Best Heirloom Seeds – Recommended by Home Gardeners
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We’re sharing the best places to buy heirloom seeds for home gardens. I’m sharing my favorite seed companies, plus reader recommendations and some unique seed sources to investigate.
These heirloom seed companies will help you bring old fashioned flavors, scents, and colors back to your garden for beautiful and delicious crops.
What are Heirloom Seeds?
Heirloom seed varieties are passed down through generations in a family or community, like heirloom household items. This allows them to adapt their DNA to the local conditions, creating unique and interesting variations. Most sources say the seed variety must be at least 50 years old to qualify as an heirloom.
Heirloom seeds grow True to Type. This mean that if you save seeds, they will match the parent plant. See “What are Heirloom Seeds? (And Why it Matters)” for more information.
Best Places to Buy Heirloom Seeds
These are my favorite sources for heirloom vegetable seeds, plus reader favorites and one we want to try. Most of these companies also offer some fruit, herbs, and flowers. Some offer heirloom potato varieties, onions, garlic and other root crops.
Note: Many heirloom seed companies are experiencing higher than normal order volumes. Please be patient with your orders, and allow extra time for delivery.
1. Pinetree Garden Seeds
Pinetree Garden Seeds – I’ve been ordering from Pinetree the longer than any other company. They are located in New Gloucester, Maine.
Their prices are reasonable, and they give smaller quantities of seed per packet, so you don’t end up with too many leftover seeds if you have a small garden.
2. True Leaf Market
True Leaf Market has been providing seed under the brands Mountain Valley Seed and Handy Pantry since 1974. They provide seeds for home gardeners and professional growers, for planting and for sprouting.
Their website also features related products, like growing kits, juicers, and fermentation supplies. The company is located in Salt Lake City, Utah.
3. High Mowing Organic Seeds
High Mowing Seeds is located in Walcott, Vermont. They offer 100% certified organic seed. One unique section of their site is their crops that grow well in high tunnels, a useful option for market gardeners.
Their organic seed collections provide a small discount when you buy a group of seed packets. They include a Bee’s Garden Collection for pollinators, a Container Garden Collection, and several others.
4. Seed Treasures
Reader recommended Seed Treasures is located off grid in Northern Minnesota, a plus for northern growers. They specialize in preserving heritage open pollinated seeds. Some are heirloom seeds, others Native American crops or modern open pollinated varieties.
5. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange carries about 800 varieties of vegetables, flower, herb, grain, and cover crop seeds. Located in Mineral, Virginia, they specialize in varieties that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
They are certified organic, and offer many unique southern heirlooms like butterbeans and naturally colored cotton.
6. Stover Seeds Company
Stover Seed Company is located in Sun Valley, California. They feature water wise choices and vegetables and herbs for western climates. They also sell large quantities of native forbs and grasses for landscaping.
7. St. Clare Heirloom Seeds
St. Clare Heirloom Seeds is located in Cecil, Wisconsin. They only sell non-hybrid, untreated, heirloom varieties and open pollinated garden seeds. Their website is conversational, with things like suggestions for use of heirloom flowers. They are a conservative, family run company.
8. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds – Baker Creek has gorgeous photos in the print catalog and online. They have many unusual heirloom seeds and open-pollinated varieties.
Their headquarters is in Mansfield, Missouri.
9. MIGardener
Amy says, “The MI Gardener has some great seeds and are very reasonable, most are $2!”
Luke Marion, founder of MIgardener, has a popular youtube channel. The MIGardener retail store is in St Clair, Michigan.
10. Seed Savers Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange – I love the idea of Seed Savers Exchange, and they have a beautiful and inspiring catalog. They share the stories of the heirloom seeds they feature.
I ran into some problems with their seeds in the past, but I think it was related to a transition at the organization. Recent seed purchases performed well.
11. North Circle Seeds
Located in Minnesota, North Circle Seeds partners with Midwestern growers, who produce regionally adapted seed using chemical-free, sustainable and organic practices.
12. Territorial Seed
Linda shares, “I want to tell you about one of my favorite heirloom seed companies, Territorial Seed in Cottage Grove, Oregon. They have been a favorite of mine for many years.
I enjoy trying something new, but of all the places I order from Pinetree and Territorial are my favorites. And Territorial has the best packaging of any of them, providing a picture and great instructions.”
Michele agrees, “Other seed sites I recommend are Territorial Seed Co. (carries some good OP varieties, even some from our good Dr. Kepuler) and Annapolis Seeds (Nova Scotia). I love Baker Creek, too.”
13. Kitazawa Seed Company
May shares, “The Kitazawa seed company (Salt Lake City, Utah) has a large inventory of Asian plants. They will mail you a catalog, which has Asian recipes in the back.”
