It’s time to plan this year’s garden. And right on schedule, the seed catalogs are appearing in the mail.
Have you ever noticed how the majority of these catalogs have the same plants in them? In every magazine, there are the same broccoli, tomatoes, beans, and carrots seeds you can get anywhere. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it can get boring, especially when you start to realize the swath of edible plants out there just waiting to be tried out.
Luckily, several seed companies do go out of the their way to provide access to a more interesting variety of plants. Here are three see I like:
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. This company, which goes out of its way to “promote and preserve our agricultural and culinary heritage”, provides vegetable seeds that you don’t normally see in the hardware store–purple carrots, white eggplants, peppermint tomatoes, striped beets, purple bell peppers. They are “non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated, and non-patented seeds.” Order Baker Creek’s free–and rather beautiful–catalog here.
One Green World. While this company doesn’t offer vegetables, it does offer other fascinating-sounding trees, vines, and fruits. What exactly is a Tasmania Vine (pictured above)? What does a silverberry taste like? When I finally get around to planting honeyberries or a tea bush, I will look here first. Request a catalog here.
Bountiful Gardens. This is a great seed company that offers “untreated open-pollinated non-GMO seed of heirloom quality for vegetables, herbs, flowers, grains, green manures, compost and carbon crops.” Not only do they have the usual vegetables, they have categories like “mushroom kits” or “unusual hot-weather heirlooms” or “grains, fibers and oil crops.” You can get the Bountiful Gardens catalog here.
What is your favorite seed company? Why?
Thanks! I’d requested a catalog from Baker Creek a few days ago, but just requested the other two.
No favorites, yet…
I had not heard of Baker Creek, but I sure like the looks of some of their products! I’ve been looking for both a white carrot, and a white tomato to try, and they have both! Heirlooms, yet too! I’ll definitely be ordering from them.
Have you seen the Seed Savers Exchange? I love it.
Lillian, thanks for reminding me about them. I would definitely put Seed Savers Exchange on the list.
Victory Seeds has some interesting stuff. I haven’t planted anything from them yet, but will be ordering quite a few vegetables as I’m planning a reproduction WWII Victory Garden for the historic site where I work.
J, sounds like a great project. I will have to check Victory Seeds out.
A good site to help folks to learn about a company before order is:
http://www.davesgarden.com/products/gwd
It’s free. You don’t even have to be a member. I’m not. But it provides reviews from folks who have prior experience with the company.
I’ve also used that site to track down sellers of hard to find plant.
Not affiliated with them in any way just wanted to share a good resource.