It Starts With a Seed

Choosing seeds to grow vegetables or flowers can be very exciting, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. Where do you start? What do you buy? Where can you get seeds locally, especially if you know nothing about gardening? Here are some key tips to help you pick the best seeds for your garden:

Climate Suitability: Always select seeds that thrive in your local climate. In cooler climates, cool-weather crops like kale, broccoli, and carrots do well in the spring, while tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers prefer warmer conditions. The same goes for companion plants. Look at your native flowers, as they will attract the most pollinators in your area to your garden.

Space: Take into account the amount of space you have. If your garden has limited space, or you can only grow in containers, avoid plants that require a lot of room. For example, choose bush beans instead of runner beans. Unless you want your neighbour above you to enjoy your runner beans, stick with the bush variety for your balcony.

Soil Type: Different vegetables prefer different types of soil. Check your soil type and pH level, and choose seeds that match those conditions. For example, if you have dense, clay soil, you can still grow beans, pumpkins, or cabbage. Carrots, on the other hand, tend to prefer loose soil. Depending on the variety, they won’t do well in clay soil, and you might end up with stumpy little balls instead of perfect long carrots.

Personal Preference: Grow vegetables you enjoy eating! There is nothing like harvesting your favorite veggies from your own garden. If you're growing vegetables with your kids, make sure to plant veggies they enjoy. Even better, let them plant some vegetables they haven’t tried before and let them take care of their garden themselves. You may be surprised to see that kids like to eat what they plant, even if they’ve never eaten that vegetable before!

Disease Resistance: Look for seeds that are bred to resist common diseases and pests in your area, especially if you're just starting out. Until you have your own ecosystem in place and attract natural pest control, like assassin bugs and wasps, disease-resistant seeds are a great way to start. Nothing deters you from trying again more than failing the first time around

Source: It’s always a good idea to know where your seeds are coming from. Were they ethically sourced? Were they commercially grown? Did they come from a seed library where you don’t know the source?

Not knowing the source can have unexpected consequences because some vegetables cross-pollinate. For example, if you don’t know it, you could end up with "Pumpzinis" (Pumpkins & Zucchinis) or "Cucamelons" (Cucumbers & Melons). Different types of peppers and tomatoes can cross-pollinate too, which is especially annoying if you are trying to grow heirloom tomatoes!

Another issue with not knowing the source is the risk of cross-contamination through the spread of diseases. Tomatoes and potatoes can both be affected by the same blight diseases. Vegetables like kale, broccoli, and cabbage are susceptible to similar pests and diseases, such as cabbage worms and clubroot.

One of the best sources of seeds is your own garden, of course! Check out our  Harvest It  section for more information on how to harvest your own seeds.

Germination Rate: Check seed packages for germination rates. Higher rates mean more seedlings will successfully grow.

The germination success rate of vegetable seeds can decrease over time, but the rate at which this happens varies depending on the type of seed and how they’re stored. Generally, seeds can remain viable for 1 to 5 years if stored properly. Factors that affect seed viability include storage conditions, seed type, and seed quality.

You can always check the germination rate by testing a small batch of seeds before planting an entire packet. Some seed-starting techniques, like soaking or stratification, can also improve germination rates for older seeds.