Seed Anyone seeing seed shortages?

[seraphima]

I've been shopping around for seeds here in the Anchorage area, and in the past three days have seen same-store availability decrease rapidly, especially for the sorts of vegetables that actually do well in this climate. Looks to me like knowledgeable people are snapping up good seed selections. Two different stores I went back to no longer had varieties i had decided to get. Wow! What do they know that I don't?
There was a thread on main a couple of days ago saying that Johnny's Seeds were massively backlogged and taking 7 days to ship, if they accepted one's order at all, but I can't find the thread or remember the name of the thread any more. That thread impelled me to more seriously shop for seeds today, and the difference in selection was very noticeable!

 

[greysage]

Think there’s been a seed shortage since last Spring. Friend received their seeds by mail yesterday.

 

[Gardener]

I placed my Johnny's order on jan.13 and still have not received a shipping email. So 14 days and counting.

The two seed orders I placed with small in-state seed companies both shipped within 4 days of ordering.

I noticed on the Fedco seed website yesterday they now say to expect it to take 30 days to fill a seed order.

 

[Freeholder]

I ordered seeds from Morgan County Seeds and a few from Vermont Bean Seed. Both had a lot of selections sold out, but what they did have shipped quickly. I received both orders within a few days. I'd never ordered from Morgan before and was very pleased with what I got. VBS has always been good.

My suggestion is to find some of the smaller companies and order from them, but do it quickly! My orders were seeds for next year and the year after - I have three years worth on hand, and that is not counting any seeds I save from the garden.

I like the looks of that Russian company Summerthyme recommends, too, and may order a few things from them. (I really want some more small melons, for one thing.)

Kathleen

 

[NHGUNNER]

I placed my Johnny's order on jan.13 and still have not received a shipping email. So 14 days and counting.

The two seed orders I placed with small in-state seed companies both shipped within 4 days of ordering.

I noticed on the Fedco seed website yesterday they now say to expect it to take 30 days to fill a seed order.

I placed my order with Johnny's on January 8th and it shipped on the 19th. Hopefully yours will be shipping soon!

 

[mecoastie]

Johnnys is now doing commercial only orders. Fedco is not taking new seed orders at this time. Website says to check back at noon each day. Got an order from Territorial in about a week. Seeds are in our local Job Lot, HD, and grocery stores. I haven't checked Agway yet.

 

[Bps1691]

I've been shopping around for seeds here in the Anchorage area, and in the past three days have seen same-store availability decrease rapidly, especially for the sorts of vegetables that actually do well in this climate. Looks to me like knowledgeable people are snapping up good seed selections. Two different stores I went back to no longer had varieties i had decided to get. Wow! What do they know that I don't?
There was a thread on main a couple of days ago saying that Johnny's Seeds were massively backlogged and taking 7 days to ship, if they accepted one's order at all, but I can't find the thread or remember the name of the thread any more. That thread impelled me to more seriously shop for seeds today, and the difference in selection was very noticeable!

Years back I ordered some seeds from Denaliseed

They were Alaskan varieties that I wanted to try. The seeds were higher priced than I normally paid, they germinated ok and the service was normal.

I revisited the old link and it took me to the site above. Just browsing through I saw some varieties sold out, but most seemed to still be open for orders.

I use Annie's Heirloom Seeds | Hundreds Of Heirloom, Organic, and NonGMO Vegetable and Flower Seeds for several open pollinated seeds. Her site shows most in stock. She has a lot of dried bean seeds that I use. I've had good luck with her seeds as well.

I have also used Heirloom Seeds & Organic Seeds | Sustainable Seed Co. – Sustainable Seed Company for some really odd things like sugar beet seed and open pollinated dent seed. I also buy old fashioned sweet corn (white and yellow) from there. Have even bought tobacco seed but have never gotten around to growing it.

 

[TxGal]

I'm reading about the seed shortages of the online catalogs, but I'm seeing a lot of full-stocked local displays at Tractor Supply and hardware stores. Not nearly as much variety, but there are seeds out our way...they probably won't last long.

 

[summerthyme]

There is a thread in the Bomb Shelter on this subject...

Summerthyme

 

[Bps1691]

I'm reading about the seed shortages of the online catalogs, but I'm seeing a lot of full-stocked local displays at Tractor Supply and hardware stores. Not nearly as much variety, but there are seeds out our way...they probably won't last long.

Anyone else notice that the prices were higher?

We were in super shape on seeds as we were already in good shape to begin with, we saved more se4eds than normal from last years crops and I added more as soon as the new seed became available in late fall.

I ordered seed potatoes as soon as they became available and the prices were much higher than normal.

They won't ship until late march or early April and I could not get Irish Cobblers at any of the normal sources I've used. Ended up finding them at a place I've never used, the price was ridiculous, and since I've never used them I have no clue on the quality.

I posted a couple of sites in my earlier post for OP's but missed this one-

Vegetable Seeds From Around the World

www.seedman.com

They have some odd stuff. They still have peanuts if someone else is needing a source for seeds.

Don't forget to check your starter stuff as well. I added extra to what I needed last December in the way starter pots and bought new bulbs for my starter lights to be on the safe side. You can make do with many substitutes, but I like certain sized peat pots for things and made sure our family tribe was in good shape for at least three years on this stuff.

Usually have been able to pick up perlite, seed starter soil, and such on deep sale in late fall early winter, but my normal haunts were sold out way early last fall. I have since picked up what I wanted, but if you need it and don't have it....

 

[Grouchy Granny]

Just placed another order with Burpee and the two items I was after were in stock. Going to try some Napa cabbage (only because I want to make Kimchee) and the Japanese cucumbers.

