Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

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Mudpuppy
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Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by Mudpuppy »

I'm in the process of preparing my garden for the year, and I'm looking for recommendations of good online seed suppliers for fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds. My attempts to use Amazon last year were less than stellar, probably for good reason. I know we have an active set of gardeners here, so I'm hoping folks here will have recommendations for some reasonably priced online seed suppliers with good reputations.
MathIsMyWayr
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by MathIsMyWayr »

There was an article on Kitazawa Seed Company (Oakland, CA) in a local newspaper many years ago, but I never tried it.
https://www.kitazawaseed.com/all_seeds.html
MP173
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by MP173 »

Seeds n Such out of South Carolina has been my "go-to" the past couple of years. Web is seedsnsuch.com.

Also purchased from Johnny's out of Maine. I have found Johnny's to be quite a bit higher than Seeds n Such. Johnny's really puts out a great catalog....give them a call for one. Seeds n Such is a more basic catalog but better pricing. I had very good success with them.

It is that magical time of year when the catalogs start arriving.

Ed
galectin
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by galectin »

Over the past few years I have used Seed Savers and Baker Creek. They both have online catalogs as well as printed versions. These are both heirloom seed companies.

I have ordered online and they have filled my orders without any problems.
rick51
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by rick51 »

I don’t do much gardening these days, but I once did quite a bit and used Burpee seeds with good results.
This might be of interest -

https://www.thegardenglove.com/top-gard ... -catalogs/
cheapedy
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by cheapedy »

Sand Hill Preservation Center and Nativeseeds dot org are great if you would like to try heirloom and native varieties. Sand Hill is mail order only, download the catalog on their site and print order page, send with check or money order.

Native varieties are great. This past summer I planted Tepary Bean, which is considered one of the world's most drought-resistant crops. I sowed them in mid-summer before an expected heavy rain. I was amazed that they came up in about 6 days, and they withstood 100 plus temperatures in poor sandy soil. I did give them a good soak every two weeks or so and reaped a huge bounty of seed for planting this upcoming year.
Freetime76
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by Freetime76 »

This year I ordered from Gurneys (Indiana), they have a promotion until 1/24/2021. (Gurneys.com) I was trying to order close to our own climate.

I used to be a Burpee regular, because their seeds germinated well. I just felt I wasn’t getting many seeds per pack anymore.
Another vote for Johnny’s (Maine) - they have an overwhelming number of varieties.
Jungs was recommended to me by a family that grew for a living (jungseed.com).
If you’re into the non-GMO not hybrid seeds, try Seed Savers Exhange (Iowa, seedsavers.org).


Once you get one catalog, you’ll be inundated :D
Please spell out new acronyms. Thank you.
TheoBanana
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by TheoBanana »

+1 for Johnny's. Have been ordering from them for 12+ years.
https://www.johnnyseeds.com

Also have had good luck from Jung:
https://www.jungseed.com
Topic Author
Mudpuppy
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by Mudpuppy »

I'm still very much an amateur gardener, so the word "heirloom" is still a bit intimidating. Silly perhaps, but there it is. Although some of the varieties I plant, like Black Beauty zucchini, are the same varieties my great grandfather had in his massive backyard garden, so I suppose that's pretty close to heirloom.

I see several of the sites are warning of delays due to volumes and COVID. Guess it's good I'm planning now, although California is having freakishly warm weather this winter, so who knows when spring will roll around.
hudson
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by hudson »

Mudpuppy wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 2:02 pm I'm in the process of preparing my garden for the year, and I'm looking for recommendations of good online seed suppliers for fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds. My attempts to use Amazon last year were less than stellar, probably for good reason. I know we have an active set of gardeners here, so I'm hoping folks here will have recommendations for some reasonably priced online seed suppliers with good reputations.
I know that you asked for online. I don't do online because, I want something that works locally. I go to a local farm supply and buy the old fashioned way. I pick the variety or ask for recommendations. They scoop the seeds into an envelope. Their seeds and plants have done well for decades. My garden has gotten smaller since we rarely can or freeze, so I now go almost all plants.

I used to experiment and buy stuff from Park Seed in SC or other vendors; no more. I want stuff that works. The local store also gives excellent advice on any subjects... yard or garden.
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Mudpuppy
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by Mudpuppy »

hudson wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:38 pm
Mudpuppy wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 2:02 pm I'm in the process of preparing my garden for the year, and I'm looking for recommendations of good online seed suppliers for fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds. My attempts to use Amazon last year were less than stellar, probably for good reason. I know we have an active set of gardeners here, so I'm hoping folks here will have recommendations for some reasonably priced online seed suppliers with good reputations.
I know that you asked for online. I don't do online because, I want something that works locally. I go to a local farm supply and buy the old fashioned way. I pick the variety or ask for recommendations. They scoop the seeds into an envelope. Their seeds and plants have done well for decades. My garden has gotten smaller since we rarely can or freeze, so I now go almost all plants.
I have an extremely high-risk elderly relative living in my house, and I have not yet been able to get a vaccination appointment for that relative. All shopping has been converted to curbside pickup, delivery, and online shopping since the start of the pandemic. If I were still shopping in person, I know the local shop I would visit. I don't know the online stores to use though, because this is a whole new way of living.
hudson
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by hudson »

