Also, just because you don't like the taste of a tomato right off the vine doesn't mean that you absolutely can't make something delicious with it! You said they were sour, but you can add a little sweetener, and make tomato sauce, salsa, chili sauce, pizza sauce, etc. out of them. If they are cherry tomatoes, I just run them through the food processor. You could even make ketchup, or something. Mix them with other tomatoes, and you probably won't even be able to tell. You could also use them to make a tomato pie. There are many great recipes with a cheddar crust, bacon crumbles and sliced tomatoes on top. Use a little honey for the tartness and maybe goat cheese. Caprese salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a great fix for tart tomatoes. Marinate it for a long time. You don't have to waste the tomatoes. Donate them to a food pantry. Thank you for the warning, though!
I’ve had 11 year old tomato seeds germinate just fine. I just stock up on my favorites and keep them properly stored. Seed prices will just continue to rise in price and I’ve noticed less gram per pack the last few years. It’s nice to have a seed “bank” and never have to worry.
I found sunflower seeds in a junk drawer of unknown age that I tried to germinate for fun and got 10 out of 10 seeds to germinate. Probably at least six years old.
Yeah, agreed on keeping the seed properly stored. We keep ours in the cellar, where it's cool and dry. And we have one mess of cantaloupe coming along in the garden right now, from seed packaged for the 2019 season!
I purchased a pound of bush bean seeds from a well known company this year. I ended up growing every bean under the sun except what I had wanted. I called and that said it was cross pollination. They stood behind it and a couple days later I got replacement seeds from them. Hope this batch is better.
I think that's the problem. These seed companies are collecting and saving their own seed, so they need to have procedures in place to isolate them and prevent cross pollination. Well, some of these smaller operations may not have such strong procedures in place. I think that's what happened to me. I got F1 voluneer seed, and it was totally inedible.
Good luck because something similar happened to me. I wanted coral geraniums-they were scarlet. Told them and they resent and again scarlet. Either someone is colorblind or I’m getting the brush off.
@@2MinuteGardenTips where do the varieties of figs now come from seedwise or how did they cross to begin with? Btw could you sell some staples in seeds? Thanks Anth!
I have heard and read about so many complaints about Etsy seeds that I do not buy any seeds from them. I will however, buy plants. 😅 Rare Seeds and MI gardener are my favorite!
MIG has been great. I used to use rare seeds but so expensive. Thankful I found MIG. $2 per pkg and the sales early summer are even cheaper! Over $20 is free shipping even to Canada too
@@sarahdean3945I agree, Rare Seeds/Bakers Creek have horrible germination. I bought a ton of seeds from them, vegetables, fruit & flowers. I had read up and they had good ratings. I literally had no veges & fruits that came up. A handful of flowers. I had to go buy more seeds here local & regrow my entire garden again. Thankfully I got it done early enough that everything is growing great now. I called them & they refunded my entire order. Sent pics & everything. I'll never buy from them again.
Unfortunately, the risks are high. A lot of people are saving seed and re-selling them, but they don't have the procedures in place that real seed companies have to prevent cross-pollination. The result is you get volunteer seed, which can sometimes be inedible.
even Dale won't go near them. I bought a mislabeled kumquat tree- beautiful, pest-free leaves, it reliably flowers with a multitude of bright orange fruit, but I have to say, the peel is sweeter than the fruit- more sour than a lemon. It's a dwarf tree, so I leave it as a reminder- if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.
I have been germinating the Hanover style tomatoes (outside Richmond VA) for over 5 years. They always grow big as softballs, fleshy delicious tomatoes. I'm too old to experiment any more. I know what I like lol.
Amen brother. I bought seeds on Amazon and the third party didn’t send me seeds. I messaged them because they changed me $6 but no seeds no replacement and they so stubborn. I now remember not to buy seeds from certain people, rather i would pay a dollar extra but order from known companies
I bought strawberry runners from migardener and so did my friend. Shes in western pa and Im in eastern pa. We both purchased $50+. Neither of our starts germinated into anything. No refunds. But my issue is that the review we both left separately was deleted. Not cool at all. But my seeds I purchased from them have been fine.
I posted a review saying that one variety of tomato germinated well for me, but was consistently a week or more behind any other varieties. I just wanted others to know that theirs might just need a bit more time. It was deleted.
@@yanirisencarnacion04 Thank you for your comment. I have purchased from MI Gardener once before last year. My assessment is still TDB. That said, deleting ( in essence manipulating) reviews is not acceptable. Responding to unfavorable reviews is the appropriate way to handle things.
I'd recommend buying local live strawberry plants. I had bad luck with bareroot early this year. Luckily later I found a local store clearance live strawberry plants, $2 for 6 packs, some cells of the packs may have 2-3 strawberry plants. They are now happily in my garden now. 😊
There are a lot of great companies out there. I've never had a single packet of seed mislabeled from a real online seed company. I've only gotten bad seed from "third party seller" type operations and occasionally on the big seed stands in big box stores.
I too had a bad experience with seeds bought on Etsy. I bought some "Blue White Chrysanthemum" seeds. I did 4 different plantings, not a single seed terminated. When I wrote and asked for a replacement packet of seeds, the supplier replied that they did not guarantee the seeds they sell because they buy from many different growers and have no control over the growing/harvesting process. Say what? My lesson learned.
I learned this lesson back during covid/lockdown and ordered seeds off amazon. I knew the moment they arrived that something was off due to packaging and set aside. Remember the mystery seeds from China…. I got 2 separate batches and mailed them to a designated US agency. I now only buy from organic reputable companies but I still try to support the smaller brands.
Well, did you not hear about "Peppergate" or "Jalapenogate" that went on last year, and is still going on this year, for some people? That involved some big well-known seed companies and suppliers, too. I bought reputable Jalapeno seeds, and got banana peppers. I also bought Jalapeno PLANTS from Lowe's and got banana peppers. I bought Ferry Morse Jalapeno seed packets from Walmart and got banana peppers!! This happened all over the country, as a giant seed supplier mislabeled their seeds, evidently! I accidentally planted one of those packs of Ferry Morse seeds from last year. Yep, we have banana peppers this year again! I heard another very well known gardener on YT state that she is still having problems with getting too many banana peppers this year, too. So, it is not just me, LOL! PS We don't even like banana peppers!
The same thing has happened to me with the Walmart jalapeno seeds. Got banana peppers instead of jalapenos & some kind of long type of bell pepper instead of mild jalapenos. This was my first time growing peppers & was looking forward to making salsas & such. Very disappointed.
I've been hearing more and more about mislabeled seeds this year. I've had issues with reputable seed companies - Hubbard squash that turns out to be some random acorn squash and this year bell peppers that turned out to be hot banana peppers (and that was a painful discovery!). I've only ordered a couple of seeds from Etsy and have had good luck, so far. I'm wondering if the proliferation of cross pollination and mislabeled seeds is a result of the influx of new gardeners and the scrambling of seed companies trying to keep up and not checking on their growers.
Sorry you got nasty cherry tomatoes and no sauce tomatoes. I saved seeds from my best tasting Cherokee Purple tomatoes and used these seeds for 8 plants. They turned out to be the best of all the tomatoes I am growing this year. The plants are more robust than the original plant the seeds came from. I think next year it will be only these seeds and just keep doing that using best tasting only going forward. They should acclimate to my climate and do better every time. I hope.