I wanted some elderberry bushes, but those were definitely out of stock. I'm just hoping they will grow here in Colorado.

 

[dhelman47]

Better keep an eye on canning lids, I just called my local Mennonite store to see if they had any they said first of march if they could even get them. I have plenty was calling for a friend.

 

[summerthyme]

Better keep an eye on canning lids, I just called my local Mennonite store to see if they had any they said first of march if they could even get them. I have plenty was calling for a friend.

Too late...

Misc - Canning lid cost to skyrocket?

I've been checking all of the usual places for bulk canning lids, waiting for them to come back in stock. Most of the places I check are still out of stock. Today however, I found this information at www.masonjarmerchant.com. They have lids in stock, but the cheapest regular sized lids are .69...

www.timebomb2000.com

Summerthyme

 

[Jeepcats27]

I checked at ACE yesterday and found Pur pints and Pur one piece lids. Looked really cheap and flimsy. Pint jars were 12.99 a dozen and the lids were expensive. Don't remember the lids price. Anyone ever heard of Pur jars and lids?

 

[Grouchy Granny]

Just looked them up (Bing Search) - can't find out exactly where they are located, but the parent company is PUR Health Group and they mostly do PPE.

Sounds to me like these are Chinese knock offs. Nope, not for me. Ball or Kerr and thank heavens I have plenty (for now) of pint and quart jars.

 

[Raggedyman]

I have not been able to find open pollinated roman pole bean seeds (aka Roma II - the P O L E variety). as far back as late fall I'd put myself on several lists to be called when they become available. so far no luck

if anyone notices any of this PLEASE PM me with a link - I need the POLE variety - NOT the bush bean

 

[Raggedyman]

Too late...

Misc - Canning lid cost to skyrocket?

I've been checking all of the usual places for bulk canning lids, waiting for them to come back in stock. Most of the places I check are still out of stock. Today however, I found this information at www.masonjarmerchant.com. They have lids in stock, but the cheapest regular sized lids are .69...

www.timebomb2000.com

Summerthyme

we bought several hundred lids and about 200 extra bands waaaayyyy back about 2011 - so very thankful to have those now. they came from lehman brothers . . . Raggedyann thot I was nutz at the time. . .

 

[packyderms_wife]

Every body and their dog is out buying seeds right now, and are snapping up canning supplies if they can find them.

 

[seraphima]

This is post I made on Dioptase's interesting thread (good thread!) yesterday:

"In addition to Stuttgarter onion sets, this year I am going to buy Stuttgarter seeds and grow my own sets for next year, a first for me. This is a great onion for long-day Northern gardens, and a staple of our diet; if I couldn't get sets next year, I would definitely be in trouble!"

I am concerned about future availability, especially for seeds that have poor longevity in terms of germination. Onion family is a good example of this. Of course some seeds are easy to save - Red Russian kale, for example, and every year I try new kinds of plant seeds to save, but not all are easy. Biennials especially take garden space. I very much appreciate seed companies, but am concerned over my dependency on them.

 

[packyderms_wife]

we bought several hundred lids and about 200 extra bands waaaayyyy back about 2011 - so very thankful to have those now. they came from lehman brothers . . . Raggedyann thot I was nutz at the time. . .

Not nuts at all! OC thought I was panic buying last spring, I wasn't I just made sure that if I bought four cans of tomato sauce for making homemade marinara sauce I bought another four cans to replace those I would be using that week. When I started seeing complaints in the canning groups on FB from people not being able to find lids, and one of the members there said they were buying in bulk from Berlin Packaging, I went over, and bought 499 regular mouth lids. For some reason their system wouldn't let me put 500 lids into my cart, though the max was 1200 lids.

Anyway, I have some extra lids on hand, so my winter canning hasn't slowed down much. I have twenty pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast cubed and bagged up in the freezer ready to be canned this weekend... well depending on how much snow we get, lol. Then it's on to canning up my whole cranberries into various things like bourbon relish, etc., and then on to making cowboy candy, IIRC I'm down to my last jar and OC loves cowboy candy.

 

[nomifyle]

I have a cousin that orders alot of seeds every year, he get a catalogue tries to order by phone, or maybe he's sending it in the mail and they are out of stock. He refuses to get a computer.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[ioujc]

A number of years ago>>>>.back about 2000, I bought a plethora of lids>>>the flats. However, I noticed the other day when I was looking at my supplies, that the lids had turned a gray color on the rubber part of the lid. Have any of you all seen this before?? Do you think they are safe to use?? They were all stored in the boxes they came in>>>>>

 

[summerthyme]

You'll just have to try them. Do they have any musty odor? I had a bunch of lids stored in the original cardboard boxes, and the boxes got a very musty odor (they were stored in a sealed Rubbermaid container, too!) The lids absorbed the odor, and it actually transferred to the food in jars!

I was sick about possibly having to throw out a couple thousand lids, so I tried soaking them in a bleach solution, and it worked! No more musty odor...

But the main concern is whether they'll seal. If they are that old, they are ftom the era that called for simmering the lids before using. I'd make sure to do that, and if the sealing compound seems to be harder than desirable, maybe toss in a tablespoon or two of baking soda to the water. My Amish neighbors do thst to soften the sealant when reusing lids.

Summerthyme

 

[Jaybird]

Ordered from Baker Creek a couple days ago. A few things gone already but most of what I wanted they had. Couldn't find Black Krim tomatoes anywhere last spring. I got two packets. They carry heirloom seeds and they have always had good germination. Looks like there site is down until Feb. 3rd 10:00PM.

 

[Jaybird]

Baker Creek order come in today. Heck yes!!!