Organic Seed company recommendations?

Hello - Hoping all you gardeners out there can share your thoughts/ experiences. I'm starting to get ready to plan my garden for spring. (I'm in S. California, so spring comes early - like February) and I was wondering if anyone out there can recommend a company/website that sells organic vegetable and herb seeds for gardening.

I am familiar with "seeds of change", having purchased their seeds at my local health food market. Per their website, they sell "Certified Organic" seeds. Though I'm not exactly sure what that means. I would buy from them again, but would like to hear of other exeriences - either with this company or others who sell organic seeds.

Thanks for any info you might have.

Many Blessings,
Karen

Hi Karen,

If you're planning on starting an herb garden, Mountan Rose Herbs sells a variety of herb seeds. I've gotten some milk thistle seeds from them but planted them when it was too warm. They sprouted but then whithered and died. They'd probably do well in California. http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/seeds/seeds.php

Doing a Google search, I found quite a bit. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...ed&btnG=Search

Hope this helps,

Craig

Craig,
Thanks for the links - I will check out Mountain Rose Herbs and also the Google search. . .Appreciate your help!

Many Blessings,
Karen

Karen,

I used to buy the pimento seeds from them--the "real" pimento, which is a small heart shaped pepper. Wonderful. My dog used to go out and chew them off the plants.

I also did a search and will be ordering from "seed savers." Trying to get organic and non-hybrid varieties and esp. no GMOs. My plan is to do a raised bed garden area this year. Please post if you find other good sources.

LadyGreenJeans -

Thank you for the info on Seed Savers - very cool! I have a particular soft spot in my heart for Iowa, as I lived there for 7 years. They are certainly worth considering!

I have a 15x15 plot through the city recreation department and I have done "square foot gardening", which was suggested to me as a way to utilize my space very efficiently. I really like it, as mainenance is pretty easy and I've been able to grow quite a lot in a small space. Their website http://www.squarefootgardening.com and book also discuss raised beds. Good luck with your garden!

Many Blessings,
Karen

I get my seeds from:

http://www.heirloomseeds.com/

I like these seeds as they come a direct line of fruits/veggies grown 100 years ago. Some seeds are organic and some are not. Once you get these seeds, you can use your own seeds to replant for ever and ever!!!!!

<>< Helen of Tennessee

Get this - Seeds of Change is owned by M&M-Mars. Jane Goodall's book has a list of all the big corps that own various organic companies and brands.

For organic seeds I get them from catalogs in Canada from places that don't have good websites to order from.

However, I really love Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (out of Misouri), and their website is very good, delivery is prompt, seed quantities are generous. They have a really wonderful selection of varieties. www.rareseeds.com They are no-GMO, and are very involved in the campaign against GMOs, but I think most seeds aren't certified organic, though their T-shirts and stuff are organic. You could inquire as to the organic status of their seeds, in the past some were organic and some weren't.

They have a great collection of melons (as well as other great collections of heirlooms), and some melons are small and will grow on trellis, if you're going vertical to try to get the most of your patch.

Thank you Helen and exurb - I will check out the links you have provided. I just love the idea of heirloom seeds (wish I had some of the stuff my mom used to grow) and of rare and unusual seeds/veggies/herbs.

I'm bummed about Seeds of Change, but appreciate the info. . .

Happy Gardening!



Many Blessings,

Karen

hi karotw , heres my favorites , territorialseed.com . ive gotten catalogs from say 30 companys past 10 years and i love territorial seed , their deep into organic . my other favorite co is pinetree garden seed in maine , but im not sure on organically produced seeds , just know that their seeds are untreated , i think just some are organically produced . if it happens to be that their oz packet spinach mixture and their oz packet loose leaf lettuce mixtures are organically produced i suggest them . now concerning herbs , ecspecially medicinal herbs like by the 100"s go to , www.richters.com , their catalog is great , has over 1000 herbs . their out of ontario canada . in closing heres 2 of my favorites ive found in vegis , in tomato the variety siberia , very early , very productive , with an i guess what you would call a beefsteak -acidic flavor . the other is dragon tongue bean , its also called dragon langerie, its flat yellow with purple streaks and about an inch wide and fairly long , its best raw eating bean for me , very i guess juicy . and if you want to see alot of bean varietys go to vermont bean seed company , but i dont think they are organic , just untreated . happy mulching

