Jackie Bantle
Saskatchewan Perennial Society
As I write this, we are experiencing one of the coldest weeks so far this winter. The good thing about January is that the seed and gardening catalogues have started to arrive. I can start planning and dreaming about the upcoming gardening season.
While you are perusing the catalogues, it is important to remember our growing zone and the relatively short growing season that we experience on the Canadian Prairies. With the new growing zone map released in July, 2025, Saskatchewan’s growing zone now ranges from Zone 4a (in the southern part of the province and in the city of Regina) to Zone 3 in the Saskatoon area, Zone 2a/2b in the Prince Albert area and all the way to Zone 1b/2a in the LaRonge area. At latitudes in the province like Saskatoon, there are approximately 125 frost free days each season however, that can vary considerably with late spring frosts and early fall frosts.
You may be wondering: “Can I import seeds and plants from outside of Canada without having to deal with confusing terms like ‘import certificate’ and ‘phytosanitary certificate’?” A general guideline is that small lots of flower, tree and vegetable seeds that are commercially packaged can be imported from the United States and most European countries. HOWEVER, border inspectors or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have the right to withhold any seed shipment if the seed quality is questionable.
Another issue is the transport of items with soil attached. Many diseases and pests are transferred in soil attached to plants. In order to prevent the movement of these issues between different geographical areas, tubers (ex. potato seed), bulbs and rooted trees and shrubs are usually not allowed to pass between countries. The good news is that the closer the bulb source is to home, the less chance there is of introducing a new disease or soil organism to your area. Bulbs, perennials, trees and shrubs that pass interprovincially should be grown in soilless media.
If you are unsure if you can import a type of seed or plant into Canada, more information can be found on the Government of Canada’s website: Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) (http://inspection.canada.ca>airs).
Following is a list of my favorite gardening catalogues. With a pile of seed catalogues near your couch or on the ‘favorites’ list of your computer, you might understand why sometimes I think that winter just isn’t long enough.
Eagle Creek Potatoes, (large selection of unique seed potatoes), Bowden, Alberta, 1-403-224-3995, https://.seedpotatoes.ca – Order EARLY! – they sell out fast.
Early’s Farm & Garden, (Vegetables, flowers, grass seed), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 306-931-1982, https://www.earlysgarden.com
Florabunda Seeds, (Wildflower, Victorian Cottage Garden, Heirloom and Unusual seeds of vegetables, annuals and perennials) Keene, Ontario, https://florabundaseeds.com
Garden’s North, (rare & exotic perennial, woody, flower seed), Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, https://gardensnorth.com (Online catalogue only)
Halifax Seed Company (Vegetable, flower and herb seed), Halifax, Nova Scotia, 902-454-7456, https://halifaxseed.ca
The Incredible Seed Company, (Vegetable, herb, flower, tree and fruit seed), Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, https://incredibleseeds.ca
Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Vegetables (my favorite source for tomato seed), flowers), Winslow, Maine, https://www.Johnnyseeds.com
Lindenberg Seeds Ltd., (Vegetables, flowers), Brandon, Manitoba, 204-727-7885, https://www.lindenbergseedsca
OSC Seeds (Vegetable, annual and perennial flowers, trees, lawn and ground covers, forage seeds), Kitchener, Ontario, 519-886-0557, https://oscseeds.com
Pépinière, (Tree seeds), Quebec, 450-688-2922, https://pepiniere.ca
Prairie Garden Seeds, (Vegetables, flowers, grain seed), Humbold and Cochin, Saskatchewan, https://prairegardenseeds.ca
Revival Seeds (Canadian vegetable, flower and herb heirloom seeds), Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, 902-825-6699, https://revivalseeds.ca
Richter’s Herbs (vast selection of herb seed and books), Goodwood, Ontario, https://www.richters.com
Rainbow Seeds, (Heirloom vegetable and grain seed), Roachville, New Brunswick, https://rainbowseeds.ca
Salt Spring Seeds, (heritage and heirloom vegetable, herb, garlic, grains seed), Ganges, Salt Spring Island, BC, 250-537-5269, https://www.saltspringseeds.com
Seed Shed Canada, (Pepper seeds), https://seedshed-canada.square.site/
Seeds of Diversity, https://seeds.ca, “Canada’s Heritage and Endangered Seed Program for Gardeners”. The website includes information about seed saving.
Sheffields, (Tree & shrub, vegetable & herb, vine & grass, fruit & flower seeds), New York, 315-497-1058, https://sheffields.com
T & T Seeds (Vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, perennials for the Prairies), Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1-204-895-9962, https://ttseeds.com
TomatoFest (Tomato Lover’s Paradise – especially heirloom tomatoes), USA, https://tomatofest.com
Tree Seeds (Tree and vegetable seeds), Ontario, https://treeseeds.ca
West Coast Seeds (Organic, heirloom, unique vegetable seed, flowers, great selection of asian vegetables), Delta, BC, 1-604-952-8820, https://www.westcoastseeds.com
W.H. Perron Seeds, (Vegetable, flower, herb and native plant seeds), Quebec, https://whperron.com
William Dam Seeds, (Untreated vegetable and flower seed), Dundas, Ontario, 905-628-6641, https://www.damseeds.com
Vesey’s Seeds Ltd., (Vegetables, flowers, plants, bulbs), Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, 800-363-7333, https://www.veseys.com
This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (SPS; saskperennial@hotmail.com). Check our website (www.saskperennial.ca) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/saskperennial) for a list of upcoming gardening events.
