# Vegetable Seeds - Name Brand Or Generic?



## Lee (Mar 7, 2022)

While I am tempted to buy the seed packs sold at the dollar stores, I have always paid more for name brands.

Last year though I found that the bean seeds produced some plants that while they were beans were not the variety stated, quite inferior. And the beets, very few even came up.

Anyone had success with the dollar store brands? Maybe just as good?


----------



## MountainRa (Mar 7, 2022)

I might buy some flower seeds like zinnia or marigold from the dollar store but I don’t buy vegetable seed from there. If the flower seed are no good it is no big deal. But too much work goes into getting vegetables in and producing to risk old dried up seed. I want to know exactly the variety of vegetable I’m trying to grow.


----------



## AnnieA (Mar 7, 2022)

Agree with @MountainRa .  Buy quality seed for food ...heirloom instead of hybrid these days.


----------



## Kaila (Mar 7, 2022)

I agree with others here.... 
The cheapest seeds are _usually_ mostly very low quality, and not worth it to me, to save a couple dollars.
For all of the effort involved in planting,
I prefer larger healthier, more-likely-to-succeed-and-thrive seeds,  
and especially for veggies, as was said.
You need a healthy young seedling, to produce a plant that grows a vegetable, or big, multiple flowers.

A name brand does not guarantee they will always be great seeds, though, I have found out, on rare occasions.

However, usually with seeds, I find that " you do get what you pay for"

They are from a living plant, and the healthiest strongest seeds, do come from healthy, strong pants, so they do cost more.


----------



## Ruth n Jersey (Mar 7, 2022)

I usually buy the brand name. Sometimes they have a white coating on them which makes them easier to see, space and handle when planting and the selection is great. They cost more but you save in the long run. 
I do buy some of the common flower seeds from the dollar store. Usually enough germinate for my needs.


----------



## Jeni (Mar 7, 2022)

I was curious about this also .... 
Most of the time i do not get good results in seeds coming up so felt like why not try the dollar store items...
when we moved here the garden plot needed a lot of work did a few years of composting etc 

now this year i might have better luck especially since neighbors have took down a couple of trees so i will have better sunlight as well.  But it has been frustrating to plant and have one sad plant grow if i spent good money on seeds.


----------



## Jules (Mar 7, 2022)

Although I haven’t had a garden in years, buying the dollar store ones would fall in the category of ‘penny wise, pound foolish’.


----------



## Kaila (Mar 7, 2022)

Each type of seed, does need to be planted at the correct timing, and conditions, (temp, soil, hours of sun, etc)
and at the right depth, for its individual needs,
 in order to have a chance of succeeding, too, whether it's cheap or expensive.
And some types have longer germination times before they sprout, or other requirements. Some are difficult to start, but many are not.



Jeni said:


> now this year i might have better luck especially since neighbors have took down a couple of trees so i will have better sunlight as well.


Yes, those changes (compost, and shade trees, etc)
 might help a lot, and I hope you have better results!


----------



## Michael Z (Mar 7, 2022)

Mostly I go with name brand that are discounted at a home store like our local Menards. I think they are probably as good as the very expensive comparable seed catalog items. But for heirloom and/or non-GMO, you will probably have to order them - Jungseed.com
has quality non-GMO seeds and I order a few items from them, but they cost!


----------



## Chet (Mar 7, 2022)

I have bought cherry tomato seeds at the dollar store and they did come up, but I've been disappointed at times too, so I figure you only get one shot per year, so you may as well make it a good one.


----------



## Lee (Mar 7, 2022)

AnnieA said:


> Agree with @MountainRa .  Buy quality seed for food ...heirloom instead of hybrid these days.


Not sure, but is heirloom seed from the older plants of days past? And if hybrids are meant to be more disease resistant, then would that not be better? Really not sure.


----------



## AnnieA (Mar 7, 2022)

Lee said:


> Not sure, but is heirloom seed from the older plants of days past? And if hybrids are meant to be more disease resistant, then would that not be better? Really not sure.



Heirloom are older.  The advantage of heirloom vegetables is that their seed can be saved from year to year; they will always produce the same.  Hybrid seeds--since they're genetic crosses--likely won't yield the same produce (or even that of the originals combined to hybridize) the next year.


----------



## Lee (Mar 7, 2022)

Thanks Annie, I did not know this about the heirloom seed. Likely the bean seed I bought last year fell into the hybrid category, was kind of a waste.


----------



## Kaila (Mar 7, 2022)

In addition, the heirloom seeds are varieties that were grown for many generations, and many are wonderful ones that were well loved.
Those plant species will no longer be around at some point, if people purchase and grow *only* the newer hybrids.

That is what some of the for-profit seed companies want everyone to do.
Some of those older types are already very difficult to find.

At that point, we will only have available, to everyone,
the hybrids which we will have to buy from a few huge suppliers, every year. And they will be the ones that they pick for us, and not the ones we liked for any of so many reasons.


----------



## AnnieA (Mar 7, 2022)

Kaila said:


> In addition, the heirloom seeds are varieties that were grown for many generations, and many are wonderful ones that were well loved.
> Those plant species will no longer be around at some point, if people purchase and grow *only* the newer hybrids.
> 
> That is what some of the for-profit seed companies want everyone to do.
> ...



Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a good source.    https://www.rareseeds.com/

.


----------



## Kaila (Mar 7, 2022)

Beautiful website, @AnnieA
For imaginary gardens, as well as real ones. 

Many garden centers, also have included,
a few of the old most loved heirloom varieties, as well, if you look for them, or ask for them.
Tasty vegetables, and delightful flowers.  Perhaps ones you might remember from childhood, that you haven't seen in decades, now. 
Some of them attract and support the pollinators, we need on our wonderful planet, too.


----------

