How do I find the best garden seeds? It depends on a few simple factors. Plants that have been grown in a nursery tend to cost more because someone took the time to grow them for you. These are the plants you see at your local nursery and retailers that are in individual pots or trays. You take these plants and re-pot or plant them in the ground to continue their growing season.
Well, there is another option, you can grow the plants yourself. It’s cheaper to grow them yourself and you have the option of growing a bigger variety of plants. Be sure to grow things you like. If you want to get more bang for your buck, grow things that you like that are somewhat more expensive to buy in the store.
This post is all about finding the best garden seeds so you can grow exactly what you want.
So you want to save some money and grow your own seeds? Or you want to be able to grow this carrot your co-worker from Thailand was raving about last week. But you can’t find it anywhere. These tips will help you find the seeds and start growing them yourself.
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1. Online Seed Companies/Catalogs
You might remember seeing seed catalogs as a child at your grandmother’s house or an avid gardener’s house. Flipping through the book, you are amazed at all the varieties of fruits, flowers, vegetables, and other plants you can grow. The catalogs still exist, but you can also online to access the same (and more) choices.
Online seed companies offer a wide variety of seeds and provide a lot of information. You may find over 300 varieties of tomatoes, 60+ eggplant varieties, and over 180 types of bell peppers.
You can save a substantial amount o money by buying seeds online. This method will require you to physically plan them yourself. Most of the time, you can start the seeds indoors and plant them after the last frost or according to the package directions.
2. Feed Stores or Nurseries
Most of the time you can find seeds at a feed store or nursery in your local area. Nurseries tend to lean towards selling plants more than seeds. However, they do sell seeds that will grow in your area by either the scoop or a pre-filled bag. Just don’t expect a lot of variety.
The feed store, on the other hand, may have more of a variety in bulk. Feed stores are often frequented by farmers, so they have a greater supply. They have some pre-filled bags but mostly you are buying these in bulk by the scoop (or even the bucket).
This is a great option for figuring out what to grow in your area as well as getting gardening tips. You are among seasoned gardeners when you visit nurseries and feed stores. Don’t be shy when it comes to asking questions about growing and harvesting your plants. These are the experts, most often, and can give you great advice!
3. Retail Stores
This may be the best option if you don’t know what to order online or don’t have access to a feed store. Or, it just may be more convenient and fits your schedule better.
You will notice that there are fewer seeds in the retail store packets. Most retail stores carry about 15 varieties of each seed category. Catalogs and online seed companies sell seeds by the number of seeds that are in the package, whereas the retail store sells them by weight.
So if you can find what you need on your next shopping trip, by all means, visit the seed stand in your local store. You will be surprised by what options are still available.
You don’t have to be an expert to buy seeds and start your plants on your own. The excitement is seeing the plants growing and knowing that it all started with you!
