Don’t let a few unseasonably warm days in January fool you into thinking the worst is behind us. And despite what Jeff Woodward (nephew of Saskatchewan’s original pig spleen weather forecaster) says about a mild winter and spring, I’m waiting for the ground hogs to weigh in on Feb. 2 before I place any bets on when to expect spring. All kidding aside, we prairie folk know that an “early” spring really means that we still have at least three months before we can even think about planting our seeds or transplants outdoors. Of course, this realization doesn’t mean that we have to mope around snivelling and whining waiting for the warmer weather. I prefer to take this opportunity to read, ponder, plan and dream of the upcoming gardening season by spending hours pouring through seed catalogues.
There's an abundance of seed and gardening catalogues available to the prairie gardener. Some cultivars listed in the catalogues are not suited to the prairies: remember to search for perennial plants recommended for zone 2b ( USDA zone 3) or annuals and vegetables that are recommended for short growing seasons. There are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, while you can still request a real catalogue and place your order with a paper form and put in the mail, most seed companies can do everything online. The other thing is that some companies reward early orders with a modest discount.
A common question is: “What kind of seed can I legally import into Canada without having to deal with confusing terms like “import certificate” and “phytosanitary certificate?” A general guideline is that small lots of flower, tree and vegetable seeds can be imported from the United States and most European countries. However, border inspectors or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have the right to withhold any seed shipment if the seed quality is questionable. If you are unsure if you can import a type of seed or plant into Canada, look at Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website (www.inspections.gc.ca) for more information.
Following is a list of my favourite catalogues available along a brief description of what they specialize in, city and province and web address. With a pile of seed catalogues near your couch or on the favourites list of your computer, you might soon agree with me that winter is just not long enough.
• Alta. Nursery & Seed (vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs), Bowden, Alta., www.gardenersweb.ca;
• Angelgrove Tree Seeds (flowering trees, Japanese trees, shade and native trees, bonsai trees and shrub roses), Riverhead, Harbour Grace, Nfld., www.AngelgroveSeeds.com;
• Eagle Creek Potatoes (large selection of unique seed potatoes), Bowden, Alta., www.seedpotatoes.ca;
• Early’s Farm & Garden (vegetables, flowers, grass seed), Saskatoon, www.earlysgarden.com;
• Florabunda Seeds (dedicated to old species of flowers), 1973 Villiers Line, RR 1, Indian River, Ont., K0L 2B0, Ph. 705-295-6440, www.florabundaseeds.com;
• Garden’s North (rare & unique perennial and woody seed, annual seed), Annapolis Royal, N.S., www.gardensnorth.com (Online catalogue only);
• Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Vegetables (my favorite source for tomato seed), flowers), Winslow, Maine, www.Johnnyseeds.com;
• Lindenberg Seeds Ltd. (vegetables, flowers), Brandon, Man., www.lindenbergseeds.mb.ca;
• Prairie Garden Seeds (vegetables, flowers, grain seed), Humboldt.www.prseeds.ca;
• Richter’s Herbs (vast selection of herb seed and books), Goodwood, Ont., www.Richters.com;
• Seeds of Diversity, Canada’s Heritage Seed Program for Gardeners. Website includes a Canadian Seed Catalogue inventory for heritage seed companies, www.seeds.ca;
• Stokes Seeds Ltd. (vegetables, flowers), Thorold, Ont., www.stokeseeds.com;
• T & T Seeds (vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, perennials for the Prairies), Winnipeg, Man., www.ttseeds.com;
• Thompson & Morgan (unique and unusual flower and vegetable seed), Oakville, Ont., www.thompsonmorgan.ca;
• West Coast Seeds (organic, heirloom, unique vegetable seed, flowers, great selection of Asian vegetables), Delta, B.C., www.westcoastseeds.com;
• W.H. Perron Dominion Seed-house (vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs), Georgetown, Ont., www.dominion-seed-house.com/en/;
• William Dam Seeds (untreated vegetable and flower seed), Dundas, Ont., www.damseeds.com;
• Vesey’s Seeds Ltd. (vegetables, flowers), Charlottetown, P.E.I., www.veseys.com;
• Bantle is a horticulturist living in Saskatoon.
— This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (www.saskperennial.ca; [email protected]). Check out our bulletin board or calendar for upcoming garden information sessions: Jan. 28 — Developing the Gardens at Tierra del Sol.