I have had great luck buying herbal seeds from a seller on etsy, but also one horror story. I like queen Anne's lace and wanted to add it to my garden, the seller sent me poison hemlock seeds and was in complete denial of it. Buyer beware if you're buying from an independent seller, I've also read several awful reviews on amazon seed listings for seeds not germinating.
I have gotten scammed twice buying seeds on Ebay and once buying asparagus roots on Amazon. It is sad to think a few people ruin it for honest sellers because I will no longer order any seeds or starts from either of them.
You should try Totally Tomatoes for tomato and chili pepper seeds. Totally Tomatoes will have varieties that Tomato Growers does not carry and Tomato Growers will have varieties that Totally Tomatoes does not carry.
I have a good idea for a video for everybody who goes to the supermarket and brings home fruits and vegetables those seeds can be planted people don't realize that I'm growing a cherry tree right now that I got from cherries at the stop & shop that came all the way from Turkey it's possible and fun
Even Burpee had a problem last year. I ordered Marachi peppers and what grew was without a doubt serrano. After sending a pic of the plant and the seed pack, they acknowledged they were experiencing a problem with their packer that year and they refunded my money and gave me a 20 dollar gift code for this year. Exactly the right way to handle it.
I have received mislabeled seed off the shelf before at Home Depot. I bought a small, pointed orange pepper called, I think, Tequila Sunrise, and I got some bell pepper instead. Once, I bought Black Krim seeds off the shelf and got a gross small orange tomato that wasn't worth eating. Probably another bad F1 that cross-pollinated wrongly. It can happen from anywhere at any time, but it's definitely a much higher risk from random 3rd party sellers.
That sucks! All that time, space and water! I bought Ferrymorse grand bell mix seeds but got a hot banana pepper plant instead! Luckily, I used 2 other seed packs that were bell peppers.
Johnny's and Hoss have not let me down. I think I got a cross pollinated tomato from baker creek. I grew 4 Isis candy plants. 3 were normal. One was a standard red cherry. Between that and the purple tomato fiasco, I am not ordering from them anymore. I've also had problems with ferry Morse. Heirlooms don't grow that well where I live so I do not order from MI Gardner that much. I'm in Tucson, AZ. Hybrids just do better here.
Two of the past four years, Johnny's has given US butterNUT squash seeds in packets labeled butterCUP squash. This has been irksome, since we also order butterNUT squash seed - though the butterCUP is our favorite. Most of the butternut we normally grow to give away to family or the local food pantry. But to expect equal amounts of each, and get ALL butternut, is not a fun experience. If we get the same experience this year, I'll be complaining more than subtly.
I had the exact same experience last year. I really wanted to try a couple of varieties of tomatoes and found them on Amazon and another on eBay with free shipping. The seeds were obviously incorrect and likely some random cross-pollinated junk. I was able to use some of the tomatoes but they were not at all what I was looking for. Lesson learned! I will only buy from reputable sources from now on!
Actually those seeds were probably more likely to have been saved from the fruit of a hybrid plant, which you should not do because hybrids are unstable by definition.
I no longer buy anything from Etsy. I bought sweet potato slips, lemon trees and a few other things. Nothing grew and all the sweet potato slips never produces roots. All venders had 5 star ratings. On vender replaced slips with others that had no roots!
One of the gardeners I watch regularly ordered wax beans from a top seed company. When he opened the packet he has every size, shape and color bean you can imagine. They weren't even all the same wrong bean. When he asked for a replacement they sent another packet and again it was the wrong bean.
Too funny. I asked you yesterday on your live feed if you had ever planted seed that turned out wrong. I didnt want to spam the feed so I didnt keep asking, but I got obviously wrong seed this year, and this was from a really good seller that I will order from again. Seems like this is happening way to often now. Even though I really like to grow hybrids for their disease resistance, I am going thru heirloom varieties to see what does well for me, so I can save the seed. That way Ill know for sure what they are.
I had had trouble germinating hot peppers this year so, i bought a jalapeño start from W-mart. It ain't a jalapeño. Little peppers growing straight up. Got only 3 out of 100 hatch seeds to grow. Seeds i been saving year after year.
Last fall I bought 30 Egyptian walking onion bulbils on eBay for a very reasonable price, less than $10 shipping included. I was very surprised when it arrived in just a couple days and it wasn’t what I expected. There were 75 viable bulbils and they had also included 25 perpetual garlic bulbils and hand written instructions on how to care for both. All are growing well except I forgot about the “perpetual” part of the garlic and harvested some scapes before I realized and left the rest to make more bulbils. I have plenty of cloves to replant in the fall though.
Sorry you were scammed. I think you are very kind to share this info. I wanted to buy crookneck squash seeds. However, the shipping charge put me off. Seeing your video has changed my mind. So thank you again for sharing Maggie UK
What a timely post! I was just looking online for complaints about peas. For 3 seasons now I have ordered snap peas from different very reputable companies and have received mixed snap, snow and garden pea seeds in one packet. If I am not very careful I end up with inedible pods in my stir fry dishes. Very frustrating. Baker Creek offered a replacement pack but how can I be sure. 3 or 4 companies over 3 years seems to be a trend. Also I like to grow dwarf varieties but have not received any dwarf sugar snaps over the years either.
Next time you forget to order a variety, I’m sure one of your UA-cam friends here would happily do a seed exchange with you for the price of postage. Enjoying your channel, thanks for sharing.
I was scammed buying barefoot from Lowe’s. I bought strawberries and a pack of mixed raspberry blackberries - they were just sticks (no root whatsoever) but I still took a chance and tried to start them all in a variety of modalities.
When I got my dormant raspberry plant from MIGardener, it was just a "stick" (cane) as well. It took *weeks* to grow some side shoots and I had thought it was a dud! It's doing great now, although I won't get berries until next year.
Yeah just avoid lowes and home Depot. Find a local nursery instead. Particularly try to find one that specializes in native and permaculture plants if possible. You'll have the most success and easier time with plants that are naturalized. Also the people who run them tend to have more knowledge about what they are selling and can give you advice.
I just went out and found two strange things in my green beans that I bought seed for. One wasn’t totally different variety of green bean in the other was a morning glory. Thanks for the information of where to buy from now on!
I recieved mislabeled seeds from Harris seeds and Baker seeds. So this year I planted 13 year old tomato seeds from a seed exchange. Every single one germinated and I'll have tomatoes running out my ears once things start ripening. I've also had plants from local reputable greenhouses be miss labeled. Last year was especially bad with peppers. From the different places. I bought bell peppers and everything was a type of hot pepper.
SO SORRY YOU GOT SCAMMED! We've managed to avoid this, by always buying our seeds from (as you do) reputable companies, but almost always from a local firm that has a national following. When we've needed need backups, we go to the local farm supply (AGWAY) - which carries seeds from multiple national companies (including Burpee). The only times we've been disappointed was the two times we bought butterCUP squash seed from Johnny's here in Maine, and got butterNUT squash as a result. It was disappointing, but not disastrous as your tomato experience turned out.
Well everyone is feeling the need to reduce cost where they can but now going to have to order packet of seed & see if can get crop in before frost. Blessings NC has longer growing season. Good luck!!
