The catalogs I look at the most are Johnny's Seeds, High Country, and Bluestone. All are good combinations of eye candy and information.

I've never gotten a Fedco catalog, I'll have to try that one.

Hi Steve!

I've received my T & M catalog too, and High Mowing Organic Seeds, which has a nice selection of lettuces, but the one I look forward to most is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. They always have plenty of rare stuff, and the photos in their catalog are awesome!

Bonnie

I never heard of Fedco, Digit, but on your excellent recommendation I just checked it out! I like it! I like it!

Their prices are great, and shipping for seed is free if you get over $30! That's a deal for sure! Under $30 is $5 shipping, so you can plan to get $25 worth of seed---and then pick $5 more and consider it "free!" Does that make sense to anybody else???

Unfortunately you can't order a catalog online, so I need to remember to call them tomorrow! Wish they had more pictures in the online catalogs.

I checked out their fall bulb catalog--which you can't order from anymore this year--and the prices are GREAT! And you can get small quantities--which is what I need! And they have Cholicum! I have to remember to order bulbs from them next year before their deadline. Somebody remind me!!!

Their seed packet prices are the same (or cheaper) as Pinetree, and if they're as generous as you say, I'll be switching!

I haven't gotten any catalogs, and don't usually look for them until well into December or January (hey, I still have the '09 catalog pile laying on my coffee table!), but when they do start coming, I'll be looking for---well, I was gonna put in a couple names, but how do I pick just a couple of them! I'll be looking for ALL of them!

Happy seed dreaming,
Skybird

With Fedco, Skybird, the pictures are all in your dreams! They have none in their catalogs - just these antique drawings, like Shumway.

Baker Creek got so much "press" because of their stunning catalogs recently. I've looked on their website many times, Bonnie. I was just thinking how it is only in my tomato patch that I'm drifting more and more towards the heirlooms. Actually, I'm just getting more and more diversity. (Soon, I'll be grafting branches of different tomatoes onto a single plant like those 5-in-1 apple trees ;o).)

Johnny's is wonderful. And, all 3 of these Maine outfits that have been mentioned (Johnny's, Fedco, Pinetree) can fit a gardener like a good glove.

digitS'

I checked out the Fedco website as well. I'll order something from them to get on their mailing list.....

Nothing here so far, just bulb catalogues, and I'm smart enough now to leave those in the trash on the way in from the mail box - ne'er to darken my doorstep again, or else. The reason is I already have half a bazillion daffodils and tulips that need separating, and I didn't get around to it, again, this year.

Johnny's for me too. Its here, and now I have to decide how much room I'm going to have for next year. Not enough for everything, I'm sure!

Well I guess I"ll have to sleep a lot if I want pictures of the Fedco stuff then, Digit! ;-)

And, David, you have SO MUCH stuff I donÂt know how you EVER get around to doing everything you have to do! I still havenÂt gotten over my visit to your place last year!

I get JohnnyÂs catalog but had never gotten anything from them so I just checked it out online, and their prices look kinda high to me. Since most of the companies carry the same varieties, I usually look for the best price after I decide what I wanna get. I donÂt really need that much seed of any one thing, so Pinetree has been working for me for the last couple years, but they really donÂt put much seed in their packets at all, so itÂll be interesting to see how Fedco, with their Pinetree prices" compares, seed quantitywise, to Pinetree.

Last year I actually ordered from Pinetree, Vermont Bean, and Harris. Since I never got around to starting half of that stuff this year, I wonÂt be ordering a whole lot this year----but I WILL be looking thru all the catalogs when I get them----------so maybe I WILL be ordering a whole lot this year!

Does anybody EVER have enough room for "everything," MsFuzz?

Dreaming Fedco pictures,
Skybird

Yeah, I have only ordered from Johnny's once, and I agree that their prices are on the high side.

I really spread my money around this past year or two, LOL. Think I've ordered from them all. Hmmmm ... let me think about this - Gourmet Seed Int'l., Baker Creek, Valueseeds, Fedco, Artistic Gardens, Pinetree, Park's, Territorial, Diane's, T & M, Summerhill, Stokes, Swallowtail, and Heirloom Acres. I'm sure I'm probably forgetting one or two ...

