Spring Seed Varieties

Here is the list of the seeds I am planting this spring. Some of these seeds packets are still germinating after many years, and some are new! Make sure to get new onion seeds; their germination rate goes down considerably after the first year.

In terms of suppliers, in the past few years I have tried to get my seeds exclusively from local seed suppliers for a few reasons:

1. They have a better success rate of growing well when the seeds are collected in the same climate.

2. Supports local!! Less transportation used, and supporting smaller-run companies.

3. Seeds from larger chains, such as West Coast Seeds, have been getting pretty bad rap of seed quality or even mislabelling their seeds!

So here are some local seed suppliers that are my go-tos:

• Salt Spring Seeds

• BC Eco Seed Co-Op

• Saanich Organics

• Full Circle Seeds

• Brother Nature Seeds

• Metchosin Farms

Peppers:

• Italian Sweet Peppers (Salt Spring Seeds)

• Early Hot Jalapeño (Saanich Organics)

• Hungarian Hot Wax (Saanich Organics)

• Long Red Cayenne Hot Pepper (Salt Spring Seeds)

Onions:

• Scalogno Banana Shallot (BC Eco Seed Co-Op - Bright Farm)

• Ailsa Craig Onion (Saanich Organics)

• Walla Walla (West Coast Seeds)

• Rossa di Milano (Saanich Organics)

• Parade Scallions (West Coast Seeds)

Brassicas

• Arugula:

  • Selvatica Arugula (West Coast Seeds)

  • Astro Arugula (West Coast Seeds)

• Mustards:

  • Mizuna Green Mustard (Full Circle Seeds)

  • Mizuna Red Mustard (Brother Nature Seeds)

  • Dijon Mustard (BC Eco Seed Co-Op - WoodGrain Farm)

• Kale:

  • Dwarf Blue Curled (Pacific Northwest Seeds)

  • Lacinato (West Coast Seeds)

• Bok Choy

  • Tah Tsai (West Coast Seeds)

  • Baby Oak Choi (Aimers Organics)

• Broccoli

  • Calabrese (West Coast Seeds)

  • Purple Sprouting Broccoli Santee (West Coast Seeds)

• Cabbage

  • Golden Acre Cabbage (Salt Spring Seeds)

  • Cabbage Bronco (Veseys)

Leeks:

• Bandit (Saanich Organics)

Leafy Greens:

• Renegade Spinach (West Coast Seeds)

• Black Seeded Simpson (Full Circle Seeds)

• Drunken Woman Loose-Leaf (West Coast Seeds)

• Frisee (BC Eco Seed Co-Op - FarmFolk CityFolk)

• Green Reef (BC Eco Seed Co-Op - Saanich Organics)

• Jester Crisphead (Full Circle Seeds)

• Marvel of Four Seasons Butterhead (Full Circle Seeds)

• Parris Island Cos Romaine (West Coast Seeds)

• Salad Bowl Loose-Leaf (West Coast Seeds)

• Tango Loose-Leaf (Full Circle Seeds)

• Tom Thumb Butterhead (West Coast Seeds)

• Yugoslavian Four Seasons Butterhead (Brother Nature Seeds)

Peas:

• Oregon Sugar Pod II Snow Pea (originally West Coast Seeds - now saved seed)

• Cascadia Snap Peas (originally West Coast Seeds - now saved seed)

• Sugar Lace II (originally West Coast Seeds - now saved seed)

Tomatoes:

• Tasmanian Chocolate Beefsteak Tomato (Brother Nature Seeds)

• Roma VF (Veseys)

• Costoluto Fiorentino (Veseys)

• Red Cherry (BC Eco Seed Co-Op - Metchosin Farm)

I will update this list as the season progresses - so make sure to check back!