{"title":"Open Source Seed","description":"\u003cp\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) pledged varieties. This means these varieties will forever remain in the hands of the people, NOT patented by corporations. For more info about OSSI see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/osseeds.org\/\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"delft-perpetual-leek-seeds-allium-44065","title":"Delft Perpetual Leek Seeds - Allium ampeloprasum - Perennial Leek","description":"\u003cp\u003eDelft Perpetual Leek is a very rare perennial winter leek that sprouts new plants from its base. Harvest the leeks by cutting just above the roots and leaving the root plate intact, and in a few weeks 2 or 3 baby leeks will resprout to replace the leek you harvested.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best harvest time is fall through early spring before the leeks try to flower in their second year, when they can get tough. You can harvest the leek scapes (flower buds and stems) and use just like garlic scapes, or let them flower and make seed. No matter what you do, as long as the root plate is intact, baby leeks will regrow!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an excellent perennial vegetable for any gardener looking to save time in the spring because there’s no need to mess around with starting leek seeds indoors under grow lights and babying them for weeks every year. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese leeks respond very well to fertile soil and can grow quite large- be generous with the compost. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeeks can be used almost interchangeably in place of onions in cooking. The beautiful blue-green leek greens (tops) are also tasty- don't throw them out!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDelft Perpetual was selected out of the \"Delft\" variety by Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seed in Oregon, USA, which he describes as \"Winter leeks with long well-wrapped shafts, strong upright leaves, and a melting tender quality with light sauté. Slices turn a bright green with cooking, very appealing.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually your perpetual leek patch will get crowded and the leeks will start getting thin. At this point you can either start pulling up leeks to harvest and thin out the patch, or you can dig up the whole patch and space them out. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you do allow these leeks to flower in their second year, the whimsical flowers are a range of white, pink, and purple globes that are adored by pollinators. The seeds do take a long time to mature however, so you may need to cover them with a temporary tunnel to keep the seed dry as they mature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese seeds are rare and hard to find so don't miss out!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMuch gratitude to Frank Morton for creating this variety! \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis seed has been released under the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMore information on OSSI can be found at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eosseeds.org\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44507587281150,"sku":"DELFT-PERPE-1B11","price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/products\/il_fullxfull.5663654495_jufh.jpg?v=1703468522"},{"product_id":"perennial-kale-seeds-homesteaders-75817","title":"Homesteader's Kaleidoscopic Perennial Kale Grex Seeds - Brassica oleracea var. ramosa","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis kale is a joy to grow in so many ways. This mix was created by Chris Homanics by crossing perennial bush kales with several other brassicas. The genetics are diverse, containing a variety of leaf colours, shapes, and textures. All are delicious! The young leaves are good for salads, larger leaves are good for cooking or \"collard\" wraps. I’ve been delighted to see some variegated white, lavender, and hot pink plants, which I've been encouraging. Almost all the plants are perennial, meaning that even after they flower in their second year, they continue to grow and produce tasty leaves. You can cut off and eat the flower buds to keep the plant producing leaves instead of seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plants grow large and most are branching and bushy or a palm tree shape, and can be pruned if desired to be more compact. As they grow tall, most plants will flop over and root along the stem where they touch the ground. To keep the plants more upright, they can be staked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plants eventually lose their vigour after a few years, but your favourite plants can be propagated by woody stem cuttings almost any time of year. Just stick the cuttings in the ground and keep moist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can select your favourite individuals from this diverse mix and create your own perennial kale variety!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI've been selecting for colourful and variegated leaves for the last few years, as well as a perennial growth habit. There is likely a small amount of the hot pink Candy Floss Kale genetics in this population, which is a biennial, but it seems to be a minimal amount based on my grow outs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBees and other pollinators, like mason bees, love the flowers. When flowering, the plants can reach 6-8 feet tall. The flowers, buds, and flowering stems are very tasty. Try eating them raw, or use like broccolini in stir fries etc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease let me know if you come across any very colourful, cold hardy, or otherwise interesting individuals. I'd love to know what this kale does in your conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e---\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis seed has been released under the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMore information on OSSI can be found