More than 100 Seed Companies!

The following is a list of more than 100 seed companies, including seed potato and garlic bulbs. Many of them have free catalogs and/or great websites. For a source of ornamental bulbs, see the “Bulb Companies” tab on pegplant.com

Seed Companies

3 Porch Farm https://3porchfarm.com/

Adaptive Seeds http://www.adaptiveseeds.com

Alliance of Native Seedkeepers https://www.allianceofnativeseedkeepers.com/

American Meadows  http://www.americanmeadows.com

Annie’s Heirloom Seeds http://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com

Ardelia Farm (sweet peas) https://www.ardeliafarm.com/

Artisan Seeds https://store.growartisan.com/

A. Whaley Seeds https://awhaley.com/

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed http://www.rareseeds.com

Botanical Interests http://www.botanicalinterests.com

Burpee http://www.burpee.com

Companion Plants https://companionplants.com/

The Cucumber Shop (yes, all things cucumber) https://cucumbershop.com/

Earl May https://www.earlmay.com/

Eden Brothers http://www.edenbrothers.com

Ernst Seeds https://www.ernstseed.com/

Everwilde Farms https://www.everwilde.com/

Experimental Farm Network https://www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org/

Fedco Seeds http://www.fedcoseeds.com

Ferry Morse https://ferrymorse.com/

Filaree Farm https://www.filareefarm.com/

Floret Flower Farm https://www.floretflowers.com/

Fruition Seeds https://www.fruitionseeds.com/

The Good Seed Company https://goodseedco.net/

Grand Prismatic Seed https://www.grandprismaticseed.com/

Gurneys Seed and Nursery Company  http://www.gurneys.com

Harris Seeds http://www.harrisseeds.com

Harvesting History http://www.harvesting-history.com

Henry Field’s Seed and Nursery Company http://www.henryfields.com

High Country Gardens  http://www.highcountrygardens.com

High Desert Seeds http://www.highdesertseed.com/

High Mowing Seeds http://www.highmowingseeds.com

Hudson Valley Seed Library http://www.seedlibrary.org

Irish Eyes https://irisheyesgardenseeds.com/

Izel Native Plants https://www.izelplants.com/

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman https://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com

Johnny’s Selected Seeds http://www.johnnyseeds.com

Jordan Seeds https://jordanseeds.com/

J.W. Jung Seed http://www.jungseed.com

Kitazawa Seed Company http://www.kitazawaseed.com

Mary’s Heirloom Seeds http://www.marysheirloomseeds.com

MIgardener https://migardener.com/

Mountain Valley Growers https://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/

Native Seeds Search http://www.nativeseeds.org

Nichols Garden Nursery http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com

Osborne Quality Seeds https://www.osborneseed.com/

Park Seed http://www.parkseed.com

Peace Seedlings http://peaceseedlingsseeds.blogspot.com/

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply http://www.groworganic.com

Pinetree Garden Seeds & Accessories http://www.superseeds.com

The Plant Good Seed Company https://www.plantgoodseed.com/

Prairie Road Organic Seed https://www.prairieroadorganic.co/

Prairie Moon Nursery https://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/

Quail Seeds https://www.quailseeds.com/

Redwood Seeds https://www.redwoodseeds.net/

Renee’s Garden  http://www.reneesgarden.com

Renaissance Farms http://www.renaissancefarms.org

Restoration Seeds https://www.restorationseeds.com/

R.H. Shumway http://www.rhshumway.com

Richters (Canadian) https://www.richters.com/

Rohrer Seeds https://rohrerseeds.com/

Row 7 Seed Company https://www.row7seeds.com/

Salerno Seeds https://www.salernoseeds.com/

Sand Hill Preservation Center https://www.sandhillpreservation.com/

Sandia Seed Company https://www.sandiaseed.com/

SeedGro https://www.seedgro.com/

Seeds for Generations https://seedsforgenerations.com/

Seeds ‘n Such https://seedsnsuch.com/

Seeds of Change http://www.seedsofchange.com

Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org

Seeds from Italy http://www.growitalian.com

Seeds of India https://www.seedsofindia.com/

Seedwise https://www.seedwise.com/

Select Seeds/Antique Flowers http://www.selectseeds.com

Sierra Seeds https://sierraseeds.org/

Siskiyou Seeds https://www.siskiyouseeds.com/

Sistah Seeds https://www.sistahseeds.com/

Snake River Seed Cooperative https://www.snakeriverseeds.com/

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange http://www.southernexposure.com

