Seed Company Spotlight
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
 
Location: 955 Benton Avenue, Winslow, Maine 04901
Inquiries: www.johnnyseeds.com/contact-us/
Phone: 1-877-564-6697
Website: www.Johnnyseeds.com
Catalog Request: https://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog-request/ 
 
Johnny’s Selected Seeds has been around since for 50 years. From humble beginnings and only a few varieties, they have grown to offer hundreds of unique vegetable, herb and flower varieties. “In spring 1973, when founder Rob Johnston, Jr, at age 22, and with $500 in savings, started the fledgling seed company in a New Hampshire farmhouse attic, moving in the fall to his parents' home in Acton, Massachusetts.” They still maintain their research farm in Albion, Maine while the rest of the operation is in Winslow, Maine.
 
Their mission is simple and inspiring: “Our mission is helping families, friends, and communities to feed one another by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service.”
 
In 2006, as Johnston, Jr and his wife were heading toward retirement, they started the process to become employee owned. Since 2012, Johnny’s Selected Seeds is 100% employee owned. They have taken safe seed pledge and sell only non-GMO seeds. They have it all, seeds, tools, vast resource library and outstanding service.
 
Johnny’s Selected Seeds continues to breed and research new vegetable varieties. That may explain the abundance of F1 hybrid varieties. I typically steer away from hybrid seeds, purchasing open pollinated or heirloom varieties because I want to have the option of saving seeds. Here’s how they define Hybrid (F1) “The offspring of a cross between two genetically distinct parent lines. Hybrid varieties are selected for traits such as improved flavor, disease resistance, fruit quality, yield, and climate adaptability. An (F1) hybrid refers to first filial or first-generation offspring of the cross. Seeds saved from an F1 hybrid will not produce plants with characteristics equivalent to the F1 hybrid.”
 
This is a big catalog with a huge offering of seeds and supplies. Some times when a favorite variety is dropped from other seed houses, I can find it at Johnny’s. The color photos in the catalog are helpful as you read through juicy description. Scattered throughout the print catalog are information boxes about different crops and growing tips, this helps with decision making. I am particularly fond of the illustrations that compares different “colored carrot varieties.” You could get lost in this catalog all afternoon.
 
The cover sports an incredible bunch of pumpkins so that is the first place went . . . the selection is vast! Many of these varieties were developed by Johnny’s. They have more than a dozen Jack-o’-lantern types from kid-sized Jack of Hearts to the 40 pound Champion. They have multiple varieties of pie, gianr and white pumpkins. I hadn’t expected to see six different white pumpkins, amazing. I spent a long time exploring their giant selection of ornamental pumpkins. The colors, textures and shapes of these pumpkins are captivating and I found a couple varieties that have snack seeds. You’ll have to skip over the website for descriptions of Johnny’s ornamental pumpkin collection.
 
Pumpkin – Kakai. This is a beauty. A small to medium sized squat fruit with orange skin and black/green striping. It produces large hulless seeds that are an exceptional snack when roasted.
 
The other collection that really caught my imagination were the herbs. Johnny’s offers four pages of basil and many surprising varieties of herbs. I was excited to see two varieties of chervil, three kinds of chives, four kinds of dill and five kinds of parsley – who knew!? This is a compelling collection with so many interesting varieties.
 
Shiso – Britton Shiso. This variety is sure to dazzle in the garden. It sports green leaves with deep red undersides. Same delicious shiso flavor – it is on my list. 

Seed Company Spotlight
Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply

Location: 125 Clydesdale Court, Grass Valley, California 95945 
Inquiries: [email protected]
Phone: 1-888-784-1722
2nd Location: 350 NW Hickory St, Albany, OR 97321
Phone: 541-981-2248
Website: www.groworganic.com
Online Catalog Only: www.groworganic.com

In the small town of Grass Valley in northern California is one of my all-time favorite seed and tool sources – Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply. Providing supplies and seeds for organic farmers since 1976, they have grown to be the largest independent retailer in the country focused on organic farm and garden supply. I am excited to learn that in 2022 they opened a second retail location in Albany, Oregon in the heart of the Willamette Valley. I will definitely put a visit on my travel wish list.
 
As a gardener living on the west coast, I have looked to Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply for seeds and supplies for decades. Serving both farmers and gardeners, they have quality, long-lasting commercial grade tools and supplies. PVFGS offers several weights of Agribon floating row cover in widths of 10’ or wider. They even offer 50’ lengths for gardeners. They offer exclusive products under the PVFGS brand which includes fertilizers, soil amendments, seeds and seed starting kits and much more. Find out more here https://www.groworganic.com/collections/exclusive-peaceful-valley-products
 
This is where organic farmers shop so there is always something new to be discovered. PVFGS used to print wonderful catalogs but with over 3,000 products in stock, they have put all their focus on the online version. Searchable and easy to navigate, I could spend hours looking through their website. It is bookmarked for easy access!
 
