Seed Catalogs, 2026

[digitS']

They have begun to arrive in the mailbox .

I can spend a lot of time in this lazyboy, at that table, stretched out in the other bed –– looking through the paper catalogs. HPS is always the first but they cheat a little by having a 2025-26 catalog. For supplies, I may order from them but with such a garden downsizing, their offers in "bulk" seeds is just gonna go right over my head. Likely, they and other seed companies will be weeding me out when they realize that I no longer will be spending BIG money on seeds. It's okay ... i guess ...

Tomato Growers came yesterday and it's always a special treat to look through their catalog for the tomato & pepper varieties. Somewhat remarkably, they aren't adding much that's new to them in recent years and what is new in 2026 are hybrids. It should be okay with you folks interested in heirlooms because it must be that 95% of what they offer are open-pollinated varieties. It did get me thinking about Tomato Growers' offerings over the years and I looked back at what I was saying on TEG. Here's a LINK on heirloom sources. First of all, and these days, HeirloomGal might want to raise her hand but I mentioned a Canadian seed source at that time and I'm pleased that Casey's Heirloom Tomatoes is still in business up there near Calgary. I have only ordered something special from him a few times.

Tomato Growers is on the post. The Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University is still in "business" but here is their new web address LINK. Seeds of Change apparently only sell their seed through retailers so you would have to check your local garden center. I haven't seen their seed for years, unfortunately. Skyfire is out of business so don't click the link on that old post.

I have "evolved" to having tomatoes as the "heirloom exclusive" vegetable in my garden, except for my person hybrid cherry . I am not, after all, averse to growing hybrids. Not saving those hybrid seeds is why I have received so many catalogs from some of the larger companies (not heirloom exclusive) over the years .

Steve, who also enjoys the Swan Island dahlia catalog that showed up last week. Now, where is that Richters Herbs ?

 

[digitS']

Something like this showing up in your mailbox?

 

[Alasgun]

I must be a stick in the mud? Same stuff, same quantity, same vendors; year after year. I did increase the Benary’s Giant Zinnia selection a little!

And, all of next years seed arrived last month!

Lately i’m real conscious of what i can do without next year, deletions are based on amount of work in relation to “output”. We’re seriously looking at eliminating Tomatoes next year as we only eat them once a week now.

Oh well; there’s always next year maybe i’ll be more fired up by then?
Mike

 

[flowerbug]

no, i try very hard to stay off mailing lists these days...

 

[flowerbug]

we normally eat a few quarts of tomatoes a week in something or the other.

 

[heirloomgal]

They have begun to arrive in the mailbox .

I can spend a lot of time in this lazyboy, at that table, stretched out in the other bed –– looking through the paper catalogs. HPS is always the first but they cheat a little by having a 2025-26 catalog. For supplies, I may order from them but with such a garden downsizing, their offers in "bulk" seeds is just gonna go right over my head. Likely, they and other seed companies will be weeding me out when they realize that I no longer will be spending BIG money on seeds. It's okay ... i guess ...

Tomato Growers came yesterday and it's always a special treat to look through their catalog for the tomato & pepper varieties. Somewhat remarkably, they aren't adding much that's new to them in recent years and what is new in 2026 are hybrids. It should be okay with you folks interested in heirlooms because it must be that 95% of what they offer are open-pollinated varieties. It did get me thinking about Tomato Growers' offerings over the years and I looked back at what I was saying on TEG. Here's a LINK on heirloom sources. First of all, and these days, HeirloomGal might want to raise her hand but I mentioned a Canadian seed source at that time and I'm pleased that Casey's Heirloom Tomatoes is still in business up there near Calgary. I have only ordered something special from him a few times.

Tomato Growers is on the post. The Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University is still in "business" but here is their new web address LINK. Seeds of Change apparently only sell their seed through retailers so you would have to check your local garden center. I haven't seen their seed for years, unfortunately. Skyfire is out of business so don't click the link on that old post.

I have "evolved" to having tomatoes as the "heirloom exclusive" vegetable in my garden, except for my person hybrid cherry . I am not, after all, averse to growing hybrids. Not saving those hybrid seeds is why I have received so many catalogs from some of the larger companies (not heirloom exclusive) over the years .

Steve, who also enjoys the Swan Island dahlia catalog that showed up last week. Now, where is that Richters Herbs ?

I looove when Richter's new catalogue comes out!

 

[heirloomgal]

no, i try very hard to stay off mailing lists these days...

I would love to be on a ton of mailing lists, but sadly I'm not. We don't have many seed places that seem to offer paper copies. I do buy Baker Creek's each year, and I do get Richter's, but I think that's it. I need to get me some real hook up culture with these seed shops that send out paper catalogues.

 

[digitS']

mailing lists

With some outfits, it seems easy to fall off their lists. That's okay. I save the most recent catalog and that can start me off in the right direction before I venture into the web.

Some companies rely too much on mailings — why do I already have 2 copies of HPS? Jungs/HPS have about 4 other catalogs. The out-of-the-blue outfits don't often have any influence. I've been perusing seed catalogs since the 60's. There's an attachment to some companies so I'm seldom distracted by flashy advertising.

 

[SPedigrees]

I would love to be on a ton of mailing lists, but sadly I'm not. We don't have many seed places that seem to offer paper copies. I do buy Baker Creek's each year, and I do get Richter's, but I think that's it. I need to get me some real hook up culture with these seed shops that send out paper catalogues.

I would say that if you go online and place a small order with a number of companies, you will receive paper catalogues from them all, but I'm not sure what their catalogue mailing policies are from the US into Canada. I guess it depends on the seed company.