I recently found a post on GW about an online seed company that I will start using. They have a great selection, and I think you should check them out. They also get all good reveiws on garden watchdog. Just go to.....
www.rareseeds.com

For my vegetable seeds, Fedco. Love their prices and their shipping charges (no charge for orders over $30).

Here is a link that might be useful: Fedco seeds

Most retail seed companies sell online. I choose the cultivars that I wish to plant in a given year and then order from the companies that have most of them. I have used many of them over the past several years. Baker Creek listed above is very good for "heirloom" type cultivars, so is Victory Seed or Sandhill Preservation. If you like some European cultivars either OP or hybrid, Gourmet Seed International. Older traditional cultivars, Landreth, Shumway. Melons, Willhite Seed. Recently released cultivars, New England Seed. The list goes on and on.

I have ordered from Seeds for Change and Fedco. I have to tell you that most of my seeds that I got from Seeds of Change did not sprout last year...or they sprouted VERY LATE (and...I sowed them inside in mid-March in the little peet containers that expand when you add water and they sat in a greenhouse type contraption...you see them at Lowes, etc.) I ended up going out and buying plants and THEN the seeds started growing (very odd).

My Fedco seeds did amazing and I will be ordering from them again this year.

Seeds of Change is good for oddball items.

Hope this helps!

Pam

There are some 30+ of them listed and linked in the Garden Bazaar here. You'll also find where NOT to buy seed reviews as well as reviews of great suppliers over on the Rate & Review Vendors forum linked below.

Also check out these previous discussions on where is the best place to buy seeds.

Where is everybody buying seeds?

Where to buy seeds come spring?

Favorite seed suppliers?

Hope this helps.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Rate & Revue Vendors Forum

Cathy, which type/kind of veggies are you planning?

I'm also Zone 5. For my own selections this year I've gone a new direction and so far have only ordered from women with their own sites. (I guess to be more precise blueribbontomatoes uses Ebay). But anyway Maria at blueribbon at Tatiana. Even though she is well publisized on this forum I'll post that link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tatiana's d-base

My favorite is Henry Field's.

I use Burpee and Irish Eyes Garden seeds

Pinetree Seeds

I get mine from Jung, Seed Savers, Totally Tomatoes, Johnny's and Pepper Gal

Other than those already mentioned....Artistic and Gurney's.

The great thing about Artistic is that you can order small sample packs of seed for 35 cents each. If you are just trying out a variety, this is a great way to go.

Gurney's sticks more to the everyday varieties, but with the $25 off coupon on the catalog, it is hard to say no.

Kay.

Here is a link that might be useful: Artistic Gardens

rareseeds.com a/k/a Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds RULES!!!

Thompson and Morgan are pretty durn good too.

Personally, AVOID PARKS SEED and it affiliates. Their germination rate wasn't as good as I thought they would be. Plus, trying to get a refund from them on plants is ridiculous! I had better germination rate on the ten cent packets from the Dollar Store, Walmart and Pharmacy's in the area.

This year I'm ordering from Vermont Bean & Seed for a bunch of pole beans, wax, green, & lima. They also had Giant Belgium and Big Zac tomato seeds that I wanted. The rest is from Johnny's, a variety of veggies, including New Girl hybrid tomato.

I usually make my decision based on which companies have the most seeds that I want and the best shipping rates, since shipping costs have gone so high.

Many of the ones I like have already been mentioned, but here's my list:

Seed Savers Exchange (Really amazing Heirlooms)
http://www.seedsavers.org/Content.aspx?src=buyonline.htm

Sandhill Preservation Center (Heirlooms, excellent prices, my favorite)
http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/pages/seed_catalog.html
(note: sandhill is online, but you will need to mail in the order)

Franchi/Seeds from Italy/Grow Italian (Fantastic Italian varieties, excellent germination)
www.growitalian.com

Bountiful Gardens (Heirlooms selected for high production in an intensive growing scenario)
http://www.bountifulgardens.org/

Pinetree Gardens (tried them for the first time last year, very pleased)
https://www.superseeds.com/

Evergreen Seeds (Asian vegetables - amazing selection)
http://www.evergreenseeds.com/

These companies are a bit different from the unsolicited catalogs you will get in the mail (Burpee, etc). Several are small family businesses. If you normally order from large corporations, why not try something different this year? You will not be disappointed!

Bellatrix

I can vouch for GrowItalian.com. I ordered mostly varieties from Southern Italy because of our similar climate, and have been very happy with them.

I also liked that their seed choices were enticing to traders and their packs were plentiful enough to support several seed exchanges. It was one of my best ever garden investments!

Came back to check out the posting to see about other companies and just checked out the Artistic website...VERY COOL! Allows you to try new seeds!

I will be ordering from them this year as well as Fedco.

Take care,

Pam

I agree about Parks. They use to be very good, but I stopped buying from them about 3 years ago, when I also experienced poor germination and then their prices went sky high.

First... Johnny's! Thier catalog alone is worth sending some business their way! I use the catalog like a handbook every year, but always order on line. The turn-around time is always excellent.