For years they have been creating an excellent video series with how-to videos about their products, gardening techniques and more. If you want to know about how to build a low tunnel or what to do with those cover crops, tune in and all will be revealed. They add new stuff each year so check it out https://www.groworganic.com/blogs/videos
 
Their seed offerings are all non-GMO and include organic, open pollinated, heirloom and some hybrid varieties. You’ll find just about all the crops you are looking for and many are available in larger or bulk quantities. If you are working in a school or community garden, look into their bulk pricing.
 
I have grown some really fine vegetables from PVFGS seeds but what I return to again and again are their massive selection of cover crops. They have one of the largest selections of cover crops for any season and all soil conditions.
 
I learn so much as I browse through more than 100 products. The Cover Crop Solution Charts https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0061/1391/9089/files/CoverCropSolutionsweb.pdf?25072 is an excellent resource for narrowing down which cover crop you should use. Since I typically plant cover crops in the fall to overwinter, I will share a few of my favorite options for the Maritime Northwest gardener.
 
Grains – Cereal Rye, White Oats, Bearded Barley. These hardy cereal grains are easy to grow and help build soil structure or tilth. Beautiful vibrant green grass brightens the winter landscape. These can be sown through October or early November but earlier plantings have better germination and weed suppression.
 
These two mixes are worth consideration.
 
Cover Crop Mix – Sod Buster. If you have heavy, compacted soil, try this mix. These plants can break up soil with their tenacious roots. Triticale, Cereal Rye, Nemfix Mustard, Bell Beans, Biomaster Peas, and Common Vetch.
 
Cover Crop Mix – Cold Zone. Good for places that have temperatures below 25°, this cold-hardy mix fixes nitrogen and builds soil structure. Purple vetch and cereal rye.

Seed Company Spotlight
High Mowing Organic Seeds
 
Location: 76 Quarry Road, Wolcott, VT 05620
Inquiries: [email protected]
​Phone:1-866-735-4454
Website: www.highmowingseeds.com  
Catalog Request: www.highmowingseeds.com/our-seed-catalog
 
High Mowing Seeds has been selling organic seeds since 1996 from their place in Wolcott, Vermont. One of original seed companies to create and sign the Safe Seed Pledge not to sell GMO seeds. They are committed to growing a healthier, greener world, “one seed at a time.” Their location in chilly Vermont makes them an excellent source for cold tolerant, short season crops. They offer farmers and gardeners over 700 varieties of organic seeds that include open pollinated, heirloom and F1 hybrid varieties. True to their mission, they source the many varieties they sell from “independent, passionate organic seed farmers.”
Why is this company called High Mowing? I learned something and I love the story behind the name.
 
 “Farms in New England in the 1700’s practiced the mowing of hayfields to be stored as off-season feed for livestock during the long, cold winters. Instead of calling such a field a “hayfield” like we do today, they called it a “mowing”. These fields were usually further identified by a descriptor referring to location: the “back mowing” was behind the farm, the “low mowing” was in the valley, and the “high mowing” was up on the hilltop.
 
In northern Vermont, where small rivers wind their way through mountainous and hilly terrain, nearly all mowings are “high mowings”. A hundred years ago, farms on these hillsides had names like “High Mowing Farm” or “High Mowing Acres”. When our seed company first started, we not only liked the sound of “high mowing”, but it was an old, regionally specific, agricultural term that fit the kind of seed company we are: farm-based and rooted in a place.”
 
Each year they print a full color catalog that features the smiling faces of a different group of family farmers on the cover. Sure they feature beautiful photos of veg, herbs, flowers but what strikes me are all the faces of people smiling out of their website and print catalog. Smiling happy people surrounded by beautiful vegetables is a hopeful message. Still waiting for the printed catalog so I am browsing their online catalog.
 
I couldn’t resist looking at the 81 kinds of lettuce, 45 kinds of peppers and 70 kinds of tomatoes – wow! I also found some other surprises. Here are some of my picks.
 
Tomato – Pink Boar. Here’s a beautiful 204 oz slicing tomato that I’d like to try. 75 days, Indeterminate. Catalog sez it “offers great performance in challenging conditions of Northern California.”
 
Pepper – Ring of Fire Cayenne. This one looks like a good choice for our climate. 45 days to green, 60 days to red on 18” plants. With a Scoville rating of 30,000 it is a milder hot pepper.
 
Lettuce – Outredgeous. This variety is stunning and tasty, a favorite of mine. Many varieties are offered as “pelleted seeds” that have been coated in clay and look like donut sprinkles. These make the sowing and spacing tiny seeds easier. If you have trouble with over-sowing, try some pelleted seeds this season.
 
