I really didn't know what to expect having never joined a seed of the month club though I have always wanted to try it. My hopes were that it would be a mix of regular vegetable and more unusual vegetables.
This was my first shipment:
Beets- Ruby Queen
Cabbage- Late Flat Dutch
Radish- China Rose
Salisify- Mammoth Sandwich Island
Carrots- Chantenay Red Core
Dill- Bouquet
Winter Squash- Vegetable Spaghetti
Tomato- Marglobe
They are supposed to be seeds of things that I can actually plant this time of year. Of the seeds sent to me I see three that I can plant now..possibly 4 as I don't know about the salsify. There are a LOT of things that can be planted here in the winter-- lots of varieties of lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, mustard greens, turnip, kale, beets, radishes, rutabaga etc. So I was rather disappointed to end up with 4 packages of seeds I can't plant now, although I can start the tomatoes in a few months. After looking over their site better I find they really don't have a whole lot to choose from but there are 16 types of lettuce.
Also almost all of the seeds were 2012 except the Marglobe tomatoes which were 2011 and the dill which was 2010. I just didn't think we would get seeds that are a year or two old.
However considering the low price that I am getting these seeds for and the fact that I find it really fun to get a surprise seed package in the mail, this was definitely worth it though I am not sure I would pay the normal $3.08 per month.
Becky, you must recognise that Seed Clubs are not there for the benefit of the customer, but of the supplier! I can't speak for the club that you have joined, but I know that many of them make their money by buying up old (sometimes very stale) seeds from a wholesaler at a very low price, and then selling them on at a good profit. I think this is why you may expect to get some fairly obscure types - the ones that no-one bought when they were on sale in the original catalogues. On the other hand, you may get one or two real gems - ones that might perhaps not be widely available elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I just keep hoping for a gem or two or maybe finding something that happens to grow particularly well here. Either way, it's still fun :)
DeleteI did the same seed club for a year (got it for like 1/4 of the original price). All of mine were the dated for the current year though. I did like getting that little package every month. Several packages though were for things we don't like namely okra and eggplant. Just cause we live in Alabama doesn't mean we like okra or fried pickles (what's up with that?) LOL. And it was a fun thing to do I agree.
ReplyDeleteWe are not fans of okra or eggplant either which is a shame because those two things I know would grow well,lol. I do love the smell of fried okra so I keep trying it in the hopes that one day it will taste good.
DeleteHi Becky! Ryan here, backyard homesteader from Tallahassee, Fl. I grow okra every year specifically to use as the ingredient in my gumbo, it makes the dish! I grow eggplant and peppers in abundance here too...
DeleteI am also looking for a seed of the month club. It seems like you get what you pay for. Jardin seed of the month packages fresh every month and uses your zip code to know what to send you, but they are $60/6 month for 6 packets/month plus $15 shipping- top of the line. Mike the gardner's seed club seems a great deal - $3+ /month for 6 month and free shipping, but I dont know how relevant the seeds are to your area. Both seed cIubs are gmo fee, heirloom, and pesticide/chemical free. I mean, I spend that much in one off handed seed packet purchase at Home Depot or Walmart!
The dates on the package are the copyright dates of the wording, it has nothing to do with the seeds inside the package.
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