Store bought or catalog seeds?

[sunnychooks]

What is the difference between the seeds sold in stores (like Agway or Home Depot) and the ones that are ordered through catalogs. I noticed everyone here uses catalogs. Is there a reason? Are the catalog seeds of a higher quality, or fresher? Or is there just more of a variety?

 

[jc12551]

I think just more of a variety and you can get your seeds sooner than in the stores. I do both. I buy common varieties cheaper at stores and order special varieties.

 

[patandchickens]

Seeds from a good catalog-sales company are basically guaranteed to be a) fresh and b) properly stored.

OTOH seeds you get at the local big box store, it is wise to squint at the 'packed for the 200<whatever> season' print to make sure they;re not last year's leftovers, and you have absolutely no way of knowing how they've been treated after they left the packaging company. Poor storage (too hot, too cold, too humid, whatever) can really mess up viability.

Plus, there are a lot of things you just can't GET at the local big box store (or farm store, or garden center, or whatever).

Not to say you *shouldn't* buy from your local store, I'm just laying out the issues involved.


Pat

 

[sgtsheart]

I ordered the majority of my seeds from a catalog to get the varieties I wanted, especially in the herb dept. I'll get my tomato plants locally, since I really don't have the room to start them from seed. And I get my pole bean seeds locally because Kentucky wonders are very common and easy to find in seed.