How to Order Seeds from a Seed Catalog in 4 Easy Steps

It’s the most wonderful time of year. And no, I don’t mean Christmas (although that is an equally magical season).

It’s seed catalog time!

Now that the garden has been put to bed and any pains of the growing season are nothing but a memory, it’s time to plan for next year.

Our 2024 Digital Catalog has just been released, and you can view it here! (Or, if you prefer, you can request a physical copy of the seed catalog mailed to you by clicking the link above.)

Both the digital and physical seed catalogs make it easy to order seeds online now so they will arrive on your doorstep in time for next season’s planting.

If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by buying seeds, don’t skip this article. Yes, seed catalogs are colorful and catchy for a reason—but you don’t have to order everything you like the look of (and it’s probably better if you don’t).

Instead, make some intentional decisions about what grows well in your area and what you have time to tend to. Then, place your online seed order, sit back, and wait for spring.

Keep reading for some tips on how to make the most of our Sow Amazing Early Spring 2024 Seed Catalog.

1. Read the seed catalog carefully

Unlike buying seeds from a big-box store, ordering from a seed catalog has the benefit of providing you with all the information you need to make informed purchases.

The Seeds ‘N Such seed catalog is the best resource for buying seeds because it contains an expansive collection of heirloom, open-pollinated, and hybrid cultivars, including regionally-adapted varieties particularly well suited to the southeast.

Understand important terms

Ever wondered what all the acronyms and words in a seed catalog mean? Here’s a quick rundown (for more information, read this blog post)

• Hybrid

Hybrid plants are created by cross-pollinating two different plant species, either manually or in a greenhouse, to combine desirable traits and produce a larger yield. These hybrids are often more resistant to disease and pests than heirloom or open-pollinated varieties.

• Open-pollinated

Open-pollinated plants are those pollinated naturally, without human intervention. Natural pollinators such as bees, insects, birds, animals, wind, and water all contribute to the creation of these cultivars.

• Heirloom

Heirlooms are varieties that are at least 50 years old, or established before 1950—depending on who you ask. Many heirlooms got their start in families or communities and were then passed down through the generations. 

Heirlooms are celebrated for their superior flavor and regional adaptability, and by definition are open-pollinated.

• Organic

Certified organic seeds are marked in the catalog with the letters, “OG” inside a green square. These seeds are guaranteed to be grown in accordance with the USDA’s National Organic Program certifications: processed without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides.

• AAS Winner

According to the All-America Selections Award website, “ AAS Winners are flowers and vegetables that have been ‘Tested Nationally & Proven Locally.™’ Each AAS entry is tested for superior garden performance by horticulture professionals across North America.”

AAS Winners are always among the top customer favorites, as these varieties are the best cultivars in terms of adaptability, productivity, disease and pest resistance, and of course flavor and shelf life.

In the catalog, AAS Winners are marked by the blue and red AAS Seal.

• Untreated

Seeds that have been altered by chemicals, including fungicides and germination aids, are referred to as treated seeds.

At Seeds ‘N Such, we guarantee that all our seeds are untreated. Our quality seeds don’t need fungicides or germination aids to perform exceptionally.

• Non-GMO

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created through chemical or DNA manipulation to produce desired traits, such as disease resistance, higher productivity, or longer shelf life.

Seeds ‘N Such is one of a few seed companies to sign the “Safe Seed Pledge,” which signifies that we do not and will never knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.

Understand plant growth patterns

• Days to maturity

Listed immediately after the variety name, days to maturity describe the expected timeframe to harvest. For direct-sown varieties, this number is the difference between the sowing date and the first harvest date. For seeds started indoors, this number is the difference between the transplant date and the first harvest date.

• Plant size

Plant size can vary based on external factors and plant genetics, but each variety description provides an idea of how big the plant and its fruit will be under ideal conditions.

• Growth habit

Some plants have specific growth patterns, like “compact,” “vining,” and “bush” or “determinate” and “indeterminate.” Tomatoes and beans are two examples of vegetables that have different growth patterns.

Compact and bush describe plants that grow lower to the ground and don’t spread. Vining and indeterminate plants grow continuously up and out until the end of the growing season.

• Disease resistance

If a variety is disease-resistant, it will be marked in the plant description. Read this blog post for more information about the different acronyms that describe disease resistance.

2. Make smart seed selections

Choose the right seeds for your growing zone

Choosing the right plants for your climate is one of the most important factors that determines your gardening success.

Before you pursue any seed catalog, you’ll want to brush up on the new USDA Plant Hardiness Zones map. No matter how much gardening experience you have, it’s worth checking out the 2023 map since the USDA made some pretty significant changes from 2012.

Many growers have found that their hardiness zone has shifted a half-zone warmer. That’s about five degrees warmer, on average. Even if you don’t grow perennial plants that need to overwinter, the new map could affect your area’s average first and last frost dates.

Choose regionally-adapted seeds when you can—these are varieties that are particularly well-suited to your area’s climate, average temperatures, and weather patterns. Since Seeds ‘N Such is a Georgia-based seed company, our seeds are excellent for growers in the Southeast, though they also do well in other regions of North America and beyond.

3. Take advantage of bulk pricing

No, you might not be running a commercial farm, but even home gardeners can benefit from ordering in bulk.

Why not go in with your other hobby gardener friends and make a bulk order together? You’ll save on the seeds themselves and shipping.

It doesn’t hurt to stock up on your favorite varieties, either—many of the seeds will keep for years if they’re stored under the right conditions (more on that here).

This page goes into much more detail about packet sizes, but here’s a summary:

• PakPlus

A PakPlus packet contains three to five times the amount of seed as a regular packet. It’s an ideal size for small farms, gardeners with larger families, and homesteaders wanting to preserve food.

• ProPak

Great for commercial growers, greenhouses, and nurseries, a ProPak packet contains eight to ten times the number of seeds found in a single seed packet.

• MegaProPak

Only available for sweet corn and peas, each MegaProPak packet contains twice as much seed as in a ProPak packet.

• Mix ‘N Match Discount

Regular packets are priced at $3.99. Purchase 10 to 15 regular packets at $3.75 apiece, or buy between 16 and 19 for $3.50 each. Order 20 or more packets and the price on each drops to $3.25!

4. Make your seed order ASAP

Seed catalogs allow you to shop for exclusive seed varieties before those seeds are even available at stores, so you won’t have to compete with other growers for limited stock.

Plus, buying seeds early eliminates the worry of not getting your seeds in time.

Ordering from the Seeds ‘N Such online seed catalog ensures the fastest shipping and most convenient delivery. Place your order online or give us a call. You can also mail in your order or even fax it—whatever works best for you!

We think you’ll be impressed with this Georgia-based seed company’s extensive selection of heirloom seeds and organic seeds in particular.

View the new Seeds ‘N Such 2024 Digital Seed Catalog here, or request a physical copy of the seed catalog at the same link.

Order your seed catalog (and your seeds) today!