Herbs – Deep Purple Basil. They have 17 different varieties in their catalog, some new ones for me. This variety is on my wish list, it will add beauty to the garden and to the plate.
 
Cover Crops – cool and warm season. They offer a lovely collection of cover crops including typical winter covers such as rye, filed peas and vetch and some nice choices for spring and summer such as sudan grass, phecalia and buckwheat.

all images are from www.highmowingseeds.com and are used for educational purposes only.

Seed Company Spotlight
Seeds Trust / High Altitude Garden
 
Location: 2591 Legacy Way, Grand Junction, CO 81503 
Inquiries: www.seedstrust.com/contact-us    
​Phone: none listed.  
Website: www.seedstrust.com
Online Catalog Only: www.seedstrust.com
 
Seeds Trust, High Altitude Gardens is a unique seed company. They specialize in providing seeds that will grow and produce reliably in the coldest climates and shortest season. Not just for people gardening at high altitudes, this collection of seeds is a great resource for any cool climate, short season grower, especially if they want to grow tomatoes.
 
Started by Bill McDormant in 1984 as High Altitude Garden Seeds when he was living and gardening in a small mountain town in Idaho. Faced with the challenge fewer than 90 frost free days and extreme exposure at high altitudes, he hoped to find varieties that would thrive under these conditions. 
 
After years of research, Bill traveled behind the Iron Curtain in search of the best short season tomato. Eventually he secretly brought back 60 varieties of Siberian tomatoes, many of these varieties are still offered by Seeds Trust and other seed companies.
 
Julia Coffey and Alisha Wenger have owned Seeds Trust since 2011 and they continue Bill’s pioneering work. The High Altitude Garden still acts as a testing site of crop varieties. If it can thrive in the high altitude garden then it is sure to grow well in your cool Maritime Northwest garden.
 
They offer a robust collection of cool season crops but for me, the warm season offerings are where it’s at. Look here for corn, tomatoes, peppers, melons, winter squash and pumpkins. Be sure to start with their 49 types of tomatoes. You’ll find that Siberian and Russian varieties dominate the list and all are chosen primarily for their earliness.
 
Tomato, Siberian – Grushovka. Compact determinate plant produces 6-8 oz  oblong fruit with pink flesh – has delicious and distinctive flavor. The variety is popular in southern Russian, over the border from Kazakhstan and Mongolia – brrrrr.
 
Siberian Hot Pepper – Grandpa’s Home Pepper. 70 days. These medium hot peppers grow on a compact plant. These 1”-2” fruit from Siberia where they are often raised in pots on the windowsill. Scoville rating of 40,000 – 60,000, it is one pepper that can bloom and set fruit in low light conditions.
 
 
Winter Squash – Red Kuri. 90 days. Here’s the best of their early winter squash. Originally from Japan, this fast-maturing Hubbard type squash is tasty and beautiful.
 
Melon – Sugar Baby Watermelon. 73 days. If you are a Maritime Northwest gardener and you’ve ever want to give growing watermelon a try, this is a good one. Measuring 8” x 8” round, it isn’t big but it is quick to mature. They are sweet with red-orange flesh and average 6-12 pounds each. Drought-resistant, gotta love that!
 

All images are from www.seedstrust.com and are used for educational purposes only.

Company Spotlight
Fedco Seeds
 
Location:  PO Box 520, Clinton ME 04927
Inquiries:   [email protected]   
​Phone:  207-426-9900
Website:  www.fedcoseeds.com   www.fedcoseeds.com/trees
Catalog Request:  https://www.fedcoseeds.com/connect?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxsDPnIe1ggMVHAutBh1lAA3FEAAYASACEgIlZfD_BwE
 
Fedco is a long-time, old school organic seed company and nursery. They are located in Maine so they have some nice short season, cold hardy offerings. They offer open pollinated, organic and heirloom seeds. They are a one stop shop with seeds and trees, shrubs and perennials. They also sell a wonderful variety of gardening supplies.
“Fedco started in 1978 as a few friends working together in the winter to save money on quality seeds for their gardens. Since then, we have added a fruit tree order in 1983, garlic and fall bulbs in 1984, seed potatoes in 1985, and organic growing supplies in 1988. . . . Every year, over 150 workers cooperate to fill over 60,000 orders totaling over $10 million annually.”
 
Fedco is a worker/consumer-owned cooperative in Clinton, Maine. They specialize in offering gardening, farming and orchard supplies. They serve growers and gardeners. They believe that gardening improves health and wellness of people and the planet. They source seeds and supplies from small, independent growers when possible while supporting equitable and sustainable agricultural practices.
 