at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\" data-mce-href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e osseeds.org\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere kale is part of a collaborative breeding project through the Experimental Farm Network. Learn more and get involved here: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org\/project\/14\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org\/project\/14\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org\/project\/14\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44507588624638,"sku":"PEREN-KALE-2A19","price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/products\/il_fullxfull.3607516195_ctab.jpg?v=1702968124"},{"product_id":"karma-miracle-tomato-seeds-solanum-45829","title":"Karma Miracle Tomato Seeds - Solanum lycopersicum","description":"\u003cp\u003eKarma Miracle is one of my all-time favourite tomatoes. It's flavour is incredible- it has the rich, balanced flavour of an heirloom beefsteak, but is incredibly sweet. The colour is an interesting red\/brown\/green\/purple. Fruit shapes vary from round cherries to lobed, cocktail size. They've tied with Sungold two years in a row in blind taste tests! They are potato leaf, and have exserted stigmas. Bred by Karen Olivier in Alberta\/Vancouver Island.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKarma Miracle is a great candidate for short seasons and gardens that aren't very warm. They also do well in heat, however. They both produce tons of tomatoes! This variety is a must-grow for me every year. The fruits are prone to cracking, so harvest when they start to turn colour and ripen indoors if you have this problem. Water consistently to help avoid this, and\/or grow undercover. I promise they are worth it!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44507590983934,"sku":"KARMA-MIRAC-AHN5","price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/products\/il_fullxfull.5547246656_zgxv.jpg?v=1702968774"},{"product_id":"flashback-calendula-seeds-calendula-officinalis","title":"Flashback Calendula Seeds - Calendula officinalis","description":"\u003cp\u003eA psychedelic colourful version of the classic orange calendula that's just as edible, medicinal, and bee-friendly. Flashback calendula is a diverse mix of deep oranges, butter yellows, and more striped with reds in all different patterns and combinations. Some ruffled double flowers. Bred by Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seeds  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalendula is a cold-tolerant flower with medicinal and edible blooms. Dry the whole flowers to infuse in oil for use in soothing skin treatments. The fresh petals make a great addition to salads, soups, and tea blends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePollinators of all kinds love calendula. When I'm out in my garden, it's actually difficult to get a photo of the blooms without a bee on it. It's an important early season food source for bees. I have also seen male solitary bees sleep in the flowers overnight. They climb into the bloom in the evening, allowing the flower to close over them at night. In the morning they fly away once it warms up and the flower opens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis seed has been released under the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMore information on OSSI can be found at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\"\u003e osseeds.org\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46023776665854,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/files\/IMG_8745.jpg?v=1732332318"},{"product_id":"fast-lady-northern-southern-cow-pea-seeds-vigna-unguiculata","title":"Fast Lady Northern Southern Cow Pea Seeds - Vigna unguiculata","description":"\u003cp\u003eHeat and drought tolerant bean that's an excellent alternative to common beans. A staple in the Southern US, cowpeas are a versatile bean crop. Leaves, small green pods, and dry beans can all be eaten. This variety is adapted to northern regions. Flavour is similar to other beans. Short vines don’t require trellising. Beans form atop vertical poles — easy harvesting! Variety bred by Carol Deppe. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeeds are grown by our friends Skye and Maple at Tardigrade Seeds on Salt Spring Island, BC. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTardigrade Seeds: Solutions for Dry Conditions.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eClimate change makes farming and gardening a struggle. \u003cem\u003eTardigrade Seeds \u003c\/em\u003especializes in heat and drought-adapted varieties of favourite vegetables and unique international crops. We offer artisanal, natural seeds for changing times. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrown with hope on our Salt Spring Island farm. Start using less water and having more success - Grow Tardigrade Seeds!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrowing: Direct seed (recommended) or transplant (if weather conditions require).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDirect seeding: 1\" deep in rows, spaced 2-4\" apart and rows 18\" apart once soil has warmed up — early summer is ideal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTransplant: Sow 1\" deep with bottom heat, such as a heat mat. Transplant as young as possible to avoid damaging roots. Harden off before transplanting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrowing tips: Cowpeas require warm temperatures for proper germination and growth. Choose a warm, full-sun location with well-drained soil. Cowpeas do not require high fertility to be productive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDry growing (growing without watering or minimal watering): Cowpeas are more drought tolerant than common green beans. If irrigation water is a constraint for you, they are a good crop choice. When growing with no or reduced irrigation, increase the amount of space between plants to 6\". Use light application of mulch to reduce evaporation, and keep plants weeded. If you have some irrigation water available, but not enough to water the whole season, time your watering strategically. The best stage of growth to water that will have the best yield improvement is during flowering and early pod set. Conserve your limited water until then.