Monday 24 December 2012

Holiday Hours

We hope you are having a festive Holiday Season

Here's our hours of operation during the time of Solstice:

The Vancouver Seed Bank will be closed Christmas Day.
We'll be OPEN for New Years Eve until 4:20 and Noon to 6pm New Years Day. 
Feel free to contact them directly by phone at 778 329 1930

The Victoria Shop location will be closed 
from December 25th to the 27th and back to our regular hours on the 28th.  
Contact them by phone for details at 250 380 1385.

Have an awesome holiday!  

Thank you for making 2012 a success for seed preservation and genetic diversity.  

We look forward to more urban renewal and 

self sustainability in the 2013.



Friday 9 November 2012

MUSHROOM SOAP!!!

New to the seed bank we are selling locally crafted, all natural, vegan, biodegradable, medicinal, and amazingly wonderful Mushroom, Hemp, and Herbal Soap!





Varieties include:
Pine Mushroom with Cinnamon, Clove and Raw Cacao
Yellow Chanterelle with Ginger and Rosemary
Chaga and Birch Bark with Tea tree oil
Flower Power with Calendula, St. Johns wort, Lavender, Sunflower, and Bergamot
Hemp & Hops with Mandarin orange essential oil


Each mushroom and herb selected has been carefully chosen for its medicinal qualities for healing and conditioning the skin. 
The mushrooms and herbs are either wild crafted on south Vancouver island, or grown in the soap crafter's herb garden.

Bars cost $8 each or 2 for $15
Pop into our Victoria location to learn more!

Sunday 28 October 2012

It's Mushroom season

It's Mushroom season on the west coast.
We at the Victoria Seed Bank are happy to be carrying several books by Paul Stamets.


Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms is the most comprehensive cultivation guide out today.


Mycelium Running - How mushrooms can help save the world, covers myco-remediation, medicinal mushrooms, mycorrhizal forest recovery, and many more mind blowing revolutionary ideas.


Mycomedicinals - a practical handbook for medicinal mushrooms and what they can be used for.
A great guide to myco-medicine as a practical everyday alternative to pharmaceutical main-stream medicine. Lots of good info!


Paul Stamets brings hope for the future. Mushrooms CAN and likely will save the world.
Come down to the store and talk fungi with us!

-VSB-

Monday 15 October 2012

Rainy days... Lemon Haze

Nothing like a nice Haze to brake the gloom of those rainy days.

Atomic Haze by Dr. Atomic

Super Lemon Haze by Greenhouse




Atomical Haze by Paradise



Enjoy the rain! Nothing like a cozy, Vancouver Island Fall.



Sunday 7 October 2012

Welcome Chimera & Viva DJ Short!

New to the Victoria Seed Bank, we gratefully welcome Chimera Seeds to our menu, and welcome back the one and only DJ Short, who has been teaming up with Chimera to 
create some new amazing hybrids.

Schnazzleberry #2

Breeder: Chimera Seeds/DJ Short Joint Project
From the same mother as the original super-stoney Schnazzleberry. Perfect for SCROG or bush gardens. Expect bud-laden branches with a healthy stretch when flowered. Ripening of the large calyxes and huge dark amber trichomes kicks into full force at 45-50 days. Additional days add intensity to the already numbing high. Excellent for vaporization and production of connoisseur quality black hash.

Parents: The Dom (Blue Domino) x DJ Short Blueberry
Flowering: 50-60 days / Early-October
Height: 60-90 cm / 120+ cm
Yield: 680 gr / 570 gr
~

C-Plus

Mothered Chimera's legendary 25+ yr old California Orange clone, and fathered by DJ Short’s Blueberry. This large producing hybrid adapts well to most growing environments, and prefers a mild diet. The last 2 weeks of this plant’s life will impress with the huge swelling of calyxes into light green bundles of frost. Excellent daytime smoke with an inspiring and creative high. Pleasant bittersweet orange soda flavor

Flowering Indoor: 50-60 days
Harvesting Outdoor: Early to Mid-October
Height Indoor: 60-90 cm
Height Outdoor: 120+ cm

~

The future of Cannabis genetics looks better than ever!

-VSB-

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Happy Fall from all of us at the VSB!
DNA's 60 Day Wonder - Auto-flower, in Autumn bloom.

Monday 17 September 2012

Please visit sensiblebc.ca and register to vote in the upcoming referendum
 to decriminalize cannabis in
British Columbia.


Friday 7 September 2012

kalashnikova.... CHECK THIS OUT!

A recent strain brought to us in Victoria from none other than the legendary Greenhouse Seeds has once again blown our minds! 

Kalashnikova a.k.a. White Widow x AK-47



2 amazing parent strains, both dank as hell, and solid producers. Ideal for pain management. 



These genetics have an unbeatable price of only $35 for 5 fem seeds!
And as always, we guarantee our seeds will be viable.


This strain is usually sold out within a week of it's arrival, so grab it while you can. 

Have a lovely weekend :D



Sunday 15 July 2012

The truth about weeds

Anyone of us with a basic knowledge of herbal medicine knows that nature is full of endless potential for healing. Almost every plant out there has medicinal properties, especially within the category of those considered weeds.