Karen, I'm preparing for my garden and will start planting a few things in January. I'm interested in square foot gardening, but haven't known anyone personally that has done it. Do you feel that is the best way to go as far as producing a lot with ease of maintenance? Any other advice you can give me about it other than what is on the site? Thanks, Pam

Michigan Roman - thanks for the info and links. I will check out both. I'm particularly interested in the herbs, as I haven't seen another source quite like that one. Thank you!

Dandelion Girl - I started my garden in August, so I haven't been at this for too long (that's when my plot from the city became available). It's been very interesting for me to see what others are doing in their plots and no one else has done square foot - though they all seem to know what it is when they talk to me.

Have grow up with traditional gardening - and huge garden plots, I wasn't sure what I could do with 15x15, but so far it's been pretty successful. Making sure that your soil is in good shape from the start helps ( bought and added some organic soil amendments because the soil that was there wasn't very good). I built my 4x4 boxes with scrap lumber from Home Depot - didn't cost me much and it is working well. I try to make sure that I have between 6-10 inches of good, worked soil in each box and this has been fine for what I've planted so far. I started growing greens in August and still have plenty. I keep planting something new every 2 weeks or so and I haven't had to buy green since. The squares work well for weeding and harvesting and I have been able to grow a lot in a small space. Same is true for the root veggie - carrots, radishes, turnips. I don't have much else out there at this time of year because of the short days and colder temps - so I can't speak about growing vining veggies, yet. I was actually trying to draw a plan for how to build vine frames yesterday.

My experience so far is positive. I like the 4x4 boxes for maintenance and harvesting - easy to work with, certainly - and I have been able to get lost of variety in my little space. Good luck to you! And feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.

Many Blessings,
Karen

Karen, Thanks for all the good info. I am just getting started so I will probably PM you with questions soon. I was just about to check out getting lumber at Home Depot to build the boxes so I'm glad you let me know that is an inexpensive way to go. I live in Central Texas, so in January it will be time to plant some berries, grapes, and lettuce and spinach. I am clearing off my gardening area right now and I have a LOT to do there, but it is exciting getting it ready. I'll be interested in how your plans turn out for the viney things. That seems a little more involved, but I really want to try it. Thanks again!
Pam

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Originally Posted by karotw

Hello - Hoping all you gardeners out there can share your thoughts/ experiences. I'm starting to get ready to plan my garden for spring. (I'm in S. California, so spring comes early - like February) and I was wondering if anyone out there can recommend a company/website that sells organic vegetable and herb seeds for gardening.

I am familiar with "seeds of change", having purchased their seeds at my local health food market. Per their website, they sell "Certified Organic" seeds. Though I'm not exactly sure what that means. I would buy from them again, but would like to hear of other exeriences - either with this company or others who sell organic seeds.

Thanks for any info you might have.

Many Blessings,
Karen

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hi kartow , back when you posted this i told you territorial seed but realized later when going to catalog they dont carry as much organic that i thought , sorry about that . but know ive found some answers at www.motherearthnews.com , what a great site . there they have a page on organic seed companys and heres the ones i liked = www.highmowingseeds.com and www.organicseed.com . this time im sure their organic . take care

I've been real successful in gardening as a SAD eater, But this will be my first garden as organic and raw. I have some question?
1. Does your garden need to be an above ground box so that you can control what goes into it, verses just in the ground?
2. What kind of organic bug removers can you use?
3. where do you get organic dirt that does not have in pesticides or gmo left over's in it, or any bad stuff?
4. my garden area in about 15' x 20', how do you water it with out using good ole tap water? I live in nasty hot and humid Indiana :eek: That garden will drink more than I will?
Any advice would be great, though I do have some time before I have to start, but it would be great to get a good game plan going :D