Garden Wisdom Blog — category: Seed Talk

We are often asked the question, “What are hybrid seeds exactly?” The easiest way to provide a hybrid seed definition is to first understand what is not a hybrid seed. You may notice that some plants mature earlier than others of the same strain, or may have a slightly different colour. This is a clear indication that they are open pollinated. If you grow their seed next year, you will pretty much get the same plant you had the previous year. This is a great, cost-effective way for you to select plants that do well in your garden. However, uniformity...

In this time of garden dreaming, you may be dreaming of a child’s garden as well, whether it’s for your own family or for a school or childcare centre. Or perhaps your budding gardeners are asking for their own copy of the seed catalogue. There are many starter seeds for kids out there, and some of them are particularly exciting for children. What should you choose for your child’s garden? What do they like to eat? Just as you would in your own garden, what your children plant will be determined by what they like to eat. Some very child-friendly...

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 or tiny like specks of dust. Some have extremely hard protective coatings, and others are soft and oily. The common link among all plant seeds is that they are dormant embryos that will, in the right conditions, germinate and sprout one or two tiny leaves and the beginning of a root. If favorable conditions persist, these seedlings will begin to take moisture and nutrients from the...

The definition of “heirloom seeds” is a matter of debate. For our purposes, West Coast Seeds considers a plant an heirloom if it has been in cultivation for 50 years or more, although some people insist that 100 years is the magic number. Whichever period of cultivation is correct, it’s worth noting that modern industrial agriculture really began in 1945, following World War II. This was when farms in North America and Europe started growing more monoculture crops – one crop type growing in huge expanses of land. So in some ways, heirloom seeds can be considered “pre-war” varieties. “Heritage”...