Transplant

March 29, 2020

Many plants benefit from a head start by sowing indoors during late winter and early spring. For a few crops, notably peppers and tomatoes, this...

Waiting to Transplant

March 29, 2020

Many plants benefit from a head start by sowing indoors during late winter and early spring. For a few crops, notably peppers and tomatoes, this indoor start is an absolute requirement if growing from...

Beyond Lettuce: A World of Salad Greens

March 25, 2020

For many of us growing up, lettuce represented the primary source of vegetable greens in our diets. Lettuce is absolutely standard in sandwiches and burgers, and makes...

Beyond Lettuce: A World of Salad Greens

March 25, 2020

For many of us growing up, lettuce represented the primary source of vegetable greens in our diets. Lettuce is absolutely standard in sandwiches and burgers, and makes a simple, inoffensive base for salads. Its flavour is...

Notes on Spring

March 19, 2020

All winter, the northern hemisphere has been tilted slightly away from the sun. As summer approaches, the tilt changes so the north half of the...

Notes on Spring

March 19, 2020

All winter, the northern hemisphere has been tilted slightly away from the sun. As summer approaches, the tilt changes so the north half of the planet tilts slightly towards the sun. The equinox occurs...

Preparing Garden Beds

March 09, 2020

Generally speaking, most garden beds benefit from a mulch of organic matter in the form of well rotted manure or compost. A mulch is a...

Preparing Garden Beds

March 09, 2020

Generally speaking, most garden beds benefit from a mulch of organic matter in the form of well rotted manure or compost. A mulch is a surprisingly thin layer that is applied to the surface...

Staff Picked Hand Tools

February 25, 2020

Hand tools for the garden may have lots of uses or they may be for very specific jobs. Either way, the gardeners on staff here...

Staff Picked Hand Tools

February 25, 2020

Hand tools for the garden may have lots of uses or they may be for very specific jobs. Either way, the gardeners on staff here at West Coast Seeds have found some excellent tools...

About Potatoes

February 24, 2020

As a vegetable crop (as opposed to a grain crop), the potato is the world’s most important foodstuff, so there are many interesting facts about...

About Potatoes

February 24, 2020

As a vegetable crop (as opposed to a grain crop), the potato is the world’s most important foodstuff, so there are many interesting facts about potatoes. The starchy tubers of the potato plant are...

Deer Resistant Plants

February 06, 2020

Grazing deer can be a major nuisance for gardeners in Coastal BC, on the Gulf Islands, and in the interior portions of the province. Vegetable...

Deer Resistant Plants

February 06, 2020

Grazing deer can be a major nuisance for gardeners in Coastal BC, on the Gulf Islands, and in the interior portions of the province. Vegetable gardens, full of tender greens and food, should be...

What are Hybrid Seeds Exactly?

February 04, 2020

A hybrid is created by crossing two different varieties of the same plant. Crossing involves taking the pollen from the male flower of one plant...

What are Hybrid Seeds Exactly?

February 04, 2020

A hybrid is created by crossing two different varieties of the same plant. Crossing involves taking the pollen from the male flower of one plant and transferring it to the female flower parts of...

Success with Seeds

February 01, 2020

For the best success with seeds, we need to understand them and how they work. Seeds come in as many different packages as the plants...

Success with Seeds

February 01, 2020

For the best success with seeds, we need to understand them and how they work. Seeds come in as many different packages as the plants that produce them. They may be enormous and clunky...

10 Seedling Tips

January 29, 2020

You’ve selected your seeds, you’ve invested in unfamiliar seed starting equipment, you’ve planted the seeds — and now the damn things are coming up! What...

10 Seedling Tips

January 29, 2020

You’ve selected your seeds, you’ve invested in unfamiliar seed starting equipment, you’ve planted the seeds — and now the damn things are coming up! What to do?!

Starting Tomatoes Indoors

January 28, 2020

There’s nothing quite as perfect as a ripe tomato – that distinctive fresh, green smell of a sun-warmed fruit that bursts in the mouth. It speaks of...

Starting Tomatoes Indoors

January 28, 2020

There’s nothing quite as perfect as a ripe tomato – that distinctive fresh, green smell of a sun-warmed fruit that bursts in the mouth. It speaks of the summer’s heat like nothing else in the garden...

What Zone Am I In? Plant Hardiness Zones

January 27, 2020

Plant Hardiness Zones offer general guidance to the kinds of plants that will survive winter in a given area. The warmer the climate, the higher the number of the zone.

What Zone Am I In? Plant Hardiness Zones

January 27, 2020

Plant Hardiness Zones offer general guidance to the kinds of plants that will survive winter in a given area. The warmer the climate, the higher the number of the zone.

Working with Frost Dates

January 27, 2020

All vegetables take a certain amount of time to mature before they are ready to harvest, so it’s crucial to provide that time. There is no...

Working with Frost Dates

January 27, 2020

All vegetables take a certain amount of time to mature before they are ready to harvest, so it’s crucial to provide that time. There is no point sowing tomato seeds in July, because they take several...

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