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I'm a bit of a seed fanatic when gardening season starts. There's just something about the many possibilities in those tiny little bits of nature. Ordering seeds is fun, but can be risky and it's traumatic to plant a bunch of seeds that don't germinate and you learn this too late to plant more. Fortunately, the internet makes ordering seeds a little easier and reviewers make it a bit less of a shot in the dark.

FOR SEED SAVERS:

If you want to save seeds to grow in future years, make sure the seeds you order say open pollinated'. This means they are not genetically modified or over hybridized will produce the same variety and quality of flower or veggie that came in the packet that you originally purchased.

SPECIAL SEEDS:

Most growers sell wide varieties of seeds, but some specialize in one particular plant. If you're excited about growing heirloom tomatoes or the very hottest peppers for your secret sauce, there is a grower out there for you. Search for a particular plant and you'll see what I mean. It's amazing how many different kinds of cucumber seeds are out there!

FRESHNESS:

Seeds have expiration dates. Generally all seeds sold have been produced that year; however, it's good to ask if you're ordering seeds from a person instead of a catalog. By this, I mean, many gardeners sell seeds on eBay, etc. and it's wise to check out exactly when the seeds were harvested.

REVIEWS

Read reviews of seed companies. Learn from other gardeners about the germination rate (how many actually sprouted), the hardiness, disease resistance of the plants and the abundance and quality of the flowers or vegetables. Of course these qualities change from season to season, but generally reviews lead you to the right sources.

WHO'S THE DADDY?

Look for catalogs or companies that grow their own seeds. Many of the big seed companies buy seeds from other growers, which means there's another mark-up that get's passed along to you. Even if the independent growers charge the same or more, I feel better about supporting them. Also, since this is their only source of income, they're very careful about the quality of the product.

As for ordering from catalogs, order early, as there are more gardeners lately and some companies run out of the more unique or popular seeds. I pre-order some seeds, just so I'll be sure of getting them.

Seeds are great, but for the past two seasons I've planted starter plants as well as seeds. A local nursery sells a six pack for about a dollar, less if you buy a flat. A seed packet can cost two dollars these days, and if only a few sprout, you've not only lost money, but precious time during the growing season. So, I buy both, so I can stagger my growing season and harvest. For instance, I purchase a couple of six-packs of green bean plants and alternated rows of plants with rows of seeds and had a fairly constant supply of green beans all summer.

Seed catalogs also offer more variety than your local discount store or nursery, and I often like to find unique varieties of plants, like nasturtiums with variegated leaves or those great huge zinnias and I know they will be available in catalogs.

January is a good time to begin looking for your summer plants. So, give seed catalogs a try, but do your homework and order early to insure a bountiful crop!

Learn more about this author, Pat Merewether.
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