Sow True Seeds https://sowtrueseed.com/

Stokes Seeds http://www.stokesseeds.com

Strictly Medicinal Seeds https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/

Swallowtail Garden Seeds https://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/

Territorial Seed Company http://www.territorialseed.com

Terroir Seeds http://www.underwoodgardens.com

The Maine Potato Lady https://www.mainepotatolady.com/productcart/pc/home.asp

Thresh Seed Company https://www.threshseed.com/

Tomato Fest https://www.tomatofest.com/

Tomato Growers Supply Company http://www.tomatogrowers.com

Totally Tomatoes http://www.totallytomato.com

True Leaf Market https://www.trueleafmarket.com/

True Love Seeds https://trueloveseeds.com/

Turtle Tree Seed https://turtletreeseed.org/

Two Seeds in a Pod https://twoseedsinapod.com/

Ujamaa Seeds https://ujamaaseeds.com/

Underground Seed Company https://www.undergroundseedco.com/

Uprising Seeds https://uprisingorganics.com/

Urban Farmer http://www.ufseeds.com

Vermont Bean Seed Company http://www.vermontbean.com

Victory Seeds  http://www.victoryseeds.com

West Coast Seeds  https://www.westcoastseeds.com/

Wildflower Farm https://www.wildflowerfarm.com/storefront.html

Wild Garden Seed https://www.wildgardenseed.com/

Wild Mountain Seeds https://wildmountainseeds.com/

Wildseed Farms  https://www.wildseedfarms.com/

Willhite Seed Inc. https://www.willhiteseed.com/

Wood Prairie Farm https://www.woodprairie.com/

Updated on January 8, 2023; copyright pegplant.com

Subscribe to a Free, Local Gardening Newsletter

Subscribe to Pegplant’s Post Gardening Newsletter, a free monthly newsletter about gardening in the DC metro area. Enter your e-mail here to subscribe. Each monthly issue lists at least 50 if not 70 local gardening events, recently published gardening books, articles, tips, and news specific to this area. Pegplant’s Post Gardening Newsletter always has a giveaway, an opportunity to win a free plant or gardening-related product. For the upcoming February 2023 issue of Pegplant’s Post, the giveaway is one Bendable Coir Pole™ and one Bendable Moss Pole™ for supporting vining tropical foliage plants. The giveaway is for subscribers only so enter your e-mail today!

These poles are courtesy of Mossify, a relatively new company. Branded as a premium houseplant accessory company, Mossify started in 2020 and is growing by leaps and bounds. In addition to their award-winning bendable poles, they also sell bendable wire supports, wooden trellises, continuous water misters, and a variety of raw mosses such as natural forest moss, Spanish moss, and sphagnum moss. Gardeners can purchase their products online or through retail garden centers. For every order, Mossify will plant one tree with their partner One Tree Planted. Their products are made with sustainably sourced materials, and they make a conscious effort to use the least amount of single use plastics as possible. Check out this new but growing green company.

Carex: The Wondercover

Carex woodii blooming

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to create a new garden bed toward the front of the property. It was a little too far away from the spigot so watering was going to be an issue and quite possibly deer. I wanted native shrubs but my saplings were going to take time to mature, thus leaving bare space for a few years. Having a new bed as a blank canvas is great but you have a lot of “blank” until the saplings mature.

I thought I would cover the soil with groundcovers and had heard great things about the genus Carex. I visited the local nursery and selected several Carex “Evergold” plants. In fact, this well-known local garden center only had the brightly variegated cultivars of Carex. But I liked the fact that its graceful arching leaves added color to the garden and stayed evergreen in the winter. True to form, the plants performed well despite the lack of watering. Deer have not bothered them (although they did enjoy the oakleaf hydrangea). In fact nothing has bothered the plants – they are work horses in my Virginia garden.