Coincidentally, I bought the 25cent seeds from Dollar Tree this year. I had great success with carrots, but when I planted spinach in two trays, I got a jungle of something that I'm pretty sure is a tomato of some sort. I'm thinking of replanting the best of them into a 5 gallon bucket to see how it comes out..
Great reminder. Definitely make sure you get Plum Regal next year. I am hugely impressed with the size and quantity of fruit. I commented a couple weeks ago about my package of Beit Alpha claiming to produce only female flowers and not need pollinating. So far, all three plants have only produced male flowers. Go figure.
I know how you feel. I ordered sunsugar tomato seeds from an eBay seller and they turned out to be Roma tomatoes. I didn't start any Roma's this year so I know it wasn't my own mix up. Ordered geranium seeds from an Etsy seller and didn't get geranium plants.
same thing happened to me but only got a couple plants growing from the company, were after thought varieties i wanted to try and not put a big order in ..were like #$2 bucks shipped free ..deal too good to be real and was. I think the vendor was called "house seeds" ..seeds germinated but obviously not what i ordered
@@sassyherbgardener7154I had bad luck with MI Gardener also, some of the seeds I got did fine but the milk thistle seeds I got from them had some of the worst germination I've ever seen. Based on the color of the seed I believe they sold me immature seed.
This is why I plant many varieties of tomatoes each year. Imagine if I only planted one variety. I would've lost everything. Always plant many varieties of your "core" garden vegetables to help ensure something does well.
Wow!! That is strange that you couldn’t even eat them!! Very interesting. I have gotten 2 seeds from Baker Creek that had the wrong seeds, but I buy too many seeds. I’m sure I buy 10 X what most people buy.
Wow sorry to hear you were scammed. It happens so don't be so tough on yourself. There are always can tomato sales. Could you do a video on when the best time to buy seeds at the end of the year from trusted sites?
You're welcome! I'm glad I got to them. It's very difficult to read the questions in the chat, because it moves so quickly and it's easy to lose sight. I'm sure I missed many questions, so I hope to have another session again in a few weeks.
I have ordered seeds from Amazon, and it's a mixed bag, some good, some not. As I learn more, I pay attention to what works and what doesn't instead of just ordering randomly. I've had Burpee Seeds not do that great, but I could chalk some of that up to my own inexperience. I'm in California. I order a lot of my seeds from either CaliKim or Botanical Interests. Thanks for the tips. I'll try them. I have also organized my seeds into a storage case to store them correctly. But that absolutely sucks what happened in this situation. Sorry that you got burned.
Jung Seeds is another to avoid. Big flashy catalogs like theirs have become a warning sign for me to be cautious. Standard size seed packets with maybe 5-6 seeds (and I’m talking tiny herb seeds, not bean seeds or melon seeds), with poor germination. When I contacted them to complain, they were rude about it. They still send me catalogs which promptly get trashed.
Luckily, I grew 25 other varieties, so I still got plenty of other tomatoes. This is a good reason why everyone should plant numerous varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc. That way, if you get bad seed, it doesn't ruin your harvest. Imagine if this was the only variety of tomato I grew. I would have lost the entire year. Some people only plant one tomato variety, and that is extremely risky.
This year we bought corn seeds from a store and the first batch only had four out of a hundred corn sprouts, bought different type and only 3/4 of them sprouted and they were expensive. That will never happen again.
I’m growing orange hat tomatoes and they might be a foot tall if I stake them and they are really producing, a small handful every couple days off 3 tiny plants.
This happened to me. One was for a variety of Okra called Bull Dog Okra. Bull Dog does not get tall (maybe 3 feet) and the Okra and stems are red. I had received seeds for regular green Okra, I discovered this when I planted them the following summer, I ordered them in the fall. I didn't even know the variety and gave the small plants away. I stick to one variety because bees will cause cross-pollination. I bought trombone squash seeds from a small company on Etsy, the squash grew a butternut-shaped squash, and one trombone squash that grew to a length of 16 inches and stopped growing. This was on the same plant so, I knew that cross-pollination had occurred with the vendor. I have never raised butternut squash. I ordered Harbernero pepper seeds and they grew long Cayenne peppers. I had to take pictures to prove my point and the vendor refunded me. The same thing happened to me at my local nursery, they refunded me. It happens!
That sucks. I had a similar situation with a sweet pea tomato. It ended up being a random paste size tomato. Like you I have had mostly good luck across the board.👍🏼
I tried a new site because I wanted new varieties of micro and dwarf tomatoes. I paid money and never received any seeds. I messaged and call and no response. It has been since November 23. Thank you for the tomato web page
That is a bummer and lesson learned. I only have 135 day growing timeframe and I wait a long drawn out winter to garden and I don’t have time to waste, nor money or the harvest I rely on to preserve. It’s like buying plants and not guarding them from wildlife. I’m not gardening for them and my time and money are precious. Everything I do in those 135 days needs to count. The worst seed was at farm store-Livingston seeds. It was a tomato and the strangest thing I ever seen as it had trillions of blossoms and no fruit.
I had a oak of cherry tomatoes a few years ago and they were awful. Also bought 2 packs labeled bush beans at Lowes. One turned out to be back Eyed peas abs the other pole beans. In a waist high raised bed doesn't work. So I got more . Entire green bean crop delayed.
I agree with trying g to save the shipping. I have got took several times on different things . Thinking I was saving!! So sorry about this. And Luke you I wouldn't want them to sprout next year. I enjoy your videos a lot!
I keep it simple for myself and stick with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, MIgardner, and Territorial Seeds. I only buy seeds. I have heard of others having issues, but I am fortunate not to have had any.
It might also be grazon if you used contaminated straw or mulch, and mushroom compost is notorious for being salty, which will inhibit germination. I just burned some green beans by adding too much ashes to the bed.
I prefer Botanical Interests seeds, but wish they had a larger selection of seeds. I like that they are available at Calloway's too & not just through mail order. I just realized it's time for me to put in my garlic order for October planting.
I got scammed buying expensive rare strawberry seeds from Etsy 😢 I planted them and they are just regular alpine strawberries, but the seller advertised them as rare Japanese strawberries 😡
I love Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE). They are my favorite seed company. I also like Trueleaf/Kitazawa and Botanical Interests. I'll check out your other recommendations. Thanks!
Oh my God oh my God that happened to me twice and I want to cry. I am on a fixed income social security and had a series of bad events happen from 2020 to 2023. So financially I look for the best buy. And I got scammed twice I know with certain seeds should look like and when I was sent the seeds it was wrong I don't know even know what they sent me for all I know I was sent poison. But it definitely wasn't what I ordered when I contacted the company it was like they didn't even exist. And then it happened to me on all places Amazon and I was told okay send them back and I'll get my money back but it was going to cost me even more money to send them back. All in all I'm out about $30 between these two scams. Not a lot of money you may say but for someone on a fixed income it is and for what I thought I was buying it would have provided a lot of food for me. How can people be so cruel oh my god. I'm telling you you really have to stick with a very good reputable company
That really stinks. This is why I always plant many varieties of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers every year. If I get bad seed, I only lose a few plants. I would recommend checking for marked down seed at the end of the summer at garden centers. Usually, you can pick up packets pretty cheap. If you store them in a cool, dry, dark place, they keep for about 3 years. I keep mine in a cardboard box inside my closet on top of my stacks of shorts and jeans. That's the coolest, darkest part of the house. The more varieties you start, the more you guarantee something will do well.
