Hello, my name is Margaret, and I'm a seedaholic. I buy seeds long after the optimal planting time is past. I buy seeds that are NEVER going to grow in my climate, (insert whiney voice here) but the picture is so pretty ! My addiction started long ago with seed savers exchange, where I found the German Pink tomato, and the old fashioned Johnson tomato. Not to be confused with the now common German Johnson. The Johnson was a red tangy tomato, full of tart goodness. Those were the good old days. Everything now is bred for sweetness.
Migardener hasn't let me down in years. I have old seeds that have still gone 100 germ. I love to support a simple home shop. Their customer service can't be beat!
@@Just-Nikki It does happen pretty often, and their cart is very frustrating, but they're a small family business, their fertilizer is excellent, and it's nice to not support big ag. Also, I'm sentimentally attached to them because I got the seeds for my first garden there and it came out great!
That Baker Seeds catalog is like crack on paper. It is beautiful and it was the first place I ever ordered from. I couldn't stop myself. I had to join the twelve step program for seed hoarders! 🤣
I have been a customer of Migardener for years, I buy more seeds from his family business every year. Great germination rates, excellent variety. Most seeds for your money, organically grown, heirlooms. I have been watching Luke garden since he lived with his parents before his family started. This man cares a ton about gardening, helping others, and ensuring quality. The seed co is so great, as it is rare, if they accidentally send the wrong order of seeds to you, you keep them and they rush your seeds to you. Grow big or go home! God Bless!
I only use Mi and Baker. I think because Luke is a small local operation his prices are incredible - sometimes 50% what others are charging. And the customer service is over the top.
anything i ever purchased from kitazawa has been successful, i am in central florida. malabar spinach, yard long beans, bok choy, onions not so good,but onions hate me
I literally stayed up all night once reading the stories behind the Rareseeds. Fascinating. Then I noticed the sunrise was coming in the window! Woops.
The Baker Creek catalog segment was so on point! I laughed very hard at how many times I just surf their website and end up with even just a few random items every single time!!!!
I really like True Leaf Market because they sell larger quantities of seed at really good prices. It’s way more economical than buying little packets if you are growing more than a few raised beds, truly trying to grow all the vegetables for your family.
These are the seed companies we love and use regularly. If you have any favorites I missed, let me know in the comments. If you're worried about the future of your food supply, I suggest getting a copy of Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening: amzn.to/3vE38YR And joint the Grocery Row Gardening experiment this year: amzn.to/374Icjy
I recently sold my farm and am very skeptical of claims John Q Public can "grow their own food". Wheat, rice and nuts provide the highest calories but we don't grow them. We eat corn, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, etc. We should eat around 2,000 calories /day but the average is nearing 3,500. Using a low metric of 3,000, an acre of corn has enough calories for 12, wheat 4, beans 1.2. And this is maximum yield depending on soil quality, weather, disease, pests and it can be planted, maintained, picked and stored in a timely fashion. it's why we get 99% of what we eat at the store. I like those end of the world stories where folks learn to survive but they rarely comment on losing access to milk products, salt, pepper, sugar, non-local spices, flour, rice, products not grown locally....you get the idea. Like it or not, our society is interconnected.
As soon as you started in on #3 I knew who it was Hahahaha I have HUNDREDS of dollars worth of seeds that are not going to save my family from starving thanks to their catalogue. One of my new years resolutions this year was to not buy any seeds from them....my $300.00 order placed in late January arrived in record time...
Me too! II'm not gonna buy oh look...pretty...No no no...well, maybe just this one...and this one...and look at that I've never seen that...ad infinitum.
Years ago, on a trip to the Laura Ingalls Wilder home, I saw a sign for seed savers and made a detour! My daughter was upset but knew she would still get there! Jere was barely out of his teens, but was very helpful and knowledgeable! I was impressed and spent too much money! Still with him today!
I volunteer on an organic farm and the farmer buys his seeds from Johnny’s and I got to say you are right they have excellent seeds and they germinate very well. Those seeds are worth every single penny. ❤
I agree with the local seed place,especially for bulk. In my neighborhood we have a plant and produce store that also sell some bulk seeds which are the same seeds that they do well with on their farm. Also,they have their very own named collard seed which they developed over the past 100 years. For me,#1 is Southern Exposure because they have some great seeds for the south with nematode,disease and insect resistance without being hybrids. (My favorite is South Anna Butternut) Pinetree and Migardner are excellent for small amounts. Baker Creek-well,such interesting varieties and the catalog! Hoss Tools and Johnny Seeds if I want something hybrid or very specific.
