Where do you buy your seeds?

[gone 2 seed]

I am trying to decide if I want to buy through a catalog and pay more or buy seeds locally from a hardware/feed store? The ones I can buy from the hardware/seed store in bulk cost about 1/4 of the price of seeds in the little packages.

 

[patandchickens]

If they've got stuff in bulk that is the plant and variety that you are looking for, AND you know the store well enough to be confident they buy fresh stock and store it well, that seems sensible.

OTOH an awful lot of things you can only find for sale in packets; and many (definitely not all; but many) brick and mortar stores mistreat their seed stock terribly, or buy it from suppliers who've mistreated it terribly, letting it get too hot or too damp or selling last year's seed as this year's. Reputable mailorder sources seem to me to have less variance in the germination rate of the seed they provide, b/c of better storage and handling.

So, like, clover or alfalfa I would buy in bulk at the feedstore; but if I want sunflower 'Italian White' and want to get 20-30 plants out of a packet of 30 seeds, then I would mailorder it. (If I was mailordering other things... I balk at paying $5 postage for $3 worth of seeds )

JMHO,

Pat

 

[vfem]

I've never done well with seeds from places such as Kmart. I always thought it was me. So I just bought started plants instead.

You're more then likely in my zone in NC and started buying online from Parkseed which is in SC and I'm very happy with them so far. The prices aren't bad either. I have some codes listed here for additional discounts while ordering.

Plus there are several seeds you can purchase from them in bulk 1/8 oz-1lb and pay by weight.

 

[allabout]

I am trying to decide if I want to buy through a catalog and pay more or buy seeds locally from a hardware/feed store? The ones I can buy from the hardware/seed store in bulk cost about 1/4 of the price of seeds in the little packages.

I am one of those people who loves to buy my gardening seeds at the feed store. I have no idea who supplies them with the bulk seed, but man I have wonderful luck! I hate to have to thin soooo much. But, it is a must. I plant large amounts compared to most everyone else...so it's much more cost effective also. Now, if I want something unusual....thats a different story.

As far as started plants, I do my cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, started from Bonnie Plants, purchased from my feed store also.

I'm there everyweek to buy chickenfeed anyway....can't resist!!

 

[Rosalind]

Yeah...it depends on what you're planting.

Personally, I order seeds online. I bought some feed store seeds last year towards the end of the season, figuring that since it was just for winter indoor crops of spinach and so forth, even a lousy germination rate would be tolerable. Uh, no. The only indoor seeds I planted that turned out at all decent were the ones left over from the spring orders. So I got no spinach this winter and I have a few little bitty cabbages that'll do for early summer slaw. But for a cover crop or hay seed, I would probably buy from the feed store, because I know they run through their whole stock about three times per year.

 

[obsessed]

I haven't had to great an experience with seeds bought from stores like kmart or homedepot, very low germination rates. I usually by started plants and they seem to do well.

This year I have bought seeds from Parks (they sent them in a 4 days), value seeds (bought at the the same time as parks and they haven't come yet in a week).

I am buying most of my seeds from Henry Fields, this year. They have a buy $25 get $25 free coupon on their catelog. They also have lot of seeds marked as "Southern Performer".

 

[SewingDiva]

I haven't had to great an experience with seeds bought from stores like kmart or homedepot, very low germination rates.

This has been my experience as well, and although I must admit started plants I've bought at my local Home Depot have been very disappointing; I've had much better experience with Lowes started plants and they have more interesting varieties.

As for seeds, Im pretty partial to Johnny's because they are local to Mass; their seeds keep a long time. I don't buy new seed each year, I try to use up what I have from the previous year unless I don't like that particular variety, such as "White Wonder"

tomatoes, which grew well for us but we didnt like the taste and texture. Last year I germinated 4 year old Johnnys Brandywine seeds and the germination rate was still 80%.

Phyllis

 

[gone 2 seed]

Thank you all.

So here is what I am thinking. Beans and peas I will buy local seeds. Tomatoes and peppers I will set out plants from the hardware store. Speciality veggies I will buy from a catalogs or on-line store. I need to go ahead and place an orde3r soon because I need to buy snow peas. I am pretty sure I am suppose to plant them in February or ealry March.

I wish we had an area here on the board by zone as I never know what to plant when.

 

[obsessed]

I sent for free tomatoes seeds from


www.wintersown.org


you pick ten varieties and they send you six.....

 

[vfem]

yep wintersown.org is addictings... and garden filling! LOL