If you are passionate about gardening, then spring is probably your favorite time of year. Everything is just starting to bloom, the bees are buzzing with excitement, and it is time to start planting some of your seeds. It really just has sort of a magical vibe about it that I love. For me, the excitement of spring starts a little earlier. A couple years ago while researching seed companies I realized that I could sign up for free seed catalogs in just a few simple steps and have them delivered right to my mailbox. I probably spent a couple of hours that day just filling out forms online to receive catalogs. Now, every year, I receive fun little surprises in my mailbox typically starting around December. Seed catalogs include all sorts of tidbits of information inside and I thoroughly enjoy reading them. And nothing is better than curling up by a warm fire or heater with a cup of coffee and your catalogs to start dreaming about the warmer months to come.
History of Seed Catalogs
Seed catalogs have been around for over 400 years with the first one appearing in the 1612 garden catalog at the Frankfurt Fair in Germany. This catalog was called “Florilegium” and was distributed by a Dutch merchant named Emmanual Sweerts. Florilegium featured various bulbs and flowers.
During the middle ages people used plant identification books known as “herbals” to aid them in identifying plants for medicinal and culinary purposes. As international trade expanded, gardeners began importing seeds, plants, and trees from Europe to America. This led to the first American Seed Catalogs which made their debut in the 18th century.
Over the years, these catalogs have became more sophisticated with detailed descriptions, illustrations, graphs, guides, and charts making them a valuable resource for gardeners. Many seed catalogs are now available in an ebook version online making it easier for gardeners to access this information from all over the world.
Baker Creek is one of the catalogs that I most look forward to receiving each year. This catalog is typically over 500 pages and features rare heirloom varieties from all around the world that are not offered by any other companies. The thing that makes this catalog so captivating is the beautiful photographs, delicious recipes, and stories. Unfortunately, this catalog is not free but, in my opinion, it is worth the money. Jere started Baker Creek as a teenager. Him and his wife Emilee are also the authors of two books, “The Heirloom Life Gardener” and “The Baker Creek Vegan Cookbook” which I can not say enough good things about.
Seed Savers Exchange offers a completely free catalog if you live in the US. If you do not want to receive a hard copy by mail, you can also access a free digital copy straight from your device. The thing I love about this company is that their mission is all about preserving heirloom seeds by distributing and educating people on seed saving. They operate one of the largest non governmental seed banks in the nation. In their catalog you will find useful information about collecting and storing seeds. You may also visit their website under their programs and resources tab for free seed saving guides and other resources.
Johnny’s offers a completely free catalog which you can receive by mail or view online digitally. Their catalog contains germination guides, growing tips, and all sorts of fun facts. The thing I love most about their catalog is that their photographs are side by side so that you have a visual representation of the differences in size, shape, color, etc of each species. Check out their website for instructional videos, planning tools, hardiness zones and other useful information.
4. Gurney's
Gurney’s catalog is completely free and can be accessed online or by mail. Gurney’s not only sells seeds but also trees, shrubs, fertilizers, and gardening tools. They focus on offering heirloom seeds with the highest yields, best disease resistance, and best pest resistance.
Burpee offers free hard copy catalogs by mail, or you can view it digitally on their website. I absolutely love their catalog; it is designed so beautifully and if you are looking for something specific, their seeds are in alphabetical order. Whether you are looking for vegetables, herbs, or flowers Burpee has you covered.
6. Eden Brothers
While Eden Brothers do not offer a hard copy catalog, they do offer numerous digital catalogs which are broken up into different categories to help you easily find what you are looking for. If you are looking for flowers, Eden Brothers is absolutely the way to go with their 650 flower seed varieties and 600 flower bulb varieties.
7. Sow True Seed
Sow True Seed specializes in southern seed varieties and is owned and operated out of North Carolina. Sow True Seed is committed to representing the agricultural history of the Cherokee people and are continuously working to find ways to support indigenous organizations, which I absolutely love about them! As for their free catalog, the artwork which you will find inside is absolutely beautiful.
8. Kitazawa Seed Company
At Kitazawa seed company, you will find a large variety of Asian seeds that you will not find anywhere else! To be exact, they offer 500 different seed varieties. In their free online catalog, you can read about the history of each seed and also find some amazing Asian recipes.
Annies Heirloom Seeds is a wonderful family-owned company based out of Wisconsin. They offer thousands of seed varieties from vegetables, flowers, herbs, and more. At the end of their free catalog, which is available by mail or by digital download, there is a list of gardening book recommendations. This company also sells seed bundles which would make the perfect gift for any gardeners you may know.
10. Park Seed
Park Seed was founded in 1868 by George W. Park. Mr. Park eventually went on to marry one of his customers from Greenwood, South Carolina. After their marriage, he and his wife eventually moved back to her hometown and took the business with them. The business is still located in Greenwood today. This company offers over a thousand different seed varieties which you can browse via their free online catalog or request a hard copy by mail.
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