I began to cry softly before you even announced #3. I keep my catalog well hidden, so no one messes up the pages of the grail. Thank you for your list! 🤣
I ordered rhubarb roots from Renee's Garden and they were HUGE. I like Botanical Interests too. Thanks for the info about local sources. Makes sense they would grow well. God bless!
My dad and brother would have both enjoyed your videos so much. They have both passed from this world, but if they were still here, they would be top subscribers!
For the southwest, I would recommend High Desert Seed Co. Great heirloom varieties, many of which have been grown by the indigenous people in the region for hundreds of years and are adapted to arid, high-altitude conditions
I have a 10 year developed cherry tomato seed adapted to grow around Elko, NV that a buddy sent me. Our first year of growing food in the Mountain South led to disaster as I wasn't accustomed and had been growing food in the Sierra range. Those were the only veggies we got that year and were abundant! I reckon Southerners would benefit from buying seeds adapted to dry climates. Worked for us anyway.
@@erinerickson5904, I've been growing in Arizona with Native Seed Search. I love their selections. I don't have much experience yet, but I'll be fixing that soon enough.
Yes,I love the fact that I can get everything that I want/need from Baker Creek. Never had to wait for seeds to be restocked. Johnny's and Botanical as well!🥰
I've been looking for a good local seed company in NorCal, I found some in the bay area and Sacramento and such but that may as well be a different state as far as climate goes.
MIgardener is my first choice! Great germination, extra information on the back of the package and the BEST you tube videos! Their Trifecta + fertilizer produces great results and so so easy to use. I use it on everything. And it’s a family owned business, I love supporting them.
Started to die laughing when describing number 3!! You didn’t even mention the company yet and I knew exactly who you were talking about!! I’m still such a newbie and I shouldn’t even be in that catalog, but, every year, I can’t help myself.
Haven’t had a bad experience from anyone, yet Seed Savers Exchange gets half of my money every spring. They work for me since they’re in Iowa and it’s cool to get that regional/local line of seeds from a nonprofit organization whose aim is to protect old varieties of seeds.
Does it charge? I looked into them seed savers/exchange groups and they want freakin money to join their half baked websites just to trade seeds. Those people are the low iq ones lmfao why pay twice for a seed? Lol if not and it's something else my bad lol
For your Asian culinary seeds I love Kitazawa seed company. I believe they just moved from California to Utah. I love Chinese Broccoli and was able to find many varieties along with some of my favorite Asian peppers. They’ve got some good stuff!
They're still in California or sounded like the same person in California that answered the phone yesterday when I called them. They are under True Leaf now but I think Kitazawa still operates out of the same place. I could be wrong though. Another great place for Asian seeds (pulls more toward Chinese varieties) is Asian garden 2 table. She has lots of educational videos on u tube. Most of her seeds come from China I believe. Great selection of Asian vegetable seeds. Her site even lets you sort seeds by where you want to grow ie warm, hot, cold etc. Two other sources are Fukuda Seeds online, and the online seed store for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR).
I order from Seeds n Such too. Inexpensive for people on a budget. Tons of tried and true heirlooms. Also, of course, Baker Creek, Kitazawa, Trade Wind Fruits, even packs from Walmart. I'm an addict.
Hello. My name is Midwestribeye and I'm a seedaholic. True story. I accomplished one of my Bucket Lists this summer...I personally visited Seed Savers Exchange. My poor husband was left waiting in the car...for a while.😄😂 God bless all the seed collectors. Now, I really need to order some from his daughter!
You forgot the "Remember, I'm pulling for ya". ("We're all iin this together.") I used to love Pinetree Garden seeds for smaller packet trial varieties. They have a good selection of different things to try, but the days of < $.99 cent packets of seed (which were wonderful to try new things) are largely a thing of the past. They have some heirlooms, some oddities, and they offer things like dye plants and edible flowers. Many packets are still $1.99. Worth a look. Keep your stick on the ice!
I've been happy with Sow True Seeds the past couple years. I like their South Anna butternut squash. It's a cross between seminole pumpkin and waltham butternut then selected for flavor and mildew resistance.
