3 Sources to Buy Your Vegetable Seeds

by Mike Lieberman on February 22, 2012 · 36 comments

You are growing your own food because it’s best for your health and the environment.

When you are first starting out, knowing where to buy your seeds from can be intimidating.

It’s difficult to tell the difference between the companies, types of seeds and who is owned by which company.

My goal is to not only help you maximize your space when growing, but also to help you save time in the process.

In the past I’ve looked up seed companies to see which ones provided non-gmo seeds and had no ties to companies that I didn’t support.

I came across were huge lists with lots of descriptions. They didn’t save me any time. You’ve likely come across the same lists.

Seed Companies You Can Trust

That’s why I wanted to compile a quick list of seed companies that you can buy from. Again this is a quick list because an exhaustive one wouldn’t save you any time.

SeedsNow.com

SeedsNow.com is a small family owned business that provides 100% non-gmo, non-hybrid and open-pollinated seeds. Without getting into the specifics, those are all good qualities that you should be looking for when buying your seeds.

One of the things that I like most about SeedsNow.com is that they have seed kits. For those of you that don’t want to spend hours on end going through 50 different kinds of lettuce on a site or catalog, then these kits are great.

You get a variety of seeds based on the theme of the kit such as:

I’m working with them to develop other seed kits as well, such as a shade garden kit. If you have a kit idea, let me know in the comments below.

They also have individual seed packs available as well.

Disclaimer: As of this writing, they are one of my sponsors.

Botanical Interests

Botanical Interests is one of the larger seed supply companies that you might’ve seen in your local health food store.

They signed the Safe Seed Pledge and support organic growers.

One of the things that they are most well known for is the art and information on their seed packets. It tells you how much sun the seeds require, time to germination, how far apart to plant and more.

Their seed packet collection is also quite extensive. You can spend hours pouring through their catalog.

Seed Savers Exchange

I have never used Seed Savers Exchange before, but a lot of you have recommended them before, so I added them to the list.

These three companies should give you a good start for buying your seeds online. Yes, there are dozens of other companies that can be added to this list, but that wouldn’t save you much time.

Your turn

Have you purchased from any of these companies before? Who else would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

  • Vanessa

    It never even occurred to me to research seed companies!  I usually buy Botanical Interests or Renee’s Garden but I’ve been wanting to buy from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds.  I got their catalog and was pleased to know that they have a wide variety of everything and are very passionate about what they do.  
    They even had the story of the Canadian farmer who stood up to Monsanto.  (I think the story goes his neighbors planted Monsanto seed but when their crop contaminated his non GMO crop, Monsanto actually sued him for stealing seed but he counter-sued for contamination to his crop.)

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Have heard good things about Baker Creek too. As consumers, we have the responsibility of knowing who and what we are supporting.

  • AH

    I have ordered from Baker Creek a lot, and they are great. Their selection is amazing, orders shipped quickly, they send you a “bonus” pack of seeds with your order, and I had great yields with the seeds I ordered from them. I would definitely recommend them!!!!!

  • Debra

    Mike I would like to see kits that work well in a wet climate like Washington state.  Which plants do well here and not.  It’s hard and a waste of money doing trial and error.

  • Jennifer Hagen

    I have used William Dam seeds from Dudas, Ontario for the past 2 years.  Their seeds are untreated and some are organic…but they don’t say anything about GMO seeds.  It says in their catalog that they buy seeds from “reputable sources” which keep parent lines and heirlooms.  Hybrids and heirlooms are available.  So..what do you think?  Is this still a good choice?

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Nice. Have heard great stuff about them.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Gotcha. Will take note of it.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    I never heard of them. I would say to contact them and ask questions. Where they get their seeds from? If they get any of their seeds from a company called Seminis…that is a Monsanto subsidiary.

  • Allie Murdock

    I agree, Baker Creek is amazing.  My husband and I joke that their catalog is porn for gardeners.

  • http://www.nicolachatham.com/ Nicola Chatham

    This is a great resource, thanks Mike! You’re such a great contact for organic materials in the USA for this Aussie. 

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    That’s how I roll.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Garden porn…now you got me thinking…

  • ScottfromtheBK

    The Council for Responsible Genetics has a by-state list of companies that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge for 2012 (non-GMO seeds).  I buy from Territorial Seed (Oregon) and Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Maine).  Johnny’s is super fast and standard shipping to NYC takes 2 days.  Good to know about Baker Creek… I’ll have to give them a try.  Thanks to all for the recommendations!
     
