For me, seed catalogues arriving in the mail is just as sure a sign of spring as the longer days post winter solstice (because the -30 C that I woke up to today as I am writing this certainly isn't doing it for me). Seed companies come and go, but the number and variety of mail-order companies is more expansive than ever. There are the mainstays that are like department stores selling an extensive selection of common (and a few specialty) vegetables and flowers. If your tastes are more specific or wander to the exotic, there are specialty boutique mail-order seed and plant sellers for you, too.
Many have gotten on the band-wagon and now offer organic seeds as well as presenting themselves as GMO-free (not that there are an extensive number of GMO vegetable food crops to start with and no GMO flowers that I know of). Most companies have adapted to the new world order sporting colourful websites and online ordering (with some Internet specials). But for the Luddites among us, paper catalogues (some for a modest price) and mailed-in-forms are still accepted by all.
Seed catalogues offer more than just lists of seed varieties and their prices. There are descriptions, days-to-flowering/fruiting/harvest, occasionally some history, awards and growing tips. Online, seed company websites offer more in-depth or related information on pruning, pest control, production guides, comparison charts and more. And besides seeds, many companies offer plants, tools, supplies, books, clothing, weather instruments, chemicals and more. Note that depending on where you live or where the seed-company is shipping from, not all products may be available to you.
Some of the "department store" seed catalogues that I peruse regularly (and often as I start planning my vegetable garden) includes Stokes (www.stokeseeds.com), T & T seeds (www.ttseeds.com), Johnny's Selected Seeds (www.johnnyseeds.com) and Vesey's Seeds (www.veseys.com). I would be remiss (and likely in receipt of a phone call or two) if I didn't include Saskatoon's own Early's Farm and Garden (est. 1907; www.earlysgarden.com) in my list here. In addition to selling seeds, equipment, fertilizers, potting media and much more for the gardener in their two brick-and-mortar stores, they offer all their seeds and some garden supplies through a full-colour mail-order catalogue for out-of-towners in Saskatchewan and beyond.
Richters Herb Specialists (www.richters.com), a boutique supplier, offers both herb seeds and seedlings. A few years ago they expanded their offering with "Seed Zoo," a selection of rare and endangered food plants from around the world. If you're interested in growing heritage plants, Heritage Harvest Seeds of Carmen, Man. offers heirloom vegetable, fruit and herb seeds (and a few recipes). They have an especially large selection of heirloom tomato cultivars. In search of the unusual, I used to carefully read through Thompson and Morgan's (www.thompsonmorgan.ca) catalogue in much the same way that some many read through the Sears Christmas Wishbook. They sell seeds from around the world, lots that are familiar and many that are exotic, weird and wonderful. For the more adventurous and the dreamers, it is well worth looking through.
The number of general seed suppliers as well as the many specialty suppliers (e.g. peony, alpine perennials, aquatics, native, orchids and on and on) is too high to do justice in a short article like this. Fortunately, there is an excellent Canadian online resource: www.ICanGarden.com. Select "Suppliers" to search by category, province/state, country or key word. Full company contact information (including web link if available) is listed. Continue exploring the site to discover informative articles, contact information for horticulture clubs in your area, upcoming events, book reviews and links.
One final thought: while seed catalogues are fun to read through and informative, don't forget about your local garden centres. Their selection may be less wide-ranging, but what they have is likely to be tried and true for your area. And you may be surprised at the variety available plus no shipping costs to contend with.
- This column is provided courtesy of the Saskatchewan Perennial Society (www.saskperennial.ca; [email protected]).
