i just typed this elsewhere .. but i am leery of feeling sorry for someone who relies on the hardware store for their seeds ... come on .. lol ...

anyway .... how about .. after they get past the first leaf stage.. you transplant some of them to the open spaces????

hope you retain your sense of humor..

ken

Donna, usually Park's has some indication on their labeling about how many seeds....either in how many per ounce or in precise numbers. At least that has been my experience, anyways. Maybe I'm thinking of the information that is in the catalog rather than the label.

I haven't purchased a packet of seeds from any where but a catalog in years, but I have looked at them. Shocking how few seeds they sell per packet.

So sorry you've been frustrated.

and we are experiencing inflation for sure. :-(

Been there! done that!

Sometimes there are the number of seeds on the package and sometimes not. I too wish it was always there but it's not. You have more of a chance of knowing more if you buy from a catalogue, but not always.

I do know that packages of certain varieties like wave petunias or Impatiens always have just a few seeds. If you buy new or recently released varieties you can count on there being only a few seeds. If you buy old varieties you can count on there being lots of seeds.

I have never seen a catalog (hard copy or on-line) that didn't tell you how many seeds were in the package, oilpainter. That information might not be on the actual packet when you receive it in the mail, but it'll be in the catalog listing.

Most times the number of seeds is in the catalogue Rhizo but not always. They do miss a few and that's what I said "you have more of a chance of knowing the seed count if you order from a catalogue"

I remember 1 year I wanted a certain Petunia and the seed count wasn't mentioned. Now I always order at least 150 petunia seeds. Well it was a good thing I ordered others because there was only about 12 seeds in the pkg.

One thing is sure. From now on, I will be sure to SAVE some seed from Larkspur so I don't get into this situation again. This is another reason that I have fallen into ordering seed from Nichols. They are always generous with how many are in the packet.

And, yes. You are all correct. In the end, it's up to the gardener to pay attention and order/buy appropriately. Like all other things in life, I guess, if you don't do it right the first time, you pay the consequences later....:)

I have in the past experienced individual packets where the seed count didn't come close to the number on the envelope, but that I can usually get fixed.

But I just ordered about 10 packets of not readily available annual and perennial seeds from a mostly wholesale operation that had specific seed counts listed. In almost every envelope what came was about half that number of seeds per packet: 100 instead of 200; 50 instead of 100; 250 instead of 500).

I called the company and said "????!!!!." When they checked, they said their supplier is now only doing about half the number of seeds per envelope and their new catalog will reflect that. The company, being reputable, agreed I had ordered from the 2010 catalog (the 2011 version just now coming out) and they sent another set of the shorted seed packets to get to the number of seeds previously listed.

I expect, costs having risen, economic times being tough, and the amount people will pay for seeds being finite, that the number of seeds per packet will go down from almost every source. The reputable ones will say so in their catalog and on the packets.

A strong measure of seeds per packet may become an important point in deciding who to order from this coming seed starting season and may encourage even more seed saving and swapping on forums.

Kimka,

Just out of curiosity, was that an order from Hazzard's? I ask, because I am preparing to order some zinnia seeds from them, and I want to know if I should count seeds when I get the order.

ZM

Wasn't Hazzard's. It was Geoseed. I was probably more sensitive to the seed count because I was splitting seeds with other people. But it seems like I've noticed more "short" seed envelopes every year.

I have to praise Geoseed for how quickly they made good on the seeds.

KimKa

When I buy seeds from Wal-Mart or Lowes I check what is in the packets before I get to the checkout, and buy accordingly. The first time I explained why I had opened the pack, but not after that first time. I carry a small tape dispenser in my handbag so there is no chance of a spill. Some of the cashiers probably think I am strange, but the time I explained to the lady what I was doing she understood completely. It is not so much the cost, but the inconvenience of having to go back and get more.
Jane

Well, didn't this turn into an interesting discussion. Just as a note, I ordered pansy seed from Hazzards again this year. I start so many that I do count the seeds as I sow, and was pleasantly surprised to find that there were probably 1100+ seeds in the 1000 pack. Their seeds are great. I have always been extremely pleased with my orders from them.

I never thought of opening a packet at the store, but you know, it makes perfect sense! But as someone else stated, I plan to be more diligent about seed saving from now on, at least for easy ones, just so I will have enough.