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Heirloom Seeds...

Traditionally we've always just gone up to Wal-mart or Home Depot to buy seeds (generally Burpee), but the more I read about some of Monsanto's (who bought out Burpee) questionable practices, the more I'm interested in just getting back to the basics.

I've been looking around the Baker Creek website, and am curious whether anyone around here has ordered from them. They have a great rating from "Garden Watchdog". If you've ordered from them, what varieties did you grow, how did they do?

Besides Baker Creek, can you suggest any other reputable and cost effective companies I can take a look at? Thank you!

Tags: baker, creek, heirloom, seeds

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Permalink Reply by KBO on October 21, 2008 at 10:27pm

I've ordered from Seed Savers in Decorah, Iowa. Never disappointed. Would love to visit them sometime soon.

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Permalink Reply by GreenFrieda on October 22, 2008 at 12:57am

I'd suggest two: SeedSavers.org and www.seedsofchange.com. I have ordered from both. They have a good selection, I like their mission and have had success with their varities.

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Permalink Reply by Carol on October 22, 2008 at 4:05am

Baker's Creek is a great seed company. Charantais melons are a must grow! Poona Kheera cucumbers are good tasting and productive.
Also try Heirloom Acres www.HeirloomAcresSeeds.com

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Permalink Reply by Carrie Seal-Stahl on October 22, 2008 at 4:43am

Wow. I am going to have my hands full this spring I see ;)

Thanks for the suggestions so far, keep em coming :)

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Permalink Reply by Carrie Cox on October 23, 2008 at 1:18pm

We've ordered from Victory Seeds and Seed Saver's Exchange before, both with great success. I really like Victory Seeds () because of the extra info/history they have on the seeds. One of our favorite tomatoes from there is the Cherokee Chocolate. Isbell's Golden tomatoes also made an unexpectedly delicious chili!

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Permalink Reply by michael on October 23, 2008 at 4:13pm

I have been very happy with http://www.seedsofchange.com and http://www.heirloomseeds.com/

Heirloom Seeds said the seeds would take over a month for shipment (not sure why) but they actually arrived within a week. Heirloom Seeds have a TON a variety.

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Permalink Reply by Chris on October 23, 2008 at 6:47pm

I'm with you on the "getting back to basics", and would love to grow primarily heirlooms myself . . . I've only got a catalog from Seeds of Change, but I look forward to checking out the other sources people here have already listed!

Anyone else itching to start planning for planting next Spring?

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Permalink Reply by Carrie Seal-Stahl on October 26, 2008 at 10:31pm

Hehe I've already been looking around at the various websites for new varieties to try, and trying to squeeze in more plants than I had last year LOL My last frost isn't until mid-May, either!!!

Chris said:

I'm with you on the "getting back to basics", and would love to grow primarily heirlooms myself . . . I've only got a catalog from Seeds of Change, but I look forward to checking out the other sources people here have already listed!

Anyone else itching to start planning for planting next Spring?

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Dukarski on October 29, 2008 at 9:16pm

I agree, seeds of change and seed savers are great! You might also check out Gourmet Seed International (www.gourmetseed.com). They have alot of great stuff and I've had good luck with everything. I grown only heirloom organic veggies and they were able to provide an all organic heirloom seed.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Donaldson on November 1, 2008 at 2:33am

I got some of my seeds from Bakers last season.

Amish Paste Tomato
Sweet Red Stuffing Pepper
New England Pie Pumpkin
Red Noodle Pole Bean
… and a few others.

All excellent varieties, good germination. They also sent me a couple of free packets to try. An eggplant called Thai Long Green and a heirloom Italian broccoli that grew giant healthy plants but no broccoli heads. I think the broccoli failure was due to the extreme hot weather we had in June.

I am planning to order from them again for next season’s garden.

Here’s a gardener’s site by Cornell U. It’s an excellent site for plant variety recs and the seed companies where you can get them.

http://vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/index.php

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Permalink Reply by Miguel Marcos on November 2, 2008 at 5:32pm

Not of much use to most but just in case anyone from Spain ever comes in search of this kind of information here, there is a good Spanish organic seed company online called Semillas Madre Tierra at http://www.semillasmadretierra.com/. They're big on biodynamic growing, too.

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Permalink Reply by Fostermamas on November 3, 2008 at 7:25pm

I also use SSE and Seeds of Change, order their catalogs now so you can plot all winter! My favorite part of gardening is dreaming of next year's garden.