Fedco walks their walk with their community giving program. Over the decades they have supported many amazing groups and causes. Learn more about this inspiring company here  www.fedcoseeds.com/about 
 
Best Catalog Ever!
I love the Fedco catalog! Their award-winning catalog provides an abundance of fun garden reading. Printed on plain newsprint, it has acted as a coloring book for many impatient people who were stuck waiting. Wonderful and surprising illustrations are on every page. It is reminiscent of the Whole Earth Catalog or a Trader Joe’s circular. The varieties offered are amazing.
 
I ordered the 2024 Fedco Tree Catalog for the first time and what a treat! Same great illustrations and so many apples! Did you know that there are over 7,000 apple varieties on the planet? This catalog opens with 85 varieties -- 16 pages of apples. I have never seen that many varieties and I didn’t recognize most of the names. The descriptions are fun, filled with history, growing information and humor. Pour a cup of tea and settle in, this is fantastic reading! One of my favorite things about their catalog are the educations boxes that tell how to plant a tree, prune a flowering shrub, train your grape and planting bare-root perennials.
 
Although Fedco is across the continent, in Maine, it is a good source for Maritime Northwest gardeners who are looking for cold hardy and short season crops. Look for cool season crops and short season summer crops. I look to Fedco for new cool varieties that I want to try.
 
For fun, here are some apple varieties offered
Black Gilliefower
Blue Pearmain
Calville Blac d’Hiver
Duchess of Oldenburg
Frostbite
Ginger Gold
Grandfather
Hubbardston Nonesuch
King’s Ransom
Pomme Grise
Red Astrachan
St. Edmund’s Russet
Winter Banana
Zestar

Catalog images are from www.fedcoseeds.com and are used for educational purposes only.

Seed Company Spotlight
Renee’s Garden
 
Location:   6060 Graham Hill Rd. Felton, CA 95018 
Inquiries:   www.reneesgarden.com/pages/contact-us    
Phone:   1.888.880.7228
Website:  www.reneesgarden.com  
Online Catalog Only:  www.reneesgarden.com/pages/catalog 
 
Renee’s Garden Seeds started in 1985 by Renee Shepherd who set out to provide gardeners with the best seeds to grow and eat. Renee looks like someone you might meet in a community garden. Her beautiful seed packets are a welcome sight and are frequently found at independent nurseries.
 
Renee’s Garden has taken the safe seed pledge and sources their seeds from trusted growers around the world. They offer organic, heirloom, open pollinated and select hybrid seeds.
 
I have Renee’s Garden to thank for introducing me to one of my favorite crops – tromboncino squash. In a seed donation long ago, I found a packet of a peculiar squash. I was the director of a children’s garden at the time so I was always on the look out for fun vegetables to grow, especially if they were vigorous and productive. The description on the seed packet was enough and we grew our first tromboncino squash crop. Renee sells it now as the Trombetta di Alberga, other seed companies offer it as Tromboncino Squash.
 
No one I knew in the gardening world had heard of this variety and the internet wasn’t really a thing so we learned as we grew. The tromboncino was a marvel. Vigorous vines, lots of flowers and these light green, long fruit. They produced from June until the first frost and were delicious! Great, rich flavor when eaten raw and they stayed firm when cooked. A winner! It has been a garden staple since then.
 
Renee’s Garden specializes in seed pairings and mixes – like white and red scallions blended and sold as Delicious Duo. They offer multi colored beets, three colors of cherry tomatoes and more. I really appreciate that they list the name of varieties found in these blends.
 
These mixes are so alluring. From one seed packet, all these colors. I have had mixed results with these because although they are the same crop, they are different varieties that have unique growing habits. I have found that the earliest germinating variety typically crowds out the later sprouting seeds. I think wider seed spacing might help with this, I have better success when I plant single varieties side by side rather than intermingled, that’s just my experience.
 
Renee’s Garden is a wealth of information and garden education. Each seed packet has growing info and tips. The Garden Resources page on their website is comprehensive and inviting. This resource library has articles on just about anything an organic gardener might want to know. I could get lost there for hours. www.reneesgarden.com/blogs/gardening-resources
 
Here are a few of my favorites.
Summer Squash – Tromboncino or Trombetta di Alberga. The best summer squash ever. It loves to climb so be ready.
 
Cucumbers – Green Fingers. Persian baby cucumbers are a hit in the garden and in the kitchen. Grow these on a trellis for easy care. Harvest small fruits so that the vines continue to produce until early fall.
 
Hibiscus – Zinger. I have this on my list. Last season I saw the most amazing plant at a community garden. I searched it out and found it was hibiscus! I have been wanting to grow this for along time, 2024 may be the year.
 
Poppy – Lauren’s Dark Grape. This dark purple heirloom poppy is just what my garden needs this season. Three to five feet tall, with giant flowers this will put on a fantastic show and self sow.
 
