I get my zinnia seeds from a variety of places. Mainly i check out the catalogs and other seed sites and make a list of the ones i want then go trolling for them at the cheapest place I can find them. I eally like the swallowtail seeds site but the queen lime seeds I recieved from them did not germinate so I then ordered from ebay and got a 50% germination so at least I will be able to collect seeds from them. As for saving my own seeds I do not mind waiting to see what I get. It might be less than the parent or who knows it might become a new favorite. Paula

I agree with Irisgirl about checking out Bakemom's Newbie Seed Project and also note that Trudi offers a continuing SASE with Wintersown.org. Check the Seed Exchange for SASE (SASBE) offers. And join one of the big swaps on the Round Robin Exchange (I recommend the Rare/Named/Unusual swap going on now - you'll need a few named cultivars for that). You may think "Oh, I can only contribute 5 packs of seeds", but you will get a guaranteed 5 different ones back, and if you state that you're a "newbie", most likely you'll get way more. A lot of us "vets" send in hundreds of seeds to the swaps, and beg the host not to send that many back - that means the host is grateful to have newbies to distribute the extra seeds to. Don't be afraid to indicate to a swap host that you'd be grateful for extras, and if you're so inclined, including a little extra postage in your bubble mailer is always a blessing for the swap host (although many of us vets include extra postage for distribution, so the host doesn't have to pick up the tab). Not only bang for the buck, seed trading is by far the most fun way to acquire a huge stash of new seeds. Then you can have fun looking them up on the 'net as far as growing requirements and what they'll look like. Have fun!

Here I go, raving about this woman's site again. I can't help it: when I find someone who sells a LOT of high-germination rare seeds for VERY little (and is a good person and great resource), I just want to broadcast. I guess that makes me a gardener. Anyway, Diane's site has little Glassine envelopes at $1 for 20. I'll post the link down below. I usually spend $5 for a hundred, and that lasts forever. I use them for the teeny seeds, and just plain coin-envelopes (a couple of sizes) for the larger ones. She's in the USA, which is a bit of a pain in that you have to wait a week or so. Hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: glassine seed envelopes

When a company is not mentioned as a favorite of many people, that's sort of a clue. It used to be really good, I thought, and I used to order a lot from that company. Nowadays, I don't order nearly as much from them as I once did. I am afraid their history of bankruptcy and financial issues seen to have ruined what once was a great company. For what it is worth, I did really like them back before all their troubles developed and I am hoping they will turn things around and become the strong, reliable company they used to be, and that's why I still order a few things from them every year. I'd like to see them get back on track. However, and I need to make this very clear, lately when they ship they are slower than Christmas so I never order any seed now that I expect to grow now. I'll order in spring for fall planting, for example, or order seed in the fall for planting next winter or spring. Other people may have had better experiences with them these last few years than I have. Bush Early Girl, and about a gazillion other tomato varieties are available from other sources, including the one I linked below....and this particular company has shipped faster than most others in the summer when I have ordered from them at this time of the year. Plants from the local greenhouse should be fine, unless they have been very rootbound for too long. I try to buy plants early enough after they have hit the shelves that they are fresh and haven't had time to get rootbound yet. Please note: if she is selling plants right now that are leftovers from the recommended planting time for spring tomatoes (April 10-30), I certainly wouldn't buy them. If they have been in the same pots that long, they're too rootbound for you to expect them to do well if planted in July. If I was in NE OK, I'd look for plants from Duck Creek Farms (check their website, it tells you which farmer's markets or garden shows they're scheduled to sell at this year) or from The Tomatoman's Daughter in Jenks. I am pickier about summer transplants than spring transplants. Most any tomato plant you buy in spring will adjust to being transplanted and will thrive as long as it isn't sick with a fatal illness when you buy it. In summer, with the extreme heat and all, plants that are not in superb shape at transplant time can struggle. The summer planting conditions are just a lot more challenging than spring planting conditions. There's also a Rate & Review Vendors forum here at GW. You could go there and see how folks feel about the seed company you mentioned. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: BEG at TGSC