Growing since 1989

I have been farming at this location on Vashon Island since 1989. I grow only specialty and heirloom varieties that are particularly well-suited to our maritime climate. Many of these varieties have been sold in fresh markets for hundreds of years but are not avaialable in stores because they do not ship or hold well. Their value lies in their taste, and for that reason they continue to be grown and sold throughout the world.

What's in a name?

Potager is the French word for kitchen garden. I have chosen the name Pacific Potager for my farm and nursery because I specialize in heirloom varieties from Asia as well as Europe. I grow over 800 varieties of tomatoes, salad greens, vegetables, herbs and flowers for the Northwest kitchen garden and table.

Where to Buy

During the year I sell from the self serve market stand at my farm (located one mile north of the Talequah ferry on the Vashon highway), and during the spring, summer and fall I sell plants and produce at the Saturday Vashon Farmer's Market located in downtown Vashon.

I am committed to quality and affordability. I want to share my love of gardening and help people have a successful and beautiful kitchen garden.

I buy my seeds from seed companies that have varieties for short season summers, maritme climates, and that promote diversity in preserving heirlooms from around the world. I trial many new varieties each year and am interested in trialing on behalf of customers. My tomato and other plant starts are all varieties that I grow for produce for the farm, so these varieties really do work here in Puget Sound gardens.

I use composting, fish meal, alfalfa meal, bone and kelp meal as well as cover cropping for my soil's nutrition. I use no chemical or synthetic fertilizers. For pest management (a very rare problem in a well established biodiverse garden) I use hand control and plant based interventions. My only pests are slugs and occasional outbursts of flea beetles that are fond of Asian greens, particularly giant red mustards which I use as a "catch crop" for them.