8th Day of Seed Catalogs

On the 8th Day of Seed Catalogs, we hop across the border into British Columbia, Canada. Since the Maritime Northwest region includes our neighbors to the north, it seemed fitting to include a couple wonderful Canadian seed companies. My friends and family who are in Canada will appreciate these two companies and you can seek them out if you travel up that way. You might be inspired to make some travel plans when you learn about West Coast Seeds and Salt Spring Seeds. Read on!

Seed Company Spotlight
West Coast Seeds
 
Location: 5300 34B Avenue, Delta, B.C. V4L 2P1 
Inquiries: [email protected]
Phone: 1-888-804-8820
Retail Store: 5300 34B Avenue, Delta, B.C. V4L 2P1 
Retail Store Inquiries: [email protected]
Retail Store Phone: 604-952-8820
Website: https://www.westcoastseeds.com
Online Store: https://www.westcoastseeds.com/collections/seeds#
Catalog Request: https://www.westcoastseeds.com/pages/request-catalogue
 
 
The Maritime Northwest climate does not recognize borders or state lines. Our unique climate runs from Cottage Grove, Oregon to Vancouver, B.C. and much of Vancouver Island. From the Cascade Mountains to the coast. I have been exploring the gardening world in this area for 30 years. My search has included British Columbia where I found this wonderful seed company.
 
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that started in 1983 in Vancouver, B.C. They are a long-time supplier for organic farmers and gardeners seeking high quality seeds and supplies. They are one of the founding signers of the Safe Seed Pledge and sell only non-GMO seeds. They offer “over 1,100 varieties of untreated, non-genetically modified seeds. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.” Their retail store and 10-acre farm and trial garden are located Delta, B.C. – just across the border and on the way to the Tsawwassen Ferry.
 
West Coast Seeds offers an extensive selection of vegetable, flower and herb seeds. They also offer a generous selection of tools and other supplies. Their sister company Pinebush Home and Garden has great tools, birdfeeders, mason bees and much, much more. Check out their selection at https://www.westcoastseeds.com/pages/pinebush
 
Education is a big part of what West Coast Seeds provides. I really love their digital planting guides. I opened the Fall and Winter version and it was beautiful to look at and filled with fantastic information on timing and crop varieties. Well done, West Coast Seeds! They produce an annual Gardening Guide, get the 2024 editions here https://www.westcoastseeds.com/pages/west-coast-seeds-2024-gardening-guide

West Coast Seeds offers shipping to the United States. They do not cannot ship plant stock, some seed varieties, and other items into the US. For US shoppers, their website indicates if something is “unavailable in US” so if you are browsing the print catalog, double check the website for availability.
I haven’t received my 2024 catalog yet so I’m browsing their extensive selection on their website. I found some varieties worth consideration.
 
Scallion – Kincho, 50 days. I am always looking for new green onions to grow. I prefer Japanese single stalk types – this is a new variety for me. It is quick to mature so would be great in succession plantings for multi-season harvests.
 
Winter Squash – Honey Boat Organic, 100 days. I love a good delicata squash and this organic, open pollinated variety has a wonderful name. It was bred at Oregon State University and grow into large bushes that don’t spread much. This is on my wish list.
 
Pac Choi – Taiwan, Brassica rapa chinensis, 35-45 days. Here’s a cool Pac Choi variety with mild leaves and thick, sweet, mild and juicy stalks. It can be planted as a spring or fall cool season crop. Yum!

bunching onions photo credit: Lisa Taylor

​All images unless otherwise noted are from https://www.westcoastseeds.com and are used for educational purposes only.

Garden with Lisa Newsletter
 
My monthly newsletter helps the year-round edible gardener stay on track. In each issue you’ll find lists of what to do inside and outside. Learn more with timely and practical tips for the organic gardener. Get the whole family involved with the monthly hands-on garden craft.
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https://www.gardenwithlisa.com

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Seed Company Spotlight
Salt Spring Seeds
 
Location: Box 444, Ganges P.O., Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada, V8K 2W1
Inquiries: [email protected]
Phone: 250-537-5269, no phone orders
Website: https://www.saltspringseeds.com/
Online Catalog Only: https://www.saltspringseeds.com/collections/
 
My teacher and mentor, Carl Elliott introduced me to Dan Jason and Salt Spring Seeds back in the mid-1990’s. Dan Jason a farmer, author and forerunner in the movement to save heirloom seeds and protect crop diversity. He has done a lot of work with grains and pulses -- resulting in an astonishing collection. Salt Spring Seeds may not carry every crop know to the gardener but what they do offer is worth serious consideration – and a trip to Canada. I just love that Dan is waving hello from a flower field on the front page of the website – Hello Dan!
 
More about Dan Jason and Salt Spring Seeds
“Since 1976 he has lived on Salt Spring Island, BC, where he created the mail order seed company Salt Spring Seeds, which specializes in heritage and heirloom open-pollinated and non-GMO seed varieties of vegetables and plants. . . . As an active critic of genetically modified seeds, patents on living organisms and industrial agriculture in general, he is a dedicated educator on sustainable organic gardening and farming, food politics, seed saving, and a farmer of beautiful gardens full of vegetables, grains, medicinal and culinary herbs and flowers.”
 
Dan’s work doesn’t just stay on the farm. In 2002, he started the Salt Spring Seed and Plant Sanctuary which is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving seed diversity and encouraging local seed production. Learn more about this inspiring work here https://seedsanctuary.com/
 
Although they do not ship to the US, Salt Spring Seeds can be found in a number of retail stores in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. If you are traveling to Victoria or Vancouver, venture into one of these retailers for some seeds.  https://www.saltspringseeds.com/pages/in-stores
 
Salt Spring Seeds offers only and online catalog. It is easy to navigate with beautiful photos of plants, grains and flowers. Because of Dan Jason’s work with pulses (legumes) and grains, I headed to the fava bean collection first. Typically there will be one or two varieties of broad beans offered, here I found nine varieties! I have been in search of a purple fava bean for a decade – here I found a deep purple black variety! Here are four tantalizing fava bean varieties that I would travel to Canada to find.
​
Fava Bean – Black Russian. This is a rare Russian heirloom that is frost hardy and produces a bounty of pods filled with dark purple seeds. Beans can be eaten fresh or saved as a dry bean.
 
Fava Bean – Sunshine Coast. I am interested in any varieties that have been grown in my bio region. This one has been grown and selected on BC’s Sunshine Coast – a banana belt extending north of Vancouver, including the Strait of George and the east coast of Vancouver Island running north of Nanaimo, BC. This one sports white flowers and produces large pods and beans.
 
Fava Bean – Crimson Flowered. I am a fool for beautiful food plants and this fava variety is stunning. With flashy bright crimson blooms, it is a show-stopper. This is a shorter plant than most favas, just 3’ tall, and is a rare variety that was near extinction.
 
Fava Bean – Exhibition Long. If you want to grow a variety for eating and space is not a consideration then Exhibition Long Fava may be for you. These plants grow 5’ tall and produce foot-long pods with large beans. Grown on Gabriola Island, they should thrive in Maritime Northwest gardens.

All images unless otherwise noted are from https://www.saltspringseeds.com/ and are used for educational purposes only.

Garden with Lisa Newsletter
 
My monthly newsletter helps the year-round edible gardener stay on track. In each issue you’ll find lists of what to do inside and outside. Learn more with timely and practical tips for the organic gardener. Get the whole family involved with the monthly hands-on garden craft.
Sign up here: 
​https://www.gardenwithlisa.com