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis seed has been released under the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMore information on OSSI can be found at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\"\u003e osseeds.org\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47584421052670,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/files\/FastCowpea4.jpg?v=1764800567"},{"product_id":"runner-bean-mix-seeds-phaseolus-coccineus","title":"Amethyst Dream Runner Bean Mix Seeds - Phaseolus coccineus","description":"\u003cp\u003eA colourful and diverse mix we've been growing out for a few years. It started with the \"British Pop Runner bean mix\" from Adaptive Seeds several years ago. They created their mix of the best edible-pod varieties from the UK, including Tenderstar, Prizewinner, White Emergo, and Polestar varieties. This mix was selected for vigour, long pods, yield, and a diversity of seed colours. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince then I've added seeds from the Going to Seed swap from all over Turtle Island, the Pop Wrox mix and Shinshu giant runner beans from No Coast Seeds, mixes from Rhythm Seed Farm, Greek Gigantes from another swap, and Tarahumara Tekomari from 3 Acre Permaculture. The resulting mix is full of different colours and patterns, and they are starting to cross to create combinations I've never seen before in runner beans. Could easily be grown just for their ornamental qualities- the flower colours range from crimson, bicolour, peach, and white.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're looking for maximum runner bean diversity, or a starting point to breed your own varieties, this mix is where it's at! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe whole pods are edible as green beans when they are young. As they age the pods get fibrous, and you will want to use the mature beans inside instead. They are delicious steamed fresh with butter and salt. Or you can allow the pods to fully mature and dry on the vine, and use the beans as dry beans in the winter months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRunner beans are more tolerant of cool temperatures than regular beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), so in warmer zones they can overwinter outdoors under a thick layer of mulch. I haven't had success with that here in zone 8a, but zones 9 and warmer may have success. You could also try overwintering the tubers indoors like dahlias.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHot weather can cause the flowers to abort and not grow beans, but the plants will be fine and continue pumping out beans when the temperatures drop again. Giving them afternoon shade in hot climates may help improve yield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBumblebees and hummingbirds love the flowers! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e--\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBritish Pop, which forms the foundations of this mix, has been released under the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMore information on OSSI can be found at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\"\u003e osseeds.org\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47591681818878,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/files\/IMG_47334.png?v=1765067213"},{"product_id":"jewelry-box-tomato-mix-seeds-solanum-lycopersicum-copy","title":"Venus of Willendorf Tomato Seeds - Solanum lycopersicum","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Cicada Seeds original! This is an incredibly tasty tomato that's really sweet and umami, and gets almost spiced notes when fully ripe. Vigorous plants bear large clusters of long cherry tomatoes that look like green icicles. Wait for the tomatoes to turn slightly yellow with translucent skin, and to “give” a little when gently squeezed for sweetest flavour. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI showed these tomatoes to my friend Evann a few years ago, and she noted how the curvy shape reminded her of the Venus of Willendorf, a bodacious Paleolithic female figurine found in a cave in Austria in 1908. I loved that comparison, and the name stuck!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few years ago I noticed one plant in my Green Grape tomato patch with pointy fruit. I saved seeds and grew them out the following year, and all of them were exactly the same, which was surprising, since usually in the second generation after a cross the traits start to segregate. I repeated the process the following year and they were all uniform again! Finally in 2025 I did a big grow out at our lease site to produce seed. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of the instant uniformity I think that this variety is a mutation, not an accidental cross as I first suspected. Pretty lucky!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note that in 2025 I had cracking on many of the fruits, but I think this is probably due to a watering issue, as I didn't have issues with cracking in past years at my home site. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease let us know your feedback!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis seed has been released under the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOpen Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMore information on OSSI can be found at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.osseeds.org\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eosseeds.org\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cicada Seeds Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47591918829822,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/4281\/1902\/files\/CE5CA565-235C-4E39-B394-4DEF567CD8B2.jpg?v=1765077800"}],"url":"https:\/\/cicadaseeds.ca\/collections\/open-source-seed.oembed","provider":"Cicada Seeds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}