I also found that Johnny's were expensive. Were you ordering from their regular catalog or the commercial catalog. BIG difference in prices.

I buy from Jordan seeds out of MN for several things, but I didn't buy everything from them.

You have to do a spreadsheet type of thing and make sure that you add the shipping. I pay shipping with Jordans, but their prices were cheaper with the shipping than others with the 'free shipping'.

I've never had a bad experience in regards to germinating, but there's always a first.

I've used Rupp, Seedway, Stokes, Jordan's, and tomato growers.

Marla

I get almost all my seed I have to buy from Fedco.

Ok, I will look into those. I have been ordering from their regular catalog. We like their seed, just found it to be at a premium price and cost to ship. We need to cut the costs as best we can.

I don't think that Johnny's has a different commercial catalogue, at least i've never seen or heard of it. Their prices get much cheaper when buying large quantities and their quality really can't be beat. Shipping can usually be free with a coupon code or if you buy over $100.
You can also look into Osborne seeds, I buy quite a bit from them and find the quality excellent.
Good luck.
-Mark

I will second Mark's recommendation with Osborne Seeds. I started ordering from them 3 or 4 years ago because they had a pepper that did really good for me. I have been ordering more and more from them ever since. They have many different varieties than other companies, in my opinion.

I also have never heard of a commercial Johnnys catalog.

It has been my findings that you do get what you pay for. I can go down to the hardware store and pick up some radish seeds for 59 cents a scoop or I can pay $3.00 for a similar amount. Now when it comes time to plant and my 59 cent seeds, they don't come up very well. Why, because they have been sitting in that box for over a year at less than optimal storage conditions. Now my $3.00 seeds all came up as they are new and stored under optimal conditions. It is also a better variety and I harvest in 21 days. My 59 cent ones are still growing, not very uniform and require another two weeks to grow. True story, Cherry Belle 59 cent seed, $3.00 ones, Crunchy Royal.

Cheap isn't better, but quality is. Find the quality at the best price and go for it.

Jay

Johnny's does indeed have a commercial catalog. I don't know if the prices are cheaper other than you can buy in bulk amounts via the commercial catalog and they have some varieties in the CC that they do not have the home gardeners catalog.

I get my seeds through Fedco, Johnny's, Seed Savers and I save a lot of seed which makes up around 1/3 to 1/2 of what we plant.

Jay that is basically what I am looking for. Just trying to make things profitable.

how much seed are you buying?

I have enough holes for 5,550 seeds in the starting trays. We will buy more of things like beans, okra, and the like that we don't start in pots.

Hope to sell some starts this year.

I order from several sources, but the bulk of my orders come from DeBruyn out of MI. I have never been dissatisfied with their seeds. I also order from Osborne, NE Seed, and Twilley. Twilley's is fantastic. For small quantities of things I like to experiment with, Pinetree is good. I also order from Jungs. I also order a lot through Baker Creek for heirlooms. Johnny's is good, but I can't justify the extra expense, and their shipping is outrageous if you can't get a coupon.

I just spoke with a rep from Johnny's and they do not have a commercial catalogue. If anyone has one, i'd like to see a photo of it.

Lol, I too have been denied the secret Johnny's commercial catalog that I first learned of here a couple years ago. They did send me their secret earthway carrot plate last year so I don't feel totally left out....

Johnny's and High Mowing are where I get the bulk of my seed. I'm also becoming fond of Adaptive Seeds in Sweet Home, Oregon and are trying more of their varieties each year. Johnny's has free shipping if your order is over $200 and mine easily is for my main order in January. I try to order the years seed in January but always end up ordering more in June.

You definitely get what you pay for. I don't have time to experiment with unreliable seed. Seeds are one of the best bargains in life anyway.

Anyone use mountain valley seeds?

In 25 years of dealing with Johnnys never had a bad thing to say about them. They dont sell super hots but there greens selection is one of the best. Always had good generation, Good tomato selection also. Micro Greens are a must have. Good company and there seed come in a week. Good selection of Asian Greens. I go for good results vrs. price and Johnnys is one of the best Ive found. Im a loyal customer and dont see that changing any time soon.

My absolute favorite seed company is Pinetree..... they have heirloom seed, new seed, Italian, oriental, indian and hard to find seed at REASONABLE prices!!!! I have used them for years, love their Pruden purple tomatoes, their wide assortment of greens and herbs.... sweet annie,3 foot high stock, Iput them i plantes to bing in the house an they bloon over the winter and smell great,,.. spices and plenty of actual seed to plant superseed.com o rE PINETREE.@Superseeds.com

I guess they don't do two separate catalogs any more but the used to as I used to get both (but since JSS hasn't sent me a paper catalog in over 3 years I doubt that I still have a copy of their commercial growers catalog, but maybe in a pile of magazines there is still a copy from way back (I have been using these guys since 1994).

I see on their website they no longer have a commercial section. But they do have commercial accounts (I have one, it gets you an in house credit line, among other things) and I see they still have commercial sales reps, I assume for bulk orders, something a home gardener would not need.

I get a lot of seed from Nolt's in PA. Good seed and very reasonable. There shipping is much cheaper than other companies too.

http://www.noltsproducesupplies.net/

Nolts is very cheap for bulk seed, as long as you don't need organic. I buy a lot of supplies from Nolts, and wish that I could buy seed from them because their prices seem very good, but we're an organic farm.

I buy from FedCo, Johnnys, High Mowing, and Peaceful Valley. I think FedCo and Johnnys have the best prices, but I can't find everything I want from them.

I bought seed potatoes from Peaceful Valley last year, but they shipped them in January and everything froze. They refused to delay shipment this year, so I ordered from Maine Potato Lady. Selection is better and prices were a bit lower than Peaceful Valley anyway - and she doesn't start shipping until end of March.

I also don't have one of their commercial catalogs. I used to get them, still wasn't cheep enough for me. I will say that if I need information, I could look it up things with them.

I have bought other things from nolts, they have good prices. There seed is good as well?

Good place for bulk seed is hazzardseeds.com. Good prices, great germination rates. Ballseeds.com is good also. I also get supplies from Nolts but there is also one in Iowa, no online view though, have to call them for catalog. Good prices on plastics, pots, trays, etc.

Johnny's seed for the simple fact that every package has a germination percentages and they will stand by there product..i buy everything form a 50 seed pac to bulk for 5 acres of sunflowers to 4000 tomatoes and lots more..

Mountain Valley Seeds is good. They are in my top three seed sources next to Fedco and Johnny's. I will have to look into the other sources suggested here.

Does anyone have a good source for cover crop seed?

Got our first order of seeds today from DeBryun today and I have to say that is the most seed we have gotten anywhere for 125.00 made an order to pine tree as well. Still need a few odds and ends but nothing major. We are happy with prices paid, hope they don't disappoint.

Morgan County Seed in Missouri is my favorite company to order from. They can be slow when they are busy, which they say up front in the catalog, but they have the lowest prices I have found. They also might possibly be the most honest people in the world. Their 'tomato fertilizer pack' is an excellent product at a very low price. It's two part, one is cal nitrate, the other is 4-18-38.

I also order from Johnny's and they are expensive, but they have good stuff. I order bulk sweet corn and herb seed from Seedway. Grandma always orders melon and pumpkin seed from Rupp. Twilley has a nice catalog, and I have ordered bulk pepper seed from them.

This post was edited by Cole_Robbie on Fri, Mar 28, 14 at 22:15