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A place to gather, share knowledge, imagine & co-create!

February Update

New Varieties for 2024 Our new 2024 seed varieties are now available here! Happy garden planning! 🙂 February Store Hours Our farm seed store is currently closed. Stay tuned for our social media accounts and newsletter for updates about re-opening schedule. Local pick-up orders are still made possible at all times via our online store. […]

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Organic Certificate 2024

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Introducing our new look for 2024!

We are proud to present our latest edition of the Gaia Organics Seed Packet, featuring: ?New & updated icons providing in-depth growing information ?Our new logo by Cielle’s Creations ?Bilingual variety names and descriptions ?Companion planting information It has truly been a labor of love for our whole team this past year, with special thanks […]

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New Variety Request Form

In the world of gardening and horticulture, the search for new and exciting plant varieties is a never-ending adventure. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, the prospect of obtaining unique seeds or plants to grow can be both thrilling and rewarding. Gaia Organic Seeds, a trusted seed company, offers you the opportunity to […]

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Native Plant List 2023

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2023 Plant List

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When to Start Seeds – a discussion

You may be wondering when to start your precious seeds? Of course, seed packages have instructions such as 6-8 weeks before last frost or once the ground can be worked or even start 4 weeks early OR in situ. To better understand these directions, here’s a crash course on the whens and wheres of planting. […]

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Growing indoors from seed

This article offers practical advice on starting eggplants and pepper seedlings, covering topics like lighting setups, overcoming light deficiencies, thinning, transplanting, and hardening off. It provides insights into using natural light, fluorescent tubes, and grow lights, emphasizing the importance of adequate light for photosynthesis. The author discusses challenges when starting seeds without artificial light and suggests solutions, such as window sills, winter-sowing, and alternative containers. The role of unheated greenhouses, containers, and grow boxes for larger plants or later starts is explored, along with tips for managing temperature. The article touches on container and growing mix selection, germination requirements, growing on, thinning, transplanting, and the continuous process of hardening off. It concludes by inviting readers to suggest additional topics for future posts. Overall, it serves as a comprehensive guide for seedling cultivation at various stages.

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How many seeds? Garden planning tips

There are so many wonderful looking vegetable varieties that it can be easy to ‘buy all the seed.’ Unless you have a team, a tractor and a farm, it’s unlikely that you are really going to ‘grow all the seed,’ never mind ‘harvest all that veg!’ Leaving you to decide what to grow.  We’re going […]

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An important garden answer…

… to any garden question is “It depends.” “How early should I start tomatoes?” “Should I mount my potatoes?” “Do I need to succession sow lettuce?” “How far apart should I space my cabbage?” “Is no dig the best method?” “What grows well here?” “Does it eat all the plants?” “Should I trellis melons?” “Will […]

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Year round food from the garden

If you have either a big enough garden or just the inclination, you may have thought about growing for storage. This requires a shift in thinking toward not just food that is wholesome and delicious fresh but also those varieties that store well in a variety of ways. Besides canning and its close cousin pickling […]

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Garden Guide for First-Timers

Source: http://justfood.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CGN_Garden_Guide_2015.pdf

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Zone 5 a – Planting Calendar (Ottawa/Gatineau)

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Where to get our Seeds

ONTARIO Ritchie Feed & Seed Inc – 1390 Windmill Ln, Gloucester, ON K1B 4V5 Herb & Spice Food & Wellness Shop – 375 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1Y2 Scrim’s Florist – 262 Elgin Street Ottawa, ON, K2P 1L9 Green Thumb Garden Centre – 17 Tristan Ct, Nepean, ON K2E 8B9 Dandelion Foods – 451 […]

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How to Grow Guides

VEGETABLES ARUGULA ASPARAGUS BEETS BELL PEPPERS BROCCOLI BRUSSELS SPROUTS CABBAGE CARROTS CAULIFLOWER CELERY CORN CUCUMBERS EDAMAME EGGPLANTS GARLIC GREEN BEANS HORSERADISH KALE LETTUCE OKRA ONIONS PARSNIPS PEAS POTATOES PUMPKINS RADISHES RHUBARB RUTABAGAS SPINACH SUMMER SQUASH (ZUCCHINI) SWEET POTATOES SWISS CHARD TOMATOES TURNIPS WINTER SQUASH HERBS BASIL CHIVES CILANTRO (CORIANDER) DILL LAVENDER MARJORAM MINT OREGANO PARSLEY […]

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Organic Certificate 2022-23

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SEED RACK CANADA

Certified Organic Heirloom Seed Rack for your store!!

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Why (Not) so red tomato?

