Open Pollinated or Hybrid Seeds: What's the Difference?

Open Pollinated or Hybrid Seeds: What's the Difference?

Seed varieties on the West Coast Seeds website are marked to indicate whether they are Hybrid Seeds (F1 or F2) or Open Pollinated Seeds (OP). Open Pollinated Seeds (OP) When two plants of the same variety produce offspring, the variety is known as open pollinated. Provided...
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Seed varieties on the West Coast Seeds website are marked to indicate whether they are Hybrid Seeds (F1 or F2) or Open Pollinated Seeds (OP)....

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Seed varieties on the West Coast Seeds website are marked to indicate whether they are Hybrid Seeds (F1 or F2) or Open Pollinated Seeds (OP). Open Pollinated Seeds (OP) When two plants of the same variety produce offspring, the variety...

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Comfrey is the perennial cousin of borage and their pink and blue blooms attract just as many pollinators. This fast-growing herb has multiple utilities. Learn...

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Comfrey is the perennial cousin of borage and their pink and blue blooms attract just as many pollinators. This fast-growing herb has multiple utilities. Learn how to grow comfrey below. LatinSymphytum OfficinaleFamily: Boraginaceae DifficultyEasy Season & ZoneSeason: All seasons (perennial)Exposure:...

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About Stinging Nettle Although maligned in modern times due to its hairy leaves that cause skin irrititations, Stinging Nettle actually has many favourable attributes. It...

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About Stinging Nettle Although maligned in modern times due to its hairy leaves that cause skin irrititations, Stinging Nettle actually has many favourable attributes. It is a nutrient-rich food (cooking neutralizes the stinging) and both the leaves and roots boasts...

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Corn, beans, and squash have been grown together for centuries in the Americas, and for good reason: they naturally work in concert with each other....

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Corn, beans, and squash have been grown together for centuries in the Americas, and for good reason: they naturally work in concert with each other. Corn provides a growing support for the beans, which in turn provide nitrogen for the...

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One stalk of cooked broccoli gives you 75mg of vitamin C, 1300 IU of beta carotene, 3g of protein and 5g of dietary fibre with...

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One stalk of cooked broccoli gives you 75mg of vitamin C, 1300 IU of beta carotene, 3g of protein and 5g of dietary fibre with only 40 calories. The crown portion tastes great when cooked or steamed. You can eat...

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Practice mindful gardening with our new Gardening Journal. Complete with printable pages, this journal serves as a practical reference to guide you from garden planning...

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Practice mindful gardening with our new Gardening Journal. Complete with printable pages, this journal serves as a practical reference to guide you from garden planning through harvest. Pages include plant profiles, seed tracking charts, a checklist, even a budgeting page,...

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Early this year I was so excited to get a hold of African Violet seeds, I wanted to start growing them right away! However, African...

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Early this year I was so excited to get a hold of African Violet seeds, I wanted to start growing them right away! However, African Violets need warm temperatures (20°C or higher) for germination, so I needed to wait patiently...

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The Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend is one lawn solution for home owners challenged by the animals that feed on the European chafer beetle, and dig up lawns in the process of hunting them. Continue reading below for some tips on how to grow Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend from seed.

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The Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend is one lawn solution for home owners challenged by the animals that feed on the European chafer beetle, and dig up lawns in the process of hunting them. Continue reading below for some tips on how to grow Chafer Beetle Resistant Lawn Blend from seed.

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This biennial relative of White Dutch clover improves soil structure, fixes nitrogen, provides nutritious pasturage, and feeds honey bees. Its widely branched taproots penetrate the subsoil deeply, drawing up nutrients unavailable to other plants. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Yellow Sweet Clover from seed.

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This biennial relative of White Dutch clover improves soil structure, fixes nitrogen, provides nutritious pasturage, and feeds honey bees. Its widely branched taproots penetrate the subsoil deeply, drawing up nutrients unavailable to other plants. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Yellow Sweet Clover from seed.

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The benefit of winter wheat is its hardiness. It all but eliminates winter soil erosion, and then supplies a source of carbon-rich organic matter to till under before planting vegetable crops. Continue reading below for information on how to grow winter wheat.

 

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The benefit of winter wheat is its hardiness. It all but eliminates winter soil erosion, and then supplies a source of carbon-rich organic matter to till under before planting vegetable crops. Continue reading below for information on how to grow winter wheat.

 

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow winter field peas.

 

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow winter field peas.

 

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Are chafer beetles causing your lawn grief in early spring? Consider replacing your lawn with White Dutch clover, or at least inter-planting with your grass seeds. This clover is very hardy, and will stand up to foot traffic. It can be mowed with regular lawnmowers. 

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Are chafer beetles causing your lawn grief in early spring? Consider replacing your lawn with White Dutch clover, or at least inter-planting with your grass seeds. This clover is very hardy, and will stand up to foot traffic. It can be mowed with regular lawnmowers. 

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When rye pollen is used to pollinate wheat flowers, the result is the remarkable hybrid known as triticale. It has a similar, albeit weaker, allelopathic effect to Fall Rye, but without the dense root system. Its grains are more nutritious than wheat, with less glutenin.

