Baker Creek Seeds

I may have ordered a lot of seeds. I know I’m not alone. I know you’re out there. Check out my seed order picks from Baker Creek and my favourite local company, Heritage Harvest Seed. (not affiliated)

Besides collecting my own seeds, like these beets, and onions, I like to get seeds from this local heirloom seed company. Not only does it support local business, the seeds are locally harvested which means they will have a good start on being acclimated to my climate, and being heirloom I can attempt to harvest seeds. Many large seed companies (even some local ones) get seed from southern sources, for example.

My First Baker Creek Order

But I’ve been meaning to get an order from Baker Creek for several years. I was a little fearful of the price tag and shipping. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. Except that my order was a mittful. Unfortunately, I’m not sure what new seed importing regulations into Canada are going to do for the garden seed companies, so this was the year.

The prices at the greenhouses, however… Back in the day, I used to work at a greenhouse when we transplanted seedlings into six packs and nine packs (best job ever). Now, most greenhouses get prepackaged plants, most in single larger containers. Who can afford $5 a plant or more, when I’m planting several dozen of many things??

That is one reason I got into seed starting. And because I can. It was a new thing to try. And it’s kind of addicting. (Maybe it’s all that grounding)

Heritage Harvest Seed

Located in Manitoba, I like to get a lot of the staples from this heirloom seed company, such as pickling and slicing cucumbers. I got shintokiwa cucumber as a freeby one year and loved it – it grows an abundance of slicing cucumbers, English style. I’m also trying a different kind of pickling cucumber – Sushyk, which is supposed to mature early and have few spines. I probably just need to plant more so there is enough to pickle at one time. Wink wink.

Black cumin. I’m trying to grow more herbs. They are so much better from the garden (parsley that actually tastes like something, coriander that smells intensely peppery!). Remember this article on drying herbs! This one is an experiment. we shall wait and see on the results.

Sweet meat squash. I love buttercup squash (check it out in this recipe), but I wanted to try this one with a slate blue rind. It may have been a last minute check out buy. It is said to be fine grained and very sweet.

I’m not sure why, let’s call it, “feeding the bees“, but I got a bunch of annual flowers. That is not normal for me. I’m into my wildflower perennials. Persian carpet zinnia, in burgundies, butter yellow, orange and bicolour is sure to be a success.

Rocky mountain bee plant (cleome) can be used for food, medicine, dye and of course, nectar. It’s pink, though. What was I thinking?

Clarkia (aka Farewell to Spring) is also pink, salmon, red and white. What was I on? This one is an old fashioned heirloom, though I don’t remember ever seeing it. Guess I’m not that old.

Love in a mist. Truly! Finely cut leaves (like dill..mmmm) and wispy blue flowers are dreamy. No question there. Looking forward to this one. Related to black cumin, they will be cousins across the yard.

Moldavian dragonhead. This one was actually a freeby, but it is also blue and edible. Yup. Sorry, garden club, I’m keeping this one.

Purple millet. Tall grass of a different colour for the flower pots and the birds.

Tropeana lunga onion. It was the only purple onion in stock. I have a girl who wanted purple onions after we grew a mutant not-yellow-but-purple onion last year. I haven’t grown purple before – I thought they didn’t store well, though I have friends who say otherwise.

I had to restock on Early jalapenos. Hopefully they do well this year. Peppers can be hit or miss so I’m planting a lot. Garden salsa is good.

Romanesco. Some say broccoli, some say cauliflower – it is a brassica in any case, with apple green spirals. Fun, edible and delicious – if we are successful. I’m trying to grow more varieties of veggies for the winter months. If we get lots of brassicas, I’ll freeze them.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

From Baker Creek I only chose seeds I could not find easily north of the border. I had heard of the chocolate jalapenos, but they did not seem to have favourable reviews, so I got chocolate habaneros. I have not grown habaneros before. This could be interesting.

Superschmelz or giant white kohlrabi, because who doesn’t want to say superschmelz? Apparently they grow huge, but do not get woody. With other kohlrabi there is a fine line between optimal size and declining quality. Not so here for this crunchy cabbage-apple.

Like superschnmelz (one more time – superschmelz!) Rugosa friulana summer squash has also been waiting on my list. Zucchini, kind of, this warty Italian variety is rich, floral and succulent. We’ll see how refined our tastebuds are.

Pattison golden marbre (not marble) scallop squash. More squash they say?? I haven’t told them, yet. This patty-pan summer or winter squash is said to be tender and well flavoured. Aren’t they all? This one had the best description.

Thai blue butterfly pea. Grown as a flower, these long vines produce indigo blue flowers that can be steeped for a calming tea. Blue and tea? Sign me up.

Eggplant? Why? It doesn’t taste like much on its own, they say, and I confirm. But it’s something new. And they are pretty. Especially the little jewel marble with violet and white striations. Ping tung (not pink) is also small, being long and narrow. The plan is stir-fry, with lots of garlic and summer squash.

I received a freeby called Pink fang tomato (yes, pink this time). It looks like a promising, indeterminate, paste tomato (the only kind I bother to grow besides a cherry), advertising six inch fruits. My roma tomatoes seem to get smaller and smaller…we’ll see if these live up to expectation.

Then for a few unique herbs: Dwarf moringa is a super-food from India, grown for its leaves. It may be an edible houseplant on our homestead. I am really hoping it survives.

I have only seen stevia plants in the last couple of years here. I grew one. The leaves need to be steeped for full flavour, just sprinkled in doesn’t really work. I dried the leaves and used in tea. Next step – from seed!

Cinnamon basil – who could resist? I certainly can not grow real cinnamon. I don’t think… The description, however, says spicy anise flavour. Which is it? From Mexico, who could tell?

Thai holy kaprao basil is praised for its medicinal properties, just had to be tried.

Bonus

To finish off, here is a little gardening Bible verse:

“For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” Isaiah 61:11

Confession, these are just the seeds I bought this year. I also have seeds leftover, collected from plants, and traded at garden club. In fact we have a seed exchange next month! I always like to try and grow new things. What new thing or old favourite are you growing this year from Baker Creek or your stand-by seed company?

You might also like these articles:

Grow Onions from and for Seed

Grow Your Own Leeks

Grow Your Own Dry Beans