Arugula – Italian. This arugula is memorable with large leaves and big flavor. It is smokey without being bitter or hot. It is quick growing, you could sow, grow and eat in a 4” pot for fresh greens year-round.

Seed Company Spotlight
Kitazawa Seed Company
 
Location:  175 West 2700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115
Inquiries:  [email protected]  
​Phone  510-595-1188
Kitazawa Seed Company:  www.kitazawaseed.com    
Request a Catalog:  https://kitazawaseed.com/products/2023-kitazawa-catalog

If you are looking for some new edibles that will thrive in our Maritime climate, look at Kitazawa Seed Company. They specialize in the harder to find Asian vegetables that are common in Japanese, Thai, Indian, Chinese and Korean cuisines. This is the place to find many delicious and surprising varieties of greens and cole crops. I have been a big fan for years.
 
This company has been around for 107 years. It was a family-owned business, started by Gijiu Kitazawa in 1917 in San Jose, California. At that time vegetable varieties used in Asian cooking could not be found in US grocery stores. Kitazawa was the first to offer Asian vegetable seeds so Asian Americans could grow the foods they used in their cuisines.
 
The Kitazawa family sold the business in 2000 to Maya Shiroyama and her husband Jim Ryugo who continued the long tradition of offering a stunning variety of Asian Vegetables. Selling non-GMO, heirloom, organic as well as hybrid seeds.
 
In 2022, Shiroyama and Ryugo turned the stewardship of the company over to True Leaf Market. True Leaf Market is a seed company in Salt Lake City, Utah that specialized in sprouting and microgreen seeds. They will handle the day-to-day operations while maintaining the unique Kitazawa Seed Company brand. Shiroyama and Ryugo will continue as the company’s ambassadors.
 
Here are a few of my favorites.
Holy Basil – Green and Red. Also called Tulsi, it is the queen of herbs and is used in the Indian Ayurvedic tradition. Plants are beautiful, fragrant and distinctive.
Burdock – Ha Gobo. This variety is grown for its delicate edible leaves, typically burdock root is used in cooking. They offer four different Japanese burdock varieties.
Chinese Mustard – Gai Choi. This mustard is delicious and hardy. It grows through the winter if sown in June. It has a pungent taste that isn’t bitter or spicy.
Bunching Onions – They offer many Japanese single stalk green onion or scallion varieties. I have had great success growing Heshiko, Evergreen White Nebuka, Ishijura Improved and Ishikura Long Winter.
Cress – True Watercress (Nasturtium officinale). This hardy dark leafy green perennial grows in moist soil. Young tender leaves are a delicious, peppery addition to salads.

At the tail end of the catalog after 14 varieties of turnips, you’ll find some recipes. All sorts of ways to cook the Asian Vegetables. Brilliant! There are even more recipes on their blog https://kitazawaseed.com/blogs/recipes Add something new to your garden and plate this season with some Asian vegetables from Kitazawa Seed Company.

​Seed Company Spotlight
Deep Harvest Seeds
 
Location:   PO Box 515, Freeland, WA 98249
Inquiries:   [email protected]  
​Phone:   503-989-8490
Website:  https://deepharvestfarm.com
Online Catalog Only:   https://deepharvestfarm.com/shop/
 
Deep Harvest Seeds is the closest seed farm to my garden and home so they are one of my go-to sources for varieties that will perform well for me. They are the real deal and are committed to growing regionally adapted seeds for Northwest farms and gardens.
 
They are a seed, vegetable and flower farm on South Whidbey Island. Most of their seeds are grown regionally – right on the farm and sourced from a small network of regional farmers. They offer 100% organic, open pollinated, non-GMO seeds year-round as well as fresh vegetables and flowers from June to December. They grow over 140 varieties right on their farm because they believe that a “thriving local food system starts with regionally-adapted seed.” The majority of their varieties are grown on Whidbey Island and “all are well-adapted to the soils, climate and disease pressures of the Pacific Northwest.”
 
Over the last decade they have expanded the varieties they offer with some real garden gems that perform beautifully in our Maritime climate. If you live in Western Washington or Oregon, I would check here first before buying any seeds since their seeds are locally grown and adapted to our climate and soils. “Every year, we perform variety trials to assess which ones thrive in our particular Northwest soils and climate. Our seed catalog features these winning varieties, and we are confident they will also excel in fields and gardens across the Northwest and other cool, northern climates. Furthermore, by saving seeds only from the best plants, selecting for beauty, vigor, disease resistance, and tolerance to extreme temperatures, we have further adapted these varieties to our corner of the world.”
 
To encourage wildlife and native pollinators, every year they expand their native hedgerows, flowering perennials and fruit orchards. They also grow 30 varieties of flowers on their 1/2 acre flower field and sell all sorts of arrangements for wedding and events.
 
