Any suggestions/recommendations to the best place to purchase heirlooms seeds? What would be the proper way to store them until use? Thanks!
If the seed packs are foil, sealed wraped (the best way) I would store them in the freezer. If not then in a sealed jar in a cool, dark place. There are other ways, these are just sugestions. As for seed companies, I have mostly ordered Amaranth seeds, but here are a few I have used. Baker Creek- Has a large selection, but will not plant till next spring. Orchard House Heirlooms- gave me a free pack but very little germanation. Under Woods Gardens- Was good, but had few seed perpack. Hirts- sells alot on ebay. Sustainable Seeds Co- Some of the best growing Amaranth I have grown so far. Bountiful Gardens- Had great seeds also. Native Seeds- Largest selection of grain Amaranth I have ordered from, but will not plant till next spring, so not sure yet. Frank
I've ordered from Bountiful Gardens too, and they are very good. I'd also suggest Seed Savers(Seed Savers Exchange).
Go ahead and buy from them. Our whole garden, except for the amaranth, was from them and the germination and production was good.
People have such short memories. Decades past the Russians had major grain failures. They had put all their eggs in one basket in the form of a super hybrid seed. I don't think in this case Montsanto had a hand in it. The point is, when hybrid seed fails, it fails in a catistrophic fashion. Russian was doomed to massive starvation. The USA stepped up and sold them grain for food in massive amounts at a fair price (we didn't gouge them because we could), and then the Amish and Menonite communities were called upon to share heirloom seed as a basis for the Russians to start from scratch in getting a decent grain harvest in their future. We continued to sell them grain until they got their harvests up to support themselves. To depend on Monsanto super seed is Russian Roulette with all our lives..... excuse the pun. It seemed appropriate. If Heirloom seed is outlawed, I too will become an outlaw.
I broke into my bank, had to try them out. Was worth it because now I have a lot more seeds to put back in.