Man, I can’t quit Johnny’s. But generally, I have a seed buying, seed saving and seed hugging problem. Sometimes when I can bear it, I plant them. Sleepless nights follow. I buy from Baker’s, Renee’s, Hudson Valley (gorgeous packets if you like to give seeds as presents and the seeds are excellent) Eden Bros, Johnny’s, Botanical Interests (you can buy potato seeds, who knew?) on and on. When the mail comes with a package in it my heart skips, mercy! what did I order now? It is truly a sickness.
I tell my hubby looking at seeds and filling 50 online carts is one hobby. Buying them and sorting them and putting them in my storage bins is another. Planning where I'm gonna plant everything yet another. So I have three hobbies before I even start a seed. I do this instead of going to a salon or spa. I don't buy excessive shoes or purses. I collect seeds. He doesn't complain lol
@@kelliwiemers6445 haha my husband used to complain all the time bout my compulsive seed buying. Gardening buying in general. I think hes getting to the point where hes backing off and just saying whatever cause I'm not backing down from growing stuff. But i mean i kinda understand where hes coming from when he says i need new clothes and shoes. Cause i just bought myself a new pair of tennis shoes this past christmas after owning my other ones for i believe 6 or 5 years. And just bout all my clothes dont fit me. I wear pretty much yoga pants and stained tshirts all time haha.
When you reached #3… I knew the exact answer, as i was the same victim. Received their catalog as a x-mas gift. Had to stop half way through because i spent way too much money. Hehehe
I know I can always watch some DTG when I need laughter therapy. This week was particularly challenging after losing my mother to cancer and then having cataract surgery (scheduled prior to her passing.) I nearly fell off the sofa when I heard DTG say that life is a series of…. And then you die. Thank you so much for your constant supply of humor. 🌿 I forgot to mention that I’ve had excellent germination on Daisy’s marigold seeds and I’m posting photos on her review page as they grow. I can confidently report 100% germination rates thus far on all of Daisy’s seeds that weren’t dropped on the floor and lost by me in the seed starting process. Now that I’ve had cataract surgery, I’m hoping my aim has improved enough to get Daisy’s Seminole pumpkins going.
@@davidthegood Looking forward to hearing Elray blow the pipes off our Brombaugh organ when he plays A Mighty Fortress is Our God at mom’s funeral. John Brombaugh is a member of our congregation and there’s a RU-vid video a couple weeks back showing him and the organ he built for Central Lutheran. We have to keep the sanctuary doors closed or we get noise complaints from as far away as Boise. 😳
If you're in Florida, "seed the stars" is a tiny company specializing in Florida centric seeds. Made acquaintance with them the other day, excited to work with them in the future Lord willing
Sweet, conscientious, caring, Luke. MI Gardener is the best place to do business! I've almost literally watched Luke grow up via RU-vid and he is the best. He wants you to succeed and I love that.
Hahaha. David you had me laughing so hard. I knew it was going to be Baker Creek. Their catalogs are so nice that I keep them like a book series! lol. I also buy quite a bit from MIGardener but now that they've doubled their price, I'd rather buy from Baker Creek for the most part.
For those in the Pacific Northwest my favorites are adaptive seed, uprising seed, and wild garden seed. Honorable mentions wild mountain seed they are in Colorado and the experimental seed network which carry seed from small seed growers around the country, also row 7 seed specializes in seed for the gourmand.
Another great point on Fedco…is the catalogs…are spring, fall and then trees and shrubs..not the multiples that others send ..and the catalog is in newsprint..with great Radom information and historical facts and myths.
Totally agree with your choices! Brijette from San Diego Seed company also has lots of choices for southern zones. I hope to save my own seeds this year.
Territorial seeds is my current favorite seed company. I have had massive success with their seed growing in difficult conditions. Great source for the Great Northwest!
Annie's Heirloom Seeds! Small, family run farm with a catalog that has tons of information and lots of herbs for culinary and health. They sell heirlooms and organic.
I used to use feed stores when I first started gardening…then box stores, but now more specialty heirloom catalogs and Florida seed exchanges. We’ve come full circle. Now I’m working on saving my own😎
Sandhill Preservation is a source that I have used before and been satisfied with. So many unique heirloom varieties of a wide variety of garden plants.
I knew you were heading for Baker Creek the minute you mentioned that catalog! I have a problem,and I love it! Trying those yard long noodle beans this year.
Territorial (Pacific Northwest) puts out a great informative catalog. Mary's Heirloom Seeds (California area) used to have 99¢ sales, but not since COVID hit. I still buy from Mary's and Territorial even though I am in southern Tennessee. MIgardener is great.