None of the orders were very large, and some were during sales, but I used at least a seed or two from almost every pack I purchased. This past winter I wintersowed over 125 containers of herbs, veggies, annuals, and a few perennials. With the tomatoes and peppers it may have been only one or two seeds of each kind, but I just love to try different varieties each year. Maybe when I have been gardening for a few more years, I'll stick with the tried and true ... but I'm not there yet!

There are a few things that I liked enough to order again, such as Petunia 'Prism Sunshine', Portulaca 'Sundial Tangerine', and Gazania 'Kiss Bronze'. There are a couple of tomatoes that will be returning too, but I still have seeds leftover from last year. Besides, I have participated in sooooooo many seed swaps lately that I really won't need to order much in the way of veggies this time around ... well, unless we are able to sell this place and get that property with acreage we've been looking at.

Bonnie

I try, to the extent possible, to buy 'bulk' seed - the price-per-seed drops exponentially, and with the arid climate we have, seed storage has not been much of a problem, with good viability for at least 5 or 6 years.

And then you have so many seeds, even if the germination rate goes down, who cares? Just plant more.

The single, price per normal 30-seed pack from Johnny's shot up substantially for the 2009 season, I dunno if it will go down. The onion seed I got from them was very generous, far more than I expected. Their bulk seed is still pretty reasonable - and they do have some great winter squash, unavailable anywhere else.

Baker Creek used to have the best bulk prices around - I still have boxes of their stuff - peppers, salad blends, some tomato varieties. Last year, it looked like they'd stopped doing it.

And always, when I order a few lbs of pea seed, as soon as it shows up, I'll find the same variety for about half the price somewhere else......

I enjoy looking at all catalogs whether online or in my living room and have ordered over the last 3-4 years from over 25 different sources. For op/heirlooms I tend to buy more often from Baker Creek, Skyfire, Amishland and TGS. Although therie is several more I like. For hybrids and those that offer both Totally Tomatoes and Harris are my two favorites. The only problem with Harris is they offer only large qunaities of many varieites. Very good seeds and they offer great advice during the season. I have never bought from Johnny's on account of price. I can find the same varieties elsewhere for less. But now I have saved my own seeds of most op's I grow and so only buy seeds for the hybrids I grow. Look forward to all of them. Enjoy them while it is cold outside. Jay

I got a new Stokes today!!

I like Stokes - one thing I really like about them is that they only send me ONE catalog each year. And, I'm a good long-time customer. Thank you for not making me partially responsible for cutting down a forest each year, Stokes! Have to say that I dang near wear my 1 copy out . . .

Stokes has quite a few new peppers.

They've also got a new "aromatic" snapdragon: Aroma. "Aromatic plants are 3 weeks earlier than Ribbon or Liberty classic types  with a more bushy, well branched, upright plant habit. Very strong stems are excellent for cut flowers. Well-branched plants produce numerous stems. Plant height is 24-30 in/60-75 cm. Excellent variety for mass plantings or containers."

How come my DW can never smell the wonderful fragrance of snapdragons? (I guess it helps for me to have a big nose. ;O)

Steve

Got Pinetree today. I have bought over the years some from Johnny's but they are high and the postage is high. But sometimes they have what I am looking for. I have probably bought from most catalogs over the many years but I don't buy much and rarely buy plants or flowers anymore. It isn't even Thanksgiving yet! Used to be that the catalogs didn't start showing up until after Christmas and you sat there looking a the snow out the window and dreaming of the dirt and warm sun!

I finally got one! I got Pinetree yesterday. It sure looks thicker than last year's to me. Haven't had time to look at it yet --- and, actually, maybe I shouldn't look at it! ;-)

I agree with you, Margaret! I never used to look for any catalogs until after the first of the year. Maybe it's that they're all trying to be the "first" to get their catalogs out to people these days!

Fedco still doesn't have their 2010 catalog online!

Skybird

So far T and M, Stokes, and Suttons(UK) have come.
I like Stokes because they date their seed packets and also give a germination rate along with the country of origin. If the germination rate is low they will let you know and overpack the seeds.
Caroline Zone 3 Calgary

The kids are out of school all week, so I am finally home long enough to look through the latest catalog arrivals - Pinetree and Stokes. Pinetree has several heirloom melons and winter squash that I don't have yet, so I'm sure I'll be placing an order with them after the holidays. Stokes seems to focus mainly on hybrids, so not finding much I'd use there.