So when I saw the new Mt. Cuba Center Research Report on Carex for the mid-Atlantic region at a nursery trade show this past week, I picked up a copy. The 24-page publication is great. There are many detailed photos illustrating the botanical structure of the plant, photos of the top performers, and charts. The report can be downloaded from Mt. Cuba Center.

Top performer: Carex woodii

In 2017, Mt. Cuba Center’s Trial Garden staff planted 70 different types of Carex, 65 species and five cultivars (no, not my ‘Evergold’). Carex are grass-like perennials that are found in diverse habitats from wetlands to coastal sand dunes. A member of the Cyperaceae plant family, Carex is a sedge. Its stems are triangular with three edges and a solid interior. Usually their flowers are grass-like and insignificant but there are a few with larger, more pronounced flowers. The plants can be clumping or spreading. They are evergreen, semi evergreen, or deciduous in the winter. Most gardeners use them as groundcovers or as a “spiller” in a large container. They also can be used to stabilize soil, prevent erosion, and serve as a turf alternative.

Carex plants under shade at Trial Garden

For four years, the Trial Garden staff evaluated the plants for their horticultural qualities, vigor, and adaptability. They were planted in the fall of 2017 and given supplemental water for the first year to get established. From then on, they did not get supplemental water, they were not fertilized, and they only received a late winter cutback. Each plant was assessed in both full sun and shade and in average soil. The plants were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being very poor and 5 being excellent. Top performers are in the 4.2 range or higher, but the report does caution that those plants with lower scores are not necessarily inferior. They may be useful or good performers in other conditions (more wet or more dry soils).

Top performers are listed below. The report provides a full paragraph and one to two photos for each.

  • C. woodii (Wood’s sedge): 4.7 shade rating, 4.4 sun rating
  • C. cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge): 4.7 shade rating, 4.3 sun rating
  • C. bromoides (common brome sedge): 4.6 shade rating, 4.3 sun rating
  • C. haydenii (Hayden’s sedge) 4.5 shade rating, 4.5 sun rating
  • C. stricta (upright sedge) 4.2 shade rating, 4.5 sun rating
  • C. emoryi (Emory’s sedge) 4.1 shade rating, 4.4 sun rating
  • C. sprengelii (long-beaked sedge) 4.4 shade rating, 4.0 sun rating
  • C. pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) 4.3 shade rating, and 4.2 sun rating
  • C. pensylvanica ‘Straw Hat’ (Straw Hat Pennsylvania sedge) 4.4 shade rating, 4.1 sun rating
  • C. muskingumensis ‘Little Midge’ (Little Midge Muskingum sedge) 4.3 shade rating, 5.2 sun rating
  • C. albicans (white-tinge sedge) 4.3 shade rating, 4.1 sun rating
  • C. jamesii (James’s sedge) 4.3 shade rating, 3.9 sun rating
  • C. muskingumensis ‘Oehme’ (Oehme Muskingum sedge) 4.1 shade rating, 4.4 sun rating
  • C. crinita (fringed sedge) 4.0 shade rating, 4.2 sun rating
  • C. leavenworthii (Leavenworth’s sedge) 4.2 shade rating, 3.7 sun rating
  • C. plantaginea (plantain-leaf edge) 4.2 shade rating and failed to thrive in full sun and did not complete trial for sun rating

Because Carex plants are wind pollinated, there is no benefit to pollinators, but the plants are important as host plants and for habitat. Small mammals and birds eat the seeds and caterpillars of butterflies and moths consume the leaves. Toads, frogs, and turtles like to take up residence in the plants.

Looking down on Carex muskingumensis ‘Little Midge’ which has unusual foliage

The report also assessed Carex as a lawn alternative. In 2022, they did a year long mowing trial to identify which ones would be tolerant of regular mowing, grown both in sun and shade. Most were tolerant but those with medium to coarse textured foliage were not as aesthetically pleasing as mowed turf grass. Fine textured foliage looked better after mowing. The trial did not assess foot traffic which would occur in a home landscape. The top five top performers for this trial are:

  • C. woodii (Wood’s Sedge): 4.9 shade, and 4.9 sun
  • C. eburnea (bristle-leaf sedge) 4.6 shade, and 3.6 sun
  • C. socialis (low woodland sedge) 2.4 shade, and 4.6 sun
  • C. pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) 4.3 shade, and 4.4 sun
  • C. jamesii (James’s sedge) 4.0 shade, and 4.4 sun

Carex crinita has pretty flowers

As I mentioned before, my ‘Evergold’ is a brightly colored cultivar that I found in a local garden center. None of these native species mentioned in the report were at the center, nor have I seen them at any other local garden center. In fact, there are many native species but you may not find them at your nursery. So if this report has you salivating for these plants, you may want to try these nurseries below. Full disclosure: these were not listed in the report and do not imply endorsement by Mt. Cuba Center.