My dollar tree seeds did great this year. $1 per pack and they had decent counts. Turnips and spinach were standouts. I only planted them just to see if they would work, they were on par with big box store seed / burpee. I did just order MI Gardener Seeds for next year, waiting to see how the counts are before I order more.
I’ve had good luck with seed savers exchange and high mowing organics. I also buy from your number five, number one, and you are right about number three. This year I went crazy on the bitter melon and a few other things.
Yay Johnny’s! I’ve used most of the companies you mentioned, and drooled over the Baker’s Creek catalogue, but at the end of the day Johnny’s is a solid performer!
@Manja Warner It's really hard for me to stay out of the Live plant section too! Oh - and their catalog, it's made of newspaper, and there's no color pictures, just drawings, but the plant info is fabulous!
I use Park Seed in SC, and do the home improvement places primarily. Thank you for your videos. I've never had a problem using Burpee seeds either, and am starting to harvest more seed each year. Gardener Scott just did a video on the importance of seeds in our diet.
I definitely have a problem with buying seeds.. You totallyspoke to me on the baker creek catalog issue! My husband does not understand but he allows it so everyone gets along ;) I just found Johnny's , great to hear you use and like them.
DAVID!!! I dug a hole. Dug up the dead chicken in the hole. Started a fire!!! I've got a beautiful bucket of biochar slush and I smell like smoke. Buried the chicken in the hole with biochar and look forward to planting Seminole Pumpkins in our sugar sand! Exciting times.
Wild Garden Seed is my favorite! Many of their seeds are sold through other suppliers like Johnny's, but I order directly from them every year. Everything they produce is OP, and if you like having some breeding mixes to play around with and save seeds from, I highly recommend them.
Seeds N Such has been a recent favorite. They carry many of the varieties that grow well here in Kansas & I have difficulty finding those varieties elsewhere. Jet Star & Juliet tomato. Castle Dome & Green Magic broccoli. Etc... Great germination rates as well.
I've always used Burpee mainly but this year I'm also trying some from Baker Creek and Hoss Tools. So far I am extremely impressed with Hoss Tools. Super fast shipping, packaging, they even put a identification stake in the seed package for you and most importantly, I've gotten 100% germination from them. They are all still starts but they germinated first and they are outperforming everything else. I'm very excited to see what they, and my weird baker creek varieties do this year lol.
Snake River seeds have a great selection from Joseph Lofthouse seeds and they ship to Canada which is important for me. I also loved Joseph’s book and look forward to seeing more of your experiments in landrace seeds
I was going to suggest MIGardener as well. I think you meant the store that's run by PERSON-ites, LOL. The Everglades is a good, prolific tomato, and per our discussion last year, I bought Carbon seeds to try this year. 18" tall already and very stocky. They look like a good variety; thanks for the info on them.
MI gardener is my go to im blown away with the germination rate and price of Luke’s seeds plus he is in my region so I am confident it will grow for the most part in my zone 6 garden.
You are right about Baker Creek Seeds. The catalog will devour your time. When it comes time to order it's very painful. I can't have it all or even half of it so I spend a few more hours cutting it down to five or ten packets while I tell myself it going to be alright you can order more later. So I obsess over putting it in a safe place that I know I will remember where I put it, and IF I share it I always make sure I get it back. So I like Territorial too and think I would like to grow a fruit jungle.🌞🌴
I love trying those weird, odd and wonderfully strange veggies. I love taking them to parties and addicting my friends to them lol. One friend took a few years to win over, but once she found carrot fly only took her orange carrots, now she only grows purple ones lol.
I have such a love for Seed Savers Exchange and what they stand for. I have bought so much from them I should own stock in them by now. But seriously, I do love them!
I live in the Pacific Northwest, Zone 6 in the Idaho panhandle and I've had great experience with Seed Savers Exchange, Annies, Snake River Seeds, MI Gardener and Johnny's.
Number 5 is lifted with love from reading Steve Solomon. A great writer who has inspired many, particularly those who live in the Pacific Northwest and more recently Tasmania and Southeast Australia
I just discovered David’s Garden Seeds based out of Poteet, Texas near San Antonio. I just got a few seed packs from them today and look forward to trying them out.
For you south Florida/ zone 10 plus folks, you should look at sources from Hawaii. They have the same issues with weather and pests that we do and have developed some good breeds to cope and have some tropical choices as well. I have had good success with seeds from the University of Hawaii (UH seed lab). Limited selection, but cheap. Also just planted spring seeds (little late) from the hawaii seed growers network, which is similar to southern exposure....well see how they perfrom.