Honestly, I have participated in so many seed swaps this year, that I have a pretty extensive collection now, and really don't plan on ordering as much as in the past. The hard part is figuring out which ones to grow, since my garden is not that big.

So far the plan for next year, is to skip the spinach, beets, and chard because of the leaf miners, and add some small winter squash. If I'm able to get space at the community garden again next year, I may even try a couple of small watermelons.

Hey, anyone ever ordered from Heirloom Seeds? They don't send out catalogs, but their online catalog seems fairly extensive. That's one that I haven't tried yet.

Bonnie

Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom Seeds

Suttons . . . Suttons . . . Do they ship to the US; Canada??

I looked at their website FAQ's: "I live abroad  can I still order?

We are able to deliver seeds to addresses within the EU."

?

Steve

Suttons does send to Canada. You need to watch:-- the prices in the Sutton catalogue are British pounds so in Canada I multiply by about 1.8 to get the Canadian dollar prices.
I obtained yellow delphinium seeds and yellow sweet pea seeds from them.
Caroline zone 3 Calgary Canada

Got my first ones today. Pinetree and Totally Tomatoes.

BTW, until Dec. 1, Baker Creek is offering a 10% discount on orders. I can't believe I've already ordered for 2010! hehehe

Welcome to RMG, Caroline. Nice to see one of our Neighbors from the North checking in here. You definitely trump most of us down here with your Zone 3. Ouch!

Skybird

I got Vermont Bean and Totally Tomatoes today.

I've also started my list of veggies I'll be growing this year, and since I never got most of my stuff put in this year, I have seeds for most of the things I'll be growing in 2010.

Having said that---and thanks to Jali!---I've been looking thru the Baker Creek online catalog, and since their shipping is just $3, I might need to order something from them! It's your fault, Jali! ;-)

I do have a problem with their catalog, tho! They don't list days to maturity for some of their varieties---I was looking at the winter squash, but noticed some other things didn't have it too. That makes for a real problem for somebody with a short growing season!

I also noticed that they still sell Dame's Rocket, Hesperis matronalis seed---which is on the Colorado Noxious Weed list, so I emailed them to tell them about it! They look like a responsible company, and hopefully they'll stop selling it, or at least stop shipping it to Colorado!

Maybe more catalogs in the mail tomorrow!
Skybird

Skybird, I agree about the lack of dtms in Baker Creek's listings. Very frustrating, but I ordered a few tomatoes (shocking, eh) sweet peas and cockscomb. And I agree about the noxious plants that these places sell. Hopefully they have some kind of filter in the software that will prohibit such seeds from being sold in places they are a problem.

Welcome, Caroline. Happy to have you join us. :)

Guess I've been on the early list this year. I've had TT for over a week. Harris and several others around the same time. Then Pinetree and a few more this week. Seems everyday 1-2. I'm over ten and counting. I don't need to order anymore seeds but sure that there will be a few more I can't resist.

Skybird and Jali glad to see you feel the same I do about DTM's. I know from stopping by the IDig website at Baker Creek some feel they are of little use. I personally like them a lot better than early, mid and late season listings. Mid where. And usually mid is 70-85 days or close. Two weeks can make a big difference. And with DTM's I can compare two varieties when I've grown one of them and have an idea how it will do in this area. The way I look at DTM's is if I know where they were grown I can adjust to my summer day length here and be close. So hope they consider listing DTM's on all veggies. i didn't order a few I was interested in because they didn't list DTM's. Jay

I like that Vermont Bean catalogue, got it a couple days ago. Might do the potatoes out of there this year to get some seeds to justify the shipping.

We saw some nice high-quality foldable welded wire covered in plastic at several urban gardens this year, doing a nice job with peppers. That might be the splurge for the peppers and peas this year.

Dan

I got Johnny's yesterday, and some interesting stuff - they're selling seeds for root stock for grafting tomatoes - lots of kinds of leeks as well.

I got Dixondales on Friday, and HPS before Tday. I usually get Candy onion starts from Dixondale, but last year, their bundles weren't very impressive, and for the price of one bundle, I can get some ridiculous amount of Candy seed from HPS, as well as waaaaay cheaper pea seed, but you have to buy 5 lbs minimum. So 5 lbs costs about what a 1.5 lbs costs from Johnny's.

I got Dixondales on Friday also, David.