    Mike – I looked at the kits from SeedsNow and while there are a lot of different kits to choose from, I felt that even the kit designed for urban gardeners (Urban Grow Kit) was a little big for the constraints of growing in my apartment.  It’s great that the kit comes with more than 26,000 seeds, but I don’t think I’d ever go through that many seeds (unless I’m planning on making my apartment a jungle)… maybe the solution would be a basic “apartment kit”??  I’d also like to see a kit that’s specifically designed for containers (Johnny’s actually indicates which seeds work best in containers… very helpful).

  • http://www.UrbanFarmAndBeehives.com/ Mil

    I like Baker Creek. I remember reading that they sign the pledge.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Thanks for the feedback and will definitely relay the info to them. I like the container kit idea

  • Aliceanne1949

    Yes, I do have ideas for seed kits: How about Salad Kit? (romaine and other lettuces, tomato, cucumber, green onion, carrot, etc.) or Green Smoothies Kit (kale, collards, chard, parsley, endive, spinach, etc.)? I appreciate your information and dedication. 

  • Eluem

    really great catalogs! 

  • http://www.facebook.com/cindy.e.hill Cindy Ellen Hill

    Mike — check out High Mowing Seeds here in Vermont, that’s where I buy a large portion of my seeds from. 

  • http://twitter.com/RamblinGarden Alana Mautone

    I’ve ordered from Seed Savers Exchange-I would highly recommend them.  I also have purchased from Johnny’s every year since 1979 (except for several years when our area didn’t offer a community garden) and love their catalog.  I never would have thought to research this topic.  By the way, our community garden here in upstate NY plans to go organic within the next five years.

  • Mamacynsmith

    Fortunatly for me and not so much for you.  I get my seeds from a local family friend – My mothers friend.  Some of the seeds they use she has never bought.  They got the seed start from her mother, and she has been using the fruit of her labor for the last 45-47 years that I remember her gardening.  I have gotten several squash seeds and bean (green), beets & kale. let alone flower bulbs and (toes) and the like.  I am so very blessed to have a gardener through and through kind of friend. Not that I am that old but I know… They and my mother shared seeds, compost, canning jars, recipies and such.  I grew up “organic gardening”.  I didin’t know there was another way untill I went off to college, even then I couldn’t understand why any one would knowingly put chemicals in their body..  go figure.  Not that I don’t have lots to learn.  I sure do.  I want to gleen every bit of information I possibly can for great gardening.   Kudos to you and all of us trying to make a differnce here for our selves and to show the others the  as I have moved back to my home stompin’ grounds I can get back to gardening as I once knew it.

  • David Browning

    I also use Johnny’s seed and Baker Creek

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Good stuff. Have heard great things about them.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Another company that I have heard lots about.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    They are owned by the Mars company though, which is reason that I don’t support them.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Never heard of them. WIll check out.

  • http://twitter.com/MsFriendlyFire Agatha A

    Hi, Baker Creek is excellent; most of my heirloom seeds are going to be from them. I am concerned with my old vendor, Johnny’s Seeds. They used to get some of their seeds from Seminis, which is a company owned by Monsanto. Johnny’s is currently phasing out of Seminis seed, but until they completely do (I dont know when that is) I refuse to buy from them anymore. If anyone knows more about the Seminis/Monsanto connection please let us know!

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Seminis is a subsidiary of Monsanto. have you called Johnny’s Seeds to ask them about their connection?

  • Melissa

    I use primarily use Victory Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    That’s what I’ve heard.

  • Terri Hamilton

    I have bought Seed Savers Exchange before–there is a store in my city that actually stocks some of their seeds every spring.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Nice.

  • Gigi

    By any chance do you or anyone else know where to purchase non-gmo, non-hybrid and open-pollinated fruit seeds?  I have been looking for strawberries and other fruit other than just watermelon, and apples.  Do you have any companies for those items?

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Check SeedsNow.com

  • Esther

    Don’t have time to plant seeds.  Where can I buy plants?  Saw some at my local Mom’s Organic Market but am not certain the plants are non-gmo.  

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    If you have access to the grower, ask them how their plants are raised and what their growing practices are. 

    GMO plants and crops also aren’t available to consumers.

  • http://www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com Mike Lieberman

    Cool. Never heard of them.