@@2MinuteGardenTips thank you that's wonderful advice. I received so much from you I am so grateful. And I was thinking of you this 4th of July. Last year you recommended CBD dog treats for my dog. I had mentioned how afraid she gets. Oh my god they worked wonderfully she slept like a baby
If you're looking for basic varieties (and I mean, REALLY basic), my local dollar store usually carries seeds in February and March. Limited varieties and a very limited time, but for 20 cents a pack, I can get most of the basics for $2 or less. If any of them don't work out, I've only lost some time. The money I save goes to the few special varieties I don't want to do without.
My dad and i only grow heirloom seeds from tomatoes that he has been growing for years! But that doesn't mean I'm going to get the plants I wanted. My dad is 86 and he is turning the seed saving over to me! I will also be doing the seedlings for us also! 😅
This year I got Ferry Morse beefsteak tomato seeds, SO BAD. This is my first year gardening and I learned it the hard way. Among 25 tomato plants, I only got probably 10 beefsteak tomato plants. The others are just pathetic small tomatoes but larger than cherry. I WILL NEVER BUY FERRY MORSE EVER AGAIN. And I will take notes of the brands mentioned in the video.
I've had very good success with True Leaf Market. My worst experience was with Southern Seed this year: Over a dozen types of vegetables with close-to-zero germination. Those that sprouted failed to mature or had very poor yield. Also three types of wildflowers with zero germination.
I have gotten mislabeled seeds from Baker Creek- what was supposed to be petite marigolds grew to almost hip height and overpowered their neighboring tomato plants. I bought some of the most amazing strawberry plants from Etsy. I make the most educated purchases I can but understand sometimes it is a gamble.
I have grow of the best varieties of heirloom tomato seeds which i used to sell on etsy. I no longer do as etsy is full of resellers with fake pictures selling crappy seed. The amount of people sucked into buying pink or blue sunflowers in hilarious.
It's alright. Luckily, I plant ~25 varieties a year, so something always does well. This is why I recommend everyone plant many varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and other core vegetables.
Sorry you had that experience. I ordered sunchokes from an Etsy seller. The transaction was great. The plants are great and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
Oh no! Thats really bad. Well I went to Meijer and bought two fall gold raspberry plants for 17 dollars, well only one of them is Fall Gold the other one is a Red Berry of which I have no idea what it is. It was a good berry at least it tastes good.😅
That could possibly be a happy accident. This tomatoes were so awful, you couldn't even eat them. I've never had a tomato taste like this. They were nasty.
I too have gotten seeds appearing to be some hybrid or just not what i purchased. The past 3 seasons. Not naming names but being from 1 well known seed seller and 1 seed exchange. This experience has been with okra,peppers, tomatoes,radishes,summer squash, winter squash and cow peas. I can see the random mishap with something occasionally but ive had this issue multiple times in a season for 3 seasons running. its unfortunate they dont have a large selection of seed but none the less at least theres one four letter seed company that never lets me down.
I remember the big pepper screw up last year. I bought a jalapeno and ended up with some bizarre yellow pepper (not a banana pepper btw). And my beefsteak tomatoes were definitely some kind of golfball-sized cherry tomato.
I bought Okra seeds at a local retailer and it was definitely not okra that grew LOL It had spikes all over and fluffy floaters in the spiked pod. I believe they were burpee seeds. I really like the seeds from Seed Savers Exchange, MI Gardner, Mary's Heirloom, Sow True Seed, Baker Creek.... I need seed savers anonymous.... I have purchased some odd items from smaller shops with great results. :)
Sorry that happened to you. I buy seeds from the same seed companies you do, but I also buy seeds from MIgardener, Botanical Interests and Hoss. Hoss has a paste tomato called Shelby that people rave about and a slicer tomato called Hossinator that is very good. Their seed quality is exceptional, and they stand behind their products. Watch Hoss' UA-cam video titled Top 5 Seed Companies that seed companies buy their seeds from. Very informative.
There is a very disappointing story about MIGardener above. I can't believe it, as I have bought seed from them, and had a good experience. I've watched his channel, and find it hard to believe that he would treat customers like that, and remove their ratings. Very sad, if true.
Ugh! I did the same as you! I forgot to buy bok choi, so bought some from a "shipping included" seller on a major online retailer. I didn't read the reviews (mistake!). Did I get bok choi? Nope. Instead, I rec'd some random brassica that I think was maybe a mustard, but who knows? It tasted nasty! I had to tear them out. Months of seed starting, transplanting, and growing wasted. Too hot to replant by the time I realized the problem. Never again!
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" it and share it to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀
Lots of people are posting on all social media that they got the wrong seeds, or scammed. Tomatoes have been the largest complaint.
Have you ever dealt with Pepper Joe's? I seem to have issues with germination from their seeds.
Also, just because you don't like the taste of a tomato right off the vine doesn't mean that you absolutely can't make something delicious with it! You said they were sour, but you can add a little sweetener, and make tomato sauce, salsa, chili sauce, pizza sauce, etc. out of them. If they are cherry tomatoes, I just run them through the food processor. You could even make ketchup, or something. Mix them with other tomatoes, and you probably won't even be able to tell. You could also use them to make a tomato pie. There are many great recipes with a cheddar crust, bacon crumbles and sliced tomatoes on top. Use a little honey for the tartness and maybe goat cheese. Caprese salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a great fix for tart tomatoes. Marinate it for a long time. You don't have to waste the tomatoes. Donate them to a food pantry. Thank you for the warning, though!
I’ve had 11 year old tomato seeds germinate just fine. I just stock up on my favorites and keep them properly stored. Seed prices will just continue to rise in price and I’ve noticed less gram per pack the last few years. It’s nice to have a seed “bank” and never have to worry.
I do the same then I just try to buy on discount etc and use the oldest first.
I found sunflower seeds in a junk drawer of unknown age that I tried to germinate for fun and got 10 out of 10 seeds to germinate. Probably at least six years old.
Yeah, agreed on keeping the seed properly stored. We keep ours in the cellar, where it's cool and dry. And we have one mess of cantaloupe coming along in the garden right now, from seed packaged for the 2019 season!
I'm sorry but I laughed so hard at "these tomatoes are absolutely DISGUSTING!" That sucks, thanks for the warning!
It's true. They tasted rotten, even when they were perfectly ripe. I tried a dozen of them. Every one tasted awful.
I purchased a pound of bush bean seeds from a well known company this year. I ended up growing every bean under the sun except what I had wanted. I called and that said it was cross pollination. They stood behind it and a couple days later I got replacement seeds from them. Hope this batch is better.
I think that's the problem. These seed companies are collecting and saving their own seed, so they need to have procedures in place to isolate them and prevent cross pollination. Well, some of these smaller operations may not have such strong procedures in place. I think that's what happened to me. I got F1 voluneer seed, and it was totally inedible.
Good luck because something similar happened to me. I wanted coral geraniums-they were scarlet. Told them and they resent and again scarlet. Either someone is colorblind or I’m getting the brush off.
@@2MinuteGardenTips where do the varieties of figs now come from seedwise or how did they cross to begin with? Btw could you sell some staples in seeds? Thanks Anth!
