Growing Guide

Growing is easy – all it takes is a little bit of love! Follow the instructions below to produce the perfect crop!

Basil
Sweet Basil

The common large leaf green basil with a mind, sweet, citrus flavour. Easily grown in warm soil.

  • Plant seeds approximately ¼” deep and 10-12” apart
  • Plant in full sun
  • Pinch out flower heads when they appear to allow leaves to continue to grow
  • Grows to 12-24” inches tall

Bush Beans
Bush Blue Lake
A new variety with traditional Blue Lake taste and colour, but a better plant and pod. It produces 5.75” long straight, dark green pods that are held high on strong bush plants. Pods are a traditional large sieve size and are great for freezing. Resistant to Rust and tolerant of Root Rot and Bacterial Brown Spot.

  • Plant seeds approximately ¾” deep – ensure 2-4” between seeds and 3’ between rows
  • Plant in Full Sun

Bush Beans
Delinel
Excellent taste and holding quality. Produces an abundance of long (6-7”), slender pods that can be picked at a young stage (¼” thick). Excellent specialty market bean.

  • Plant seeds approximately ¾” deep – ensure 2-4” between seeds and 3’ between rows
  • Plant in Full Sun

Chives
Polyvit
Improved, high yielding European variety for bunching; early, vigorous upright growth. The strong blades are dark green and uniform with a mild flavor.

  • Plant in partial sun
  • Grow to about 12” tall
  • Very hardy
  • Great for container gardens

Cilantro / Coriander
Santo

A Benchmark variety, Santo is an extra slow bolting selection producing broad, fresh green leaves on strong stems. Excellent for bunching. Direct seed multiple sowings every 2 weeks for a continuous supply.

  • Plant in direct sun
  • Well Drained soil needed
  • Great for container gardens
  • This is a great companion plant that repels harmful insects

Dill
Bouquet

The essential pickling herb. Its feathery foliage is used to garnish cucumber salads and other dishes. A tall dill producing many flower heads.

  • Plant in full sun
  • Plant seeds close to the surface with about a ¼ inch of fine soil over

Eggplant
Rosa Bianca
Italian heirloom 4-6” x 5-7”, 1-2kg (2-4lb) white fruit with lavender streaks and a creamy, pudding-like flesh. Fruit is narrow at the top, widening with indentations that look like folded fabric. Mild flavour with little to no bitterness. Great for stuffing and slicing.

  • Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost – ensure 24” spacing between plants and 4-6” spacing between rows
  • Plant in full sun
  • Move seedlings outdoors to the rich moist soil, about 24” apart
  • Do not plant in soil used for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants or potatoes in previous years

Lettuce
Buttercrunch
Time-proven variety producing thick, green outer leaves giving way to sweet, creamy coloured, compact head. Some bolt tolerance in the summer heat.

  • Ensure 8-10” spacing between plants
  • Plant in full sun to part shade
  • Well-drained, nutrient-rich soil needed
  • Keep soil consistently moist

Peas

Snow Peas
Large, sweet pods. Produces heavy yields of 4 ½” long and ¾” wide flat pods. Large, 3-4ft vines protect tender pods from the sun. Pick when thin.

  • Ensure 3” spacing between plants
  • Plant in full sun to light shade
  • Keep soil consistently moist
  • Plants may require a “trellis” for support

Pepper
California Wonder

The standard open-pollinated pepper. Medium 4” fruits with thick, fleshy walls and mild flavour. Matures green to crimson.

  • Start indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost – ensure 12-18” spacing between plants and 18-36” spacing between rows

Zucchini
Black Beauty
Standard open pollinated variety. Also known as Dark Green. Dark green, cylindrical fruits on large bush plants. Pick when the fruit is 6-8” long for optimum quality.

  • Start indoors 4 weeks before planting outside – ensure 12” spacing between plants and 18-26” spacing between rows
  • Plant in full sun
  • Well-drained, nutrient-rich soil needed
  • Keep soil consistently moist

Tomato
Tiny Tim
A very early, dwarf patio tomato. Determinate plants grow about 15” tall and are covered with ¾” bright red fruits. Good flavour. Can be grown in pots, window boxes, or gardens.

  • Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost – ensure 24” spacing between plants and 4-6” spacing between rows
  • Plant in full sun
  • Plant will grow to about 15” tall

Tomato
Bonny Best
Well-known home and garden variety. Bright red, 160g, flat globe shaped fruits on small indeterminate plants.

  • Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost – ensure 24” spacing between plants and 4-6” spacing between rows
  • Plant in full sun
  • Well-drained, nutrient-rich soil needed
  • Keep soil consistently moist

Winter Squash
Waltham Butternut

Medium-large, 12”, blocky pear-shaped squash have tan-yellow skin. Dark orange with fine flavour. Excellent keeper.

  • Start indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost – ensure 4-5” spacing between plants and 8-10” spacing between rows
  • Plant in full sun
  • Well-drained, nutrient-rich soil needed
  • Keep soil consistently moist