Best Online Store to buy seeds?

[secuono]

I need to buy seeds this week!
I'm looking through johnnyseeds.com, what other stores are there?
I'd like to order in the next few days.

My Wish List for Johnnyseeds is 45+!
I need to get that slimmed down a bit!
Which types of plants do you guys prefer in each category? Ones you see grow and do best in Zone 7?
I'm looking for Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Pumpkins for the most part. Cukes & Potatoes will be for us, rest is mostly for the hogs, maybe some sold to family as well.
But I want to try again with some Lettuces, Broccoli, Cauliflower and other similar things. Again, mainly for the hogs, also rabbits, but sold to family. Cauliflower and Broccoli we'll eat, too.
I've been buying Yukon Gold from the local farm store, first type I've tried years ago and they do real well. I failed to save any this year for next year. But before, I've saved them. So now I need new seed taters! Should I try a different variety? I mainly use them mashed, cubed or sliced.



Also!
Do any sell started plants? The little ones, soon after sprouting and have some or a fair amount of real leaves on them. Has anyone tried them? How did they arrive? Did they grow nicely, did it save you any bit of change?

 

[so lucky]

Gee, I would think buying bedding plants on line would be an expensive proposition.
That would not be my choice, unless I absolutely felt I had to have it and that was the only way to obtain it.
@secuono, aren't there garden stores in your closest town? You may be able to get better known varieties of seeds there in a couple of months, and save the mail order money for the rarer items.
One of the hardest thing for gardeners to manage is patience, but believe me, if you plant a bunch of seeds now, you will be frustrated because they will outgrow your space before time to put them outside.
If you absolutely can't wait, just plant a few seeds of something--maybe peppers, because they take so long to germinate. Or a cool season crop that you can plant outside early. That way, if you have a failure (and we all do) you will have time for a redo.

 

[ducks4you]

I prefer to buy bedding plants locally, and help the local economy. On Mid American Gardener recently they explained that the big, beautiful plant that you see in the catalog often arrives in the mail as a dead looking, 3 inch stick. It's viable, but it will takes months and good care to look like that picture. If you wait and buy and a local nursery (that isn't a chain), you get a healthy plant and advice for care.
Ever the frugel/cheap shopper, I prefer to check out local places in the winter, like Lowe's, where I have found bedding plants uber cheap, that just needed some TLC and time in my basement windows to strengthen up, after being transplanted bc they are also potbound.
Just some thoughts, but I KNOW how tempting those catalogs are!!

 

[digitS']

You have looked at one of my favorites, Johnny's.
I also order quite a few from Harris Seed and Stokes.

These tend to be fairly large packets of seeds and suit my fairly large gardens. I can get too large of packets from Jordan Seed, for example. The same is true with HPS Seed but the deal there is that the same seed is available from Jung's in smaller amounts.

For a small garden, Pinetree has a wide selection, good prices, and small packets.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

I need to buy seeds this week!
I'm looking through johnnyseeds.com, what other stores are there?
I'd like to order in the next few days.

My Wish List for Johnnyseeds is 45+!
I need to get that slimmed down a bit!
Which types of plants do you guys prefer in each category? Ones you see grow and do best in Zone 7?
I'm looking for Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Pumpkins for the most part. Cukes & Potatoes will be for us, rest is mostly for the hogs, maybe some sold to family as well.
But I want to try again with some Lettuces, Broccoli, Cauliflower and other similar things. Again, mainly for the hogs, also rabbits, but sold to family. Cauliflower and Broccoli we'll eat, too.
I've been buying Yukon Gold from the local farm store, first type I've tried years ago and they do real well. I failed to save any this year for next year. But before, I've saved them. So now I need new seed taters! Should I try a different variety? I mainly use them mashed, cubed or sliced.



Also!
Do any sell started plants? The little ones, soon after sprouting and have some or a fair amount of real leaves on them. Has anyone tried them? How did they arrive? Did they grow nicely, did it save you any bit of change?

I put everything I want onto their online order form. Then when it approaches $400 I go back and delete everything that I cannot afford. I had good luck with Johnney's last year. I also buy Burpee but, the quantity of seed you get is abysmal. Burpee in the big box stores is very reasonable.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In the last few days I've gotten catalogues form Shumway, Farmer Seed & Nursery, Gurney's, Jung, Burpee, and Territorial. That's just since Christmas. I don't have a clue how many others I've received. I'm sure all of them have online sites. I have ordered from Burpee and Territorial, mainly things I can't get locally but that I want. I much prefer getting things locally, both to support a local Mom 'n Pop and because the prices are so much better. There is a local "organic" "open-pollinated" guy I also buy from. For example, seed potatoes at the Mom 'n Pop are around $0.59 per pound. I can get 10 pounds of those for what it would cost me to buy and ship one pound online. I'm limited in what varieties I can get but I'm OK with that.

I have ordered started tomato plants before from Burpee. They are expensive but it was the only way I could get what I wanted after a failure in starting seeds. The plants arrived in great shape. I've ordered some Paprika pepper plants from Territorial this year and some tomato plants from Burpee. I could have just ordered seeds and started them myself but we are planning a trip to Scotland this spring and it's just more convenient to get the plants when I need them instead of trying to keep them alive when I'm gone for almost two weeks.

I'm not going to try to suggest which varieties you should get from whom. Our zones are about the same but our climates are different. I'm drier than you are. I think trial and error is the only way to determine what actually works best for you, though chatting with a local Mom 'n Pop gardening store (not a national chain) or maybe Master Gardeners can procure some valuable suggestions.

 

[digitS']

For example, seed potatoes at the Mom 'n Pop are around $0.59 per pound. I can get 10 pounds of those for what it would cost me to buy and ship one pound online.

I have refrained from "bad mouthing" Territorial. I really appreciate their honest trials and descriptions, and their wide selection - but where do they come up with those potato prices!?

Irish Eyes is closer and the shipping cost is lower for me .

I was gonna suggest Southern Exposure Seed, although I've never ordered from them. Then, I looked at their spud prices .

I think they are in Charlottesville, VA. Is that close? They could be a good and fun source for seed.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

I wasn't specifically thinking of Territorial with the seed potatoes, just ordering potatoes in general over the internet. But yeah, $16 for two pounds before shipping? Ridiculous! And that is Yukon Gold or Kennebec, not some rare special potato. I can get both of those at the local Mom 'n Pop.

 

[baymule]

I order from Baker Creek. Love their selection and service.
www.rareseeds.com

Another favorite is Seed Savers Exchange
http://www.seedsavers.org/

And Bountiful Gardens
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
http://www.southernexposure.com/

For buying already started plants, shop local. You see what you are getting and you know what you are paying for.

For the hogs, plant turnips, watermelon, the large squashes such as hubbard and pumpkins. Oh and sweet potatoes! When you harvest, you can give them the vines first, then the sweets.

 

[majorcatfish]

pretty much stick with territorial, johnnys, stokes, totally tomatoes or tomato growers supply. of course there's always the experiments that my norms do not have.

since i am limited on starter space will hit the farmers market for the easy starter plants and herbs, over the last couple years quite a few vendors have been increasing varieties which is very nice, you can buy 1 or 2 or mix up a 6 pack and it only costs you a couple dollars.

last year did order from the potato garden but can not justify their shipping charges order $20 worth and the shipping is the same, ouch. will be hitting up the local feed store for them, nothing fancy this year.