Open pollination happens, it’s not always a bad seed house or bad practices
I have heard and read about so many complaints about Etsy seeds that I do not buy any seeds from them. I will however, buy plants. 😅 Rare Seeds and MI gardener are my favorite!
Rare seeds has such poor germination though. I like southern seed exchange myself.
MIG has been great. I used to use rare seeds but so expensive. Thankful I found MIG. $2 per pkg and the sales early summer are even cheaper! Over $20 is free shipping even to Canada too
MI Gardener is my favorite!
@@sarahdean3945I agree, Rare Seeds/Bakers Creek have horrible germination. I bought a ton of seeds from them, vegetables, fruit & flowers. I had read up and they had good ratings. I literally had no veges & fruits that came up. A handful of flowers. I had to go buy more seeds here local & regrow my entire garden again. Thankfully I got it done early enough that everything is growing great now. I called them & they refunded my entire order. Sent pics & everything. I'll never buy from them again.
MiG sent me some mislabeled peppers again this year. It happens, but it's always frustrating when you lose the time and space.
Lesson learned this year for me ETSY IS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BUY SEEDS.
Unfortunately, the risks are high. A lot of people are saving seed and re-selling them, but they don't have the procedures in place that real seed companies have to prevent cross-pollination. The result is you get volunteer seed, which can sometimes be inedible.
even Dale won't go near them. I bought a mislabeled kumquat tree- beautiful, pest-free leaves, it reliably flowers with a multitude of bright orange fruit, but I have to say, the peel is sweeter than the fruit- more sour than a lemon. It's a dwarf tree, so I leave it as a reminder- if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't.
Hoss seeds are the best I've found. Always germinate and always true. Saw a video of how they store the seeds, and that is super important!
I have been germinating the Hanover style tomatoes (outside Richmond VA) for over 5 years. They always grow big as softballs, fleshy delicious tomatoes. I'm too old to experiment any more. I know what I like lol.
Amen brother. I bought seeds on Amazon and the third party didn’t send me seeds. I messaged them because they changed me $6 but no seeds no replacement and they so stubborn. I now remember not to buy seeds from certain people, rather i would pay a dollar extra but order from known companies
I bought strawberry runners from migardener and so did my friend. Shes in western pa and Im in eastern pa. We both purchased $50+. Neither of our starts germinated into anything. No refunds. But my issue is that the review we both left separately was deleted. Not cool at all.
But my seeds I purchased from them have been fine.
I had the same experience as you. Bought strawberry plants while in dormancy and nothing they never came up but have had good luck with the seed’s.
I posted a review saying that one variety of tomato germinated well for me, but was consistently a week or more behind any other varieties. I just wanted others to know that theirs might just need a bit more time. It was deleted.
@@yanirisencarnacion04 Thank you for your comment. I have purchased from MI Gardener once before last year. My assessment is still TDB. That said, deleting ( in essence manipulating) reviews is not acceptable. Responding to unfavorable reviews is the appropriate way to handle things.
@@markmason3535 agree
I'd recommend buying local live strawberry plants. I had bad luck with bareroot early this year. Luckily later I found a local store clearance live strawberry plants, $2 for 6 packs, some cells of the packs may have 2-3 strawberry plants. They are now happily in my garden now. 😊
MIgardners got great seeds and botanical interest. Both are very reliable also!
There are a lot of great companies out there. I've never had a single packet of seed mislabeled from a real online seed company. I've only gotten bad seed from "third party seller" type operations and occasionally on the big seed stands in big box stores.
I too had a bad experience with seeds bought on Etsy. I bought some "Blue White Chrysanthemum" seeds. I did 4 different plantings, not a single seed terminated. When I wrote and asked for a replacement packet of seeds, the supplier replied that they did not guarantee the seeds they sell because they buy from many different growers and have no control over the growing/harvesting process. Say what? My lesson learned.
Pinetree Garden seeds (out of Maine) is great. I've grown their seeds in Maine, NJ, and Mass. Baker Creek has free shipping.
I learned this lesson back during covid/lockdown and ordered seeds off amazon. I knew the moment they arrived that something was off due to packaging and set aside. Remember the mystery seeds from China…. I got 2 separate batches and mailed them to a designated US agency. I now only buy from organic reputable companies but I still try to support the smaller brands.
Well, did you not hear about "Peppergate" or "Jalapenogate" that went on last year, and is still going on this year, for some people? That involved some big well-known seed companies and suppliers, too. I bought reputable Jalapeno seeds, and got banana peppers. I also bought Jalapeno PLANTS from Lowe's and got banana peppers. I bought Ferry Morse Jalapeno seed packets from Walmart and got banana peppers!! This happened all over the country, as a giant seed supplier mislabeled their seeds, evidently! I accidentally planted one of those packs of Ferry Morse seeds from last year. Yep, we have banana peppers this year again! I heard another very well known gardener on YT state that she is still having problems with getting too many banana peppers this year, too. So, it is not just me, LOL! PS We don't even like banana peppers!
I didn’t know about the pepper seeds issue from last year. I had what I thought were bell pepper seeds and some turned out to be jalapeños.
The same thing has happened to me with the Walmart jalapeno seeds. Got banana peppers instead of jalapenos & some kind of long type of bell pepper instead of mild jalapenos. This was my first time growing peppers & was looking forward to making salsas & such. Very disappointed.
I've been hearing more and more about mislabeled seeds this year. I've had issues with reputable seed companies - Hubbard squash that turns out to be some random acorn squash and this year bell peppers that turned out to be hot banana peppers (and that was a painful discovery!). I've only ordered a couple of seeds from Etsy and have had good luck, so far.
I'm wondering if the proliferation of cross pollination and mislabeled seeds is a result of the influx of new gardeners and the scrambling of seed companies trying to keep up and not checking on their growers.
Sorry you got nasty cherry tomatoes and no sauce tomatoes.
I saved seeds from my best tasting Cherokee Purple tomatoes and used these seeds for 8 plants. They turned out to be the best of all the tomatoes I am growing this year.
The plants are more robust than the original plant the seeds came from. I think next year it will be only these seeds and just keep doing that using best tasting only going forward. They should acclimate to my climate and do better every time. I hope.
I have had great luck buying herbal seeds from a seller on etsy, but also one horror story. I like queen Anne's lace and wanted to add it to my garden, the seller sent me poison hemlock seeds and was in complete denial of it. Buyer beware if you're buying from an independent seller, I've also read several awful reviews on amazon seed listings for seeds not germinating.
What a scary thing to hear!
I recommend strictly medicinal seeds. Also, fedco seeds has a good variety of herbal seeds as well.
I have gotten scammed twice buying seeds on Ebay and once buying asparagus roots on Amazon. It is sad to think a few people ruin it for honest sellers because I will no longer order any seeds or starts from either of them.
It's a real risk, and it happens all the time. By the time you find out the plants are wrong, it's too late for a refund.
I got mislabeled seeds from Johnny's. They were supposed to be Jupiter bell peppers but they are definitely some variety of eggplant.
You should try Totally Tomatoes for tomato and chili pepper seeds. Totally Tomatoes will have varieties that Tomato Growers does not carry and Tomato Growers will have varieties that Totally Tomatoes does not carry.
