How to Choose Seed Companies

Look into mail order seed companies if your local garden store doesn't have staff with specialized knowledge about seeds. Many garden stores or hardware stores with garden sections do not have the best seeds. Mass-produced seeds with colorful packets often have low germination rates or low yields, or are not the best varieties for your region.

Discuss seeds with your friends and neighbors with successful gardens. Gardeners often buy from a few different seed companies depending on what they're growing, and have gone through a process of trial and error with different companies and different varieties to find what works best in their gardens.

Learn about seed companies that grow their stock in your area. These companies tend to produce varieties that will grow well in your zone because their seeds are tested in similar climate and soil conditions, so the information on their seeds such as germination rates and days to maturity are likely to be more reliable. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website (http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organic_seed/index.php) allows you to search seed companies by region.

Find out about a seed company's markets. A company that markets to both home gardeners and small farmers will probably have better-quality garden seed because the needs of gardeners and small farmers are similar. A company that caters to both large-scale agribusiness and home gardeners may not be selling the best seed for gardeners because seed requirements for large-scale farming and gardening are not the same. A reputable seed company's catalog or website should contain information about their markets.

Consider companies that specialize in organic and heirloom seeds to support the most sustainable seed production practices. Organic seeds are healthier for your soil and your family because they have not been treated with hormones or pesticides, and heirloom seeds promote horticultural genetic biodiversity by keeping old, nonhybrid strains in the gene pool.