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When rye pollen is used to pollinate wheat flowers, the result is the remarkable hybrid known as triticale. It has a similar, albeit weaker, allelopathic effect to Fall Rye, but without the dense root system. Its grains are more nutritious than wheat, with less glutenin.

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The purpose of this cover crop is not to build soil as much as to generally benefit the garden. This is exactly the same seed that we sell for flower gardens, only in bulk sizes with cover crop instructions.

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The purpose of this cover crop is not to build soil as much as to generally benefit the garden. This is exactly the same seed that we sell for flower gardens, only in bulk sizes with cover crop instructions.

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Spring Field Peas from seed

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This fast-growing annual produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or tilled under to improve soil texture and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Spring Field Peas from seed

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This is one of the fastest growing grasses of all, growing from seed to mow-able lawn in just 21 days. It’s a very tough, hardy grass that forms clumps, rather than spreading by rhizomes, and it regenerates easily from wear. Continue reading below for instructions on how to grow perennial ryegrass from seed.

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This is one of the fastest growing grasses of all, growing from seed to mow-able lawn in just 21 days. It’s a very tough, hardy grass that forms clumps, rather than spreading by rhizomes, and it regenerates easily from wear. Continue reading below for instructions on how to grow perennial ryegrass from seed.

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Oats are not particularly cold hardy, so a summer planted crop will die back, holding the soil in place, and providing ample carbon-rich organic matter to till under before planting spring vegetables. Continue reading below for some tips on how to grow oats from seed.

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Oats are not particularly cold hardy, so a summer planted crop will die back, holding the soil in place, and providing ample carbon-rich organic matter to till under before planting spring vegetables. Continue reading below for some tips on how to grow oats from seed.

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We love red clover as a cover crop. Its thick, deep roots access nutrients lower in the soil column than many plants can reach and bring them to the surface. It can stand up to foot traffic, and can be mowed two to three times in summer, extending its bloom period. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Medium Red clover from seed.

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We love red clover as a cover crop. Its thick, deep roots access nutrients lower in the soil column than many plants can reach and bring them to the surface. It can stand up to foot traffic, and can be mowed two to three times in summer, extending its bloom period. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Medium Red clover from seed.

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Use Klondike Ladino clover as a nitrogen fixing cover crop, or as a long term ground cover, either on its own, or in combination with grasses. It tolerates wet conditions and foot traffic. It reduces soil compaction and improves soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Klondike Ladino clover from seed.

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Use Klondike Ladino clover as a nitrogen fixing cover crop, or as a long term ground cover, either on its own, or in combination with grasses. It tolerates wet conditions and foot traffic. It reduces soil compaction and improves soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow Klondike Ladino clover from seed.

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The roots of this hardy annual extend deeply into the soil, improving porosity and drainage, and fixing nitrogen as they grow. The tops are lanky and sprawling, and can be cut in spring to provide an excellent mulch. Continue reading below for information on how to grow hairy vetch from seed.

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The roots of this hardy annual extend deeply into the soil, improving porosity and drainage, and fixing nitrogen as they grow. The tops are lanky and sprawling, and can be cut in spring to provide an excellent mulch. Continue reading below for information on how to grow hairy vetch from seed.

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Fava Beans cover crop seeds produce hardy annual, upright plants. This small-seeded broad bean is a popular nitrogen fixer. The large brittle plants work in easily with front end tillers, or can be cut and composted. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow fava beans from seed.

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Fava Beans cover crop seeds produce hardy annual, upright plants. This small-seeded broad bean is a popular nitrogen fixer. The large brittle plants work in easily with front end tillers, or can be cut and composted. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow fava beans from seed.

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This cereal grain grows quickly in the fall and survives winter weather even in zone 3. It bursts into growth in the spring so try to turn under or cut back before it reaches 30cm (12"). It is harder to turn under when it is 1m (3') tall. Continue reading below for some good advice on how to grow fall rye from seed.

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This cereal grain grows quickly in the fall and survives winter weather even in zone 3. It bursts into growth in the spring so try to turn under or cut back before it reaches 30cm (12"). It is harder to turn under when it is 1m (3') tall. Continue reading below for some good advice on how to grow fall rye from seed.

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Within ten days of blooming (or at any time before), Crimson clover produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or cut and tilled under to improve soil tilth and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow crimson clover from seed.

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Within ten days of blooming (or at any time before), Crimson clover produces ample organic matter that can be used as a mulch on the surface, or cut and tilled under to improve soil tilth and promote soil health. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow crimson clover from seed.

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Buckwheat cover crop seeds produce hardy annual, upright plants. It grows so fast it can reach 1m (3') tall in only three weeks. Then it blooms with white flowers, attracting pollinating insects and beneficial hover flies. This cover crop grows densely enough that it can be used to smother out competing weed species. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow buckwheat from seeds.

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Buckwheat cover crop seeds produce hardy annual, upright plants. It grows so fast it can reach 1m (3') tall in only three weeks. Then it blooms with white flowers, attracting pollinating insects and beneficial hover flies. This cover crop grows densely enough that it can be used to smother out competing weed species. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow buckwheat from seeds.

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