I have bought from Johnny seeds for years. LOVE THEM, but you are soooo right about the Baker Creek catalogs. I’m on my second year with my new, serious, I never want to buy produce again garden and this year I have cleared a lot more space so after MANY hours of exploring it I will be growing many crazy varieties such as the snake bean and wax melon, Japanese winged beans, African horned melons and more
In the North East of the US I love the following seed companies. Fedco Seeds has a huge selection and tons of valuable information for each type. They also carry trees, shrubs, plants, bulbs, tubers, for growing in colder places. They have cover crops and an impressive selection of soil amendments too. Hudson Valley Seeds carries regionally grown varieties that I can't find elsewhere and grow very well in cold wet New England. They also carry left handed gardening tools. Fruition Seeds is all regionally grown organic open pollinated seeds. They also have hard to find varieties that do well in New England. They have a great education section and it is worth getting on their email list for the videos.
@@billsmith2593 I am finding all the seed companies that grow organic seeds in New England or New York are all about the same price as Fruition Seeds. With the cold we spring weather of Northern New England I find that paying more for seeds that are grown in this climate is worth the extra money. In tough growing environments high quality, locally grown seeds make all the difference.
@@gardencat4952 The packs used to contain 3X/4X the quantity of seeds that are now offered for the same price...like the cost for 100 onion seeds now costs more than 400 seeds cost just a few years ago. Seriously I loved them. Great people and everything, but they've quadrupled the cost, and this is prior to COVID. I used to buy handfuls of packets, but now I only get stuff that I can't get anywhere else. It's disappointing.
First year to buy from Mary's Heirloom Seeds. Love the selection with the description easier to access than a physical catalog for me. Also a wishlist where I can save my dream seeds. Beautiful, clear, colorful photography. Who knew there were so many different kinds of heirloom squash from around the world?
Just ran up on this old video of yours. As soon as you started describing the Baker Creek catalog, I KNEW. As soon as you said it could get you in trouble. I live in Missouri, about an hour away from their seed store. Holy cow, it's magical and did in fact cost me a lot of money. And then they had a booth at the Ozarks homesteading expo. I actually went to their little village where the feed store is for the first time on a school field trip. This was before I ever got one of their catalogs. These people know what they're doing and they for sure have a passion for it.
Solid list, David! 👍 I 100% agree about Johnny's. When everyone was hoarding bread, TP, canning lids, ammunition & seeds even Baker Creek couldn't keep up. But Johnny's came through. Their seeds are top notch, and as you said their germination rate is really high. As a matter of fact, out of 50 pepper seeds I started this year only 2 didn't come up. That's pretty damned good.
I literally just found this video and I am laughing so hard right now. The second you mentioned "the catalog" I said "Baker Creek" out loud. It is truly a menace to society but so much fun.
Yes, all of those (and needing addiction rehab here, too), plus Peaceful Valley, Seed Savers Exchange, and Strictly Medicinal. SO many good smaller options!!
You missed Dollar Tree for seeds! I’ve had great success with DT seeds of every variety. I buy one packet of red cherry, Roma, or Beefsteak (all open pollinated) tomatoes for 25 cents with 75-85 seeds in each, and near perfect germination. Last spring I helped my two granddaughters sell tomato plants from DT seeds and they each made over $800. The neighbors said they were the best tomato starts they’ve ever grown.
They have microgreen seed too! There's four or five different varieties in each pack. I just grow them out. I've found two different packs assortments in my local store.
I've actually had amazing luck with those $0.20 packs! The orange $0.50 packs at Walmarts actually do great too. I always grab the varieties that everyone sells from there, even if you have to grab 6 packs to get enough seed, you spend less
100% agree with Baker's Creek! It is a work of art! Love SESE also. What do you think of Victory Seed? P.S. Garlic of Eden farm sells organic garlic and George 'tator man' sells sweet potatoes. I recommend them.
As a marketing professional, I love watching you react to quality marketing. Burpee's long term branding campaign, Baker's emotional connection copy writing, and I even like to review catalogs for font usage and which photos anchor each page. Yep...quality marketing works.
Urban farmer and Quail seeds are both good, lesser known seed companies that I have been very happy with. Hoss tools and Victory seed company also ship great seeds. I love Keene garlic for garlic and Maine potato lady for potatoes.
