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Frequently Asked Questions
Are you open for visitors, and can I purchase seeds from you directly?
Can I order online?
Can I order seeds in the summer and fall?
Are all your varieties non-hybrid?
Why do you ship garlic, flower bulbs, herb rootstocks, ginseng seed, and perennial onions only in the fall
How do I save my own seeds?
Q: Are you open for visitors, and can I purchase seeds from you directly?
question by:SESE Gardens
A: Our office, and seed and trial gardens are not open for visitors. Even though it would be enjoyable to accept visitors, we do not have the facilities, the insurance , or the extra staff that would be required. Most of the requests to visit are based on the desire to purchase seeds or plants on site. Our seeds and plants are available in nearby retail stores and garden centers but some of our specialty varieties are available only by catalog. Click on the link below to see a list of our retail outlets. If you are from out of town and would like to see our seeds offered in your community, contact your favorite garden center or health food store and ask them to carry our seeds. We will be happy to send them a copy of our seed rack display terms.
answer by:SESE Gardens
Q: Can I order online?
question by:SESE Gardens
A: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange has an online store. Click on the "Enter our Online Shop" link above. All transactions are securely processed. In order to process your order we need the following information: your complete name and address, including postal code; a daytime telephone number; and credit card number and expiration date.
answer by:SESE Gardens
Q: Can I order seeds in the summer and fall?
question by:SESE Gardens
A: Our seeds and supplies are in stock on a year-round basis. Germination testing continues on a daily basis throughout the year and we are prepared to ship our seeds at any time. Occasionally a variety becomes unavailable due to a crop failure, short supply, or selling out due to high demand. At least 95% of inventory is always in stock for shipment at any time of the year.
answer by:SESE Gardens
Q: Are all your varieties non-hybrid?
question by:SESE Gardens
A: Approximately 99% of our seeds are open-pollinated (non-hybrid) so you can save your own seed. The few hybrids that we do carry in our catalog have been included because they are exceptional performers, they have no open-pollinated counterpart, or they have been requested by our customers. For example, we offer several hybrid sweet corns as a service to customers who want to purchase seed that is free of fungicide treatment. The few hybrids that we carry in our catalog are clearly marked as hybrid.
answer by:SESE Gardens
Q: Why do you ship garlic, flower bulbs, herb rootstocks, ginseng seed, and perennial onions only in the fall
question by:SESE Gardens
A: Garlic, potato onions, topset onions, and shallots are all planted in late October. The crops remain in the ground until they are harvested in June and July. The bulbs are then cured for one or two months, then cleaned and readied for shipment. We do not carry over any unplanted bulbs after planting time in October and therefore are unable to ship bulbs until September/October. We have found that fall planting gives superior results in most areas of the country with yields often twice as large as yields obtained from spring planted bulbs.
answer by:SESE Gardens
Q: How do I save my own seeds?
question by:SESE Gardens
A: We receive quite a few calls about how to save and store seed. Many seeds can be saved for planting until the next season. Simply store your seeds in a cool dry place. An easy way to do this is to place your seeds in a canning jar and store the jar in the refrigerator until next season. Ideally, the sum of the temperature and humidity should be less than 100 (seed storage index). For example, seeds stored at 50% humidity and 40 degrees Farenheit, will have a seed storage index of 90 ( 50 + 40 = 90). In general, the cooler and drier you keep your seeds, the longer they will last. Be aware that the germination will be lower and you may need to plant the seeds more thickly. Our catalog offers products and supplies to help you dry and store seed for longer periods. See the Seed Saving Supplies section of our catalog for details. Additional information may be found in the Library link on our home page. Harvesting and saving seed from your own crops is not difficult, though there are many fine points you need to know to do the job well. One of the most important things to consider is how to keep your seed pure, that is, how to keep one variety from hybridizing with another variety. For this you will need to know the isolation distance requirements for different crops. Isolation distance is the distance that has to be maintained between varieties to keep the seed pure. As a service to home gardeners who wish to save their own seed, we have included isolation distance information in our catalog. These isolation distances are for home-saved seed. Realize that these are guidelines only, and that professional quality seed has stricter isolation distance guidelines. There are a great many factors which can influence isolation distance requirements. If you want to learn more about how to isolate varieties and how to harvest and process seed we suggest you consult several excellent books that we offer in our catalog.
answer by:SESE Gardens
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