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These retailers make it easy to grow flowers and vegetables.
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
Growing from seed opens a whole world of options, saysKelly Smith-Trimble, author ofThe Creative Vegetable Gardener.
When buying seeds online, read the product description to learn how to grow them.
Check light needs andclimate zonesto verify the seeds will thrive in the location you have in mind.
Credit:Burpee
Look for varieties that will perform well in your region, Smith-Trimble says.
The best sites have video tutorials, articles, and how-tos.
Theyre known for rolling out new varieties to sell alongside classic favorites.
Credit:Botanical Interests
Keep in Mind:The smallest seed packets Burpee sells have 100 or more seeds.
That may be more than you need for small space gardening.
The company sells reliable seeds for flowers, vegetables, herbs, fruit, and perennials.
Credit:Park Seed
They also sellheirloom seedsalongside modern varieties.
They also roll out their own innovative hybrids, like the Burpee Big Boy tomato.
you might also find your USDA hardiness zone by typing in your zip code on the home page.
Credit:Eden Brothers
Burpee lets you sort through their garden supplies to find products made in the USA.
Keep in Mind:You have to spend $49 to get free shipping.
They also sell more than 200 varieties of heirloom seeds, which are open-pollinated and over 50 years old.
Credit:Seed Savers Exchange
In addition to their reasonable prices, Botanical Interests guarantees good germination rates for their seeds.
A third-party laboratory tests the brands seeds regularly to ensure quality.
If the seeds germinate poorly, they offer a refund, exchange, or store credit for your order.
Credit:Rare Seeds
Each seed variety includes helpful information about sowing, growing, and harvesting the plants.
Keep in Mind:If you should probably make a return, you might only receive store credit.
Park Seedwas founded in 1858 in Pennsylvania and is a household name in seed suppliers.
Credit:Johnny’s Selected Seeds
They sell hundreds of flower, herb, fruit, and vegetable seeds.
you’re able to find the seeds grouped together by variety and theme on the website.
We also love how easy it is to find seeds for your specific zone.
Credit:Ferry Morse
it’s possible for you to find your USDA Zone at the home page by entering your zip code.
you could also sort seeds by species, uses, andgarden trends.
If you need seeds in bulk, Park Seed sells packs with up to 10,000 seeds.
Credit:Reneeâs Garden
Eden Brotherssells vegetable and herb seeds, but their flower seed selection is where they shine.
Eden Brothers also sells wildflower seed mixes customized to 11 U.S. states.
Eden Brothers also has more than 100 varieties of culinary herbs and medicinal herb seeds.
Credit:Prairie Moon Nursery
If you need accessories, likegardening glovesora self-watering planter, you will have to shop from another store.
At checkout time, Eden Brothers suggests other varieties of plants that complement the seeds in your cart.
If you want heirloom seeds,Seed Saversis one of the best places to look.
Credit:TrueLove Seeds
They wanted to preserve biodiversity and the stories that went with the plants, Smith-Trimble says.
Seed Savers also offers seed collections that can save you money.
Shipping is free on all orders over $250.
Credit:Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Rare Seedsproduct descriptions are fascinating plant histories, so browsing the site is like leafing through a gardening book.
You learn history and horticulture while you shop.
Rare Seeds offers a huge selection of 19th-century heirloom seeds from Europe and Asia.
They also offer garden supplies, some live plants, essential oils, and sourdough starter.
And if you are ordering in the United States, you get free shipping with your purchase.
Keep in Mind:Youll have to pay a shipping fee to return any items.
Johnnys Selected Seedsgot its start in New Hampshire in 1973, when the companys founder began sellingapple seeds.
Johnnys also has outstanding growing information and gardening tools on the site.
They dont just sell seeds; they tell you how to grow them.
If you need more than 15 or 20 seeds, youll need to buy a couple of packets.
Ferry-Morse, founded in 1856 in Detroit, is the oldest continually operating seeds company in the United States.
Most of their seed packs sell for around $3.
The reason so many of their seeds cost less is because they have fewer seeds in them.
Most of their standard seed packets have about half as many seeds as many other companies standard packets.
Renee’s will also give you a store credit if your seeds don’t germinate.
Founder Renee Shepherd foundedRenees Gardenin 1985.
Nearly 40 years later, she still trials and chooses all the flower seed varieties her company sells.
She focuses on the sort of nostalgic flowers youd find in acottage garden: bluebonnets, delphiniums, forget-me-nots.
The selection is heavy on heirlooms, light on modern varieties.
Renees also sells vegetable and herb seeds, too.
Renees has a small, curated collection that focuses on whats popular with backyard gardeners.
The site has videos, articles, and even recipes with herbs and vegetables.
On the website, the flowers and vegetables are arranged alphabetically in a dropdown menu.
The site is easy to navigate because its small and focusedits like shopping at a digital garden boutique.
Shipping rates vary by the amount of purchase, with the average being 20% of your order amount.
Few online sellers offer such a guarantee.
Prairie Moon Nurseryspecializes in native seeds and seed mixes for specific garden needs.
Need flowers that can grow in exposed clay subsoil?
How about flowers that grow in standing water?
Prairie Moon has it.
There are also specialty mixes for birds and pollinators as well as seeds that producedeer-resistant plants.
Prairie Moon also sells Eco-Grass, a low-maintenancelawn seed mixthats an alternative to thirsty, high-maintenance turf grass.
Keep in Mind:They do not provide refunds for seeds due to customer ordering errors.
TrueLove sells vegetable, herb, and flower seeds.
Browsing the site is like taking a culinary journey around the globe.
you might sort seeds by region of origin that have been curated into collections.
They support small businesses and biodiversity while being one of the best places to buy garden seeds online.
They do not provide refunds for seeds due to customer ordering errors.
Keep in Mind:Its selection of gardening supplies is very limited.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is a smaller brand that encourages seed saving and guarantees high-quality and sustainable heirloom seeds.
If youre a beginner to gardening or seed saving, the brand provides comprehensivegrowing guidesto help you get started.
All of its seeds are naturally produced, and the vast majority are open-pollinated.
More than half of its seeds are alsocertified organicby the USDA.
Selection
Online seed sellers selections vary.
Nearly all sell standard varieties of flower, herb and vegetable seeds.
For more unusual seeds, youll need to go to sellers that specialize in such items, likeRare Seeds.
Generally, online stores offer a wider selection of seeds than brick and mortar stores.
The higher the rate, the more of your seeds will sprout into plants.
Seed sellers with a good reputation sell fresh seeds with a high germination rate.
The expected germination rate is typically listed on the seed sellers site or on the seed packet label.
Often, the company will tell you what the expected germination rate will be.
Return Policy
Most online seed sellers will accept returns of unused seeds within 30 days of purchase.
Most do not give refunds on seeds that dont grow, with the exception ofRenees Garden.
This site will give you a store credit if your seeds don’t germinate.
Your Questions Answered
Do you need any special tools or equipment to plant seeds?
That depends on the seed.
If you arestarting seeds indoors, its helpful to havea seed starting kitto control temperature and humidity.
If you are sowing seeds directly in the garden, you dont necessarily need any special tools.
Just use your fingers to poke a hole in the soil, and drop the seed in the hole.
How do you know how many seeds to buy?
Take into consideration how much space you have to dedicate to your garden.
Winter is the best time of year to buy seeds for summer and spring gardens.
Leanne also consultedKelly Smith-Trimble, author ofThe Creative Vegetable Gardener,for her insight.