It was a relief to find that they still carry Sterlings. Those were new last year and they sent them to me instead of the leeks that I'd ordered (grrrrrr! I was counting on those leeks). Nevertheless, Sterling turns out to be a real nice onion and a real fine keeper! Serendipity !

The Walla Wallas and Utahs are long gone. I gotta little basket of yellow onions from sets but it looks like Sterling all the way - they don't show any sign of sprouting or spoiling!

digitS'

Steve, I grew leek from seed this last year, and it's about like growing grass. I started in Feb, had pencil-sized transplants in May. Only problem I had was over-crowded seedling trays - when I do it this year, I'll spread them out a lot more. $5 worth of leek seed yielded enough plants for me and a bus load of neighbors......

Zone 3 is a challenge! I tend to stick to varieties for Northern climates.
We keep old sheets and blankets in case of late or early frosts.
We keep cardboard boxes handy in case of hail storms.
Caroline zone 3 Calgary

Caroline, do you know, or know about, Casey's in Airdrie?

I guess he has both tomato and Asian veggie seed. His catalog is online

Steve

I just got the High Country Gardens.

Which reminds me, once again, to highly recommend their hummingbird mint Agastache 'Ava' - 4-5 foot high, and flowers for 6 - 8 weeks .....

Here is a link that might be useful:

I second the 'Ava'. Wonderful. Big, but wonderful. I have a Bridges penstemon nearby and I can get almost 3 months of hummers and flying critters in the area with that combo.

Dan

The catalogs are pouring in!!!! *bounce bounce*
I just got Fedco and T&M is already dog-eared and ragged looking!
I agree with Bonnie, Baker Creek really gets me going. Has anyone gotten the Baker Creek catalog yet?

Yes, it was Jeff Casey who introduced me to heirloom tomatoe growing.
He gives a very professional presentation on them and I was fortunate in being able to attend his workshop.
I buy seeds from him at Seedy Saturday in March.

I'm busy seed-dilemma-ing with my HP catalog and the bulk seed. So ya gotta buy 5 lbs minimum of any one variety of pea/bean/corn seed. And ya gotta spend at least $50 total for bulk seed.

But the prices are such that, even with shipping, a lb of say Maestro Peas are $2.50 a lb, vs $8-something elsewhere.

What will I do with 25 lbs of pea seed?

I have a head ache.

I have no idea what to do about what I want to try out of the Vermont Bean catalogue, and I haven't even received my Baker Creek yet. Sigh. Do I get a P-Patch plot just because I can't say no?! A plot at Delaney Farm? Sheesh.

Dan

"Yes, it was Jeff Casey who introduced me to heirloom tomatoe growing."

Well, that sounds like a good recommendation. Anyone who grows an heirloom tomato in Calgary . . . . Casey's ships to the US, I checked with Jeff.

I downloaded his catalog and saved it so I can look at the pages carefully offline. On the recommendation of some folks around here, I'd like to try Neves Azorean Red and Vorlon. Also, I've been intending to give Jaune Flamme a whirl for a couple of years.

He's got more!!

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: Casey's Heirloom Tomatoes

I just had to bring this thread back up again, because I received a D. Landreth Seed Co. catalog yesterday (two of them actually). Can't remember where I ran across their website, but the catalog is way more impressive than their website. Not only have they been in business for 225 years, and sold seeds to numerous presidents, but their selection of heirlooms is quite impressive. I checked the watchdog site to see what their ratings were, and was surprised to find very few reviews of them at all, though most of the ones posted were posted.

Digit, you would love their catalog, if you don't already have it. It's a commemorative edition, with lots of excerpts from their early catalogs. I may have to keep one of the catalogs just for all of the historical information. Guess I can mark in the extra one : )

The only drawback to the catalog is the lack of photos. There is a small section in the middle with photos, but if you aren't familiar with an item, you may have to look it up on another website to see what it looks like.

Bonnie

Here is a link that might be useful: D. Landreth Seed Company

My friend in WA was raving about that catalog, and they've ordered already from it. I signed up for the next one, but goodness knows where I'll put anything.

Their cat came much earlier, and I've ordered all my stuff already and if it comes this late, its too late.

Dan

I would also add Park Seed to the list of catalogs in this this thread, and they have a website as well.

Dorothy

That should have read "most of the ones posted were positive"