Reader Requests are usually reserved for Tuesdays, but this one from Angela gets special treatment because it’s seasonal:
We just rented a community garden plot. Where is the best place to get seeds?
If you’ve got a suggestion for a good place to get seeds for growing in your Colorado garden, please leave a comment on this post!
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we get ours at Good Earth and Rick’s. Good Earth’s tomatoes are great as well.
WalMart is the cheapest in my experience, probably because their packets have fewer seeds. Which isn’t a bad thing if you’re like me and just have a small garden… if you only have room for 4 tomato plants, a packet with 25 seeds will be more than enough, no need to spend more on a packet with more seeds.
They do tend to have lower germination rates, so I’d suggest planting 2-3 seeds per hole, and either transplanting extras to cover for ones where nothing sprouted or clipping off the weaker extra seedlings. I think last year I had to transplant to fill in for unsprouted seedlings only a couple times, mostly I was clipping off extras. Or forgetting and getting two plants that didn’t do anything… don’t be like me lol.
I get seeds everywhere….Big R in Falcon has a really good selection, some unusual seeds too (they also go on sale). Plus, they usually have their chicks this time of year and they’re fun to watch.
Online, cooksgarden.com is my fav., burpee.com is awesome too. When you find a plant you like that does well in your garden, you can save the seeds at the end of the season. Here is an article about it: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07602.html
I’ve tried lots of flowers and squash varieties, and tomatoes with success. Good luck!
As much as I’d like to support locally owned businesses, I’ve found that Lowe’s usually has the best selection. They have several different brands of seeds, heirloom varieties, and other starts like grapes and raspberries.
Phelan Gardens has a wonderful selection of plants for transplanting (veggies, flowers, herbs, heirloom or not), if you just want one or two. For direct seeding, I usually go to Rick’s Garden and I like Botanical Interests seeds. It’s a Colorado company, and I find they have good varieties for our climate with good growing information. If you’re into gardening, check out the Pikes Peak Urban Gardens monthly gardening classes (there’s one this Saturday!). At this particular class, they are going to have free seeds for spinach, peas and beans (bring your own bags), in addition to 50-60 onion starts for $4.50. The class is $5, fun and well worth it. Another idea I’ve heard is Craigslist, but I haven’t tried it personally…
Wow! Thanks for all of your good suggestions. I am a beginner, so every tip helps. I can’t wait to start digging in the dirt!
before you buys seeds from chain stores, do some research. we have a shorter grow season than many places, so it’s best to get plant starts for warm weather veggies (like tomatoes, peppers.) you’ll also have better germination if you find seed varieties that are darker (white seeds need warm ground to germinate, dark colored seeds don’t) FYI double check that last statement, I may have it backwards…
some of the varieties you find will be carried by everyone–some won’t.
also look into your soil. is it mostly clay or mostly sand? both are previlent in the Springs. you can find varieties that will work in either-but not usually both. many people will tell you it doesn’t matter, you have to amend anyway, but I find it much less frustrating to know what you have and work with it (even with amendments.)
We have used Rick’s Garden Center and Nursery at 19th & Uintah for the past 2 years now. The owner, Mike, and his excellent staff are always available for lots of great help and advice. We use strictly Colorado based seeds from Botanical Interest because they are one of the few companies not owned by the mongrel, Monsanto. Good luck and happy planting!
I was at Dollar General and they have seeds 2 for $1 I used them had fairly good success. My dirt I found out is bad no nutrients. :( But the ones in pots took off.
I like Botanical Interests seeds. They are grown in Northglen, Co. I like seeds that are not only organic but from plants acclimated to our area. I spend so much time and other costs on my garden that bargain seeds are not worth it to me.
Do you have to go to Northglen to get them? I have no idea where that is?
Thanks.
Nope, you don’t have to go up there. You can get them at Rick’s Nursery.
Thanks.
I have gotten seeds from many places through many years of gardening, and while all are good, not everything sold here will really thrive here. I’ve always had the best results with seeds from Gurneys at gurneys.com. They are in the Dakotas, and it seems that their short season items do better here with our short season. It is sometimes very hard to find short-season kinds here. But Good Earth does have some, so good luck!
I have a related question regarding non-genetically modified seeds. Does it make much difference whether you get GMO or non-GMO seeds? And how can you tell the difference?
We get a lot of our seeds at Ace Hardware, very late in the season when they are marked down, and use them for the following year. They do have some stuff that would never do well here – like cotton seeds for the flowerbed – but also a good selection of vegetable seeds. I’ve had good germination and success with them.