Rating Seed Companies... From Prices To Quality

[@GardeningInCanada]

Everyone’s concerned about my GMO comment 😅. There are zero gmos sold to gardeners I’ve mentioned it in past videos several times. I only said that in this video because that’s the verbiage used by the seed companies. L I will post all of the links to the sites below. The West Coast link is a direct link to my affiliate page. West Coast bit.ly/48gKaaZ

[@79PoisonBreaker]

Celery and herbs starting for me this week, rosemary next week then peppers, then I will feel better having plants around me again lol.

[@rhiannonk]

Came here for this, thanks for clarifying!

[@leahnichol6665]

Sage and Stone (homesteading) said the US seed company she got her tomato seeds from is now carrying GMO seeds. She tends to grow heirlooms. I dunno. I’m Canadian.

[@raisedacreshomestead6431]

I love the Incredible Seed Company from Nova Scotia! Great germination rate, priced well, and an awesome selection of herbs, vegetables, flowers, trees and medicinal herbs.

[@Geopolitic157]

I have purchased from Incredible Seed Company in Nova Scotia as well. I like their packaging, and they have a good range of hot peppers including the Mexican trilogy of peppers and Tomatillos. Great for pressure canning combination sauces.

[@steffyincan]

I've had great success with them too. This is my third year ordering from them. I buy from them and WH Perron.

[@Geopolitic157]

@@steffyincan I have never purchased from WH Perron… I see they have a lot of hybrids, whereas I usually try to stick with heirlooms, and saving seed… Hmmmm….That said, you may have opened a door here…. I will always continuously grow the Japanese developed Sungold F1 hybrid; which is probably the best tasting small tomato on the planet, and encourages me to be willing to explore a few more hybrids as well.. Add these, with tomatillos and sauce tomatoes, and you have a spaghetti sauce, that even the Italians would respect... It is good to share information, as one never stops learning… Have a good one.

[@sproutingresilience4787]

Agreed i also love incredible seeds they are my go to

[@kathryngarven7171]

Some companies do not include seed count per package. That makes it difficult to compare prices.

[@April-is3uu]

Another East Coast gardener here voting to include Veseys on your list! Rainbow Seeds in NB is also a great company with pretty affordable pricing. They’re a super small company and the website isn’t the best, but they have a good selection and I’ve had really great germination rates with their seeds. The price per seed or per gram is so much more reasonable than some of the bigger companies.

[@barrybridgeford530]

Another vote for Rainbow Seeds! Dependable and viable seeds.

[@annatilley660]

I’m glad to hear positive things about Rainbow Seeds. I’m planning to put in an order in the next few weeks…I’m organizing a plant sale at my elementary school and I want to support local businesses if I can!

[@BettyBoopBarnes]

I like Rainbow seeds too. And The Incredible Seed Co is also east coast. Seeds from the east do well in Ontario, better than west.

[@j.s.1931]

I'm in Calgary and agree with comments about Rainbow Seeds from NB. Really good seeds and customer service. Right now they have free shipping on orders over $25 but on occasion they do offer free shipping over $10.

[@Shanngella]

I like rainbow seeds too.

[@marcelacecil3036]

I am an old seed analyst and an old gardener. “Back in the old days” germination % was required (at least in the US) on the packages. It’s very basic information and I think important when choosing which seeds to buy. That said, I usually buy seeds from Baker Creek because, liked you, I love their catalog and their quirky selection of rare seeds from around the world. Thanks for the review, I found it very helpful!

[@DebRoo11]

I like Baker Creek but the lack of important growing info on the pkgs drives me nuts. I need to google info that should be given on the pkg

[@marilynbook4211]

I buy from OSC which actually stands for Ontario Seed Company and they are available in some stores. They are good if you want cheap seeds and plan to plant most of them although they do have a fairly good germination rate. For a 99% germination rate I go to Vesey's which is in Nova Scotia and while their prices are a little higher and some seed packages only have maybe 10 seed, we plant them one to a pot when starting and they all come up. Maritime Gardener is one to watch on KZbin as he is a representative? and he has a 10% off discount with them.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yes, that was a total mistake on my part. I can’t believe I didn’t catch it when I was editing.

[@GimmeADream]

Hate being contrary but Veseys is on PEI and owned by the Veseys family, not far from where I live. Maritime Gardener, whom I enjoy watching also in NS is sponsored by Veseys on PEI.

[@GimmeADream]

I do buy some of my seeds from the OSC and I'm not seeing a lot # but I am seeing OSC # (and 4 digits) whatever that means. Also, I'm not seeing a germination rate on any packages that I bought last year. @@GardeningInCanada

[@liftoffthecouch]

I'm in Kitchener, so that's why I buy OSC. Can't do better than the same town! I usually go to the physical location for OSC which is within a Home Hardware in Waterloo. The OSC # is a cataloge number. When you go to the store, you can use that number to find where the seeds are on the rack. It's quite helpful if you're shopping via the catalogue and then go to the store to buy.

[@countrydabbler3313]

I am soooo glad i found your channel! Im in Northern Minnesota and it's pretty hard to find gardening channels for those of us who live up North ~ thanks for all you do

[@GardeningInCanada]

Awesome! Thank you! Let me know if you need anything specific

[@ninav5417]

I'm in Ely MN Have great luck with Fedco seeds.

[@katie7748]

Agreed. I'm from the Upper Midwest, but not Northern Minnesota.

[@RochelleDhingra1]

@@ninav5417 I live in the Twin Cities. I will check out Fedco.

[@chrisa6682]

My go to companies are William Dam, Veseys, Richters..mostly herbs, Heritage Harvest Seeds, Greta's Family Garden seed and sometimes West Coast seed but I have had many s&h issues with them as well as not receiving backorders, but the seed itself is great. Baker Creek and Johnny's now have very high Canadian shipping costs so I haven't ordered fom them for a few years now. I tried a few packs from T&T seeds last year and they seem ok as well but their website is horrible..imo. Thanks for your ratings😊

[@debpotter7552]

I love William Dam but find they prioritize commercial customers and delivery is slow in Feb-Mar so i shop early 😂

[@FloraM44]

Yeah I was mad when I saw the free shipping from Baker Creek went up to 15$ a shipment - AND you were limited to 10 packets of seeds, so you couldn't even get your money's worth by going in with others on a big order! I stopped buying from them because of that. Plus I love the pretty pictures but I would absolutely go without them in order to pay less. MIgardener has free shipping even to Canada if you buy 20$ of seeds which is easy for me to do. For someone like me who hates paying for shipping separately, this is literally cheaper than buying from a Canadian company because they all charge shipping. One thing I found frustrating about William Dam seeds was that I wanted to pick up from their store but they wouldn't offer that option, so I had to pay shipping even though I'm only 1.5 hour drive away (and drive that way often). MIgardener seeds arrived weeks before theirs did, as well, which I kinda found embarrassing for them. I really like Stokes Seeds, and last year went to their storefront a lot (which has sadly closed 😢) but they have good prices and lots of germination info. Definitely recommend checking them out.

[@chrisa6682]

@@FloraM44 I used to work at a nursery that used Stokes seed. They had very high germination rates but they were all treated seeds which put me off buying from them personally. It's the only company that I wore gloves to sow seeds..lol. I'm assuming they have untreated seed? I have not looked through their website. I'll still buy Baker Creek catalogue when I see one in the grocery store..just to drool..lol.

[@FloraM44]

@@chrisa6682 Yes Stokes does have untreated seed too. That's what I'd buy usually as well, not a fan of treated seeds either! And I got the Baker Creek catalogue last year just for fun too 😂

[@marilynm2086]

I like T and t and their website has gotten so much better in last few years.

[@potager365]

Hi, I am from South Shore Montréal. There are a many more good Canadian seed companies that should of been mentioned; ex. Veseys Seeds in P.E.I. or W.H.Perron in Montréal. Also which in my opinion is important when you buy a few seed packets from many companies is the shipping price. Love You, Love your Channel. Guy

[@YanickaQuilt]

I am from North of Montreal and I just ordered some seeds from semances Canada. W.H. perron I'll have to try

[@Shanngella]

I've growing since 2010 in Montreal and these are some the worse suppliers in my opinion. Both have innacurate germination rates. Vesseys has extremly long shipping times also.

[@salami5050]

I love Revival Seeds from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia! Their seeds have always performed well for me in the prairies. They have some incredible hairlooms. Always 10/10.

[@shannon2776]

I second Annapolis Seeds, I haven't had the chance to try Revival yet but I just may have to this year!

[@AvroChan]

I love Annapolis as well!!

[@salami5050]

Love all the love for Nova Scotia!

[@Rabellaka.]

An interesting note about Baker’s Creek, I got a package of rare pepper seeds from them once that had a sticker saying they had only a 50% germination rate, so they had put more seeds in the package.

[@tobruz]

William Damm seeds in Dundas Ontario

[@rochelleduff9277]

What I wish seed packets would all have for me is the days to maturity. So helpful to know when I need to start them to get a product at the end of my growing season. I also know MI Gardener and Baker Creek obtain seeds from producers across the USA and even other countries, so assuming they grow all of the seeds where their seed facility is, negates the ability to predetermine how the plant will do in your zone. I have loved Johnny's as well. Very informative. Veseys in Canada I also get good seed and info from.

[@mhawang8204]

Yes, so important especially if you have a short growing season! What I do is: look up the maturity for that specific variety online and keep my own spreadsheet listing all the seeds I have, but that’s an extra step.

[@garymolina2157]

Johnny's Select Seeds. They are in Maine. Johnny's caters to the professional small vegetable farmer. However, they do offer small home garden size packs. Their seed pack info contains germination rates, germination test dates, lot numbers, and UPC codes. There is no hype. They have their own breeding programs. It's the best seed source I've found, but the seed packs are a bit pricey. I always look for free shipping deals at Christmas.

[@keyphabenyisrael3219]

FYI I'm in Michigan and our regional Home Depot type store Menards carries lots of McKenzie plant care products.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh interesting! So North American maybe

[@panther1130]

You mentioned GMO several times. Does Canada allow GMO seeds to be sold to non- farmers? I could be wrong, but I don't believe any seeds I buy for a home garden in the US is allowed to be GMO.

[@GardeningInCanada]

No it’s nearly impossible to buy GMO

[@martystevens2313]

The non gmo is a pointless statement on seed packets and catalogs available to the public. You, as a home gardener, couldn't get gmo seeds even if you wanted to. They just have that statement because a lot of people aren't aware of that and it makes them feel better.

[@jenns4704]

I have to ask as a science based channel why are you including GMO in any rating. GMO seeds just are not available to home gardeners. I am pretty certain they aren’t even used for horticultural crops grown commercially, only ag crops.

[@katie7748]

Or so we're told...call me paranoid but I don't trust anyone anymore :-/

[@oreopaksun2512]

Strictly speaking, some seed companies are very proud about their non-GMO contaminated seed sources. The only plants most of us home gardeners may be interested in would be corn that could be pollinated by neighboring GMO field. Having said all that, personally, even if I wanted to grow corn, I would not be concerned since they would NEVER get sprayed with herbicides in my garden. The bad about GMO is Big Ag, and the practice of dependence on chemicals during growing, not the breeding.

[@oreopaksun2512]

IDK about Canada, but US seed companies must meet minimum germination % in order to sell seeds, and have test records to prove those claims. Most are smart enough marketers to print the information on the seed packets, but not all, and most companies also print "sell by" dates so you can guess at the harvest time. Of course, most experienced gardeners know that germination rates go down as the seeds age, and also depend on storage conditions. Mostly, seeds are inexpensive enough to buy more when needed, but your point about getting seeds from producers in your "zone".....the best zone is your own yard, so that is the BEST argument for saving your own seeds from the strongest plant of the season; the NEXT generation is really so much better in terms of size, resilience, etc. So in an ideal world, I would source all my plants from my own seeds, or those of my garden friends, but sometimes, you have to succumb to the allure of those beautiful catalogs!

[@AmyHarrison1980]

yeah, it's a federal regulation, called the Seed Act. Very similar to the US regulations

[@GardeningInCanada]

Canadian laws for that are placed on commercial volumes. I’m not sure about small packets though

[@oreopaksun2512]

Yeah, rules are rules, but as someone who likes to support the local seed businesses on Etsy, I am aware that their labeling is not likely to be auditable....;p Buyer be knowledgeable, not blindly follow.@@GardeningInCanada

[@alaskangrandma2566]

Thank you for including where the seed is grown.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yeah absolutely!

[@sue3693]

Baker Creek also has free shipping in the US and sends a free packet if you order $10 USD. I'd had wonderful germination with their seeds.

[@grannysweet]

love them !!

[@CWorgen5732]

They've got great variety, but I just can't get past their PR over the past few years 😢

[@robertschmidt9296]

​@@CWorgen5732what is PR?

[@CWorgen5732]

Public relations. They had some business relationship with a controversial person, and some people love them for that, some people hate them for that. But the kicker for me was that they said they had no idea he was controversial, even though they had videos of going to visit him while he was in jail for that issue. Then they deleted either that video or the blog post about him that was from the same time period, I can't remember which. Lying, and then covering it up. Not a place that gets my business.

[@robertschmidt9296]

@@CWorgen5732 I haven't heard of that. I did hear that they required their employees to get the Fauci ouchie. I think it's odd that they pride themselves on non GMO products but required employees to be modified.

[@arlenemay7600]

'Incredible Seeds is a small, family business; born in the Annapolis Valley & raised at our off-grid home & gardens on Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore. " (Description from their site) I have been ordering from this company for a few years now and will continue to do so. Also, have used Heritage Harvest Seeds and a lot from West Coast Seeds. Incredible Seeds has a lot of info on their site and I find it easy to navigate. Canada has some excellent seed companies.

[@jackhogston6119]

All of MIGardener seeds are US$2. Free shipping in the US for orders over $12 last time I looked. Quantities of seeds per packet can vary. Most of the seeds I've ordered from them have had 90% + germination, though there have been a very few exceptions.

[@BettyBoopBarnes]

Free shipping over $20 now, including to Canada

[@stephanied.1668]

Not only do I love watching the MIgardener's videos but I am also loving buying their seeds. One thing I have noticed is you get ALOT more seeds in their packets than other brands. Having had any issues with growing either. I enjoyed this video though, I never even thought to watch were I got my seeds based on growing region.... So thank God I like MIgardener because he is fairly close to me and pretty close so our weather is similar.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Good to know!

[@Lochness19]

Yeah, it's a pretty similar climate for a good chunk of Canada like southern Ontario and Montreal area, even Winnipeg area is similar (not in winter, but during the growing season).

[@gwenh7125]

Other than the ones you listed William Dam Seeds , Veseys Seeds , T&T seeds , Stokes seeds . I want to try more local next year and this is the list I have so far Blazing Star Wildflower Seed , Prairie Garden Seeds , Sask Sawyer Seeds , Tundra's Flower Farm , Whistling Prairie Flowers , Mumm's Sprouting Seeds . If anyone has more Saskatchewan based seed companies please let me know.

[@FiveCanadianAcres]

No Coast Seeds, I had great success last year with the seeds I bought from them!

[@tripudium17]

Prairie Seed Shop is a SK company, haven't tried their seeds yet but my mum bought some for this season.

[@tripudium17]

@@FiveCanadianAcres I bought some No Coast Seeds packs at a Seedy Saturday event. I am very excited to try them because the germination rates are amazing!

[@FiveCanadianAcres]

@@tripudium17 I just bought some seeds from the Prairie Seed Shop at our Seedy Sunday event. They had so many seeds, I was able to find some long keeper tomato seeds I've been looking to try :)

[@wendyweedwhacker]

Thank you!! 🍁SK

[@Zone3gardening]

Johnny’s Seeds is hands down #1 germ% test date and lot# plus lots of growing info

[@GardeningInCanada]

What the heck I’ve never ordered from these before. Are they Canadian or American?

[@YanickaQuilt]

American but they are amazing for all the diversity they have.

[@janew5351]

They sell patented, Saliniva seeds! All market gardeners grow them! The lettuce is amazing

[@johnransom1146]

I’m in sw Nova Scotia. Climate zone 6b with more possibilities under cover. I use Halifax seeds, Annapolis seeds, revival seeds, yonder hill, Bridgewater farmers’ coop for bulk seeds and nursery stock from whiffletree in Elora, on.

[@tatlowtimes]

my gramps was an amazingly fun garden guy who really gave me a passion for enjoying gardening, not just making it a job. He always told me plant at least 5 plants each year that you have no idea what or how they will work, you never know what you will discover. Because of that I get some packages from Oh Canada Seeds in NS. They are not my zone but they are just fun. I get a couple different packages of mixes each year and one of my Green Stalk containers is used as my Grampa's Experiment planter. LOL They have been mostly great and some have become part of my regular rotation. Especially the container varieties. :0)

[@ExplodingPsyche]

Something that should be mentioned is that Baker Creek doesn't charge shipping for even small purchases, and you get a free packet of seeds if you order at least ten. I've always thought their pricing reflected that, to a degree. Edit: That may not be the same for Canadian shipments.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh yes! I totally forgot about the free seeds thing that’s very true

[@Rabellaka.]

They used to ship seeds free to Canada, but not anymore.

[@rhiannonk]

Love that this addresses the shopping experience. I hope old school and smaller companies take note. There’s no excuse for an unusable website these days, no matter how great your product is.

[@matthawkins4579]

One Canadian company that I buy pepper seeds from is Atlantic Peppers. They are located just outside of Fredericton NB. They have an incredible selection of rare and exotic peppers and I have been quite happy with their service.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh Interesting! I need to try them

[@b.a.erlebacher1139]

Ashley, except for some smaller seed companies that make a point of it, seed companies buy their seeds in bulk from suppliers around the world and repackage them, they don't grow most or all or any of their seeds. Various seed crops can be grown more reliably disease free and true to name in certain areas of the world, and that's where most varieties are produced. Ornamentals are usually sourced from the large companies that breed and release new varieties. So if you buy variety abc from a large seed company in California or New York or Manitoba, the seed was probably all grown in the same place. Some small companies grow or purchase seed grown locally, and they'll tell you that in the catalog. This gives you a chance at obtaining locally adapted strains, but most commercially popular varieties were selected to grow reasonably well under a wide range of conditions.

[@GardeningInCanada]

For the really exotic stuff I know they import but your basics they have larger farms for this. I know Westcoast does forsure

[@klimaxg]

Thanks for this. I wonder, however, about comparing the number of seeds in a Package relative to price. For example, if MacKenzie gives you more seeds than WCS, then the price difference is even greater.

[@tenahopps3386]

I ordered my onion seeds from William Dam seeds this year as they were the only ones that had the variety I wanted. Each package comes with the seed count, a lot #, and germination rate with year. I've never looked for a germination rate before. Thanks for the info.

[@derekcox6531]

I really love Veseys seeds. Smaller company,canadian,and their service is great! Also,I’ve had very good germination rates on every pack I’ve bought from them in the last 10 years that I’ve been gardening. Their prices are quite reasonable as well in my estimation. I do buy quite a bit from McKenzie seeds as well,but I agree their selection is somewhat limited. A beginner gardener might like McKenzie because their seeds are widely available in Canada.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Veseys has came up a few times in the common sections, but I’ve never used them before

[@susans1679]

I also like Vesey’s in PEI. Order bulbs in the fall too (also from Brecks) and amaryllis from Vesey’s. Great quality, good to deal with. I ordered Irish Poet Tassel Flower from Annapolis seeds in Nova Scotia as that was the only place I could find them. They seem like a real quality seed company to deal with but I haven’t planted the seeds yet. They also sent me a free packet of gout o’clock that I will try. The other place I really like is William Dam seeds. I’m in Toronto.

[@susans1679]

*Four o’clock s. Who wants gout???!!!

[@mrcorey]

@@GardeningInCanada Their garden is in PEI. One thing that I have noticed is that their seed packets include a lot more seeds than one such as Mackenzie's

[@Sabine_Handley]

I am a very new gardener (year 3) in zone 3b/4 Winnipeg and I have tried most of the seeds available locally to us. I found that dollarama seeds are Mckenzies seeds repackaged and I have had 100% germination so far. Dollar Tree seeds are also from repackaged from a seed company in the US and same thing, 100% germination rate

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for sharing!

[@meandmysunshine1]

I grow flower seeds a lot more than vegetable seeds. What I look for in a seed company is their selection. Germination too, because I think flower seeds can be harder to germinate. They definitely need some very specific conditions. Unfortunately I have to use several seed companies to get all of the varieties I want. Stokes Seeds Wm Dam Seeds Vesey's OSC has excellent germination. Wm Dam Seed probably has the best vegetable selection than anyone else, possibly in Canada or maybe ON. Just my take on things. Thanks for posting. It was interesting. Eileen 😊🍁🇨🇦

[@Kaila999]

As you scrolled some Mackenzie pages, I did see that they state the Days to Germination under a little symbol. You say they don’t info on the packet, which is indeed a shame. Oh, and BTW, OSC stands for Ontario Seed Company. It says it somewhere on their website”Contact us” page….and it’s also amazing that they actually give both the mailing and the PHYSICAL address! I remember passing by their former location, (not in Kitchener) which was a lovely timbered building.

[@thegenxgardener]

OSC stands for Ontario Seed Company. If you click on a seed, it will open with info including the sku number. I’ve not seen germination rate per se, but they print “Canada Seed No. 1” on their packs, which means germination is at or above the standard set by Canada Seed Institute.

[@michelemarble6799]

Migardener is the best prices overs and gives good packaging and a low shipping cost. Fedco from Maine also is excellent for choice especially potatoes. Big selection. Average cost. Baker Creek has good selection and free shipping. Another good place is True Leaf Market. Gives lots of seeds.

[@janew5351]

MIGardener ships to Canada.

[@horacepierce9210]

A few years ago I purchased a pack of seeds identified as Sweet Marconi. I got great germination rates, so I ended up giving the plants away to gardeners in my neighborhood. As the peppers grew in my own garden, I quickly realized something was amiss. The fruit was long and skinny, rather than large like Marconi. It turned out the peppers were fairly hot. I ended up scrambling to contact all of the people I had given the seeds to because I told them these peppers would be mild. Fortunately, I had kept the biggest plants for myself and harvested before others did.

[@kelleyleblanc5025]

I ordered veggie, culinary and medicinal seeds from Annopolis seeds. I believe they are from Nova Scotia. I have not grown them yet but OMG there seed packets are beautiful and give lots of great info on them!!! Northern Wildflowers is another. I’ve also purchased from HOPE seeds however last year there were at least 2 different types that the seeds were not the type I ordered (ground Cherry turned out to be tomitillo and a cucumber turned out to be some sort of squash). I order most of my seeds from west coast. All Canadian companies

[@johnransom1146]

Sable River, ns hi

[@GardeningInCanada]

So interesting I haven’t heard of all of these. I need to look them up now.

[@val2937]

I'm an Annapolis Seeds fan - all their seeds are sourced locally! They'll sometimes send a 'bonus pack' with my order, now who does that these days?

[@kelleyleblanc5025]

@@val2937 that’s awesome to hear!! I ended up making two orders of maybe 6-8 packs on each and they gave me a bonus pack on each order! I’m really excited to see how they do! I was able to find seeds I was having a hard time sourcing :)

[@val2937]

@@kelleyleblanc5025 Thats one of the things I like about them....they carry some odd varieties, especially in the dry bean section. I also like to support young entrepreneurs who are following their passion. Have fun with your seeds Kelley.

[@bethvanaalst2168]

I have the Veseys seed company catalog and was planning to purchase most of my seeds from them this year. But I'm not so sure after this video. I now need to do more research into them. Thank you for putting so much work into all your videos. The information you present is awesome!! I'd like to add Veseys seeds to your list.

[@derekcox6531]

I use VeseysSeeds every year and found them to be terrific.

[@bethvanaalst2168]

What grow zone are you in

[@GreenFamily2007]

Veseys is one of the best in Canada!! I order from them every year. Way better than WCS. Definitely order from them :)

[@sherai55]

Along with these companies, there is also a great variety of local seed sellers in most areas. I live in the Canadian Prairies, and the annual Seedy Saturday is my go to for all my seeds.

[@ASpinnerASpinner]

Johnny Seeds deserved a spot on this list without question. They tick almost all of the above.

[@jenjoy4353]

Fruition seeds are in the finger lakes district.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks!

[@jeffferris2783]

Fedco and Pinetree both in Maine two excellent seed companies. No GMO seeds sold at Fedco and provide lots of grower info. Also sell many heirloom varieties of fruit.

[@mattg6472]

We always plant extra germ rate dont matter so much on the package . What I find matters is that you dont get old seeds . Make sure you get seeds from last harvest . Package date matters to me , where it was grown, price

[@GardeningInCanada]

That is totally fair makes sense

[@mattg6472]

@@GardeningInCanada hey what about fothergills? Do you have info on them ? I have good luck with them

[@mommy6671]

A lot of seed companies get their seeds from diverse places from seed farmers. I follow several people who grow varieties specific to seed locations. The seed package also gives hardiness a lot of times. Seed testers are located all over in different climates to help determine viability of use in different zones.

[@annelm369]

Even though they may not meet some of your criteria, some of my favorites are Early's out of Saskatoon and lindenberg out of Manitoba... Clunky websites, and not necessarily the greatest of selection, but prairie companies with prairie successful choices... Reneé seeds has a lot of your criteria, us company, but only supplier of the Persian little finger cucumbers, which are the same as the 6 or 8 pack baby cucumbers you buy in the grocery store

[@colbykinney5633]

Mi gardener seeds are amazing and affordable!

[@GardeningInCanada]

I totally agree!

[@rhiannonk]

Love supporting other companies but just came here to say I’ve also had great results with McKenzie seeds from the big box store so don’t feel bad if that’s all that’s in your budget / is what you have access to.

[@adammackinnon4850]

For more exotic herbs Ritchers?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh interesting I need to look at them

[@adammackinnon4850]

Just found them in last year, doing research into what's good for what and will survive zone 3 sorta a permaculture, pollinators fill unused space so there's less grass to cut

[@mglouise97]

Bontanical Interests is a good one!

[@learnasigo7571]

great information. Just got my seeds in from WCS and Incredible Seeds. Now, after reading lots of comments, I will check out some more companies. Thanks

[@GardeningInCanada]

Good luck!

[@anitabedard4163]

I have used MI Gardener seeds for several years..prices are really good I have had fantastic germination...and the selection is pretty decent...there are SO MANY HEIRLOOMS! I live in zone 5b ontario and they grow beautifully in my garden. Its actually cheaper to ship from MI gardener than most canadian companies 😒.and its free shipping after so many seed packets! If you are like me...its never a problem to add a few more seeds to your collection 😂 so i dont find it hard finding things to get free shipping

[@JAMHomestead]

I stopped using migardener several years ago because the germination rates on some of the seeds where well below 50 percent and the number of seeds listed on the package was usually lower than listed. To be fair the package says "approximately", but a constant lower count was bothersome.

[@colbykinney5633]

I've had great luck with his seeds

[@derekcox6531]

Interesting🤔 I’ve always had a really good experience with migardener seeds. And I’ve liked the selection they have as well.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh darn. What was the varieties? do you remember ?

[@JAMHomestead]

I am presently growing with the goal of self-sufficiency and was calculating to the seed for my goals. I was using them for the majority of my crops and after two years of different problems I decided to go with different sources. My garden is 6800 sqft and every sqft needs to be accounted for.

[@kittiew260]

Wow, I never have had an issue with MI seeds. Interesting feedback regarding the package being small. I have always found they contain more seeds than advertised.

[@victoriajankowski1197]

The only seed where the designation GMO free means anything is corn, not because anyone is selling GMO corn to the general public but because unfortunately many strains are contaminated so companies have to test incoming batches for that contamination to add that label.

[@AuroraDuLac]

From the area Ontario seed company (osc) is from. They have great prices and seeds, but the website is a bit of a pain for sure. They donate to local libraries to hand out seeds to i believe. No lot number or germination rate that ive seen on the packs. Just a sow by date that i ignore because they grow fine after for me so far. Thanks for another great video

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for the info!

[@ninav5417]

Fedco seeds from Maine USA. Cold zone grown, great germination rate, best prices, they also designate where the seeds come from. most locally sourced. organic or non. great customer service, wide variety, honest evaluations of varieties.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for sharing

[@AliceMarieM]

Hello from Washington, DC. My favorite seed source is Southern Exposure Seed Exchange out of Mineral, Virginia. Not a good source for Canada, but if you live in a hot and humid climate, a great source.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for sharing!

[@renah8081]

I'd love to hear what you think of The Incredible Seed Company out of Nova Scotia, Canada. I think they changed up their website in the last couple months to be a bit nicer on mobile view

[@GreenFamily2007]

How did Veseys not make it to the list?!! One of the best Canadian seed companies. I order from them every year.

[@kbjerke]

Hi, Ashley! Love your videos. ❤ I've had very good success purchasing online from T&T Seeds in Manitoba, and for more exotic seeds I've bought locally from Richter's Herbs in Ontario. They have the greatest selection I've yet seen! I've bought from Johnny's Selected Seeds in Albion, Maine, (so their growing conditions match mine pretty well!) and their website is just *JAMMED* with information. Last year I experimented with potatoes, and bought a bag of seed spuds from Canadian Tire! They did pretty well, so I'm going to quadruple (at least!) my crop this season. Hope you're staying warm!!

[@GardeningInCanada]

TNT is one of those ones that I always hear about and forget to grab seats from!

[@kbjerke]

@@GardeningInCanada Their website is worth visiting!!

[@Gardenfrog]

I like T&T seeds too. I do wish their shipping prices were lower but I have and will continue to order from them. I have had really good luck with their seeds and plants for over 25 years and overall I have been happy with them. They offer a discount on orders before the middle of February.

[@anniewildmush1284]

im from montreal... i buy from baker creek..johnnys.. ISC have an amazing customer service. i got another kind of amaranth... i wrote to them.. i received a huge package of free seeds and the correct amaranth. wh perron is perron good also for us in quebec. l'ecoumènes also is very popular in quebec

[@GardeningInCanada]

Osc customer service is amazing

[@Mastadex]

I buy OSC because I'm in the Waterloo region. So it's easy to source. But you're correct, they're an 'okay' company - good for the basics. I think my next purchase will be from Rare Seeds...

[@Drea_316]

I am starting seeds today based on your “what to plant in January” video. I am excited to watch while digging in dirt!

[@DK6060]

I’m a home gardener in Toronto and have had great success with West Coast Seeds. Veseys was a bit spotty for germination and I shifted 90% of my buying to WCS. I have bought some quirky stuff from Small Island Seed and Salt Spring Seeds, both BC based. Dam Seeds is new to me and I will give them a try for a local source.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I’m very heavy on the wcs

[@b.a.erlebacher1139]

Dam Seeds have really reliable quality, and a lot of seeds per packet. The prices are very reasonable for open pollinated varieties. All of their seeds are untreated, and they have good technical info on growing.

[@jenniferhawes2472]

I’m in the Southern Interior of BC and I buy most of my seeds from West Coast Seeds, Veseys, OSC, and The Incredible Seed Company. All have been great Canadian companies to buy from and grow from. I also like to buy some from Baker Creek and have been happy with the rare selections and find the shipping cost to Canada reasonable. I love MI Gardener on KZbin, but when I wanted to buy seeds from his website, the shipping cost to Canada was so high that it prohibited me from buying.

[@dsquires]

up until the last year or so, the shipping cost was free. If you buy $20 of seeds you get free shipping

[@trek150082]

The long time gardeners I know will not use west coast seeds and some are from the lower main land. I’m in Edmonton and the majority of our seeds are from baker creek. We grow all our food for approximately 5 months.

[@franceshoward7112]

Really interesting you tube on seeds, thank you. I get a lot of seeds from Halifax Seed Compay which I live quite close to in Nova Scotia. I believe they are the oldest seed compny in Canada. and always have a great selection. They also stock Annapolis seeds and Suttons from England which are not in the catalogue I think. They have the very finest selection of spring bulbs , tulips and daffodils which you won't find anywhere else, and allow you to buy just one if that is all you want, I like Heritage Harvest seeds in Manitoba, they have some fascinating old varieties and they aways do well. Sometimes I'll buy from Veseys Incredible seeds in Bridgewater NS are good too.

[@lauraduchek5080]

i love Johnny's Seeds, they have so many varieties of flowers it is astonishing! West Coast is my go to for Pepper seeds!

[@Markephillips77]

MIGardener’s seeds (and I’m sure most of these other seed companies’ seeds) come from farmers from all over the place. Just because they’re located in Michigan doesn’t mean that’s where their seeds come from. That said, their cost and the huge variety of seeds makes them my main source of seeds. Also, the KZbin channel is amazing!

[@mattericturner]

I've had soooo many failures from WCS, you'd think they'd work well in the same province but nope. Mackenzie seeds have never failed every year in northern BC

[@dwightdaniels8322]

Could u do a presentation on summer night time temperatures. I live in Red Deer AB. The summer night time temperatures here seldom gets over 10 °C. My sister from Winnipeg visited me this fall. She wondered why my canna lilies were only 3-4 feet tall while hers were 6 feet tall. I asked her what the night time temperatures were and she said 20 +° c.

[@kariannecrysler640]

Could you do something about what vegetables you can leave on the vine or in the ground before fresh usage? I know some crops are pick when ripe and some can be left for a while before harvest. I personally love eating fresh off the vine during the season and appreciated my cherry tomatoes not having to be picked right away and losing produce before I could eat it, but my snap peas were definitely something to catch before they started getting too far along. I’m planning out my seed starting for the upcoming season and this is knowledge I’ve added to my requirements to make my garden this year fresh pick convenience & any tips you could add would be greatly appreciated.

[@eliinthewolverinestate6729]

I like Baker Creek. I usually put in an order every year. I try for 100 days or less when selecting seeds.

[@salami5050]

Same here, I've almost always had great results with them!

[@fruitofpalm4668]

Just a tip for Canadians: The seeds at Dollarama are Mackenzie rebrands and are a cheap way to get some decent seeds.

[@jayla007]

As I understand it, the reason MI Gardener is priced so low is that their packs contain approximately 50% of the quantity of other sellers packs. It seems that Luke recognized that backyard gardeners were being forced to buy quantities far beyond what most would use in a reasonable time frame. The philosophy behind this approach to market was/is to keep gardening affordable to everybody. I have had great luck with the company and buy their products regularly.

[@carolstuff]

Thanks for this info Ashley!

[@tristinlovett3815]

Im in QC and love Greta's Garden and Semences des Artisans. They have a great variety and I've had amazing success in germination and growing. Shipping cost are very reasonable. Terre Promise is also great especially for more rare seeds and/or Quebec heritage varieties. Also reasonable shipping cost.

[@sprigssprouts6786]

My complaint with west coast is they have far fewer seeds per package. I just planted Patterson onions only 25 seeds in the package and 50% germination……..Each time I have ordered, there have been errors. I ordered purple beauty peppers and a hot banana pepper grew. So I was hesitating to give them a try again.

[@GardeningInCanada]

They do have low qty. some tomatoes are only 10 seeds 🥲

[@sprigssprouts6786]

@@GardeningInCanada I bought pumpkin 5 seeds. Over 1$ a seed. Shishito pepper 8 seeds. But I just felt that onions should be more since an onion seed only produces one fruit. At least with pumpkin peppers and tomato you can get loads. I just feel it’s an important consideration. Love ur channel I’m learning so much.

[@umiluv]

The pepper thing was a known issue because one of three main providers of seeds messed up on the pepper seeds. So most seed sellers were hit.

[@ticouna]

Hi! I am from Québec, North of Montreal Zone 4 a, I tried OSC last year not bad, this year I will try William Dam seeds from Ontario and Revival seeds from Nova Scotia. William as not yet delivered my order.... Revival sent it right away with email saying it was leaving Nova Scotia. I can appreciate this since I did not want to leave my seeds in a mail box at 30 below zero, that was nice and with a handwritten note on my invoice how nice was that! also very nice packaging but lack info. Germination is so important I agree. also what I am looking for is time to maturity not often there. SAme for temperature for germination. Actually all the info we need as growers should be there. not just bit and pieces at a time. Thanks for the info.

[@heatherhowellstaff4392]

You will find the days from germination to harvest on the William dam catalogue and seed packages. Williams Dam doesn't usually ship in January since as you mentioned....it's cold and no one is really starting seeds in January unless you are a large commercial grower with a greenhouse. Starting in January means leggy seedlings by May. They are usually packing their seeds in December and January. I have gone to their store front in December once looking for seeds, and they told me they pull out their seeds from the quality control storage and pack them fresh to send out so there is the best germination...so I went back in March and the place was FULL. Like a candy store for gardeners.

[@tristinlovett3815]

I'd recommend trying Semences des Artisan, Terre Promise, Greta's Garden - smaller QC based seed companies that I've had great success with.

[@ticouna]

Thanks for the info. I checked them out and they are more into veggies and their flowers choices are very limited. Thank You!@@tristinlovett3815

[@ladawilson9265]

If your lucky like I am. I'm about 20 miles from them if you go to the farm/store you can get the seeds for $2 a pk. (At least in the past). Haven't been there yet this yr 2024. It's awesome and a fun place to visit

[@fireofhope]

I would definitely be interested in a review of Vesey seeds and Stokes seeds. Also would be interested to see the packet size factored in to the evaluation. I find Mackenzie has way more seeds per package compared to anywhere else

[@susans1679]

I have ordered from stokes many times in the past. I just went online to order a few packets of geraniums and the website says the minimum online order is $125!!!!

[@shellskitchengarden4630]

I am a Westcoast seed girl since they are about 45 minutes from my house. They have a nice new store this year. Also all the garden nurseries around here carry their seeds. My problem with online seed ordering is the shipping costs. Some seed companies are so high compared to others. Also watch out for companies that have a $125 min order. Love your videos!

[@beentheredonethat6584]

If I only need a few packs of seed from WCS I usually try to get them off the display rack from a local source. Some suppliers will happily add something they don't carry on their next order if you ask nicely.

[@dawnteskey3259]

This right here is why I seed save whenever possible. 😅

[@jem6070]

Thanks for info, very helpful. Would be awesome if germ rate was listed on the sites but then likely won't be purchased if low so most don't list. Did get a Baker Creek pack once with a sticker on it that it was overpacked due to low germ rate so it seems they do test or track that and compensate. Hope to see maybe including Fedco Seeds, Pine Tree Garden Seeds and Fruition Seeds in future review. Thanks.

[@matthawkins4579]

I live in Southern Vancouver Island and i buy the majority of my seed from West Coast Seeds, and then some local seed suppliers like Full Circle Seeds and Small Island Seed.

[@beentheredonethat6584]

have you bought from BC Eco Seed Co-op?

[@matthawkins4579]

@@beentheredonethat6584 I have not but will check it out.

[@conniemcdonald-reevie7050]

Lindenberg Seeds, Heritage Harvest Seeds, Veseys, Sage Gardens, T&T Seeds, The Incredible Seed Company

[@GardeningInCanada]

I haven’t heard of half of these…

[@barbstcyr304]

I tried Incredible seeds but didn’t have much luck with them. I should try again and see if it was something I did while planting

[@longarmsupplies]

Yes, T&T Seeds website is clunky but the have a good catalogue. I've ordered from them for years, well, decades...LOL. I think they only went web based due to the last few years issue. I'd love to see you audit them. I ordered from West Coast a few times but their germ was absolutely horrible a few years back...is that when they started writing it on the envelopes?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for the info!

[@tmscott6850]

Wild rose Heritage seeds from Lethbridge,AB I would be interested to see how you rate them since they are grown in zone 4. Their Mylar seed packages are great

[@lisacovert8973]

MI gardener lost me as a viewer when he stated in one of his videos that Dahliahs are sterile and cannot be grown from seed. Until that point I was enjoying watching him evolve. Not sure his company deserves my support with misinformation like that in his history! I'm in Nova Scotia and order my seeds from Veseys and Incredible Seed Co. Love your channel and all the scienc-y nerdy stuff!!

[@hostadaze]

Disappointing not to see more Canadian companies. I try a little bit of everywhere, but find that the germination rate and selection at Veseys is as good or better than anywhere. Sorry to see so many US companies on a Canadian review.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Over half my audience is American sorry about that just trying to be fair to everyone. I did 3 Canadian and 2 American

[@richardmassoth8237]

Maybe you would consider Johnny's Selected Seeds, which is based in the State of Maine in the USA. So, it would be, like Vesey's seeds do better in the Canadian Maritime Provinces. There are also seed companies in US states which border southern Canada, which may be of interest for you to consider. And, to compare to West Coast Seeds would be Territorial Seed Company from the State of Oregon in the USA.

[@heidiwheeler9917]

This was an awesome content video!! Very helpful. Thank you! If you do another one, I'd love to see Ferry-Morse and Burpee, as those are very big brands in stores around me in Michigan. I'd also like to see size/weight comparisons in the criteria rated, because lower sticker prices may not be more affordable if they also come with smaller weights in the packets, you know? So, apples to apples! :P

[@cecile7659]

Summer 2020 when seeds were hard to come by I resorted to ordering seeds from Etsy vendors located well outside of my zone. As I then harvested and used my own seeds they produced, year after year, they have pretty much acclimatized to my zone. That birthed the seed saving nut in me :)

[@imaham1947]

Veseys seeds

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh yes that’s a big one

[@keltineverett2492]

Adding William Dam Seeds to your list to review…from Dundas, Ontario. They are my #1 seed company with West Coast Seeds being second. I grow in the BC southern interior, zone 6.

[@blacksmithden]

I would have liked a review on Burpee and Fothergill. They're both available all over the place. The other thing to compare is the number of seeds you get in a package. I just did a germination test on Jalapeno peppers. The Burpee seeds germinated FAR better than the Fothergill ones. I got more seeds in the Burpee package, and it was actually cheaper than the Fothergill seeds. Seed package/presentation doesn't matter in the least to me. You can't grow and eat the package. :) Anyway...just a couple of things to think about.

[@matthawkins4579]

As a Canadian on Vancouver Island...a good percentage of my seed came from them. But also from local producers just 5 minutes down the road.

[@R.johnson789]

Thanks for this video tried most of theae except osc, as well as others companys.

[@jonnoelle4665]

Wildrose Heritage Seed in Alberta has supplied me with many great seeds!