Grow your Own this Year

 - article reproduced with permission from Russell Nursery

No one cheerfully pays $6.99 for a plastic wrapped cauliflower flown in from afar.  All those flimsy plastic bags in which we pack any number of fruits and vegetables? So bad for the environment! And don't even get me started on stickers ... the bane of shoppers and organic gardeners everywhere!!   
 
Do you want a way to avoid these plagues of modern life? The solution is within your grasp! Grow your own produce. Why? It can be less expensive, involve far less plastics, and you won't ever see a single sticker again! 
 
Starting fruits and vegetables from seed can be extremely rewarding. From sighting the first sprout of green to harvesting delicious and healthy ingredients to compose your supper, being involved in food production gives a rare sense of power and well-being. Seed starters have a hand in creating life and, through cultivating and consuming the food they grow, can also be confident that they know where their food came from, how it was grown, and that it is nourishing.
 
We carry West Coast Seeds, Salt Spring Seeds, and Pacific North West Seeds. These companies specialize in seeds that thrive in our climate. We also carry the seed starting supplies you need to get you growing whatever your circumstances.  Do you only have a sunny window sill? Try our sill-sized seed starter trays. A north-facing condo that is cool with low light? Perhaps a Growlight Garden light set and heating mat will be just the items you need to start some herbs and vegetables this spring. 
 
Choosing the right seeds to grow well in your particular light and soil conditions is important too. Our staff are happy to help you choose wisely. Perhaps you'd like to sow your seeds in plantable pots that decompose as the summer progresses, such as our pots/pods made of coconut coir that can be directly set in the soil. Not quite ready to take on seeding everything yourself? Try planting raspberry canes, herbs, strawberries, potatoes, onion sets and/or vegetable starts.
 
Whether you have a greenhouse, raised bed, backyard, an acre or two, a windowsill or something in between, we can assist you to find a way to grow your own. Once started, in addition to eating the best tasting produce ever (once you have homegrown lettuce, you'll never want store bought again) you'll also be contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases (your cauliflower will no longer require jet fuel for delivery!), you'll reduce plastics in the landfill (only a bowl will be needed to harvest), and you'll dispense with stickers altogether! And that's a good thing. Enjoy!

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