Urban gardener flower seed resource?

April 19, 2013 8:53 PM

I'm looking for a reliable, affordable online outlet to buy flower seeds for my container garden.

I'd like to buy a bunch of different seeds to grow in Brooklyn to create a colorful outdoor container garden. I've looked on Amazon and it seems that the shipping for packets of seeds that should cost under a dollar make them rather pricey. Is there a go-to site to buy reliably good seeds (basics--dahlias, impatiens, zinnias, etc.) where they shipping doesn't make it upwards of $5 for a packet of seeds?

posted by annabellee to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

You get what you pay for.

I was recommended Johnny's Seeds by a friend who runs a CSA, and do far the seeds I bought from them have basically all come up. But, they're not even close to under a dollar a packet. On the other hand, they're high quality and some packets have a lot of seeds in them.

I don't think I can get under-a-dollar packets of seeds even at the grocery store, though.
posted by leahwrenn at 9:22 PM on April 19, 2013

You get what you pay for.

True. OTOH, with a little planning ahead, you can reduce your costs by buying seeds at the *end* of the season when they're on sale, storing them over the winter, and using them the next year. Germination may not be as good (as I have found), but something will probably come up. If you can find a clearance shelf for seeds, it might be worth an experiment.
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:02 AM on April 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

I just always hit eBay, to be honest. If I know what I'm looking for, I know that someone will have it, and the shipping hasn't been too painful, especially if I'm doing a bulk order, rather than just one or two packets.

(Which works great for me, because I mostly buy seeds for heirloom vegetables.)
posted by Katemonkey at 8:05 AM on April 20, 2013

Have you thought of meeting local gardeners and such, who frequently save and swap seeds? Seeds by mail seems sort of expensive to me--I've found that just about all seeds will grow. Dahlias, by the way, grow from tubers. Try gardenweb.com.
posted by Ideefixe at 9:10 AM on April 20, 2013

Do you guys have Walgreen's nearby? Because they usually have racks with cheap flower seeds. Sometimes 10/$1.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 9:48 AM on April 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Territorial Seed is my favorite. Johnny's as mentioned above is a good source too.

You might also try finding a seed library or seed swap events happening in your area. Even if you have nothing to swap, I've found gardeners to be pretty generous types.
posted by medeine at 10:08 AM on April 20, 2013

Send me your address and I'll send you some seeds for nasturtiums and whatever other flower seeds I have handy. I tend to overbuy. Seeds are packed for a particular year, but can be used in later years, though they won't germinate as well. You might be able to swap flower seedlings on craigslist.
posted by theora55 at 12:48 PM on April 22, 2013