I have a good idea for a video for everybody who goes to the supermarket and brings home fruits and vegetables those seeds can be planted people don't realize that I'm growing a cherry tree right now that I got from cherries at the stop & shop that came all the way from Turkey it's possible and fun
I'm doing that with mushroom stem butts right now. Wood loving mushrooms, not the ones that grow in poo. Lol
Pick them, wash them, throw them in a blender, strain them, and use the liquid to make sweet and sour sauce with them.
Even Burpee had a problem last year. I ordered Marachi peppers and what grew was without a doubt serrano. After sending a pic of the plant and the seed pack, they acknowledged they were experiencing a problem with their packer that year and they refunded my money and gave me a 20 dollar gift code for this year. Exactly the right way to handle it.
I have received mislabeled seed off the shelf before at Home Depot. I bought a small, pointed orange pepper called, I think, Tequila Sunrise, and I got some bell pepper instead. Once, I bought Black Krim seeds off the shelf and got a gross small orange tomato that wasn't worth eating. Probably another bad F1 that cross-pollinated wrongly. It can happen from anywhere at any time, but it's definitely a much higher risk from random 3rd party sellers.
That sucks! All that time, space and water! I bought Ferrymorse grand bell mix seeds but got a hot banana pepper plant instead! Luckily, I used 2 other seed packs that were bell peppers.
Johnny's selected seeds. Thomas Jefferson Historical Plant Society. Excellent seed experience.
Johnny's and Hoss have not let me down. I think I got a cross pollinated tomato from baker creek. I grew 4 Isis candy plants. 3 were normal. One was a standard red cherry. Between that and the purple tomato fiasco, I am not ordering from them anymore. I've also had problems with ferry Morse. Heirlooms don't grow that well where I live so I do not order from MI Gardner that much. I'm in Tucson, AZ. Hybrids just do better here.
I have not had good germination success with Ferry Morse seeds starting seedlings indoor or direct sow outdoor. Not going to buy their seeds anymore.
Two of the past four years, Johnny's has given US butterNUT squash seeds in packets labeled butterCUP squash. This has been irksome, since we also order butterNUT squash seed - though the butterCUP is our favorite. Most of the butternut we normally grow to give away to family or the local food pantry. But to expect equal amounts of each, and get ALL butternut, is not a fun experience. If we get the same experience this year, I'll be complaining more than subtly.
This is good to know because I’ve been wondering about Hoss. Thanks
Thank you for this video! I have never bought seeds from Etsy and never will for this reason
I had the exact same experience last year. I really wanted to try a couple of varieties of tomatoes and found them on Amazon and another on eBay with free shipping. The seeds were obviously incorrect and likely some random cross-pollinated junk. I was able to use some of the tomatoes but they were not at all what I was looking for. Lesson learned! I will only buy from reputable sources from now on!
Actually those seeds were probably more likely to have been saved from the fruit of a hybrid plant, which you should not do because hybrids are unstable by definition.
I no longer buy anything from Etsy. I bought sweet potato slips, lemon trees and a few other things. Nothing grew and all the sweet potato slips never produces roots. All venders had 5 star ratings. On vender replaced slips with others that had no roots!
One of the gardeners I watch regularly ordered wax beans from a top seed company. When he opened the packet he has every size, shape and color bean you can imagine. They weren't even all the same wrong bean. When he asked for a replacement they sent another packet and again it was the wrong bean.
Too funny. I asked you yesterday on your live feed if you had ever planted seed that turned out wrong. I didnt want to spam the feed so I didnt keep asking, but I got obviously wrong seed this year, and this was from a really good seller that I will order from again. Seems like this is happening way to often now. Even though I really like to grow hybrids for their disease resistance, I am going thru heirloom varieties to see what does well for me, so I can save the seed. That way Ill know for sure what they are.
I had had trouble germinating hot peppers this year so, i bought a jalapeño start from W-mart. It ain't a jalapeño. Little peppers growing straight up. Got only 3 out of 100 hatch seeds to grow. Seeds i been saving year after year.
Last fall I bought 30 Egyptian walking onion bulbils on eBay for a very reasonable price, less than $10 shipping included. I was very surprised when it arrived in just a couple days and it wasn’t what I expected. There were 75 viable bulbils and they had also included 25 perpetual garlic bulbils and hand written instructions on how to care for both. All are growing well except I forgot about the “perpetual” part of the garlic and harvested some scapes before I realized and left the rest to make more bulbils. I have plenty of cloves to replant in the fall though.
OMG... I can't believe that... what a waste. Thanks for sharing your experience! It brings a lot of reflection.
Sorry you were scammed. I think you are very kind to share this info. I wanted to buy crookneck squash seeds. However, the shipping charge put me off. Seeing your video has changed my mind. So thank you again for sharing Maggie UK
What a timely post! I was just looking online for complaints about peas. For 3 seasons now I have ordered snap peas from different very reputable companies and have received mixed snap, snow and garden pea seeds in one packet. If I am not very careful I end up with inedible pods in my stir fry dishes. Very frustrating. Baker Creek offered a replacement pack but how can I be sure. 3 or 4 companies over 3 years seems to be a trend. Also I like to grow dwarf varieties but have not received any dwarf sugar snaps over the years either.
Next time you forget to order a variety, I’m sure one of your UA-cam friends here would happily do a seed exchange with you for the price of postage. Enjoying your channel, thanks for sharing.
I was scammed buying barefoot from Lowe’s. I bought strawberries and a pack of mixed raspberry blackberries - they were just sticks (no root whatsoever) but I still took a chance and tried to start them all in a variety of modalities.
When I got my dormant raspberry plant from MIGardener, it was just a "stick" (cane) as well. It took *weeks* to grow some side shoots and I had thought it was a dud! It's doing great now, although I won't get berries until next year.
Yeah just avoid lowes and home Depot. Find a local nursery instead. Particularly try to find one that specializes in native and permaculture plants if possible. You'll have the most success and easier time with plants that are naturalized. Also the people who run them tend to have more knowledge about what they are selling and can give you advice.
I just went out and found two strange things in my green beans that I bought seed for. One wasn’t totally different variety of green bean in the other was a morning glory. Thanks for the information of where to buy from now on!
I also can relate I thought I was getting a great deal BUT IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE!!!!! No more deal for me..!
I like true leaf market also.
Yes. I enjoy buying seeds from there.
I recieved mislabeled seeds from Harris seeds and Baker seeds. So this year I planted 13 year old tomato seeds from a seed exchange. Every single one germinated and I'll have tomatoes running out my ears once things start ripening.
I've also had plants from local reputable greenhouses be miss labeled. Last year was especially bad with peppers. From the different places. I bought bell peppers and everything was a type of hot pepper.
SO SORRY YOU GOT SCAMMED! We've managed to avoid this, by always buying our seeds from (as you do) reputable companies, but almost always from a local firm that has a national following. When we've needed need backups, we go to the local farm supply (AGWAY) - which carries seeds from multiple national companies (including Burpee). The only times we've been disappointed was the two times we bought butterCUP squash seed from Johnny's here in Maine, and got butterNUT squash as a result. It was disappointing, but not disastrous as your tomato experience turned out.
Well everyone is feeling the need to reduce cost where they can but now going to have to order packet of seed & see if can get crop in before frost. Blessings NC has longer growing season. Good luck!!
