Seeds and Supplies

Danish Ballhead produces outstanding quality and uniform, tender, fine-grained heads – all the reasons why this is such a popular variety. Medium to large heads grow to 20 cm (8″) in diameter and weigh on average 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs). This long storing variety is excellent for kraut, cooking and slaw production. Introduced in the late 1880’s. How to Grow Sow seed indoors in a soil-less mix 5 weeks before last frost date. Sow seed 6 mm (1/4″) deep and keep at 20 C (70 F) for the 7-10 day germination period. Grow on at a slightly cooler temperature then harden off and plant outside in late May. Space plants 45 cm (18″) apart in rows with the rows 75 cm (30″) apart.

This open pollinated variety continues to perform well for home gardeners and has retained its excellent eating quality and uniformity through the years. Strong, large plants to 60 cm (24″) tall easily 50 to 100 dark green sprouts about 2.5 cm (1″) in diameter along the strong central stem. Good flavour and exceptionally heavy yielding. Also known as “Catskill” variety. Introduced in the 1890’s, this long-time north-eastern North American home garden favourite has continued to produce reliable yields of tasty sprouts! How to Grow Start seed indoors in a soil-less mix 4-5 weeks before your normal last frost date. Sow seed 6 mm (1/4″) deep and keep at 21 C (70 F) for the 7-10 day germination period. Grow on at slightly cooler temperatures then, harden off and transplant outside to a sunny area in late May. Space plants 75 cm (30″) apart in the row with rows 75 cm (30″) apart.

Danvers Half-Long is a fantastic carrot to grow in shallow soils. Near perfect cylindrical roots grow to about 15-18 cm (6-7") in length. With tender reddish-orange skin and a sweet taste, these carrots are the perfect addition to salads, soups, stews or garnish.

A Kaleidoscope of colourful carrots. Atomic Red, Bambino, Cosmic Purple, Lunar White and Solar Yellow. Sweet and crunchy, they make a cheery looking group of all purpose carrots. We expect market gardeners will be especially pleased as this unusual colour combination is hard to find! Oh and children just love them! How to Grow Carrots will grow well in any open, well cultivated, deep garden soil. As the seed is quite small, mix it with some sand when sowing. Once soil temperature rises above 7.5 C (45 F), sow seed about 7-15 mm (1/4-1/2″) deep in rows spaced 45-60 cm (18- 24″) apart. Sow seed at 5 day intervals over several weeks. Keep the seedbed evenly moist during the 2 week germination period but avoid crusting over the soil as this will greatly reduce the number of seedlings that emerge. Thin the seedlings during the early stages of growth until they are 5 cm (2″) apart. Keep the plants evenly watered, weed free and avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Harvest any time after the carrot roots develop good colour.

Roots are a rich bright orange and average 15 cm (6″) in length and up to 4 cm (1.5″) in diameter. Consistently cylindrical, smooth skinned and blunt ended, Nantes is a great tasting, tender but crisp, almost coreless carrot…even when the carrots are harvested late in the season! Nantes typically has a high moisture content which makes it a good choice for juicing. First described in 1885 but no doubt grown well before that. How to Grow Carrots will grow well in any open, well cultivated, deep garden soil. As the seed is quite small, mix it with some sand when sowing. Once soil temperature rises above 7.5 C (45 F), sow seed about 7-15 mm (1/4-1/2″) deep in rows spaced 45-60 cm (18- 24″) apart. Sow seed at 5 day intervals over several weeks. Keep the seedbed evenly moist during the 2 week germination period but avoid crusting over the soil as this will greatly reduce the number of seedlings that emerge. Thin the seedlings during the early stages of growth until they are 5 cm (2″) apart. Keep the plants evenly watered, weed free and avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Harvest any time after the carrot roots develop good colour.

Imperator is a sweet, crisp, flavourful carrot with an eye-catching deep orange colour. Nicely formed roots average 18-20 cm (7-8″) in length, very uniform and quite suitable for bunching. This carrot does best in a deep, open, well worked soil. How to Grow Carrots will grow well in any open, well cultivated, deep garden soil. As the seed is quite small, mix it with some sand when sowing. Once soil temperature rises above 7.5 C (45 F), sow seed about 7-15 mm (1/4-1/2″) deep in rows spaced 45-60 cm (18- 24″) apart. Sow seed at 5 day intervals over several weeks. Keep the seedbed evenly moist during the 2 week germination period but avoid crusting over the soil as this will greatly reduce the number of seedlings that emerge. Thin the seedlings during the early stages of growth until they are 5 cm (2″) apart. Keep the plants evenly watered, weed free and avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Harvest any time after the carrot roots develop good colour.

