If you’re looking to grow your own vegetables this year, it’s high time to get serious about rolling up your sleeves and getting back into the garden!

March is pushing Mother Nature’s ideal schedule for getting seeds into the ground, but if this year’s demand is anything like last year’s, you might start to see the more popular seeds sell out if you wait much longer. So in the interest of getting as many herb and vegetable enthusiasts on the right track to food-producing crops this spring and summer, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite seed sources for inspiration:

WEST COAST SEEDS | You can find outposts of West Coast Seeds displayed on racks at hardware, gardening and grocery stores around Vancouver (enter your location in their store locator for the closest place near you). Bonus: the West Coast Seeds website is loaded with information on everything from ‘garden wisdom’ and composting advice to plant zone identification graphs and “How To” cheat sheets for vegetables, herbs, flowers and more. DETAILS

BC ECO SEED CO-OP | Not just any seeds, the precious little packages from BC Eco Seed Co-op include showstoppers like UBC Farm bush beans, Glorious Organics Purple Peacock broccoli, Good Earth Farms pumpkins, and many more vegetable, herb, grain and flower seeds. Seeds are sourced from over 20 local superstar farmers, and gathered into one central location for convenient purchase.  DETAILS 

UBC BOTANICAL GARDEN | Volunteers at the UBC Botanical Garden collect open-pollinated seeds from the garden grounds and these seeds are available for purchase at $3.50 per package. Take a look at the current list of seeds available here, but be sure to phone to confirm availability before you make plans to head to the shop. DETAILS

NORTH VANCOUVER SEED LIBRARY | On a budget? Not only does The North Vancouver Seed Library boast a phenomenal selection of seeds that have been gathered, processed and ‘saved’ by locals, but “…with an aim to create greener spaces, encourage people to grow their own food, and facilitate community learning”, this joint initiative between the North Vancouver City Library and the Edible Garden Project also lends seed to the public at no cost.  DETAILS

VILLAGE VANCOUVER | Village Vancouver maintains a list of 26 seed libraries in neighbourhoods all around Vancouver. While some of these libraries are are on hiatus (or running in a reimagined capacity) due to Covid, many are up-and-running and Village Vancouver is a good resource for finding out which library is doing what in your neighbourhood right now! DETAILS

RAVENSONG SEEDS | Farm owner Jessy Delleman grows medicinal plants and herbs on a small farm located in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. Delleman and her team also use ethical harvesting techniques to save seeds from loads wild plants and herbs. As a result, the Ravensong seed inventory offers everything from wild strawberry and skullcap seeds to stinging nettle and clary sage seeds: a great hub for exploring the world of wildcrafting and plant medicine. DETAILS