Not all of the seeds offered by Deep Harvest Seeds are grown on their Whidbey Island Farm, to flush out their catalog, they also source from a small, regional network of growers. Learn more about Deep Harvest Farm and discover who all is in their grower’s network here https://deepharvestfarm.com/about-us/
 
Look here for warm season tropical and long-season crops aka things that are more difficult to grow here . . .  like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, winter squash since all their seeds are grown by within our region, they may be better adapted to grow here. Deep Harvest seeds were grown in this region and so are uniquely adapted to grow well in the Maritime Northwest climate.
 
Here are a few of my favorites.
Peppers – Miniature Red Bell. These small, super early sweet peppers are productive even in cool climates. If you have been looking for a short season sweet pepper, give these cuties a try. Great in a lunchbox or stuffed.
 
Tomatoes, cherry type – Black Cherry and Pink Honeydews. There is nothing like nibbling on sweet cherry tomatoes right off the vine. These two varieties offer beauty and flavor on manageable indeterminate vines. Pink Honeydews are new this year and are great for snacking. Black Cherry are a trusted variety that can be used in many ways in the kitchen.
 
Ground Cherry – Otto’s Bush Creek. I am a big fan of ground cherries and this is a new variety to me. These beautiful and distinctive plants produce a “tropical” fruit that is delicious eaten fresh but becomes something extraordinary when cooked down as a preserve.
 
Winter Squash – Burgess Buttercup. This small winter squash will grow and produce reliably. These will climb a trellis so they are a great choice for small gardens. The seeds are huge!
 
Mustard Greens – Ruby Streaks. Beautiful, hardy and delicious. Ruby streaks is one of my favorite mustards. Start some in late summer and they will overwinter, producing enormous heads ready in early spring. This mustard is smoky and pungent without bitterness or heat.
 
Amaranth – Hot Biscuits. I grew this amaranth for the name alone and I was rewarded with tall orange-bronze plants with great sprays of golden flowers. Pollinators and people love this one.
 
Quinoa – Brightest Brilliant Rainbow. Yep, you can grow quinoa and use the seeds in your favorite quinoa recipe – the seeds are tiny and you’ll need to collect many to make a meal. Even if you don’t eat the seeds, this variety is stunning. Tall plants put on a multicolored show that delights gardeners and butterflies.
 
If you are a Maritime Northwest gardener looking for something new to grow this season, head over to Deep Harvest for varieties that will thrive in our climate and produce reliably.

Garden Planner

Get organized with a special Garden Planner! This Garden Planner is just what you need to create order from the chaos of paper floating about the house and garden workstation! It comes in both a digital version and a printable one. 
Check it out here: Garden Planner

When you stir up your soil prepping and planting your beds, seeds come to the surface where they can get light and water . . . and can sprout. Here's a Japanese burdock plant that has volunteered in our shady side garden. It was more than a decade ago that I planted this variety offered by Kitazawa Seed Company. Lovely, beloved by pollinators, a food staple in southeast Asia AND grows in the shade, you gotta love that! Let’s learn more about Burdock.

Good Food or Dreaded Weed?
Burdock is mostly considered a pesty weed in many of our gardens. It has mostly fallen out of favor in European and American kitchens. Yet it is an essential food crop in Southeast Asia. It is called gobo in Japan. Millions and millions of people eat burdock as a regular part of their diet, like some folks eat potatoes. Rather than a weed, see burdock as another part of your edible landscape.
 
Burdock root has a crunchy, mild, earthy flavor that is not unpleasant but it is very earthy. It pairs nicely with soy sauce and high heat. I always feel like I’m eating something really healthy when I eat burdock. I like it. You can buy fresh burdock root at Asian markets, natural food stores, farmer’s markets and well-stocked produce sections. Burdock tinctures and concoctions can be found in natural health and supplement stores.
 
Common burdock is a biennial that grows leaves and roots one year and makes flowers and seeds the following year. Harvest roots and leaves in the first and second year. Harvest the stalk the second year in late spring or early summer.
 
Dig and Eat Some Roots
Harvest the roots when the leaves are big and before it starts to make a flower stalk. Loosen the soil all around the plant with a digging fork and firmly but gently pull and dig out the root. Try to get as much as you can. It is nice to get roots that are as big around as your thumb and as long as possible.
 
Wash, peel and thinly slice the root then added to a stir fry with soy sauce. Burdock root is a food staple in Southeast Asia and there are many delicious ways to prepare it. Kinpira Gobo is a classic Japanese dish made with burdock root, oil, soy sauce, sake and sugar. Burdock root can be pickled and used as a condiment.
 
