“The Seed Catalogues are here!” That used to be a special moment when we lived in cold, snowy Alberta. All cozy in our house, we would comb through them and circle beautiful flowers, dog ear the pages, and have sticky notes everywhere.

Not anymore.

Here on Vancouver Island, we discovered Seedy Saturdays. Instead of flipping through catalogues, we now wander around a huge hall and actually talk to people about their seeds, usually heritage seeds.

These events are an incredible education in organic gardening with workshops, displays and seed exchanges, all focused on promoting local agriculture and sustainable practices. Even if you grow your vegetables in a pot on your balcony, you will definitely benefit.

Sometimes you can even buy a hotdog. 🙂

We were overwhelmed at our initial visit. We just didn’t know where to start and in the end, when to stop. There were so many options. Things we’d never heard of. So many intriguing things, like Atomic Red Carrots and Orca Beans. We came away with most of our vegetable seeds for the season, some herbs and a fig tree.

We learned about bugs, diseases and fungus. We learned about potatoes, dried beans and winter crops. Each exhibitor is so knowledgeable. It’s the best vegetable gardening education you can get in one place.

Seedy Saturdays for 2013

Here is a list of the events that I currently know about. There may be more in your area. Keep an eye out.

Qualicum Beach – Feb 2 – Seedy Saturday

Victoria  – Feb 16 –  Seedy Saturday

Comox – Mar 2 – Seedy Saturday

Nanaimo – Mar 3 –   It’s a Seedy Sunday!

Vegetables From Seed

Fortunately, because of our long growing season, we can sow many vegetable seeds directly into the ground. Some seeds need to be started indoors and then be replanted, when the weather permits. For others, we buy established plants if they take a long time to mature.

Pepper Seedlings

Seeds To Start Inside
Melons
Peppers
Squash
Tomatoes

Unless you have a greenhouse, you’ll have to start these seeds indoors. We don’t have a lot of room to start seeds, and the way our house is situated, we don’t get a good southern exposure of all day sun. So, we had to get creative and move furniture around, and find racks, shelving and such. We even rigged up some grow lights.

If you are planning your own space to grow seeds, consider how much sunlight you have in the window you use. Note that at some point, you will be replanting seedlings into bigger pots, which will require more space. Just think ahead.

Seeds to Sow in the Ground
Beans
Beets
Carrots
Celery
Cucumbers
Fennel
Lettuce
Onions
Peas
Parsnips
Potatoes
Radish
Spinach

These are what we planted last year. Some are even fall and winter crops, but that’s for another article.

When you buy seeds, just ask the vendor when you’re supposed to plant them. It will depend where you live on The Island, if you are at sea level or at a higher elevation, and even the microclimate in your own yard.

Vegetables to Start From Plants
Leeks
Onions
All Brassicas* – cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc.
*These are slow growers. Depending on the plant you may get a fall harvest, but often, they will grow throughout the winter and you can enjoy vegetables until spring.

Decide what kind of vegetables you want to grow, and get yourself out to a Seedy Saturday near you. Learn as much as you can. If you’re on a budget, be careful because there are so many choices. You will undoubtedly come away with more than you planned.

Have fun!

Bonnie Chomica
Content Marketing Specialist
Marketing Communications for Small Business
Nanoose, Bay, BC
250-667-7647
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