Have you been dreaming of starting your own cut flower garden by seed, but don’t know where to get the seeds? With all the options out there, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which seed source is the best choice for you.
As you begin your growing journey, you will find oodles of companies offering beautiful photos of lush gardens, all promising an easy care-free garden. Realistically, though, not all companies offer what a beginning gardener truly needs.
The best seed companies not only provide the highest quality seeds, but they also empower gardeners with information that boosts their chances of gardening success.
Here are five tips to help you choose seeds like a pro.
These resources will help you find the seed source that is the best fit for you, your garden, and your budget. Look for companies that consistently offer these things and you’ll be off to a great start.
Tip #1 Detailed Growing Information
The best seed companies include full growing information on the seed packet or on the plant’s online product listing. Your chances of success increase exponentially when you can see the growing zone required, when the seed should be planted, the planting depth, the soil conditions the seedling needs, how far apart to space your plants and so on.
One of our favorite seed sources at the farm is Johnny’s Selected Seeds, simply because they tell us precise information on things we want to know, such as the maturity date of the plant (the exact number of days it will take to reach harvest stage) and germination temperatures (so we can control light, heat and humidity). As a beginner you may not need this much information, but you will learn exactly what each plant needs in a convenient way that will boost your confidence as your skills increase.
Tip #2 Choose Seeds with Latin Botanical Names
As you get further into your gardening journey, you will find that most flowers go by two different names – their common name, such as ‘ox-eye daisy’, and their Latin name, such as ‘Leucanthemum vulgare’. You need to be familiar with botanical names, because two flowers that might look very similar in pictures may have completely different growing habits and may even require different growing conditions.
For example, the common name “shasta daisy” looks very similar to the ‘ox-eye daisy’, but it is classified as “Leucanthemum x superbum”, and is actually cross-bred to have much larger flower heads, sturdier stems, and is taller than ‘Leucanthemum vulgare’, which makes it a better choice as a cut flower.
In the gardening world, going by botanical names is a best practice because it not only ensures you get exactly the plant you want, but also allows for you to research and find specific information on the plant from other sources, which in the long run, makes you a better gardener.
The topic of botanical names is a much deeper subject than we can allow in this post. For a helpful guide on plant names, check out this post.
In short, look for seed companies that list the true botanical names of plants to ensure you are buying the seeds you want. The Gardener’s Workshop does a great job of listing both common names and botanical names in their growing information.
Tip #3 Seed Count
Gardening can be expensive! A great indicator to ensure that you are receiving good value for your seeds is the seed count on the packet. Some companies list seeds by the number of seeds in the packet and some do it by weight. Be aware that some of the larger commercialized seed companies may list seed packets at higher prices with a much lower seed count than some of the smaller companies.
For instance, Burpee may list a 30 count packet of zinnia seeds for $6.95, whereas Johnny’s Selected Seeds may list those same zinnias at $7.65 for 100 seeds. Pay attention to the quantities listed and compare offers with other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal.
As a new grower, it is highly recommended that you buy more seeds than you need. Even experienced growers know that there will be germination issues, or the seedlings fail for whatever reason, so it is nice to have a buffer of extra seeds to offset these failures. But keep it simple! Don't splurge on expensive varieties just starting out, stick to the basics and learn all you can. Once you master your growing techniques, spending more on expensive varieties will make more sense.
Tip #4 Color Photographs
A full color photograph, or even a few photographs of the plant you hope to grow is indispensable. Sometimes only a drawing is available on the seed packet, so if you are searching online, look for companies that include many images of the flower in the plant description.
Color descriptions of plants vary widely. For instance, if the description lists the flower’s color as ‘blue’, which is a rarer color in the flower world, make sure you have images to determine if that blue is a true blue, not a purple tone. Many flowers listed as blue are often not blue at all. The same thing happens with purples: they may actually be deep pinks or even magenta.
Photographs empower your choices, and we like companies like John Scheepers that include great photographs of their products.
Tip #5 Extra Help
On our farm, we tend to buy seeds from companies that offer extra resources with their seeds and we have learned so much from them! For instance, The Gardener’s Workshop, Johnny’s and Floret all have an extensive library of articles, videos, books, and tutorials that supplement their seed selection with a boost of education and insight on the seeds they sell. The option to learn more about how to interact with the products you are buying adds instant value to the product and trust in the brand. These companies are truly a gardener’s greatest asset.
Our Favorite Seed Companies
Below is a list of the Top 5 seed companies that we recommend for beginning gardeners. A few of these even offer collections of cut flower seeds for a turn-key garden! Each of these companies offer many if not all the qualities we look for in making a knowledgeable and informed decision on seed selection. We hope you give them a try in choosing your seeds for your dream garden!
3) Floret
Thank you for choosing to join our family on this grand adventure, as we grow something beautiful, meaningful and good. If we haven't met yet, we are Sara and Teddy Wilson and we own Oklahoma Cut Flower Company in Norman, Oklahoma. We are a micro-farm that grows specialty cut flowers to educate and inspire our local flower-loving community. We are members of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.
You can learn more about us and join our adventures by subscribing to our email list and following us on Instagram and Facebook.
Comments