You may have noticed the amazing diversity in tomato colour. And if you haven’t then welcome to the wonderful rainbow that is tomato. It is a beautiful kaleidoscope of colour, form, taste, growth habit, leaf pattern and more. This blog post will focus purely on colour but in this series we will be discussing other […]

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So many tomatos

In the previous post, we explored the many colours of the tomato fruit but it is not only the fruit colour that is variable. The fruit shape ranges from small and round to long and tapered to large and scalloped. Typically smaller fruits are sweeter and more piercing in flavour but taste is also influenced […]

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Flowers and Food

In the last post I discussed some reasons why we might want to combine flowers and vegetables. Of course, vegetables mostly flower too so allowing some to ‘bolt’ aka flower can be a nice way of adding interest for you and the rest of nature. Not only that but you may end up with self […]

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To Eggplant or not to eggplant

I’m a big fan of this often maligned vegetable. It forms the base of my favourite dish which is a Spanish version of moussaka. However, it is not everyone’s favourite. Some say it’s soggy and uninspired. This may be related to textural preferences but I like to think it’s because they haven’t tried the full […]

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Veggies love flowers

Planting flowers, or alongside, your vegetables can have a number of benefits including adding beauty, confusing pests and attracting beneficials. Here are some ways to create wonderful combinations. Confuse Sight and Scent Signals Pests (otherwise known as creatures that share vegetables and at low levels are usually non concerning) may become confused while seeking their […]

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Sweet potatoes! Grow guide And interview

I was pleased to speak with Kate from Heartbeet farm about growing sweet potatoes in the Ottawa Valley (interview below). Many growers now know that you absolutely can grow this heat loving, nutritious tuber here. In fact, in the best years, you’ll get impressive yields that (in my experience) outcompete potatoes, and in the worst […]

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A green bounty!

Here are some rarer greens that you may not have had the opportunity to try. Erba Stella: Also known as buckhorn or minutina, this is a species of plantain that you may be most familiar with growing as broad, low leaves in your lawn. The lawn species commonly encountered is Plantago major is also edible. […]

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Okra in Ottawa

Okra has been one of those plants with which I have a tumultuous growing relationship. I love the look of the plant and have enjoyed it in a few recipes but my success has been uneven. When this happens, I usually assume that there is something yet to learn about the plant. Perhaps a growing […]

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Our Crew: Jane

“It’s great to see you again Jane. Sure is cozy here in the greenhouse. So tell me, what brought you to Gaia?” Jane, “Well I started working with Kristl from Gardens North After she didn’t need me anymore, I helped out Greta (Greta’s Organic Seeds) with starting and transplanting. I was here in the transition […]

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The Crew: Jess

On a farm visit, I got to see the annual migration of many seedlings from their cozy spots under lights to their new digs in the greenhouse. One hard working member of the Gaia crew had a moment to chat. Gaia is a true community effort with multiple connections. Introducing Jess, baby plant carer extraordinaire. […]

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Orach – A plant profile

Orach, otherwise known as Atriplex hortensis, is a gorgeous, annual ‘spinach’ plant from Western Asia and the Mediterranean

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Hot Pepper highlights and growing tips

There’s something about hot peppers that collect stories. Perhaps it is because their different flavours and uses are special ingredients in different, often regional, dishes and these make people think of ancestral place or important person. Maybe its the bravado of a food that bite’s back. Hot peppers originated in the warmer regions of the […]

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Tips on how to grow Cauliflower

I have learned so much from growers all over Eastern Ontario and beyond so I really enjoy plant conversations. One of the trickier vegetables for many gardeners to grow is cauliflower. Gaia Organic Seeds have a number of interesting varieties. Here is my interview with Gaia team member Manish: “I never really focused on growing […]

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Brassicas aka Crucifers aka Cole Crops

Given its humble beginnings as a leafy wild plant, what is now Brassica oleracea has had quite a culinary history becoming European kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, collards, and kohlrabi! Brassica napus became Siberian kale, Canola and Rutabaga. Brassica rapa was developed into mustards, rapini/brocclini/broccoli raab, Chinese cabbages and turnip. There are also Brassica […]

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Starting bulb onion from seed

For best growth of onion seed, you should start 10-12 weeks before planting out in warm weather. They are mildly frost tolerant though too long exposure to cold temps might vernalize onions and cause them to go to flower. Once they go to flower, they’ll no longer bulb up.  Onion seeds don’t need light to […]

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Plant Profile: Mary Washington Asparagus

Perennial edibles are a wonderful addition to most landscapes. They are available early in the season before many other vegetables have gotten growing. There are actually a fair number of perennial vegetables that are eaten for their early shoots like udo and seakale but asparagus is the most common in this part of the world. […]

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Plant Profile: Redventure Celery

This crispy stem vegetable is a member of the carrot family. It is the same species as the similarly named Celeriac, which is eaten for its swollen lower stem, rather than its long green stems and/or leaves. Both are Apium graveolens and therefore both can be treated similarly in terms of growing conditions and seed […]

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Plant Profile: Globe Artichokes for the North