Prairie Moon Nursery
Digging Dog Nursery
Izel Native Plants
Plant Delights Nursery

Also, if you are intrigued and want to learn more about carex plants, Sam Hoadley, who manages the Mt. Cuba Center’s Trial Garden and was responsible for this trial, will present Carex for Every Garden on February 1, 6 to 7:30 pm, virtually for a nominal fee. Register here.

Mt. Cuba Center is a destination garden, a public garden in Delaware that highlights the beauty and value of native plants to inspire conservation. I highly recommend visiting them and checking out their website for educational events and past reports on other plants.

All photos are courtesy of Mt. Cuba Center.

New Plants and Gardening Products for 2023

Hydrangea Pop Star

This week I attended the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show. Known as MANTS, this trade show is always held in January at the Baltimore Convention Center. There were more than 900 exhibitors, and there is nothing for the public to purchase, it is all wholesale. I learn about new plants and products that will be on the market for gardeners. Although it was open last year during the pandemic, this year it felt like pre-covid, like we were back in business. The event was well attended – there were crowds of attendees and exhibitors plus many local garden communicators.

Here are few new plants and products that I discovered at MANTS. You will see them at local garden centers this year, or you may be able to order them online directly from the company. Continue reading

New Herbs for 2023 to Grow in Your Garden

Butterfly pea I grew in my garden

For several years in a row, I used to write a new plants article for a magazine’s spring issue. It was fun to flip through seed catalogs, identifying the new plants. But in some ways, it was a challenge. What is “new”? What is “new” to me may not be “new” to other gardeners. What is new for one seed company may not be new for another. The term “new” is very subjective. I would always see a new color of a petunia or zinnia or dahlia but since there were new colors every year, a new color did not seem really new to me. It was just another color of the same plant. Plus, my article reflected what was known when I wrote it – at that point in time. Some companies announce their introductions in December, the year before the new growing season, while others wait until the spring of the current year. So I struggled with “new.” Continue reading

Early Spring Bloomers: Dwarf Irises

2014Marchgarden 017

Harmony

It is January and already I can see the green spikes emerging from the mass of dead, brown leaves. Dwarf irises are one of the earliest bloomers in my zone 7 Virginia garden. These irises are only 4-5 inches tall and bloom solitary flowers in February and March. Mine have been in my garden for a long time, nothing bothers them.

J.S. Dijt

J.S. Dijt

Also known as netted iris, dwarf irises (Iris reticulata) are very small bulbs, covered with a fibrous netting. There are many cultivars; flower colors range from light to dark blue or light to dark purple. Preferring full sun and well-drained soil, they thrive in rock gardens, on steps and terraces, in containers, and can be forced to bloom indoors in pots. The flowers can be cut for small desk top vases, bringing early spring cheer to the office or home.

They are available to plant in the fall, along with other bulbs, at local garden centers or through bulb companies. Because they are so small though, buy at least a handful. Plant with roots pointing down, spike pointing up, three inches deep and three inches apart. Hardy to zone 5, they die back in the summer and come back in the spring every year. In my garden, ‘J.S. Dijt’ and ‘Harmony’ have thrived for years with no pests or diseases.