Mudpuppy wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:42 pm I have an extremely high-risk elderly relative living in my house, and I have not yet been able to get a vaccination appointment for that relative. All shopping has been converted to curbside pickup, delivery, and online shopping since the start of the pandemic. If I were still shopping in person, I know the local shop I would visit. I don't know the online stores to use though, because this is a whole new way of living.
I understand. I would do exactly the same.
I think that if I called my farm supply, that they would take my credit card over the phone, open the tailgate, and throw my order in back. The place is like Cheers; everybody knows your name.
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Flobes
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by Flobes »

Mudpuppy wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:20 pm I'm still very much an amateur gardener, so... Guess it's good I'm planning now, although California is having freakishly warm weather this winter, so who knows when spring will roll around.
+1 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Bonus: The printed catalog is a pure delight and an education.

Seeds Now
Organic non-GMO seeds. Lots of really helpful information and advice on the well-organized website.
Bonus: They offer 99 cent "sampler" packets, as well as variety packages and collections.
Status: Currently on COVID hiatus.

Onions sets from Dixondale. They know onions! Great service, great varieties, oh so good onions!

Depending on where in California you are, you might visit The Seed Bank in Petaluma, which is affiliated with Baker Creek Seeds. A destination experience, it's downtown (formerly housed in a grand old bank building ergo Seed Bank name). You'll discover an amazing compendium of everything garden: seeds, bulbs, plants, tools, guidebooks, etc. And extremely wise, very knowledgable, and eager to assist staff. They'll help you with your choices and offer invaluable advice. It's a fun ambiance, filled with happy people. Check out the guest book; people from all over the country and world visit, then write rave Yelp and Google reviews.
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celia
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by celia »

Flobes wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 7:02 pm +1 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Bonus: The printed catalog is a pure delight and an education.
+2 for Baker Creek

Heirloom seed are organic and the produce grown produces seed you can save and grow the following year.
barnaclebob
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by barnaclebob »

We order mostly from Territorial Seed and have good results.
MP173
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by MP173 »

I agree with Dixondale for onions.

I purchase the onion transplants rather than the onion sets. They grow quite well. Also purchase a bundle of leeks from them. DW loves the mild flavor of leeks.

Had pretty good luck this year switching over from regular onions to storage onions...lasted until Christmas.

Had very good luck for years with garlic. Purchased garlic "seed" from a local organic farmer for $2 per head and have used big and healthy from each year, planting in October. Big purple heads with 11 or 13 cloves.

Ed
forgeblast
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by forgeblast »

Baker creek for seeds, and johnny seed company.
for plants I had great luck with blackberries from nourse farms
Pense berry farm for elderberry
cas
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by cas »

Mudpuppy wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:20 pm I see several of the sites are warning of delays due to volumes and COVID. Guess it's good I'm planning now, although California is having freakishly warm weather this winter, so who knows when spring will roll around.
Yes, I was going to warn about not dawdling on ordering seeds.

I live in a climate not too different from Johnny's trial gardens in Maine, so they have been my primary seed source over the years. (Since OP is in California, a seed source with trial gardens more in that climate might be a better bet.)

I was expecting demand would be up this year, but it still somehow shook me about as badly as my first sight of last March's empty grocery shelves when I got to the Johnny's website and discovered that demand and COVID safety have pushed them into a decision to prioritize commercial/market gardeners this year. (Not complaining about the decision itself: seeds are essential to the market gardener's livelihood.)

Home gardeners can place orders only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And, very early in the ordering season, much of what I wanted to order was already out of stock in the home-gardener packet size.

Fortunately I should be able to eke out most of what I wanted to grow by using the leftovers from last year's seed packets ... maybe not quite the number of plants I was planning, but should be close if everything germinates ok.

I also looked at some other suppliers I have used (Burpee, Jung) and, on the face of it, they didn't seem to have the restrictions and out-of-stock problems that are showing up at Johnny's. But it might just be that their "out of stock" notices don't show up until you actually try to check out, rather than on the initial catalog page.
Luke Duke
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by Luke Duke »

Flobes wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 7:02 pm
Mudpuppy wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:20 pm I'm still very much an amateur gardener, so... Guess it's good I'm planning now, although California is having freakishly warm weather this winter, so who knows when spring will roll around.
+1 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Bonus: The printed catalog is a pure delight and an education.
I came to post this too. My wife is the gardener in the family, but I probably flip through the Baker Creek catalog 10 times/yr.

It appears that their website is down until tomorrow night.
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TnGuy
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Re: Preparing for 2021 Garden - Seed Suppliers

Post by TnGuy »

A very good company, based in Vermont, that I have used is High Mowing Organic Seeds.


David
"Money will not make you happy. And happy will not make you money." - Groucho Marx
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