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Growing from Seed

Where do you buy or order seeds from?

15 years ago

I'm just curious - this is my second year growing from seed. Last year I just picked up seeds at the grocery store, kmart, and target. This year I'm considering ordering from Park Seed. Anyone have any suggestions? I want to grow african daisies, corkscrew vines, petunias, snapdragons, violas, and a variety of vegetables.

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Comments (12)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
15 years ago
I just got my first shipment of metasequoia seeds from Schumacher. http://www.sandemanseeds.com/search.asp has been talked about well on some of the conifer forums.

Here is a link that might be useful: Schumacher Seeds
kms4me
15 years ago
JL Hudson is my favorite, like Gardens North as well.
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I buy from several places. I can never seem to find everything I want at just one company. I particularly like Nichols Garden Nursery. They give a generous amount of seed for the price, have excellent service, and one of the best, widest selections of any catalog I have seen. I also order from Parks, Johnny's Select Seeds, Select Seeds (flowers), and very occasionally from Burpee, which I find to have some of the highest prices going. I just recently placed my first order from Swallowtail Seeds. I was very impressed with their selection. They are carrying a number of new plants that I will be eager to try. And, they are having a free shipping promotion for a $30 order. Just in case you're interested, here's what I got: PORTULACA, TOUCAN HOT MIX; ANGELONIA, SERENA BLUE and SERENA LAVENDER PINK (pelleted); VINCA, CORA DEEP LAVENDER HYBRID; SUNFLOWER, IKARUS; BEANS, FORTEX; TOMATOES, JULIET; ZINNIA, SUNBOW MIX. They also have the Fizzy pansies, for which I had already ordered from Hazzards. And finally, I order alot from Hazzards. (I believe my first recommendation came from Al. Thanks, Al! As always, you were spot on.) I tend to plant in masses: 20 flats of pansies each fall and usually a minimum of five flats of a kind for my summer beds. Hazzard's service is excellent, their selection very large, and their prices unbeatable. I would highly recommend them. Their packets come in quantities of 250 and 1000 of a kind. Keep in mind that if you want to do seed trades, you can buy one of Hazzard's big packages, use what you need, and trade the rest for other things. Honestly, the only seed company with whom I have ever done business, with which I was unhappy was Thompson and Morgan. They have a fantastic catalog, but year after year I had an enormous amount of trouble getting decent germination rates. I thought it was me. And then I saw on this forum somebody else comment on this. So, the next year I ordered elsewhere, and have never had any other germination problems.
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I like Stokes . . . I've bought flower seeds from them. Good selection & prices. However, I do not buy vegetable seeds from them. Most of them are treated. A couple other great seed companies that deal in Italian and/or European seeds are Gourmet Seeds & Seeds of Italy. Mostly veggies & herbs, some flowers, and garden stuff. They have stuff you can't find in the US and have huge seed packs. I have bought seeds from them in the past and they are excellent companies to deal with. The seeds packs are beautiful, made out of durable foil-type material and give great descriptions/instructions. Highly recommended!
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clumsygrdner
15 years ago
Whoever has cheap shipping at the moment lol.

Watersuntogether.com
Valueseeds.com
Cheapseeds.com
Superseeds.com
And for rare varieties

Rareseeds.com
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
15 years ago
When I order seeds mailorder it is because I want plants not found on most seed racks, not because they are cheaper. I like Hassards wholesale seeds, and seedhunt.com Al
wordwiz
15 years ago
I got 95 percent of my seeds (about 60 packets) from rareseeds.com

Randell is a good guy and $3 shipping, no matter how many packets you order is decent.

Mike
ncdirtdigger
15 years ago
I like swallowtail seeds for flowering plants, Diane's seeds for heirloom veggies. Before you order anywhere, check them out at the Garden Watchdog. It's a service that uses fellow gardeners to rate mail order sources.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden watchdog
macthayer
15 years ago
I buy almost all of my seeds from Thompson and Morgan. They are based in England, but you can get their seeds in America. They have a HUGE selection of all kinds of flowers and vegetables. I have always been satisfied with their products and recommend them highly. I'll include a link to their site.
MacThayer

Here is a link that might be useful: Thompson & Morgan
indyrose
15 years ago
Thanks for listing the places with cheap seeds! I grow a lot for charity sales, and I am always looking for bargains!

Indyrose
ruthsmith
15 years ago
I love fedco seeds out of Maine. Very reasonable price, lots of choices, they sell some organic, and no genetically modified seed. I have always had good luck with them. They are a no frills company, but the prices reflect that. Free ship over $35 or something like that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fedco Seeds
rj_hythloday
15 years ago
I did my ordering today.

About $30 from rareseeds
$100 from richters including a few plants
$40 from burpee

I also have 10 toms coming from wintersown
and a few toms that I got for sase earlier
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
15 years ago
I received my spring planting seeds yesterday from Hazzards. It seemed I had just placed the order so I looked it up. Five days to receive an order from Michigan to California. I knew they were prompt but they must turn around an order the same day received, complete. Al
seabeckg
15 years ago
Fedco, great choice, price and free shipping over $30. This year they shipped free even when my order slipped below $30 because a few were sold out. None of this 'we're sorry, you must order more...' bull. And they shipped Priority Mail to insure a timely shipment. Plus, they are a Co-op with excellent info and garden gossip. I like their Green stance but not a requirement for me..just an excellent source. Of course, some varieties I must find elsewhere such as Territorial though they have ridiculous shipping..

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