Start the New Gardening Season with a Free, Local Gardening Newsletter

Subscribe to Pegplant’s Post Gardening Newsletter, a free monthly newsletter about gardening in the DC metro area. Enter your e-mail here to subscribe so you can get a list of more than 50 local gardening events, recently published gardening books, articles, and tips specific to this area. Pegplant’s Post Gardening Newsletter always has a giveaway, an opportunity to win a free plant or gardening-related product. For the upcoming January 2023 issue of Pegplant’s Post, the giveaway is a 3-ounce bag of the Save the Monarchs wildflower seed collection. This is an exclusive blend of 13 wildflowers known to sustain the monarch population including butterfly milkweed, asters, purple coneflowers, rocket larkspurs, Indian blankets, etc. These plants are drought and heat tolerant and can grow in poor soil. Because this bag has about 100,000 seeds, it is perfect for starting a wildflower meadow.

This giveaway is for subscribers only and is made possible by True Leaf Market which was established in 1974 in Utah. They sell a wide variety of seeds, including premium brands such as Mountain Valley Seed Company, Sustainable Seed Company, Kitazawa Seed Company, and Handy Pantry. True Leaf Market is an independent, non-GMO seed company offering everything from flower, herb, and garden seeds to microgreens, sprouts, wheat grass, and grains. They also have growing kits, juicers, pet products, fermentation products, and hydroponic and gardening supplies. Their website provides a range of resources and information including videos and FAQs on topics such as starting seeds, winter gardening success, shade vegetables, sprouting, wheat grass, mushrooms, and microgreens. True Leaf Market has a loyalty rewards program, a free newsletter, and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

A Gardener’s Christmas Poem

This is my gardener’s version of The Night Before Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone and thank you to those who subscribed to my gardening newsletter, asked me to talk to their organization and write for their newsletter or magazine, and collaborated with me on giveaways. It has been a wonderful year!

‘Twas the night before Christmas,
And all through the yard
The branches were bare
And the ground frozen hard;

The roses were dormant
And mulched all around
To protect them from damage
If frost heaves the ground;

The perennials were nestled
All snug in their beds,
While visions of fertilizer
Danced in their heads;

The newly planted shrubs
Had been soaked by a hose
To settle their roots
For a long winter’s doze;

And out on the lawn
The new fallen snow
Protected the roots
Of the grasses below;

When, what to my wondering
Eyes should appear,
But a Prius full of gifts
Of gardening gear;

St. Nick was the driver
A jolly old elf,
And he winked as he said,
“I’m a gardener myself.

I’ve brought new seeds
And light systems, too,
Give them a try
And see how they do.

To eliminate weeding,
I brought bags of mulch
To attract the pollinators,
I have flowers for best results.

To add to your joy,
I’ve plenty of herbs
And ornamental grasses
For your hell strip curb.

For seed planting days,
I’ve a trowel and dibble.
And a roll of wire mesh,
If the rabbits should nibble.

I have the latest books
Plus some gadgets you’ll love;
Plant stakes and frames,
And waterproof gloves.

Here are sharp shears
And a new compost pit
And, for pH detecting,
A soil testing kit.

With these colorful flagstones,
Lay a new garden path.
For the view from your window,
A bird feeder and bath.

And last but not least,
Some well-rotted manure.
A green garden year-round,
These gifts will ensure.

Then, jolly St. Nick
Having emptied his load,
Started his Prius
And took on the road.

And I heard him exclaim
Through the motor’s quiet hum,
“Merry Christmas to all,
And to all a green thumb!”

Written by Peggy Riccio, pegplant.com.

Home for the Holidays: Florist’s Cyclamen

I am sure you have seen the beautiful holiday plant, cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum). Also called florist’s cyclamen, this plant blooms during winter and is a popular gift plant. The flowers, which are high above the foliage, last for several months. Cyclamen is available in a range of sizes, from mini to large, as well as flower colors in magenta, red, pink, and white. Beautiful as it is, it is not an easy plant to grow. Here are tips to prolong the bloom and save for next year. Continue reading

Lemon Cypress Dressed for the Holidays

As Christmas approaches, lemon cypress plants emerge, draped in holiday costumes. You have seen these small, yellow evergreens for sale at garden centers, food markets, and gift shops. Greenstreet Gardens is selling a gnome carrying a basket with a lemon cypress. The gift shop at Longwood Gardens has draped them in mini lights. A few years ago, Trader Joe’s sold Grump trees inspired by Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The trees were wrapped to bend and droop with a large ornament. Admittedly, these are cute and would make great gifts but then what? How do you take care of the live plant? Continue reading