Coincidentally, I bought the 25cent seeds from Dollar Tree this year. I had great success with carrots, but when I planted spinach in two trays, I got a jungle of something that I'm pretty sure is a tomato of some sort. I'm thinking of replanting the best of them into a 5 gallon bucket to see how it comes out..
Great reminder. Definitely make sure you get Plum Regal next year. I am hugely impressed with the size and quantity of fruit. I commented a couple weeks ago about my package of Beit Alpha claiming to produce only female flowers and not need pollinating. So far, all three plants have only produced male flowers. Go figure.
I know how you feel. I ordered sunsugar tomato seeds from an eBay seller and they turned out to be Roma tomatoes. I didn't start any Roma's this year so I know it wasn't my own mix up. Ordered geranium seeds from an Etsy seller and didn't get geranium plants.
same thing happened to me but only got a couple plants growing from the company, were after thought varieties i wanted to try and not put a big order in ..were like #$2 bucks shipped free ..deal too good to be real and was. I think the vendor was called "house seeds" ..seeds germinated but obviously not what i ordered
MI Gardener and Botanical Interests are my go to for seeds. Great small companies that I trust with some fun varieties.
I found Botanical Interests seeds at my local Ace Hardware store. Canyon Lake, Texas.
ive had fake seeds from MIgardener. When you complain they do nothing about it. I shop elsewhere now.
There is a disappointing story about MIGardener above. Beware, if true.
I've only had good seeds from MIGardener, but even if I got a dud or two it'd be hard to be mad over a $2 seed packet.
@@sassyherbgardener7154I had bad luck with MI Gardener also, some of the seeds I got did fine but the milk thistle seeds I got from them had some of the worst germination I've ever seen. Based on the color of the seed I believe they sold me immature seed.
Sorry you went through this but thanks for sharing. 👍🏼
This is why I plant many varieties of tomatoes each year. Imagine if I only planted one variety. I would've lost everything. Always plant many varieties of your "core" garden vegetables to help ensure something does well.
Thanks for opening my eyes 👀, I still hadn’t looked at it that way until you mentioned it.
I buy from Hoss, Southern Exposure, Territorial and sometimes Burpee. They will make amends if there's a problem.
Wow!! That is strange that you couldn’t even eat them!! Very interesting.
I have gotten 2 seeds from Baker Creek that had the wrong seeds, but I buy too many seeds. I’m sure I buy 10 X what most people buy.
I got stung trying to get some Florida chilli pepper seeds. Never again.
Wow sorry to hear you were scammed. It happens so don't be so tough on yourself. There are always can tomato sales. Could you do a video on when the best time to buy seeds at the end of the year from trusted sites?
Those are my major seed suppliers, too 😂
Thanks for this heads-up! We do better when we know better!
Thanks for answering both my questions from yesterday's session 😊
You're welcome! I'm glad I got to them. It's very difficult to read the questions in the chat, because it moves so quickly and it's easy to lose sight. I'm sure I missed many questions, so I hope to have another session again in a few weeks.
Thanks Anthony. Thumbs up. Hugs to Dale.
Dale says hi 🐶
I have ordered seeds from Amazon, and it's a mixed bag, some good, some not. As I learn more, I pay attention to what works and what doesn't instead of just ordering randomly. I've had Burpee Seeds not do that great, but I could chalk some of that up to my own inexperience. I'm in California. I order a lot of my seeds from either CaliKim or Botanical Interests. Thanks for the tips. I'll try them. I have also organized my seeds into a storage case to store them correctly. But that absolutely sucks what happened in this situation. Sorry that you got burned.
Jung Seeds is another to avoid. Big flashy catalogs like theirs have become a warning sign for me to be cautious. Standard size seed packets with maybe 5-6 seeds (and I’m talking tiny herb seeds, not bean seeds or melon seeds), with poor germination. When I contacted them to complain, they were rude about it. They still send me catalogs which promptly get trashed.
What a bummer!! So sorry that happened to you.
Luckily, I grew 25 other varieties, so I still got plenty of other tomatoes. This is a good reason why everyone should plant numerous varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc. That way, if you get bad seed, it doesn't ruin your harvest. Imagine if this was the only variety of tomato I grew. I would have lost the entire year. Some people only plant one tomato variety, and that is extremely risky.
Whoa…sooo- sorry this happened…I had the same experience on ETSY…disappointed! THANK you for all of your knowledge…you are appreciated.
This year we bought corn seeds from a store and the first batch only had four out of a hundred corn sprouts, bought different type and only 3/4 of them sprouted and they were expensive. That will never happen again.
I bought a mini tomato variety, figured it will be perfect on my balcony, from a big store and it was wrong seeds so it's reaching the ceiling now.
Oh goodness!
I’m growing orange hat tomatoes and they might be a foot tall if I stake them and they are really producing, a small handful every couple days off 3 tiny plants.
This happened to me. One was for a variety of Okra called Bull Dog Okra. Bull Dog does not get tall (maybe 3 feet) and the Okra and stems are red. I had received seeds for regular green Okra, I discovered this when I planted them the following summer, I ordered them in the fall. I didn't even know the variety and gave the small plants away. I stick to one variety because bees will cause cross-pollination. I bought trombone squash seeds from a small company on Etsy, the squash grew a butternut-shaped squash, and one trombone squash that grew to a length of 16 inches and stopped growing. This was on the same plant so, I knew that cross-pollination had occurred with the vendor. I have never raised butternut squash. I ordered Harbernero pepper seeds and they grew long Cayenne peppers. I had to take pictures to prove my point and the vendor refunded me. The same thing happened to me at my local nursery, they refunded me. It happens!
Aw dang I’m sorry! That super super sucks! I would say definitely more caution from Etsy sellers, but there are plenty of good Etsy sellers as well.
That sucks. I had a similar situation with a sweet pea tomato. It ended up being a random paste size tomato. Like you I have had mostly good luck across the board.👍🏼
I tried a new site because I wanted new varieties of micro and dwarf tomatoes. I paid money and never received any seeds. I messaged and call and no response. It has been since November 23. Thank you for the tomato web page
That is a bummer and lesson learned. I only have 135 day growing timeframe and I wait a long drawn out winter to garden and I don’t have time to waste, nor money or the harvest I rely on to preserve.
It’s like buying plants and not guarding them from wildlife. I’m not gardening for them and my time and money are precious. Everything I do in those 135 days needs to count.
The worst seed was at farm store-Livingston seeds. It was a tomato and the strangest thing I ever seen as it had trillions of blossoms and no fruit.
I had a oak of cherry tomatoes a few years ago and they were awful. Also bought 2 packs labeled bush beans at Lowes. One turned out to be back Eyed peas abs the other pole beans. In a waist high raised bed doesn't work. So I got more . Entire green bean crop delayed.
Yup I'm done buying seeds online, terrible!!I think I wasted $40 bcuz they inevitably overcharge for shipping and handling.
I agree with trying g to save the shipping. I have got took several times on different things . Thinking I was saving!! So sorry about this. And Luke you I wouldn't want them to sprout next year. I enjoy your videos a lot!
I keep it simple for myself and stick with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, MIgardner, and Territorial Seeds. I only buy seeds. I have heard of others having issues, but I am fortunate not to have had any.
I have had trouble with no germination for two years. I buy my seeds from "reputable" companies.
Radioactivity in the soil or water can kill the seeds.
