As winter recedes, gardeners are inundated with colorful photos and tempting descriptions of seeds in new catalogs. These days, shoppers don’t have to wait for the physical catalogs either, as everything is available online. Here is a collection of top web seed companies we have chosen based on the quality of the catalogs and websites.
Some might consider ordering heirloom seeds, or others which focus on organic farming and sustainability, will actively look for eco-friendly catalogs. The catalogs that we cover in this section are those which offer heirloom and/or organic seed. All have signed the Safe Seed Pledge not to knowingly buy, sell or trade genetically modified seeds, assuring their commitment to clean sourcing.
1. Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company offers a diverse selection of seeds, including vegetables, flowers, herbs, grains, cover crops, and even cover crops. Their seeds are all non-hybrid, open-pollinated, ensuring that they can save seed for future planting.
They do not buy any seeds from companies such as Monsanto, Seminis, and others that engage in genetic modification. They have a claimed 1200 varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs; which represents the largest selection of heirloom varieties in the USA.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company reviews.
2. Uprising Seeds
Uprising Seeds, located in Washington, is the state’s first 100 percent Certified Organic seed company. They operate Uprising Organics, a farm north of Bellingham, WA, which produces over half of the seeds they sell. The remaining varieties are sourced from a network of family farms spanning Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and Idaho.
As described by the company, all seeds are 100 percent open pollinated and certified organic by the USDA, grown by small farms. To see more visit Uprising Seeds.
3. Hudson Valley Seed Library
The Hudson Valley Seed Library specializes in heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. In addition, they provide garden supplies, tools, and contemporary art with a garden theme.
Many of their seeds are grown on their own small organic farms, where they are dedicated to preserving and traditionally expanding old cultivars, working exclusively with local farmers rather than multinational biotech corporations.
4. Sustainable Seed Company
Sustainable Seed Company is a family-owned company that offers over 875 different varieties of organic and heirloom seeds. They pride themselves in having one of the largest selections available of certified organic heirloom seeds.
The company, which is based in Utah, is always on the lookout for “new” heirloom seeds that they do not already carry. They express that their mission is to protect this part of history from the relentless encroachment of commercial producers of hybrid and GMO seeds. Visit Sustainable Seed Company to learn more.
5. High Mowing Organic Seeds
Located in Vermont, High Mowing Organic Seeds offers a full range of vegetables, herbs, flowers, cover crops, and even potatoes, all certified 100% organic. In addition, they have a special selection of seeds for sprouting.
They have a diverse sourcing model for their seeds: some are grown on their own farm, others by a network of organic growers across the US, and some even come from overseas. They provide both retail packets and bulk/wholesale seed.
Their website’s Vegetable Planting Guide assists with advanced garden planning and instructional guides on growing different crops. Shipping is free for all orders, regardless of their value or size.
6. Seed Savers Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange is a nonprofit organization with a network of growers across the county that are committed to preserving rare and heirloom seeds from slipping into extinction.
Established in 1975, they provide a large assortment of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds alongside seedlings, potatoes, garlic, apple trees, books, tools, and calendars. The plant care and cultivation instructions on their website are quite comprehensive.
7. Seeds of Change
Seeds of Change offer 100% organic vegetable, herb and flower seeds as well as live plants, tools, supplies, and educational literature. All of their seeds and plants are cultivated on their certified organic farm or by other members of their family network of organic family farms. Extensive resources on many facets of organic gardening are available at the Learning Center of their website.
8. Burpee Organics
Burpee also sells non-organic seeds, but has a very respectable selection of organic seeds for organic gardeners. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Burpee has been selling seeds since 1881.
Their website lists an extensive assortment of organic seeds in the Organics section.