Gary Ibsen's Tomato Fest has one going on now. tomatofest.com

I highly recommend them.

Dave

Dave is right. TomatoFest has the largest selection (heirloom only), but they do have a $15 minimum order. They also have a FABULOUS website. I went to TomatoFest in Carmel in September. Can't wait to do it again next year. Worth every dime. Every tomatoholic should go at least once, sort of like a pilgrimage. (tomatofest.com)

I really like to do business with Victory Seeds in Oregon. It's a good company dedicated to sustainable agriculture and to preserving heirloom vegetable seeds. They deserve our patronage. (victoryseeds.com)

You get good service and wide selection (both heirlooms and some good hybrid varieties) from tomatogrowers.com.

Just recently I discovered tradewindsfruit.com because I wanted the Momotaro hybrid, which can be pricey if you can find it. Speedy service, lowest prices for both product and shipping.

Laurel Garza sells plants, not seeds (EXCELLENT service), but her website is definitely worth many visits. heirloomtomatoplants.com

There are others, but these are the ones I've done business with. Have a blast!!

Anyone know of any good sales anywhere?

*****

As far as I can remember none of the smaller family owned companies that so many use have ever had sales.

Another excellent place to get plants is selectedplants. com owned by Darrel, who posts here as Fusion. A tremendous number of varieties, superb packing and reasonable prices.

IN additio to Victory Seeds, mentioned above, I recommend the following:

Tomatogrowers.com
Sandhillpreservation.com
mariseeds.com
heirloomseeds.com

........for starters, and none of them, including Mike at Victory has ever had seed sales.

Not to put too fine an edge on it, I often wonder why some places have seed sales re the age or perhaps even purity of seeds. And I'm not speaking here specifically about Gary at Tomatofest. There have been quite a few wrong varieties sent out by Tomatofest this past season but this was the last year that Gary did his Tomatofest and perhaps he'll now have more time to devote to the area of seed production and quality control.

Baker Creek also had some problems this past year with seed purity and hopefully that situation will improve as well.

No place that sells OP tomato seed is immune from having problems from time to time but in my experience having posted online at several places since about 1990 re tomtato seed, some places are much better than others.

Carolyn

You are right, of course, Carolyn that Gary did have some reported problems this year. But I refreshed my stock supplies with him this past year and I had none at all and his past history is very good I think. I'd pick Tomato Fest over many of the other suppliers out there (like the Burpee conglomerate) any day. ;)

Dave

Interesting about the reported snafus at TomatoFest. I have a potato leaf plant growing vigorously from a seed from the Azoychka (regular leaf) pack I purchased at TomatoFest. Don't know what it is, but Azoychka it isn't.

oct17
If you haven't ordered yet try www.heirloomtomatoes.net. Good selection,price is right as well as postage and handling.
jim

I haven't seen any seed sales yet, but it is common for many seed companies to put the seeds on sale towards the end of the year, since they can't sell seeds packaged for a previous year. Since the germination doesn't instantly decline after New Year's, it's a great way to save money on seeds. Of course, the down side is that the seeds that are in the highest demand will already be sold out by that point.

This past spring, I received an order from a seed company, and one of the packages DID have '06 on the package. When I notified them, they refunded the cost of the entire order, even though I didn't request it. I wonder what happens to all of the seeds that don't sell each year? The vast majority are still viable, and it seems a shame if they just go in the trash.

Bonnie

I wonder what happens to all of the seeds that don't sell each year? The vast majority are still viable, and it seems a shame if they just go in the trash.

****
I know that SSE for one sends them to charities and the like. And maybe others do as well.

The problem is that once the seeds are in the packs and say packed for 2008, for instance, they aren't going to reopen those packs and recycle them, although they could and maybe some do. And that's perhaps b'c the seeds they packed for 2008 were actually produced in 2004 and they still have a couple of ounces left and could repack them for 2009.

And that's b'c the packed by date says nothing about the seed age, only when the seeds were packed.

One of the reasons I like the Sandhill tomato listings is b/c Glenn sells NO tomato seed over two old and I don't know of any other company that can claim that remarkable feat since he lists about 400 varieties and that's a lot of varieties to plant out every other year for new stock.

In Europe the seed packs say something like....best used by whatever date they say.

Bonnie, when you talk of all these sales I don't think it can be at the tomato seed companies we've been talking about. Perhaps you mean pack sales from racks at nurseries and hardware stores and elsewhere from companies such as NK Rogers or Burpee or T and M whatever, where it isn't uncommon to see 50% off as it gets nearer to sowing time.

Yes?

Carolyn

I have ordered from Victory Seeds & Tomato Growers Supply many times, & have always gotten true seeds & very good germination rates. Their prices are reasonable also--I wouldn't always look for a sale. (not to slam TomatoFest, but they are really high!)

The ones that I recall doing it last year were Seedman.com, Dianes' Flower Seeds, and Specialty Perennials. So, no, they aren't tomato seed companies, but I guess I assumed that what was true for flower seeds was true for tomato seeds as well.

Bonnie

Thank you everyone for responding!

Now the hard part, narrowing down my choices!

I need a couple of each: paste, cherry and slicer

I need a couple of each: paste, cherry and slicer

So are you looking for just 6 plants total of the 3 types you list? If that's the case then ordering seed really isn't cost effective. Or will you be growing multiple plants of 6 different varieties? Can I ask why a paste? Will you be canning?

Check out the current "one of my faves this year" discussion for variety recommendations.

