Soil Temperature to Germinate: too cold or too hot and seeds could go dormant or sprout then die. These temps are the average. Seeds are usually a little flexible, unless otherwise noted.

Number of Seeds per Pot: number of seeds to plant in a cell/pot with the expectation one (or more) may not sprout or will be weaker and need to be terminated (aka, pulled out or pinched off). If you see 'No' listed, the seedlings of this type cannot be transplanted, and should not be started in pots, such as carrots.

Planting too deep and the seed may rot, too shallow it may not sprout or perish thereafter. And some seeds need sunlight to germinate.

Addresses if the seed may be directly planted. For seeds with transplanting directions, direct sowing will increase the Days To Maturity (DTM) and may lower the germination rate. There are some seeds that should only be directly sown and will be marked by 'No' under '# Seeds/Pot' (carrots).

How far apart in the row to transplant or direct sow. When direct sowing, we use the same spacing as transplant, as we don’t have time to go back and thin the seedlings. Plus, it feels wasteful to pull perfectly good seedlings due to poor spacing. Just keeping it real.

How far apart the rows should be from another row of plants. We err on the side of closer spacing to maximize garden space, being every inch is precious. Close spacing also helps with shading the soil resulting in keeping soil cooler, retaining more moisture, and slowing weed growth.

Days to Germination: how many days it takes for a seed to sprout under ideal conditions (observing soil temp, moisture, soil depth, light). Generally, the fewer days is for indoor starting and more days for direct sowing. Sometimes, it just takes a seed a really long time to sprout; a defense mechanism for survival.

Also referred to as DTM, and in layperson's terms, ‘days to harvest’. There may be a wide range here to accommodate direct sowing and transplanting. The longer days is for direct sowing; shorter for transplants. We may have also tacked on a few extra days based on our experience in northern climates. It’s no guarantee, but the most likely.

Information about when this seed can be planted for a continuous harvest (radishes). Some seeds may be planted multiple times in a growing season (lettuce, pac choi), others may only be planted once more (beans, peas). If a plant cannot be succession planted, 'No' will be listed (pumpkins).

Succession planting is not necessary for a successful garden. All of our seed collections have this built in through the selected seed varieties (no additional knowledge needed). The Urban Farm and Homestead collections do include seed varieties for succession planting.

In your growing journey, we encourage you to experiment with this and develop new skills! It is amazing how far you can push the season.

Key for Northern gardens! Can the plant (not including transplant or direct sown sprout) handle a light frost? It’s darn close to black and white. The plant can or cannot. And sometimes the harvest is literally sweeter for the frost (Brussel sprouts, carrots).

Taiga seed collections include many frost tolerant varieties, after they have been trialed on our farm for several seasons. We are always trialing new varieties.

Can the plant (not transplant or direct sown sprout) handle cool temperatures above freezing? Some plants will bolt or stop producing with cool temps, while others thrive in cool weather (spinach, lettuce) or become sweeter/more flavorful (cabbage).

Notes if the seed is open pollinate, which means you can save seeds knowing they will be true offsprings of the parent plant. Caveat ~ some seeds require isolation so they do not cross pollinate (corn, melons, squash). Open-pollinate seeds, by their very nature, are non-GMO.

We constantly search for open pollinate, heirloom and antique varieties to trial and grow; even include an open-pollinate sweet corn in the vegetable collections. In your growing journey, we encourage you to experiment and develop this very important gardening skill of seed saving.

An annual (in the North, does it die in freezing temps) or a Perennial (does it survive harsh, deep cold temps). This also helps in knowing where to plant for its life span. All of our vegetable seeds are annuals ~ except spinach, which may be overwintered with deep mulch. Our herb and flower seed varieties are a mix of annual and perennials.

Addresses how long seeds are viable when kept in ideal conditions of a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. There are exception to the rule; germination rates will drop with time and less than ideal storage conditions.

Although Taiga Seed Collections are tailored for Northern gardens, they may be grown throughout the US, typically with longer harvest windows. Zones with very hot summers, these collections will not do as well and may be better suited for shoulder or winter seasons. Please note, we have no experience with hotter zones.

Gardening is a practice and a journey. Even the most experienced grower fails ~ when trying something new, gambling against what they know to be true, or just having a disappointing year.

The varietal descriptions and cultural information are based on the observations and experience of our staff, associates, and suppliers. We do our very best to present the varietal and cultural information needed to raise plants successfully. Your results may differ from our shared information as growing conditions vary considerably depending upon geographic location, soil type, climatic conditions, pest or disease pressures, and cultural practices. We recommend touching base with your state’s gardening/agriculture extension service for information specific to your local area. Although we do our utmost to provide accurate, helpful information and guidance, you own the success or failure of your garden.

We wish you abundant blessings for a bountiful garden!