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Heirloom Plants & Gardens

inexpensive heirloom seeds?

11 years ago

What are your sources, other than trading? I've traded on GW and enjoyed it but it was time-consuming - some years I'd just like to place an order and be done with it.

Pinetree has been my go-to, but last year with seed packages running between one and two dollars, it added up.

I just ordered 25 packets for $25 from Cherry Gal - 2012 seeds - haven't received them yet. She carries a lot of what Baker Creek has.

There's legumes from the bulk bins - have gotten Puy Lentils and Scarlet Runner Beans - Whole Foods is expensive for food but you can get the equivalent of a seed packet for a quarter - I guess you could try grain too. Saving the seeds from farmer's market tomatoes. Seed snitching - if it's hanging over the public sidewalk; it's fair game. And ones that are maybe not fair game.

My brother says the Walmart where he lives in NC has ten cent seed packets, not the Walmart here by a long shot!

What are your inexpensive, cheap, stay-in-budget sources?

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Comments (9)

jimster
11 years ago
Indeed, the price of seeds has become a major issue for us gardeners. I resist spending $2.95 per pack. Here are my strategies:

1. Seed saving has become very important to me.

2. Trading (often outright gifts from generous GWers). This usually results from participation in specialized forums.

3. Sandhill Preservation has an excellent selection and reasonable prices, including reasonable shipping cost.

4. End of season seed sales at local garden centers and hardware stores. I got a lot of Burpee seeds last fall for fifteen cents a package.

Jim
NickDanger1
11 years ago
The Sample Seed Shop is inexpensive.
Sandhill Preservation is is also very good as Jim said.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Sample Seed Shop
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fusion_power
11 years ago
You can browse through several hundred seed suppliers from this link. I recommend Sandhill

Seed Suppliers

DarJones
mswillis5
11 years ago
I have ordered from Artistic Gardens this last year. Sample seed packets were $0.40 each and had plenty of seeds in them. They are also in the link from fusion power. I currently have chard and carrots that are doing amazing from them are both are heirlooms.

Here is a link that might be useful: Artistic Gardens
RpR_
11 years ago
If you search the net, typing in open pollinated rather than heirloom can at times find one the same seed from a cheaper source.
nico_girl3
11 years ago
Heirloomseeds.com doesn't seem to be to expensive.As a newbie point of view they seem to have a pretty good variety of seeds to get to. I think when I order seeds I'll do it from them.

Nico
eepi
11 years ago
Another endorsement for The Sample Seed Shop. Remy, who owns/runs it, is an individual, not a huge corporation. She's a GardenWeb member, too!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sample Seed Shop on Rate & Review Vendors Forum
JoppaRich
11 years ago
I bought seeds from Cherry Gal a couple years ago. I had quite a few issues with poor germination, and typically you're only getting roughly 10-20 seeds per pack. yeah, shes cheap.

If you want to try a plant or two, shes a great option. If you want to grow a bunch, shes probably not a good one.
dons916
11 years ago
It is hard to buy seeds from a gardener that you don't know becuase, if the plants are not isolated then there is the risk of crosing and you don't get what you though. Just saying

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