Dave

You could look in the phonebook and call your local hardware stores, nursuries, and dollar stores. A small local nursery in my town had seeds 4 packs for a $1 last year. They even had a few heirloom varieties.
Otherwise, I too highly recommend victoryseeds.com

Pete

I just received a catalog from Pine Tree Garden Seeds and the prices seem good. I placed an order but don't have any germination experience with them, as this is my first order. Garden Watchdog reviews seem ok. I also found prices at Victory Seed reasonable but haven't yet received my order and have no germination experience with them. Tradewindsfruit sent very quickly and their reviews are also positive.

Hi,

Seedman is having a sale until 6pm tomorrow evening.

Andrea

austinnhanasmom - Pine Tree Garden Seeds has smaller packets which is great for trying many different varieties. I had zero germination on their Last Chance Seeds but their regular seeds germinated fine. Strawberry & asparagus plants arrived moldy and their replacements were infested with spider mites. Bottom line - stick to current seeds and you'll be fine.

I also buy my seeds from tomatofest.com and last year I had my first problem: what was supposed to be Black Prince must have been some sort of cross that didn't taste very good and grew very weird and varied colored and shaped fruits...

But all the others were fine and I never had any problems the previous years so I'm giving Gary the benefit of the doubt and will order from tomatofest.com again this year...

October,

I noticed Parks Seed has several good varieties on sale for under 2 bucks. I think their shipping costs are a bit exhorbitant right now though. Tomato Growers Supply is more reasonable regarding shipping and has some of the same varieties that I find great for first time gardeners ... you know, where success the first time out will encourage repeat attempts, while failure will do just the opposite.

For a first timer, I think Glory Hybrid is a great slicer. Give it a shot. Big Beef is another nearly fail-safe variety for the home garden. Same goes for Jet Star. For a nice, easy to grow red cherry, I think Gardener's Delight or Sweet 100 would be great in a starter garden. For paste, I wouldn't hesitate to suggest Opalka and Polish Linguisa to a new gardener.

Thank you everyone! I did go to Seedman. The sale was really good there - I ordered Crimson Cushion and Tomato Bonsai. I also ordered some Purple Basil, Baby Eggplant, Purple Horsemint and Borage (last two for the bees).

I only ordered two types of tomatoes because I was hoping to trade some of these for other tomato seeds. Is it OK to post for trades in this forum, or can you only do that in the trade forums?

I also ordered from seedman - well Rachelssupply because the tomato selection was better then seedman. I am crossing my fingers on the PineTree seed order - finally shipped I guess. I also just ordered from Tatiana - http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/index.php/Main_Page (look for "2009 seeds for sale link" on left) - free shipping if you buy 6 packs of seeds. I did pay PayPal fees but still great prices for a newbie:) She also recommended some varieties. Ships from Canada. Although I have traded almost all of the tomatofest seeds that I've purchased this fall, I have ordered/purchased quite a few more packs from other sites and am willing to trade. Email me:)

Well it looks like October17 got much response and has placed an order/ but for other readers still viewing this thread
I ran a cross a deal at Thompson & Morgan if you're a paste grower. Besides the cost of the growing medium and pot you could sell the plants at a farmers market and make out!

Pomodoro II San Marzano Lungo
(300) seeds = $2.45

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.tmseeds.com/product/454.html

I agree with the T & M deals on tomatoes - crazy amount of seeds. I ordered a few packs and the quantity was generous in all. The quantities were awesome in 9/10 packs from them. I would highly recommend.

Did everyone forget! The best place to get seed is right here on the Seed Exchange Forum. Lots of traders are willing to give their extra seed for an envelope and some postage. Just save some seed for next year and do the same for others. You will find that the greatest gardeners on the planet hang out here. I have an 8 oz package of seed waiting for the person I promised it to to send postage. $2.63 and the envelope I recycled from a book the wife got. Tell me? Where you can get that much for so little except here?

Roger

Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Exchange Forum

I agree rb55, this is the best place. But I'd like to have something to trade with, so I have to order.

Some one did send me some seeds recently for which I am very grateful. I requested the return address so I could at least send the postage. But you know what, the seeds are the 10/$1.00 walgreen seeds - and they were packed for 2005! In a month or so I could go buy them myself, packed for 2009. I feel bad, but I wish I hadn't insisted on sending postage! Do I sound ungrateful?

I received my seeds from Seedman yesterday! Boy that was a great sale! Seven packs of seeds for $10.50. That includes the $3.50 S&H! Thank you Andrea!

How old do you think those seeds are, October? And how much do you think Seedman paid for them? Did you have to pay the person who sent you the "Walgreen" seeds $3.50 shipping and handling plus the $10.50 for seeds?

Well gosh hoosier, pears you think i sound ungrateful.

BlueRibbonTomatoes For rare and delicious heirloom tomato seed sample packs and others.

My friend Maria who lives here in Kentucky grows Heirloom Tomatoes and sells her wonderful collection of seed on E-Bay. I would never buy seed from someone I didn't know but I assure you that you would be doing yourself a favor by looking at her special sale of 20 varieties(sample size) seed for $9.99. Scroll down for sample varieties. She has other Kentucky Heirloom varieties, some of which I shared with her. This is a perfect amount of seed for folks who want to grow several varieties and don't need a full packet of seed.
Gary Millwood
Louisville, Kentucky

BlueRibbonTomatoes
For rare and delicious Kentucky heirloom tomato seeds, visit BlueRibbonTomatoes below ---
__________________
Every blade of grass, each leaf, each separate floret and petal, is an inscription of hope ...
Richard Jefferies -- June 1883

Here is a link that might be useful: BlueRibbonTomatoes