Best Garden Seed Companies

Image Gallery You can learn lot about gardening by reading seed catalogs.,The online versions of seed company catalogs are quick and easy to use. Plus, they tend to be more up-to-date. PEYTON BALDWIN

Whether your garden is frozen over or your first freeze is yet to arrive, it's never too early to start dreaming about next year's garden. If you set aside a little time this winter to plan what to grow next year, you'll be rewarded with an early start come spring. Plus, you can make your green thumb even greener just by reading seed catalogs. New gardeners, especially, should read seed catalogs to learn about fruit and veggie varieties that are naturally pest- and disease-resistant, are fabulously prolific, or offer superior flavor and nutrition. It's also a good way to introduce yourself to underappreciated but fun-to-grow fruits and veggies such as kohlrabi and mouse melons.

Lucky for us, it's easier than ever to find healthy garden seeds that were grown organically and come from solid, open-pollinated stock. Even some of the largest seed companies are beginning to offer a wider selection of organic, non-hybrid, and non-chemically-treated seeds. When possible, order garden seeds from companies based in your area. Their varieties are more likely to be well adapted to your soil and climate. The following seed companies (organized by state; skip to the end for Canadian listings) have a great selection of open-pollinated and organic vegetable and herb seeds, and you'll learn a lot from their informative catalogs. Their extensive offerings are available online and/or via traditional print catalogs.

ALABAMA

Sand Mountain Herbs (Fyffe, Ala.)

ARIZONA

Native Seeds / SEARCH (Tucson, Ariz.)

Seeds Trust (Cornville, Ariz.)

CALIFORNIA

Bountiful Gardens (Willits, Calif.)

J. L. Hudson, Seedsman (LaHonda, Calif.)

Laurel's Heirloom Tomato Plants (Lomita, Calif.)

Mountain Valley Growers (Squaw Valley, Calif.)

Natural Gardening Co. (Petaluma, Calif.)

Ornamental Edibles (San Jose, Calif.)

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply (Grass Valley, Calif.)

Redwood City Seeds (Redwood City, Calif.)

Renee's Garden (Felton, Calif.)