14. Mary’s Heirloom Seeds
Laurel’s favorite: “I have ordered from Mary’s Heirloom Seeds (Ben Wheeler, Texas) and she is very helpful and very personable. She is down to earth and she is growing as a company. I think they have over 400 seed varieties and she takes the safe seed pledge.”
15. Sow True Seeds
Patty gives a shout out to Sow True Seeds: “Living in SC, I have used the seed company Sow True Seeds. They are based in Asheville, NC.
They have a smaller than usual selection, but it is still wonderful and very useful for someone growing in a mountainous area, as they have certain varieties that do well in those conditions. I’ve pre-ordered my garlic and potatoes from them for this year.
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They are a small company that is very responsive to their customers. I also second the company Pinetree Seeds. I have had wonderful germination from them and appreciate the smaller quantities in the packs (and the price to go with them).
16. Ohio Heirloom Seeds
Gigi’s choice: “I love Ohio Heirloom Seeds too… I have really enjoyed their seeds and the guy who owns it is super nice. The seeds come packaged very nicely, their prices are good and they come quickly.
They are located just outside of Columbus, Ohio. All varieties are open-pollinated, and usually ship within 2 days.
17. Heirloom Mountain Seedswoman
For Colorado gardeners, Shannon says, “You should add Heirloom Mountain Seedswoman. It’s local to me so I love it they ship super fast.”
Heirloom Mountain Seedswoman specializes on gardening in the harsh desert climate. They offer unique heirloom tomato seeds, as well as rare melon, watermelon, squash and pumpkin seeds.
18. Siskayou Seeds
Siskayou Seeds has some of my favorite open pollinated seeds, including Nutri-bud broccoli and Swan Lake melon. They also carry many heirloom seeds and seed collections, and permaculture focused plants.
19. Sow Right Seeds
Sow Right Seeds is based in Greenwood, Missouri. All of their seed varieties are heirloom and non-GMO. They have a Planter’s Library with gardening tips and growing guides.
20. Bear Mountain Seeds
The Bear Mountain Seeds homestead is located around the Buffalo Valley area, near Bear Mountain in southeast Oklahoma. Carissa Byrn, who owns the company with her husband, shared:
“It has been a mission of mine for many years to preserve as much seed as I can. While we still have quite a lot of heirlooms out there in the world, we have also lost many over the years.
I take every possible opportunity to educate people on how to become self -reliant and sustainable. We take the Safe Seed Pledge and do not knowingly buy, sell or trade genetically engineered seeds.”
21. Thresh Seeds
Becky and Dave Weeks operate Thresh Seeds in Guthrie County, Iowa. Sharon says, “Great small family seed company. I have had excellent germination rates, 2 years now and someone actually answers the phone or returns your email, worth the look.”
Their shop by Region and Interest page is a helpful option on the website.
22. Hudson Valley Seed Company
Louann likes Hudson Valley Seed Company. “They have beautiful artwork, heirloom seed and open-pollinated seed. Online and brick and mortar in Accord, New York.”
Art Packs – their artist designed seed packages – are beautiful and unique.
From their website:
“Like seeds, artists bring us beauty, meaning, and joy. Each year, we work closely with a diverse group of artists to create the visual seeds stories on our Art Packs. Visual art provides a window into the history, culture, and stories surrounding seeds.“
Honorable Mention – Experimental Farm Network
The Experimental Farm Network Cooperative seed store is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Most of their seeds are grown in Minnesota and New Jersey. As an experimental seed developer, they have varieties I have not seen for sale anywhere else.
Did I miss your favorite heirloom seed company? Do you have other questions about garden seeds? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Some of my Favorite Heirloom Seed Varieties
These are some (but not all) of my favorite heirloom seed varieties that do well in our northeast Wisconsin garden.
- Opalka tomato
- Mortgage Lifter tomato
- Hungarian Heart tomato
- Jimmy Nardello pepper
- Howden pumpkin
- Green Arrow peas
- Ailsa Craig Exhibition Onion
- Hollow Crown parsnip
- Kalibos cabbage
- Early Purple Vienna kohlrabi
- Di Sicilia Violetto cauliflower
- Crimson Sweet watermelon
More Gardening Articles
- Free Gardening Journal Templates and Other Garden Record Keeping Tips
- When Should I Start My Seeds? Printable seed starting calendar
- Seed Starting Indoors – Step By Step Guide
- Types of Tomatoes (Best Uses, Flavors, and Plant Sizes)
This article is written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie and her family have 35 acres in northeast Wisconsin where they grow dozens of varieties of fruiting trees, shrubs, brambles, and vines, along with an extensive annual garden. Along with her passion for growing nutrient dense food, she also enjoys ancient history, adorable ducks, and lifelong learning.
Last updated in 2023.