~

Dandelions are considered by many to be a very invasive plant. Most people dread removing them from their lawns and gardens, and some people even turn to herbicide to get rid of them! It's an unfortunate mind set that is in dire need of reconsideration. 

 
Dandelion root has been used for centuries in tea and tincture as a powerful liver and kidney tonic. The leafy greens can be used in salad, soups, or cooked as a side dish similarly to spinach. They are very high in vitamins A & C, Calcium, and Iron- surpassing spinach in its Iron content.

 The yellow flowers are used to make dandelion jam and wine. They can also be infused into oil which is then used as a topical medicine for muscle and joint pain, sprains, bruises, cuts and scrapes, burns, and dry skin. Dandelions may no have originated in North America, but the little (to no) harm they may cause is virtually nothing when compared to the amazing healing powers they possess.


Want to live a long healthy life? Quit spraying your dandelions with cancer causing chemicals, and start making tea out of their roots instead.

~

Another amazing plant commonly mislabeled as a weed is the Milk Thistle.


The Milk Thistle is entirely edible, though requires a little grooming first to remove it's pointy spikes. In the 16th century this plant was a common sight at meal time. It can be boiled, baked, fried, or eaten raw. Today it is more commonly used in herbal medicine as a very strong liver tonic.
It can usually be purchased in tincture form at your local organic food, or herbal medicine store.
It is the seeds of the plant which are utilized medicinally. Research suggests that milk thistle extract both prevents and repairs damage to the liver from toxic chemicals and medications. In fact it has proven so efficient, that if administered within 48 hours of ingesting a deadly Amanita mushroom (Death Cap), it can detoxify a persons liver not only to the point of survival, but to the point at which their liver is virtually undamaged by the deadly toxic mushroom! 


It is astounding to think that such an abundant and powerful herbal medicine has been outlawed. 

~

The list of Herbal medicines outlawed as weeds grows longer every year. A few other harmless yet amazingly edible and/or medicinal 'weeds' include; Burdock, Chicory, Chickweed, Cleavers, Lamb's Quarters, Mullein, and even the legendary St. John's Wort is not welcomed by the B.C. government. Understandably, some plants considered weeds are legitimately invasive and down-right dangerous to an eco-system. Those such as Knapweed, and Scottish broom have proven themselves devastating to the B.C. environment, and have very little practical use. It's hard to accept that plants of this destructive magnitude are considered ecologically on par with our friend and ally; the dandelion.


So next time you look out at your yard or garden and think, 'why are there so many weeds'?, perhaps instead you should be asking yourself, 'Have I eaten enough greens lately'?

~

VIVE les mauvaises herbes!

Friday 13 July 2012

The sights, sounds, and smells of summer in Victoria...


 
As Victoria's annual Ska-fest is in full swing, the feeling of a real summer has finally graced the city. The warm evening breeze echos with thunder in the distance. Flowers are blooming and the potential for an excellent fruit and vegetable harvest is looking good.


One of the pleasures of living in a city as laid back as Victoria, is the ever present sweet scent of sensimilla. It is so common in fact, that often the fragrance goes unnoticed after a few hours of downtown shopping.


Our store in Victoria is happy to offer a huge selection of herb & vegetable seeds, as well as a fresh stock of medicinal cannabis seeds. We also carry rare and unusual live plants such as Ashwagandha, Hops, Patchouli, and cactus.


Our passion flowers are blooming! Come check them out soon. :)
~VSB~

Friday 9 March 2012

Cutest Strain Ever!!

Thanks to the customer who brought this adorable photograph of his plant - with a little visitor!

Sunday 4 March 2012

Whatever Happened to Johnny Pot?


We had to share this article found in the google news archives.  Published on Oct.16th 1968 - there are several other similar news stories printed in local papers about the legendary 'Johnny Pot'.

Thursday 1 March 2012

Imported Seed List Spring 2012


Canadian Cannabis Menu for Spring 2012


A simple garden plan for this spring!

A simple plan for a bountiful garden in a small space.
Check out www.vancouverseedbank.ca for a wide variety of strains for your urban garden or backyard patio.  Hundreds of varieties to choose from at reasonable prices.  

Non of our seeds are genetically modified, all of our seed sources follow the safe seeds pledge 
 "Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economic, political, and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, to genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems, and ultimately to healthy people and communities." 
~ from the Council for Responsible Genetics, www.gene-watch.org

Sunday 5 February 2012

Resist Monsanto - Grow Your own Food


Monsanto Currently owns 40% of the world's seed supply.  This link will bring you to a page full of great documentaries and lots of useful links.  Monsanto has been around for over 100 years, leaving nothing but destruction and death in its wake.  It's time to stop the madness.  



Friday 27 January 2012

Keep Monsanto Out of Your Garden this Spring

The Vancouver Seed Bank supplies seeds of ALL KINDS, not just Cannabis.  Our vegetable and herb seed stock comes from Canadian Sources who follow the Safe Seeds Pledge.

This article is packed full of useful information.