Agree - the main reason is that the catalogs and online seed sites offer a much wider selection of varieties then is available locally.

Local stores tend to only carry the more common things or a few of the high demand varieties but with few seeds for several $$. EX: 8-10 of the 500+ varieties of tomatoes or 4-5 of the 100+ varieties of beans, etc.

Anything out of the ordinary, anything rare, most heirloom or open pollinated varieties, or anything that you want more than a few seeds for usually has to be ordered.

Dave

Selection is better. I do hate it when I order something online and then find it cheaper on the local rack, but when that happens it is generlly only for one or two packs out of an order of a dozen or so varieties that would never be found locally.

Sometimes the ones on the rack don't have quite as many seeds in them as the ones you order.

I use the 'rack' seeds for things that I want to try, example something new and unsure of. Not alot of investment. After I determine IF I like it, I search for commercial seed suppliers to get the seeds cheaper per seed. I plant alot, 1/4 acre per variety, so seed packets are not cost effective for me, except to 'try' something.

I have bought Burpee seeds from Wal-Mart and probably will this year too. The big difference I see is the number of seeds in the package can be extremely low. I bought a pack of their Zinnia Hilite a couple of years ago and was shocked to find only 8 seeds in the package. When you figure on the amount of seed, I'm not convinced you're really saving much/any money at WalMart. Also, as has been said, the Big Box stores tend to carry the same varieties ever year, since the public tends to buy the same varieties every year. This does not mean, however, that those are the most productive, most disease resistant, or even the best tasting varieties. Just because Grandpa grew it, doesn't mean it's still the best. (Doesn't mean it's not, either.)

Variety is important. There's no way I can find Sibley or Sucrine du Berry squashes off of any shelf I've even seen in Oregon. I depend on places like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds for that. And since I want them to stay in business, I order a few other seeds that I might otherwise be able to find on the rack. It's not that I think that I personally can keep anyone in business, I'm just voting with my dollars. Every bit helps.

those seeds at the wallyworld may or may not be fresh. Just something to consider.

Re:Quantity

The vast majority of the time, I don't want 100 of type of seed. Really, what are you going to do with 100 squash plants? 100 cucumber plants? I don't think I've ever bought veggie seeds and thought "Man, I really should have got 2 packs of this."

Re:Variety

No doubt that you can find a great variety online. The options are endless. However, if you are just starting to grow different veggies from seed, there is nothing wrong with grabbing the variety from the box store. Typically, they only stock things that a common and easy to grow in your area. After you grow it a couple times, you may want to experiment with different varieties online.

Also, seed catalogs usually contain more information about each specific variety of seeds. Information such as days to maturity, height, growth habit, flavor, etc. To be fair, some packages include this information as well, but most of us probably don't want to stand around in the store reading the backs of seed packets for hours.

-Diggity

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Imperative

Don't forget how exciting it is to get the seed catalogs in the mail and spend to short days of winter thumbing through, planning, wishing, and dreaming of the summer to come. I get seeds locally, but also by catalog, sometimes, I will admit, just so I can get another colorful catalog. When I was a young man, about 40 years ago, R. H. Shumway had the most entertaining catalog with the long, somewhat inflated descriptions, and the woodcut pictures on pulp paper. What a catalog that was for a winters read. Steve

Ive read that the seeds from box stores could be older so check for a date Also keep in mind that seeds need to stored away from light and humidity so if youre buying from a box store theres no way to know if they were properly stored if the date is older than planting season

Seed packets are stamped with a date for the year they are packed for and the seed companies usually pull them when they are expired and use those for donations. The main difference in purchasing seeds from a big box store or even a dollar store is limited variety and sometimes a smaller quantity. The weight of the seeds is also on the packet so you can compare.

There is variety to ordering. Also, in many places by the time the seed racks come out it can start getting a bit late to start some of the seed. I'm not fond of Burpee in general so that does not matter. I do sometimes pick up a couple packets here and there of other brands of seeds while I'm out and about. Depends on how the place handles their seeds.

It should be understood that even short time-scale heat is a killer for seeds, and you have no idea what conditions were seen by your seeds as they went through USPS processing, especially during the summer. In some respects, one might be more confident about big box store seed treatment. The big box stores KNOW what they're shipping and can be smart about how they do it. The USPS does not.

Very true that seed racks in big box stores often come out when it's too late. Down here, you seed tomatoes in January, and plant out in late February. Need to beat the heat in early summer. You often don't see summer seed racks out until March, such that by the time those tomato plants are mature, the plants will be enduring heat that will prevent pollination.

What I don't like about big box store seeds is that they ship them back as soon as they can. If they knew anything about what they were selling they'd realize that some folks replant for fall. They could at least save one rack with what folks would most likely plant for fall in their area.