Also Seed Savers Exchange and Heirloom Seeds (I just sent my first order via internet to this one... the prices were far less than anywhere else. Time will tell if it was worth it or not).

Odds and ends go to Gurney's and Burpee. I used Vessy's last year, the seeds were good but the turnaround was very slow due to Canadian customs (they were very fair in re-sending one order that got lost in the process somewhere, but it slowed down some planting by the delay).

I use walmart, horizonherbs,for asian seeds--seedsofindia seeds pack. They seem to be pretty good. Works for me.
Have a question for Kay---how is the Artistic seeds germination, quality of the new plant?
Thanks in advance
A

http://www.woodcreekfarm.com/

I think that trying to buy from someone close by is smart. I would gamble on Johnny's in Maine being from Maryland, before Territorial in the pacific northwest.
~tom

Artistic sounds like a great way to try need plants and for cheap. Almost seems like a no brainer. I'm curious what others say. I'll look for a watchdog report. They have lotsa herbs - still looking for the elusive herb, "Yerba Buena" . Its supposed to be the authentic herb for making Mojitos. We have found "Kentucky Colonal" mint to be very good in its place...

I was surprised & disappointed that they only had a few tomato varieties though.

I have gotten some unusual tomato seeds from a GW member but normally just buy from Gurney's or Henery Fields. Hard to pass up the $25 coupon...I don't think much of their trees, but they do stick by their guarantee. I have noticed that the big box stores seem to be getting a better and bigger selection of seeds ever year.

Just ordered for the first time from Baker/Rare Seeds - was very happy with their selection. Hopefully all will come and germinate! Thanks for the info - they hadn't come up in any of my google searches.

Stay away from Reimer Seeds. I ordered Opalka seeds(first time) and they turned out to be the wrong tomatoes. Of course you don't realize this until they start ripening.
I like Burpees and Tomato Growers Supply.

Diane

A - I have never ordered plants from Artistic Gardens, just seed. I've been very happy with them. Good germination rate. I have a couple of packets from them that are several years old and am sure they will germinate just fine.

I don't know about anybody else, but I have just plain never been happy buying mail-order plants from anybody. Ever. I would rather go to the local mom & pop greenhouse.
Kay.

Johnny's, growitalian.com, Tomato Growers Supply, Sandhill Preservation, Seed Savers Exchange, Seeds of Change, High Mowing, Nichols Garden Nursery, Fedco and Osborne Seeds.

Ditto to Diane62, I ordered Opalka from Totally Tomatoes and they were the wrong variety also. This was probably the fault of the big commercials like Harris-Moran, Syngenta or Seminis, but when you're burned you don't go back. I did place an order with egardenplace, (which is Jungs, Shumway etc.) but it wasn't the $$ I normally spend there.

Fedco is my absolute favorite. Low cost super good quality and the best people. This company deserves a metal of honor. The BEST.

For those of you trying to find the businesses listed above, these links might help.

Gardeningplaces Online link page

Sandhill Preservation

Fedco

Bakers Creek

DarJones

I bought tomato seeds this year from a local farm I found via localharvest.org. The selection isn't nearly the same as large retailers but I don't have a ton of experience with heirlooms and the particular farm I used was really prompt and helpful and pointed me in the direction of some varieties that have tended to do well in our specific soil and climate. So far so good, I had 100% germination, that's a start!

Thanks to Martha Stewart Living for the link :D

Here is a link that might be useful: Local Harvest

My sister-in-law owns a seed company, Gardenmakers.com. They specialize in hard to find and specialty perennial flowers. However, she also has a booth at the Philadelphia Flower Show every year (The Seed Source) and that's where I got all my veggie seeds for this year's garden. I got seeds from Franchi (their flat, Italian pole beans are supposed to be THE best around), Seed Savers Exchange, and Renee's Garden, mostly. I'm trying some heirloom tomatoes from Seed Savers this year - I can't wait to see what they're like. I've heard great things about Cherokee Purple - can't wait to taste one!

Lisa

Valueseeds.com: this is the clearance arm of Thompson & Morgan. Odds & ends and some great bargains; low shipping costs.

Mr.Jones [Fusion Power] upthread has selected tomato/bean seed, but the most astounding collection of heirloom & other tomato seedlings for sale by mail order at exceptional prices. Exceptional plants & packing. I am a very satisfied customer, not a shill!!

So, not strictly a seed source, but those who want to try some rare/different varieties of tomatoes will find $40-50 the best investment. People get sticker stock but they end up spending more in potting mix, seed, XYZ, etc., before they get their assorted mix into the ground.

I mainly shop these places. I included rare seeds that each has. No problems with any of them. Sample Seed shop and Bakers Creek seem to be the best value.
Sample Seed Shop (has Romeo Roma Tomatoes)
Cherry Girl (has/d Aloe Ferox)
TomatoFest (Paul Robeson Tomatoes)
Bakers Creek (has Orangeglo Watermelons)
Seed Savers Exchange (general new releases)
Territorial Seed Company (has TRUE Indigo tomato seed P20-3-1 0)

Hi all, I am new here. I am looking for recommendations on online stores that ship internationally. Would be thankful for any advice.

Cheers!