Eat the Whole Thing
The root is a common part to eat but all parts of the burdock plant can be eaten. There are varieties for salad where the leaves are most prized. The variety I grew was the Ha gobo from Kitazawa Seed Company. It is a short season variety that is grown as an annual crop for the edible leaves and stem but the root can also be used. Here is the description from their catalog.
 
“Ha Gobo. Heirloom, Arctium lappa. Also known as ci cai ji, dong yang lu bo, edible burdock leaves, ha gobo, ngao pong, niu pang, uang. 70 days. NonGMO. Open pollinated. Warm season annual.
 
Edible burdock root is gobo in Japanese and burdock leaf is ha gobo. This special Japanese variety is grown for its delicate edible leaves. The thick white stalk is about 12" long and the light green leaves are tender. The edible root is about 6" long.”
 
I just learned that you can harvest the flower stalk before it flowers. Chop it down to the ground the strip away the leaves and tough stringy outside until you get to the white center. This is what Black Forager, Alexis Nikole Nelson calls “potato stick.” I haven’t done this yet but apparently you cook the peeled stalk and it tastes like potato or artichoke. I need to try this!
 
Eat, Drink and Feel Merry
It seems you can do just about anything with burdock. There are some really tasty sodas that are made from Dandelion and Burdock, they are a treat! Burdock root is strong medicine and can be tinctured or extracted. It can be dried and used in tea. What can’t you do with burdock?!
 
Burdock seed
There are many seed houses that offer common burdock seed. For other exotic varieties, take a look at Kitazawa Seed Company www.kitazawaseed.com That Salada Masume variety looks really cool, it is on my wish list.
 
Get Growing!
There is so much more to learn about burdock. If you are intrigued, there is plenty of good info out there. Go ahead, spend an enriching hour down the burdock rabbit hole, then seek it out at a local market or find some seeds and get growing! Enjoy!
 
Grow food . Have fun . Feel better

Burdock, common
Arctium lappa
Family: Asteraceae, sunflower
Biennial or short season annual
Size: Large leaves, grows 2-3 feet tall; 4-8 feet tall flower stalk.
Origin: Native to Asia and Europe but spread pretty much all over the world.
Habitat: Grows in a variety of conditions from full sun to shade. It prefers loamy, well-drained soil but can grow in just about any soil so long as there is good drainage. Lighter soil makes harvesting the roots easier. Flowers July to October. Magenta flowers are beloved by pollinators. Self-sowing.
Special note: Burdock burrs were the inspiration for hook and loop fasteners – Velcro. In some languages the words for burdock and Velcro are the same.

Spring is a busy time for gardeners and garden educators. I am out in the community giving talks and classes for adults, children and educators. It is great to be back out there. Check out my Events Schedule to see where you can catch a program in your area. I have also been featured on blogs and in newsletters sharing my passion for growing vegetables.

Check out the recent Redfin article I was featured in:
"Starting a vegetable garden can be a fun and rewarding experience for anyone, regardless of whether you have a green thumb or not. Not only can it provide you with fresh and healthy produce, but it can also save you money on grocery bills and reduce your carbon footprint. However, the process of starting a vegetable garden can seem daunting, especially if you are a beginner." Read the whole article; Plant, Grow Harvest; Your Guide to Starting a Vegetable Garden for Your Home

​Cascade Gardener
I was also featured in the Cascade Water Alliance's newsletter in early May, here is that interview.

What I’m doing in my garden
Weeding and mulching. We recently got a beautiful load of wood chips through Chip Drop so most of the gardening work is centering around sheet mulching and moving chips. Our place looks clean and fresh, there is nothing better for instant beauty than a fresh layer mulch. If you are interested in a load of wood chips, see of Chip Drop is right for you https://getchipdrop.com/
Keep on track with your planting and seasonal gardening tasks, sign up for my monthly newsletter. I cover what to do in your edible garden each month to keep growing year-round and other handy organic, edible gardening techniques. Each issue includes a garden craft for kids and families. Sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.gardenwithlisa.com
 
My favorite tool
I have a number of favorite tools depending on the job. I am really excited about a new tool – my digital garden planner. My garden journal is my most important tool and this year I upgraded the old spiral binder with a digital planner. Joan Goodnight from the Heron and Pineapple has created a great planner just for gardeners. It is really cool and easy to use. Now rather than scrolling my phone I can plan my garden on my iPad. I’m having fun with the design tools, envisioning different changes I am considering this season. Get organized this season with a digital or print version of the beautiful planner created by the Heron and Pineapple. It is available for purchase on my website www.gardenwithlisa.com/store/c15/garden-planner
 
My favorite resource book
I’ve been really geeking out about Mason Bees lately. My refreshed and reloaded Nesting Block is up and waiting for the weather to warm up a bit more. Mason bees are so cool and I absolutely love the book “Pollination with Mason Bees; A Gardener’s Guide to Managing Mason Bees for Fruit Production” by Dr. Margriet Dogterom.
 