One of our most popular storage varieties. Orange-scarlet roots are smooth, even-shaped and free from eyes. The meaty carrots are 15 cm (6″) long and 2.5 cm (1″) thick with a sweet taste. A garden staple that is a good choice for soils that tend to be a little heavier. Introduced in 1929. How to Grow Carrots will grow well in any open, well cultivated, deep garden soil. As the seed is quite small, mix it with some sand when sowing. Once soil temperature rises above 7.5 C (45 F), sow seed about 7-15 mm (1/4-1/2″) deep in rows spaced 45-60 cm (18- 24″) apart. Sow seed at 5 day intervals over the several weeks. Keep the seedbed evenly moist during the 2 week germination period but avoid crusting over the soil as this will greatly reduce the number of seedlings that emerge. Thin the seedlings during the early stages of growth until they are 5 cm (2″) apart. Keep the plants evenly watered, weed free and avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Harvest any time after the carrot roots develop good colour.

Broccoli has been cultivated for over 2000 years. This garden favourite is native to the Mediterranean but migrated throughout the world to become a major vegetable of choice for home gardeners. Broccoli are high in vitamins A and C, folic acid and iron. Interestingly, broccoli contains high levels of the reputed cancer fighting compound, sulforaphane. Green Sprouting is an old Italian variety that matures early and is surprisingly easy to grow. Large vigorous plants grow to 50 cm (20″) tall. Produces heavy crops of large, solid, central heads with numerous medium size lateral heads produced later in the season. Open pollinated. How to Grow 300 seed/gram. Plants mature quickly and grow best in cooler weather. Both early and late crops are possible. For early crops, start seeds indoors in a soil-less mix from late March to early April. Set out the transplants in late April and early May spacing them about 45 cm (18″) apart in rows 90 cm (3′) apart. Fertilizing is essential. Use a balanced NPK granular or 20-20-20 water soluble. Keep weeded and evenly watered. Broccoli may become top heavy as the heads form – staking may be required. Harvest the main head when the buds are tight and compact, well before flowering. Cut the centre stalk at an angle below the main head and avoid damaging the side shoots. This encourages more heads to develop and will prolong the harvest. Flowering will signal an end to head production. One packet sows approx. 20 m (66’) of row when thinned to a 40-50 cm (16-18”) spacing.

An Italian home garden variety grown since at least the 1840’s that has a light red, flattened globe-shaped root with striking interior rings of alternating pink/white. Green tops and red stems are eye catching colourful additions in salads and the 5 cm (2″) diameter roots have a delicious “old country” taste when cooked. Higher levels of geosmin (earthy flavour) account for its popularity with beet purists. How to Grow Beets thrive in sandy loam with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Remember to fertilize. For continual harvest, sow seeds 1.2 cm (1/2″) deep and 2.5 cm (1″) apart in two week intervals beginning when the soil has warmed to 7 C (45 F) and avoid sowing after mid July. As each beet ‘seed’ is actually a corky fruit with 2 to 5 seeds contained within, it is important to thin the young seedlings to 7–10 cm (3–4″) apart to provide enough room for proper root formation. Use plants that are thinned as a source of tender, edible greens. Over-watering or excessive rainfall may lead to excessive leaf growth and pale or small roots. One packet sows approximately 6 m (20’) of row.

This 1892 introduction is the standard bearer of the beet family! Dark red, globe shaped roots have a smooth crown and small taproot. The quick maturity, sweet slightly earthy taste, uniform shape and consistent interior colour make this variety the perfect candidate for canning or freezing. Very low in geosmin. Geosmin is the naturally occurring compound in beets responsible for their “earthy” flavour. How to Grow Beets thrive in sandy loam with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Remember to fertilize. For continual harvest, sow seeds 1.2 cm (1/2″) deep and 2.5 cm (1″) apart in two week intervals beginning when the soil has warmed to 7 C (45 F) and avoid sowing after mid July. As each beet ‘seed’ is actually a corky fruit with 2 to 5 seeds contained within, it is important to thin the young seedlings to 7–10 cm (3–4″) apart to provide enough room for proper root formation. Use plants that are thinned as a source of tender, edible greens. Over-watering or excessive rainfall may lead to excessive leaf growth and pale or small roots. One packet sows approximately 6 m (20’) of row.

