Garden Wisdom Blog

Whiteflies are members of the order Hemiptera, a group of insects classed together because of the similarity of their sucking mouthparts, with which they feed on the juices of plants. They are closely related to aphids. There are over 1,500 species of whitefly, but two are a particular nuisance in North American greenhouses and gardens, the glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum), and the tobacco whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). Adult whiteflies look like extremely tiny, bright white moths, and are usually seen after they have been disturbed and take to the air. They infest the tops of plants, their growing tips, and the...

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 protected with sturdy fences, tall enough so that deer cannot leap over. Other garden areas, though, can be planted with a variety of flowers and herbs that either repel deer or produce odours or chemicals that offend their palates. Below is a brief list of the varieties we carry at West Coast Seeds, but there are others. We will be expanding our selection of deer resistant...

We’ve often spoken to gardeners who just shake their heads despairingly when we mention growing tomatoes. The Tomato Late Blight fungus really has hit Coastal gardeners hard and, from what we hear, has now even made its way into the Okanagan. Most new varieties are resistant to the common fungal diseases, but late blight (Phytopthera infestans) is dreadful here on the Coast. The leaves develop brown spots which eventually cause the whole leaf to turn brown and drop off. If conditions are right for the fungus, the entire plant becomes diseased and dies quickly. Although late blight has been around for...

Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease affects cucumber, squash, calendula, hollyhocks, zinnias, and many other garden plants. Small patches of grey appear on otherwise healthy looking leaves, and if it is not treated right away, the fungus will spread to cover the whole leaf, and then most of the leaves on the plant. Infected leaves cannot produce as much food for the plant as they should. Fewer flowers (and fewer fruits) are produced. Plants may become so weakened that they cannot survive winter. Powdery mildew is produced by a number of different fungi of the order Erysiphales. Their spores are...

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...