How to Buy Garden Seeds Online
In this post - Inspiration for ordering garden seeds online. How do you buy seeds for your garden online?; what sites sell the best garden seeds; plus making sure you buy the best seeds for your garden.
Depending on where you live in the world, you might not have the greatest access to the best seeds for your garden. But now, the world’s best seed producers are making it easier for us to buy garden seeds online!
In this post , I’ll share my experiences with buying garden seeds from online seed retailers and explain how to know which seeds to buy for your garden from online shops.
By February, I am getting tired of the dreariness of winter, as are most people. When I lived in Dawson City, Yukon, February was easily the mid-point of the winter and the sun was just starting to be visible in town. On the east coast, the freeze-thaw cycle is in full swing with snow days closing schools at least one day every couple of weeks. On Vancouver Island, would you believe the primroses are in bloom and even some of the trees are full of pink flowers??!
No matter where you are, seed shopping brings hope for gardening during the next season. I do order some seed catalogs, but I primarily look online for seed companies to place orders with directly.
Where to buy garden seeds online
Garden seed companies in a similar hardiness zone as your garden have plant varieties that are more likely to grow well for you because of the comparable growing conditions. So, when looking for companies for buying garden seeds online, check out those in your region or ones from similar climates.
Top seed retailers in the world generally have garden seeds for sale in stores and online and are not always available to ship from other countries because of export restrictions. Check the Shipping page on the garden seed company websites to learn about any special limitations or instructions when ordering.
Ordering seeds in Canada
In Canada, well-known and reliable garden seed companies to order from online include the following:
Ordering garden seeds from outside of Canada
Ordering seeds from a country outside of Canada, even small amounts, might not always be possible. When you have seeds shipped to Canada (i.e., importing), you have to follow the requirements of the Canadian Seeds Act and Seeds Regulations. Imported seeds must also be free from prohibited weed seeds and meet other minimum standards in the Seeds Regulations. The number of seeds per gram and the weight of the seed lot ordered are factors for determining whether the seeds can be imported.
Sometimes a seed analysis certificate is required for importing the seed order. Shipping other kinds of plant products, like bulbs or live plants, might be restricted altogether for home gardeners. If ordering and shipping from another company is possible, an extra charge might be included, and certainly a currency exchange. For more information about importing seeds into Canada, check out the Canadian government’s ABCs of seed importation into Canada.
Top seed companies from outside of Canada
United States:
United Kingdom
If you have a seed company that you think I should mention in the post or include in my list, send me an email and I will add it to the list.
Types of companies for ordering garden seeds online
Larger Garden seed companies
Larger companies can mean a broader selection of seed or plant varieties and cultivars. Many dozens of varieties of tomatoes compared to one dozen or fewer for some of the smaller and more niche companies. However, the companies may or may not be local, so I take care when choosing a plant to make sure it will grow in my area.
Garden seed companies in your local climate
Looking at seed companies that are a little closer to home can be helpful for a few reasons. Having garden areas in microclimates might affect the growing season and conditions, but the local or regional companies will have seeds or plants that are more likely to grow in my home garden. Deliveries may be quicker because the company is based closer and that could be a big help if ordering live plants (or if I am just really eager to receive my order!!). And supporting local or regional companies can be a great way to support local (and sometimes smaller) businesses.
Consider Fun and Different garden seeds
With such a wide variety of local seed companies, it can be fun to go to the local garden centres to see if they are selling some more niche or specialty seeds. In my area, Metchosin Farm sells seeds in some of the garden centres, but also online they have the category of Native and Unusual along with Culinary and Medicinal Herbs. Ravensong Seeds & Herbals is an artisan seed company that sells vegetable and herb seeds that may be on your hard-to-find list.
I like to experiment and try companies in a similar climate but somewhere else in the country or world. I found a family recipe of a preserve with a melon I had not heard of and I could only find the seeds through Annapolis Seeds in Nova Scotia, of all places. I thought, well, if they can grow the melon in Nova Scotia, certainly I should be able to grow it on Vancouver Island! So, I ordered the seeds!
How long do garden seeds last?
Over time, seeds lose their ability to grow (i.e., germinate). That ability to germinate (i.e., seed viability) differs by vegetable/plant and is affected by how the seeds are stored. Seed companies often include germination details online and on packages, like what percentage of seeds should germinate and usual seed life. Most vegetable seeds will last 3 - 5 years when stored in cool and dry conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to ship Garden seeds?
Costs to ship seeds vary slightly by company, but generally increase incrementally depending on order total. An extra fee may be charged for heavier orders. Some companies charge shipping costs based on the size and weight of the box in which the seeds are shipped.
How are Garden seeds ordered online packaged?
Seeds are usually shipped in paper envelopes or bags, depending on the seed types and amounts. When multiple envelopes are ordered, they are sent in small cardboard boxes or larger envelopes. Other plant products, like garlic bulbs or onion sets, are packaged differently, in paper bags or plastic mesh.
Do online Garden seed orders come with guarantees?
Online seed orders do come with guarantees from the seed companies. Some companies have terms on the guarantee that the company is not responsible for the way the seeds were planted. The company may want details on how the seeds were planted before any refund is provided.