This early 1890’s introduction produces smooth, dark red, 16 cm (6.5″) long, cylindrical beets. The sweet tasting roots are excellent keepers and are perfect for slicing due to their uniform diameter and length. Cylindra cooks well and is best used when young however a pleasant surprise awaits as the roots still keep much of their sweet, tender flavour when larger! How to Grow Beets thrive in sandy loam with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Remember to fertilize. For continual harvest, sow seeds 1.2 cm (1/2″) deep and 2.5 cm (1″) apart in two week intervals beginning when the soil has warmed to 7 C (45 F) and avoid sowing after mid July. As each beet ‘seed’ is actually a corky fruit with 2 to 5 seeds contained within, it is important to thin the young seedlings to 7–10 cm (3–4″) apart to provide enough room for proper root formation. Use plants that are thinned as a source of tender, edible greens. Over-watering or excessive rainfall may lead to excessive leaf growth and pale or small roots. One packet sows approximately 6 m (20’) of row.

The Brandywine tomato is an heirloom cultivar of tomato, with large potato-leaved foliage and large pink beefsteak-shaped fruit. It is popularly considered among the best tasting available.

The Caribbean red brings serious tropical thunder to the table. With a Scoville heat range from 300,000 to 445,000 Scoville heat units (SHU) it's most certainly a super-hot pepper. At its mildest, the Caribbean red is nearly as hot as the hottest possible common orange habanero (which is still extremely spicy.)

The Cubanelle, also known as "Cuban pepper" and "Italian frying pepper", is a variety of sweet pepper of the species Capsicum annuum. When unripe, it is light yellowish-green in color, but will turn bright red if allowed to ripen. Heat: Low

Summer red bell is a slightly blocky, 4 lobed bell pepper shaped. Thick wall pepper is very sweet. Green peppers mature to a nice red colour. Plants are very productive, and disease resistant. Packet contains 15 seeds

Heirloom Vegetable. With 9,000 years of cultivation behind them, it is no wonder that there are a myriad of pepper varieties available to the home gardener – all have their origins in wild species native to Central and South America. Long Red Cayenne is moderately hot. Plants about 75 cm (2 1/2′ ) tall produce thin, tapered, hot peppers about 12.5 cm (6″) long and 1.25 cm (1/2″) thick. The fruit is often curled and twisted and ripens to a green/crimson red. Ideal for canning, pickling or drying! A very good all purpose hot chili. Suitable for use in eastern Asian cuisine. Scoville Heat Unit Rating – 4000. Scoville Heat Units – The Scoville heat unit (SHU) rating is your guide to the perceived hotness of peppers caused by the active component capsaisin. The scale runs from about 2500 SHU for the mildest Anaheim to several million SHU. Our hottest is the Carribean Red Hot at 400,000 SHU. How to Grow Start indoors mid February to late March. Use a soil-less growing mix. Sow seed 6 mm (1/4″) deep. Maintaining the growing medium at a temperature of 21 C (70 F) will enhance germination. Grow the seedlings under bright light and temperatures of 16-21 C (60-70 F) to produce strong, stocky plants. Transplant after hardening off, in late May to early June. Full sun and a well-drained soil is best. Space the plants 30 cm (12″) apart in rows spaced 60 cm (24″) apart. Control weeds and avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Try harvesting the peppers at different maturities to experience a wider range of flavours and textures. Staking is recommended with most varieties. Note: Estimated days to maturity are based on counting the days after transplanting.

Pink Ponderosa AKA Henderson's Ponderosa. Heirloom introduced in 1891 by Peter Henderson. From (Grandma Anne) Ponderosa from Luxembourg around 1870 and (grandfather) Wallace Hoss-Tentinger, LeMars, Iowa. Indeterminate, Regular leaf plant produces moderate yields of 1-2 lb. smooth, pink, beefsteak fruit with very good flavor. Great slicing tomato with few seeds and an abundance of good, complex flavors.

The Roma tomato or Roma is a plum tomato popularly used both for canning and producing tomato paste because of its slender and firm nature. Commonly found in supermarkets in some countries, Roma tomatoes are also known as Italian tomatoes or Italian plum tomatoes. 75 days to harvest. Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost

Bonny Best is a strong indeterminate vine that grows to 122-183 cm (4-6') with a 50-61 cm (20-24”) spread. Bonny Best produces firm round tomatoes in clusters of medium sized 225 g (8 oz) deep red fruit that are uniform in size. It is an excellent old-fashioned tomato flavor to use for canning or slicing. 72 days to harvest. Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost

The celebrity tomato is an All American Selection (AAS) winner variety of the tomato plant. It has more disease resistance than just about any other cultivar and is considered the standard for hybrid tomatoes. It's highly adaptable and almost entirely maintenance-free. Plant Size: 3 to 4 feet tall Plant Spacing: 2 to 3 feet apart Plant Type: (Semi) Determinate Fruit Size: 7 to 10 ounces 70 days to harvest. Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost