When do garden seeds come in stock for you?

[rosemarythyme]

I did things a little different this year for my fall seeds. I decided what I wanted to grow and then decided on preferred varieties. Then I did an online search for those varieties to see who had them. Three names kept popping up, Baker Creek, Burpee, and Territorial.

So I went to each site and looked through their varieties and for everything I wanted I wrote down what my variety would be if I ordered from them, cost, and how many seeds per packet. Baker Creek was sold out of a lot of stuff and I was surprised that their cost comparison wasn't very good on what they had. Burpee seed packets are a lot bigger than I normally need so their costs weren't great but they were also sold out of a lot. Territorial came out the clear winner for my criteria so they got my order.

Never heard of Territorial so I'm bookmarking their site for later browsing, they look like they have a nice selection of various items and I love thinking ahead, even 2-3 years down the line.

I do tend to favor Baker Creek because I enjoy having easy access to reviews (which I add to myself) and they offer free shipping. Plus the fat catalog is a nice surprise in fall/winter, I flip through it and then pass it on to my mother in law.

I also just placed an order with "Totally Tomatoes" to get the last few things I was missing for 2021 (more tomatoes, radishes) - don't know anything about the company but they had the last couple of seeds I was looking for, so figure I'd give them a shot.

 

[Sally PB]

The local big box grocery has seeds pretty much all year, though they may have them tucked away from now till January or February. (Zone 5, Michigan.) Same thing with Fruitbasket Flowerland.

I had most of the seeds I needed for last season. But a friend an hour away couldn't find some of the stuff she needed ANYWHERE in May.

After all the issues last season, I started making a list of what I wanted at the end of July. I must have placed 4 orders with Baker Creek. Yes, the free shipping is a big plus. I felt bad when I ordered just a packet or two, because I know what even USPS First Class costs, as I used to work in shipping. I love their catalog. I call it garden porn.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Around here you usually don’t want to by seeds that have been at the store more than a month most of them are crazy enough to put them in the outdoor garden center! I’ve found ones sprouted in the package from being out in 90 weather with 90 percent humidity all summer!
!

 

[greenwos]

We’re in Ontario, zone 2B and they usually appear in the big box stores in Feb- March. I buy them the minute I see them, especially pole beans because they always run out quickly. The stores carry McKenzie and Burpee. This year I’ll be ordering online through OSC. Hoping to get seeds more specific to cold climate.

 

[Acre4Me]

They begin to be stocked in Jan, most in Feb. Most keep them inside the main store, but Walmart and Lowes tend to put them in the garden center - under protection, of course, but exposed to the outdoor climate. They don't put them in the outdoor garden centers until around April.

Another seed source is Seed Savers.com - We've ordered from them many times, and have always had very good germination and their descriptions are accurate as far as what we have experienced.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I'm in Zone 4, stores start stocking in April but with how fast everyone was out of stock, I could see them stocking earlier. I could preorder from a local well-know greenhouse, but then I get so antsy for spring... it is horrible torture!
My sister and I always go to amish greenhouses a few miles away in that first weekend in May, we get the good stuff before it is all gone. Then we just keep everything alive and growing until Memorial Weekend.

 

[Kusanar]

I also order online - if you have a popular site you like ordering from, I would do it now rather than wait a couple of months. Baker Creek is still out of stock on a lot of items (like 90% of radishes, many tomatoes) and no telling when they'll get more in stock.

I'm currently shaking my head at Gurneys.... I placed my order, everything was in stock, I waited like a week and checked the order status, still not shipped, turns out, 4-6 of the items I ordered are showing backordered and they are waiting for all of them to be available to ship any of it... I then went back to each item and they still show available to order without any mention of backorders... And to add insult to injury, I keep getting adds on FB with the exact items that are sitting in my order backordered... Come on guys, if you don't have it don't keep advertising it....

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I'm currently shaking my head at Gurneys.... I placed my order, everything was in stock, I waited like a week and checked the order status, still not shipped, turns out, 4-6 of the items I ordered are showing backordered and they are waiting for all of them to be available to ship any of it... I then went back to each item and they still show available to order without any mention of backorders... And to add insult to injury, I keep getting adds on FB with the exact items that are sitting in my order backordered... Come on guys, if you don't have it don't keep advertising it....

I’m worried that I’m having the same problem with my order I placed it Last Sunday and I still havent gotten an email saying that it’s shipped...

 

[Kusanar]

I’m worried that I’m having the same problem with my order I placed it Last Sunday and I still havent gotten an email saying that it’s shipped...

Gurneys? If so you can go to their website and check it.

 

[Acre4Me]

Ordered from Seed Savers last week - 11 items. Just got them today! They were one of the few places I found soybeans (edamame) for sale.