Cynara cardunculus is a fascinating set of vegetables. A huge stately perennial thistle that grows wild around the Mediterranean. Varieties called Cardoon are selected for edible stems and varieties called Globe Artichoke are used for the delicate flower bud before it has opened. Both of these are fantastic looking in the vegetable garden but take […]

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Some Cucumbers plants for your to TRY

I have been growing funky cucumbers for last many years. Try some of these for your gardens. Please click on the link below to read up more. Armenian Cucumber Tasty Cucumbers Compact Cucumber and Tasty West Indies Cucumber Jamaican Burr Gherkin Cucamelon

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How To Cold Stratify Seeds For Spring Planting

by AmandaSource: https://www.americanmeadows.com/blog/2018/03/07/how-to-cold-stratify-seeds Many native varieties, like Prairie Coneflower, require cold stratification if seeding in spring. The good news is this is an easy process for any gardener. Many wildflowers—especially native varieties—have clever mechanisms in place that help protect them from germinating too early in the spring or too late in the summer. These varieties re-seed […]

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Seed Longevity Guide

Seed Storage Guidelines Vegetable Storage Years Vegetable Storage Years Arugula 4 Leek 2 Bean 3 Lettuce 5 Beet 4 Muskmelon 5 Broccoli 3 Mustard 4 Brussels Sprouts 4 Okra 2 Cabbage 4 Onion 1 Carrot 3 Parsley 1 Cauliflower 4 Parsnip 1 Celeriac 3 Pea 3 Celery 3 Pepper 2 Chard, Swiss 4 Pumpkin 4 […]

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The World of garlic

The various cultivars of garlic are classified into ten horticultural groups: Artichoke, Asiatic, Creole,Glazed Purple Stripe, Marbled Purple Stripe, Porcelain, Standard Purple Stripe, Rocambole, Silverskin, and Turban. Each horticultural group and each cultivar within the group has particular characteristics. Some groups are classified as hardnecks as they have a woody stem that grows through the […]

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Planting Garlic

An Introduction Hardneck garlics are unique in that they need a period of cold to break their dormancy and begin to grow. The easiest way to do that is to plant it in the fall. That’s right, you plant your garlic crop when all the harvesting is done in your garden and you think it […]

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Growing Garlic

The nitty-gritty – spring and summer So, you got your garlic into the ground back in October and now you are watching the snow fall. Like all gardeners and farmers, you are probably waiting for spring, dreaming of what you will plant while you peruse the new seed catalogues and seed company websites. And like […]

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Growing Garlic Continued

Scapes – a delightful bonus Once you have harvested your scapes, they can be used in a number of ways. They are a delightful bonus – an early taste of your garlic crop, a way to enjoy fresh garlic earlier in the season. Scapes, chopped into short lengths make a wonderful addition to stir-fries and […]

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Bulbils

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BULBS AND BULBILS?At the most basic level, bulbs are the underground part of the garlic, which are cloved, and bulbils arethe small, uncloved parts found at the top of the “flower stem”, which is called a scape.Bulbils can vary in size from the size of a grain of rice to […]

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Garlic Cultivars by Horticultural Group! (2022)

As 5000 years of garlic, history unfolds before our eyes since its origin in Central Asia. Garlic connoisseurs have been migrating garlic from their ‘center of origin’ beyond the natural range of wild garlic and more worldwide to bring the taste of garlic to their homes. As this garlic grows in these regions, different environmental […]

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Fall Garden Planting

In our zone 5a, fall gardening can be a great time to plant cool-season crops. We hit our first frost between the first week of October and mid-October. Fall crops can be planted between late August and early September to harvest just before winter sets in. Following crops are a great start for a fall […]

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We have Garlic for sale!

The garlic project here at Gaia Organics has been led by Richard Beaudette. Richard has been growing garlic for the last few decades and has been conserving several varieties of garlic since very early in his journey. We met Richard at a Seedy Saturday and we instantly connected and he shared with us some garlic cultivars. […]

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Plants for Indoor Hydroponics

By MARY WICKISON

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Survival garden seed checklist

As people are worried about store shelves being empty in these times of COVID-19 crisis. We are here to help relieve your anxiety and help you prepare for the worst-case scenario. Growing homegrown, nutrient-dense food is always a good option that empowers you to be self-sufficient and find your independence. High-calorie food like rice, wheat […]

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27 of the best winter squash recipes you can find

-BY EM CASALENA Source: https://www.backyardboss.net/winter-squash-recipes/ Autumn and winter cuisine is simply the best. From soups to casseroles to roast meals, this is the time of year when we can all enjoy some seriously hearty and delicious recipes. One great staple of wintertime cuisine has to be the winter squash. And, luckily, there are a ton of […]

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United Nations Declares 2020 as International Year of Plant Health (IYPH)

The United Nations has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). The year is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Tell us […]

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