Fedco is a cooperative business where consumer members own 60 percent, and employee members own 40 percent. Fedco evaluates hundreds of varieties of hybrid, open-pollinated and heirloom seeds and plants at multiple sites, identifying the ones that are particularly productive, flavorful and suited to the northeastern U. Botanical Interests is a year old small seed company that carries over varieties of seed, including hundreds of heirlooms and certified organic vegetables, herbs and flowers.
You can often find a stand of Botanical Interest seed packets at Whole Foods and other natural grocery stores in the U. Their seed packets are some of the most interesting, useful and informative in the industry.
Botanical Interests has both a seed donation program and a seed fundraising program for schools, shelters, and churches in the U. Peaceful Valley is a seed company dedicated to organic food production that carries a large assortment of veggie seeds, cover crops, native grasses , pasture and lawn seed, wildflowers, fruit trees and berries , potatoes, onions and garlic. They also offer a great selection of gardening tools, pest control, season-extending products, composting supplies, growing, propagating and irrigation equipment, and books.
Peaceful Valley offers special pricing programs for farmers, school gardens and landscaping businesses. If you are homesteading, farming or market gardening, they offer large quantities of seed, as well as a variety of cover crops to keep your soil in good shape. They trial and evaluate all their seeds at their farms, and the live plants that they offer are raised in their farm greenhouses. They offer hybrid, open-pollinated and heirloom seed varieties.
They have also signed the Safe-Seed Pledge. You can find more seed companies that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge here. Learn everything you need to start composting, including a list of things you can take out of your trash and put into your compost pile instead.
These heirloom seed companies will help you bring old fashioned flavors, scents, and colors back to your garden for beautiful and delicious crops.
Many heirloom seeds are literally family heirlooms. These seed varieties have been passed down through generations in a family or community, adapting to the local conditions. Some people say the term only applies to varieties developed before WWII, others are more flexible.
Heirloom varieties are open pollinated. This means that when properly isolated from other varieties, they breed true to the parent plant. This allows you to save seeds from year to year. It's an older book, so used copies are inexpensive. Hybrid seeds are a cross between two or more different varieties, while heirloom seeds are from a single variety.
Some vegetable seeds are open pollinated they breed true to type , but are not heirlooms because they have not been around a long time. Generally, hybrids are bred for disease resistance, higher yields, uniform appearance, durability, and other traits useful for commercial growers. If you have a pest or disease problem, a hybrid might be the right answer while you work to improve overall garden health.
Most hybrid crops are bred the old fashioned way, with two plant varieties mixing pollen. Currently, the only genetically modified garden crops are corn, potatoes, summer squash, and soybeans.
The companies in this article do not sell genetically modified seeds. Note: Many heirloom seed companies are experiencing higher than normal order volumes. Please be patient with your orders, and allow extra time for delivery. Pinetree Garden Seeds — I've been ordering from Pinetree the longer than any other company.
They are located in New Gloucester, Maine. Their prices are reasonable, and they give smaller quantities of seed in each packet so you don't end up carrying over so much seed from one year to the next if you have a smaller garden.
Fedco Seeds — Their prices are very affordable, they carry a large number of varieties, and they source from ecologically sound growers — no GMOs here.
They are located in Clinton, Maine. Their catalog is not flashy — it's printed on plain newsprint, all black and white — but their variety descriptions are tops. They point out which varieties store best, are best in certain recipes, and are resistant to various garden problems. They also give troubleshooting tips. They have many unusual heirloom seeds and open-pollinated varieties. Reader recommended Seed Treasures is located off grid in Northern Minnesota, a plus for northern growers.
They specialize in preserving heritage open pollinated seeds. Some are heirloom seeds, others Native American crops or modern open pollinated varieties. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange carries about varieties of vegetables, flower, herb, grain, and cover crop seeds.
Located in Mineral, Virginia, they specialize in varieties that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. They are certified organic, and offer many unique southern heirlooms like butterbeans and naturally colored cotton. Stover Seed Company is located in Sun Valley, California, and features water wise choices and vegetables and herbs for western climates.
They also sell large quantities of native forbs and grasses for landscaping. Clare Heirloom Seeds is located in Cecil, Wisconsin.
They only sell non-hybrid, untreated, heirloom and open pollinated garden seeds. Their website is conversational, with things like suggestions for use of heirloom flowers. They are a conservative, family run company. High Mowing seeds is located in Walcott, Vermont. One unique section of their site is their crops that grow well in high tunnels, a useful option for market gardeners.
Unfortunately, not all the seeds I've ordered from them have had the quality I expect from a seed company. Heat-resistant plants thrive in adverse conditions.
Escarole, Sugarloaf A favorite of Italian and French gardeners and chefs. Gladiolus byzantinus Plant in autumn for a burst of magenta color in spring. Radish, China Rose A tasty radish from China with beautiful rose-colored skin. Pepper, Hot, Pepperoncini Greek Mildly hot fruits on prolific plants. Poppy, Hungarian Blue Enchanting purple-blue flowers are followed by attractive seed pods. Onion, Cippolini Red Gourmet onion is prized for delectable, deep flavor.
The standard bell pepper. Legendary, huge beefsteak consistently wins taste-tests. Regional Wildflower Mixes Coastal Calif. Hardiness Zone: look up another zip code.
Flower Color.
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