What is Companion Planting? Companion planting is one of the more mysterious parts of gardening, even for the most advanced grower. When you initially research companion planting, you’ll find a wide range of information all with different focuses. Some information is extremely detailed and based on scientific research, while other information is much more esoteric and based on anecdotal evidence only. While we don’t discourage either method in finding information on companion planting, it can be quite overwhelming for those beginning in gardening. In this blog, we’ll focus on the basic questio ..read more

June 2024 Summer has started, and it’s time to start your direct sowing. There are numerous reasons why we primarily direct sow in June:  Soil is warm enough for successful sowing.  Most crops in June are larger seeds and can easily be directly sown.  While you still have the option to start these crops indoors, we are far enough into the warm season that it’s not necessary! Direct sowing will save you time and energy that you can (always) use elsewhere  You’re SOOO busy this time of the year, why not just put the seeds in the ground and call it good?  Here are ..read more

Growing Shallow-Rooted Vegetables A common question we are asked is, ‘what vegetables can thrive in shallow containers?’. These crops are known as shallow-rooted vegetables. Generally, for most vegetable crops, you want the largest container your space will allow, as this helps prevent soil from drying out and allows for much happier plants. There are also other benefits to using the largest container possible. See the Container Gardening articles in our Garden Wisdom Blog for more information on growing productive crops in containers. If your space only allows for small containers, consider ..read more

Planting ranunculus bulbs Planting ranunculus bulbs or corms is one of the best things you can do for your garden! They are effortless to grow and will grace your garden with beautiful blooms in a wide range of colors, making for stunning arrangements. We fell in love with this flower years ago, but recently we have become obsessed with sharing just how easy it is to grow these flowers with gardeners. This blog will help you understand how easy it really is to plant ranunculus bulbs or corms! What are ranunculus bulbs or corms? Ranunculus is a rose-like flower that grows incredibly easily in ..read more

How to Plant Dahlia Tubers Knowing how to plant dahlia tubers can be confusing for new growers. Tubers come in many shapes and sizes, making it hard for a new grower to know what to plant. This blog will help you demystify dahlias to help you confidently plant a healthy tuber and, in turn, guarantee dahlia blooms in your garden. How to Choose a Dahlia Tuber When shopping for dahlias, an online search will bring up many different sites selling dahlias in different forms. Dahlias can be grown from seed, from propagated tuber cuttings, or from a mass of roots formed during the second year of a t ..read more

Learning how to grow plants from seeds is easy and gives you access to a myriad of unique varieties that are only available in seed form Step 1: Choose the Correct Season Starting at the correct time of year is the first step to learning how to grow plants from seeds. Start seeds 5–6 weeks before their ideal growing season, which is the time of the year when the air and soil temperatures are warm. In Zones 9 or 10, plant crops in either the cool season (fall through early spring) or warm season (spring through summer) according to the crop. Check the back of the seed pack to verify which seaso ..read more

Our gifts for gardeners — that they will actually use — is back for the 2023 holiday season! Welcome to our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide, where we’ve handpicked a delightful selection of gifts that will make any gardener’s heart bloom with joy, and yes, that includes you! Our Holiday Gift Guide presents meaningful, impactful, and fun options, providing unique and valuable gifts for the gardeners in your life. Here’s what’s flourishing in our garden of gift ideas this year:   Rad SDSC Gear Express your love for the San Diego Seed Company with our rad gear! Explore our Straight Outta C ..read more

Growing Potatoes During Fall in Zones 9 and 10 Don’t forget your seed potatoes! Growing potatoes from seed potatoes in Zones 9 and 10 during the fall can be rewarding, as these regions provide a favorable climate for this cool-season crop. Some gardeners miss out on planting seed potatoes in the fall, mistakenly thinking they must wait till spring. This practice leads to smaller potato harvests as gardeners miss out on almost five months of growing time for their seed potatoes. Here’s a guide to help you successfully cultivate fall potatoes in these zones: Variety Selection of your Seed Potato ..read more

How to Grow Sweet Pea Flowers in Zones 9 and 10 If you have ever wondered how to grow sweet pea flowers in Zones 9 and 10, do not worry; you are not alone! This flower is often mistakenly planted much too late in the year in Zones 9 and 10, yielding little to no blooms before it burns up. Many beginning gardeners get enticed by the stunning blossoms and the amazing fragrance of sweet peas in the springtime and think they have time to plant their own. Well, do not make that mistake! In general, once you see sweet peas blooming in Zones 9 and 10, it’s much too late to plant your own. Here are th ..read more

On August 12th, 2023, we hosted our second annual tomato tasting, Tomatotopia on the Farm. This fun event is a great way to get customer feedback about new tomato varieties we are trialing and geek out about all things tomatoes. This year we were blessed by perfect weather and the addition of a shade structure on the farm! In addition to our productive crop fields, the farm is slowly and surely becoming an enjoyable and comfortable space for hosting events. This year’s tasting was a blind test to prevent our varieties’ names from swaying any results. We tested the following tomatoes, all grow ..read more