You shouldn’t have to dig for details from an online retailer. “They should provide as much information as possible about the seed they are selling,” LaGatutta says, “including a complete description of the plant or crop, preferred growing conditions, growth habits, mature height and width, time to germinate and harvest, and disease resistance.” To help ease your path to a gratifying garden, we took LaGatutta’s advice and evaluated retailers for the quality of information they provide, as well as their delivery and return policies and customer service. Here are the best places to buy seeds for your garden online. Eden Brothers take two to five business days to process orders, plus the delivery time to get to your front door, and they do not offer expedited shipping. While shipping charges increase as your order total goes up, once you hit a $79 subtotal, the shipping is free. They take back unopened seeds within 15 days for a full refund, less shipping costs. Returns for defective or missing products can be 30 days from the date of receipt. Shipping charges increase as your order subtotal goes up. The average order takes 24-48 hours to package, plus the delivery timeline. Regular delivery is 5 to 8 days, but you have the option to pay for express or overnight delivery. They do not accept returns on plant products. You can expect big-box-store-level expertise, which we believe is hit-or-miss, depending on who is working that day. You can shop online where you can read reviews, and there is a live chat, but it is not a physical person on the other end. They offer free shipping on most smaller gardening products, but if you prefer to shop in person, there is most likely a Home Depot within driving distance. The main perk is you can grab everything you need to plant your seeds, like a garden hoe or a seed starting tray kit. Most orders ship within two business days. When you check out, they provide an estimated date to decide if the timeline works for you before you finalize your purchase. The company promises a 100 percent success rate, saying they replace or refund your order if anything fails to grow in your garden. If you are only looking to purchase a few seeds, they offer a flat $3.95 shipping rate on all seed packet orders, which is low compared with other retailers, and the company ships within a few days. Burpee stands behind their products and accepts a seed return within the year. But the customer pays for return shipping. We suggest doing your research before buying. The staff may not be experts on which seeds to purchase and specific gardening techniques. Although they don’t have an extensive range of options, they have all the basics covered, from vegetable and herb seeds to flower seeds. You can also purchase collections of seeds for specific uses, such as the herbal tea pack of four they sell. The website has a Learning Center section with a few articles and videos that touch on gardening tips. But they do not have extensive customer service options. The company relies on its network of people and sales to keep its mission going. Memberships are donation-based, tax deductible, and offered on an annual basis. They have great customer service, with an on-site section with recipes, seed information, and a blog. If you happen to be in Iowa, stop by their farm in Decorah, in the northeast part of the state. There you find a visitor center, gift and garden store, hiking trails, and display gardens. If you get a chance to stop by their headquarters in Mansfield, Missouri (northeast of Branson), you can peruse gardens, greenhouses, and a pioneer village; browse and buy at the seed store; and dine at the restaurant. They also host festivals throughout the year for seed enthusiasts. It’s important to note that they can’t be reached via phone; all inquiries must go through email. Johnny’s maintains an on-site seed lab that sets and maintains strong germination requirements, so you can be sure you receive seeds that are fresh, vital, and of superior quality. Their site is easy to shop, and they even have a Quick Order section, where you can search for products and add them to your cart. We love the section on their site called the Grower’s Library, where they have set out clear, accurate, timely information to excel as a grower. You can find various flowers, herbs and vegetables, organic options, and shop garden products such as gloves and pruners. They also have a section on their site with 20 seed collections that make great gifts. They offer free shipping on orders over $150. Otherwise, rates increase as the order amount goes up. When you click on the different seed varieties, you find information about how to plant and when to harvest. You also can order garden supplies, spices and teas, and crafts, and they even sell home beer and cider kits. Pinetree guarantees everything they sell for 90 days from shipment and offers credit for orders under $5 or a refund on orders over $5. You can contact customer service during the week via phone or email anytime. Orders can be placed online and shipped to your house. The shipping charge is waived on orders over $45. Customer Service Options: Phone, email
Return Policy
Each retailer we recommend has a different return policy, ranging from 15 to 90 days, with the original receipt. Other than big-box store brands, most do not accept opened seed packages. The smaller, garden-specific specialty retailers usually have shorter return timelines, and you often have to cover the return freight if you change your mind.
Customer Service Options
Some websites are easy to maneuver and offer a lot of product specs that can be useful in deciding where to purchase seeds. Some sites allow you to search by region to determine which seeds are best for planting based on your climate. Most specialty garden retailers offer the option to speak to someone who can give you expert advice on what seeds to buy and when to plant.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Deanna McCormack, a contributor for The Spruce since 2017. She has tested and reviewed online shopping options for several years in the home and outdoors category. To select the best products for this roundup, she examined each retailer, poring through their sites. We also contacted Debra LaGattuta, a Master Gardener and a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board, for expert insight. Check the USDA Plant Hardiness map for your region to determine when to plant your seeds. Start your seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date. To keep seeds vibrant, store them well. “Until I’m ready to sow them,” LaGattuta reports, “I store brand-new seeds and seeds left over from the previous year in a sealed plastic baggie that I place in a desk drawer, where the seeds remain cool and dark.” Before planting seeds, you can test if they are viable by placing them in a container of water and letting them sit for 15 to 20 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still good to plant; if they float, there is a high chance they will not sprout.