It might also be grazon if you used contaminated straw or mulch, and mushroom compost is notorious for being salty, which will inhibit germination. I just burned some green beans by adding too much ashes to the bed.
Me too. Fresh seeds from the seed displays at the stores. Used potting soil or coir.
I use about the same list of seed sources plus Hoss Tools
I prefer Botanical Interests seeds, but wish they had a larger selection of seeds. I like that they are available at Calloway's too & not just through mail order. I just realized it's time for me to put in my garlic order for October planting.
I got scammed buying expensive rare strawberry seeds from Etsy 😢 I planted them and they are just regular alpine strawberries, but the seller advertised them as rare Japanese strawberries 😡
I am so sorry to hear this, but thank you for this amazing tip!
I've been tempted to buy seeds like you said, but I was to afraid. Now I'm glad I used caution. Thanks for sharing. Sorry the tomatoes were so bad.
I love Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE). They are my favorite seed company. I also like Trueleaf/Kitazawa and Botanical Interests. I'll check out your other recommendations. Thanks!
Oh my God oh my God that happened to me twice and I want to cry. I am on a fixed income social security and had a series of bad events happen from 2020 to 2023. So financially I look for the best buy. And I got scammed twice I know with certain seeds should look like and when I was sent the seeds it was wrong I don't know even know what they sent me for all I know I was sent poison. But it definitely wasn't what I ordered when I contacted the company it was like they didn't even exist. And then it happened to me on all places Amazon and I was told okay send them back and I'll get my money back but it was going to cost me even more money to send them back. All in all I'm out about $30 between these two scams. Not a lot of money you may say but for someone on a fixed income it is and for what I thought I was buying it would have provided a lot of food for me. How can people be so cruel oh my god. I'm telling you you really have to stick with a very good reputable company
That really stinks. This is why I always plant many varieties of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers every year. If I get bad seed, I only lose a few plants. I would recommend checking for marked down seed at the end of the summer at garden centers. Usually, you can pick up packets pretty cheap. If you store them in a cool, dry, dark place, they keep for about 3 years. I keep mine in a cardboard box inside my closet on top of my stacks of shorts and jeans. That's the coolest, darkest part of the house. The more varieties you start, the more you guarantee something will do well.
@@2MinuteGardenTips thank you that's wonderful advice. I received so much from you I am so grateful. And I was thinking of you this 4th of July. Last year you recommended CBD dog treats for my dog. I had mentioned how afraid she gets. Oh my god they worked wonderfully she slept like a baby
@@2MinuteGardenTips The gardener's version of diversifying your stock portfolio, haha!
If you're looking for basic varieties (and I mean, REALLY basic), my local dollar store usually carries seeds in February and March. Limited varieties and a very limited time, but for 20 cents a pack, I can get most of the basics for $2 or less. If any of them don't work out, I've only lost some time. The money I save goes to the few special varieties I don't want to do without.
@@mikel646 what a great idea
My dad and i only grow heirloom seeds from tomatoes that he has been growing for years!
But that doesn't mean I'm going to get the plants I wanted. My dad is 86 and he is turning the seed saving over to me!
I will also be doing the seedlings for us also! 😅
This year I got Ferry Morse beefsteak tomato seeds, SO BAD. This is my first year gardening and I learned it the hard way. Among 25 tomato plants, I only got probably 10 beefsteak tomato plants. The others are just pathetic small tomatoes but larger than cherry. I WILL NEVER BUY FERRY MORSE EVER AGAIN. And I will take notes of the brands mentioned in the video.
I've had very good success with True Leaf Market. My worst experience was with Southern Seed this year: Over a dozen types of vegetables with close-to-zero germination. Those that sprouted failed to mature or had very poor yield. Also three types of wildflowers with zero germination.
I have gotten mislabeled seeds from Baker Creek- what was supposed to be petite marigolds grew to almost hip height and overpowered their neighboring tomato plants. I bought some of the most amazing strawberry plants from Etsy. I make the most educated purchases I can but understand sometimes it is a gamble.
I have grow of the best varieties of heirloom tomato seeds which i used to sell on etsy. I no longer do as etsy is full of resellers with fake pictures selling crappy seed. The amount of people sucked into buying pink or blue sunflowers in hilarious.
Oh no, I'm so sorry this happened to you
It's alright. Luckily, I plant ~25 varieties a year, so something always does well. This is why I recommend everyone plant many varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and other core vegetables.
Sorry you had that experience. I ordered sunchokes from an Etsy seller. The transaction was great. The plants are great and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
I had the same problem buying Dahlia seeds from Amazon....I am sticking to MIGardener, Baker Creek and Burpee...
Oh no! Thats really bad. Well I went to Meijer and bought two fall gold raspberry plants for 17 dollars, well only one of them is Fall Gold the other one is a Red Berry of which I have no idea what it is. It was a good berry at least it tastes good.😅
That could possibly be a happy accident. This tomatoes were so awful, you couldn't even eat them. I've never had a tomato taste like this. They were nasty.
I have always ordered off EBAY and never in 20+ years gotten a bad seed or the wrong seed!!!!!!!!!!!
I too have gotten seeds appearing to be some hybrid or just not what i purchased. The past 3 seasons. Not naming names but being from 1 well known seed seller and 1 seed exchange. This experience has been with okra,peppers, tomatoes,radishes,summer squash, winter squash and cow peas. I can see the random mishap with something occasionally but ive had this issue multiple times in a season for 3 seasons running. its unfortunate they dont have a large selection of seed but none the less at least theres one four letter seed company that never lets me down.
I remember the big pepper screw up last year. I bought a jalapeno and ended up with some bizarre yellow pepper (not a banana pepper btw). And my beefsteak tomatoes were definitely some kind of golfball-sized cherry tomato.
Were they a real long, sweet or even bland tasting pepper? I think I received the same type of seeds. Bought mine from Walmart.
I bought Okra seeds at a local retailer and it was definitely not okra that grew LOL It had spikes all over and fluffy floaters in the spiked pod. I believe they were burpee seeds. I really like the seeds from Seed Savers Exchange, MI Gardner, Mary's Heirloom, Sow True Seed, Baker Creek.... I need seed savers anonymous.... I have purchased some odd items from smaller shops with great results. :)
I didn't even know that you had this channel!!
Sorry that happened to you. I buy seeds from the same seed companies you do, but I also buy seeds from MIgardener, Botanical Interests and Hoss. Hoss has a paste tomato called Shelby that people rave about and a slicer tomato called Hossinator that is very good. Their seed quality is exceptional, and they stand behind their products. Watch Hoss' UA-cam video titled Top 5 Seed Companies that seed companies buy their seeds from. Very informative.
There is a very disappointing story about MIGardener above. I can't believe it, as I have bought seed from them, and had a good experience. I've watched his channel, and find it hard to believe that he would treat customers like that, and remove their ratings. Very sad, if true.
Ugh! I did the same as you! I forgot to buy bok choi, so bought some from a "shipping included" seller on a major online retailer. I didn't read the reviews (mistake!). Did I get bok choi? Nope. Instead, I rec'd some random brassica that I think was maybe a mustard, but who knows? It tasted nasty! I had to tear them out. Months of seed starting, transplanting, and growing wasted. Too hot to replant by the time I realized the problem. Never again!