A blog I enjoy following
I’m not following any blogs but I do love @thefrenchiegardener aka Patrick Vernuccio on Instagram. Also @blackforager aka Alexis Nikole Nelson – love her so much! Check out my blog – Edible Garden Confidential at www.gardenwithlisa.com/ediblegardenconfidential
 
My favorite plant in my garden (with photo)
The one I’m enjoying right now is the Wild Orchid Wallflower on my front deck. Wallflower is a native or near native that blooms early spring. Flowers come in a variety of colors and smell of gentle baby powder. It is cold hardy and loves growing in a container. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @gardenwithlisa to see what I’m growing and the cool plants and places I discover.
 

You want a bountiful vegetable garden but you dread the “yard work.” Using organic techniques saves time, money and helps the environment. A diverse, thriving edible garden is more resistant to pests and diseases, there are fewer weeds (or they are easy to pull) and you save money because healthy soil conserves water.
 
Diseases and Pests
No problem. Follow the Organic Checklist and use Earth-friendly gardening practices so that your plants are healthier and can withstand most pests and diseases.
 
The Organic Checklist are the guiding principles for a pesticide-free garden.

• building healthy soil
• putting the right plant in the right place
• working with nature
• encouraging biodiversity
• conserve resources and water wisely
• learn as you grow

 
Other organic practices for a problem-free garden are proper pruning and training to improve air circulation and good sanitation (removing and disposing of diseased plant material).
 
Get to Know Some Bugs
Put the spray can away and get out the field guide. A big part of a healthy carefree garden is learning about all the creatures that live there. Most of the bugs you see are beneficial or are food for beneficial creatures. Invite as much wildlife into your garden so they can “sort it out” and keep the balance. Get to know about the habits and habitats of garden critters. Most of them are there to help.
 
Weeds be Gone!
Using organic techniques can save time spent weeding – so you can spend more time eating all the food you are growing. Spacing plants so that less bare soil is exposed to the sun will keep weed seeds from sprouting. Topdressing any bare soil with a 1/2 inch of finished compost will keep weed seeds from sprouting. Spreading out a layer of mulch is an effective way to suppress weeds while enriching the soil. Any weeds that do poke through the mulch are easy to pull.
 
Good for the Planet
A healthy, pesticide-free edible garden is good for everyone. Healthy soil helps absorb, filter and clean storm water. Soils rich in organic matter and compost hold more moisture so you don’t have to water your garden as often – saves time and money. Including a wide variety of plants invites wildlife into your garden so that they can do the work of keeping the garden in balance. Composting recycles organic waste into a nutrient rich soil amendment that plants need to grow.

Hello and Happy Spring!
Here is my Garden with Lisa March newsletter attached as a pdf. Inside you’ll find something for the whole family!

• March Edible Gardening Guide with Inside and Outside tasks.
• My schedule of educational and speaking events. Contact me! I am booking now for 2023!
• Tips for starting seeds indoors under lights and guidance on how to grow your own veg, herb and flower plant starts.
• Family and Kid’s Gardening Crafts. Mason Bees are cool! This month we’ll learn about this docile native pollinator and make a DIY Orchard Mason Bee house out of common household items. Give it a try, raise your own mason bees!
• Gardening Resources. A really good list of garden resources for the PNW gardener.

 
Enjoy this newsletter and have fun growing!

​The gray winter landscape explodes with color and texture when witch hazel blooms, heralding the spring, each January, February and March. Spidery flowers, whose ribbon petals are like crinkled paper, come in vibrant yellow, dusty orange and faded burgundy. A favorite of the winter garden, Hamamelis is known for striking winter blooms and brilliant fall color, with leaves ranging from yellow to deep orange and red.
 
The name witch hazel derives from the use of forked branches as divining rods for “witching” wells. People have used it medicinally for ages. Its astringent properties are great for shrinking varicose veins and hemorrhoids. It reduces swollen joints and stops bleeding. It is an age-old cure for acne or any skin irritation or cut. The witch hazel solution you buy at the store is a distillation intended for external use only. Try making your own decoction to use in a compress.

Witch hazel thrives in partial shade, producing more flowers when grown in full sun. Since it blooms in the winter, plant it where you can see it from indoors. Place near front of perennial bed so you can easily smell the flowers without getting your shoes muddy. It needs fertile, well-drained soil and cannot toleration wet feet. Provide summer water for the first three years, until plants are established.
 
Learn more about Hamamelis. Check out www.witchhazelnursery.com. This wholesale nursery in England has a huge collection. Their photo gallery is worth a visit.

​Got piles? Swollen joints? Acne?
A simple decoction can be made from witch hazel twigs and bark. Grind up plant material, cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and use as skin wash or in a cloth compress.