Compared to the selection in most local nurseries, online seed catalogs have made a handful of plants available from the comfort of your home. But the irony is that shipping charges are sometimes greater than the price of a seed packet. Before you order, review some of the seed suppliers that offer free shipping and access the large selection of seeds online for the same prices that you would pay in the store.
Seed Companies With Free Shipping & No Minimum
Many seed companies offer free shipping only for customers that buy a certain quantity, but here are a few that will ship even a single packet of seeds without charging you for shipping.
Cheap Seeds
Cheap Seeds offers free shipping on all orders as well as a 30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. Their per-package seed prices ($3 to $4 each) are a bit higher than what some other budget seed companies offer, but Cheap Seeds does boast a much higher seed count per packet than many others.
My Seed Cellar
My Seed Cellar is an online purveyor of herb and vegetable seeds that offers free shipping on all of their products. The only caveat is that you must be in the United States to qualify for the free shipping offer. They offer high-quality, non-GMO heirloom seeds, but their selection is slim — only 33 varieties of vegetables to choose from.
The focus at My Seed Cellar is on selling seed 'kits' that include a number of different varieties with extensive information on how to grow them.
Planet Natural
Planet Natural's collection of heirloom herb, vegetable, and flower seeds comes with free shipping. They offer lots of free growing information and other guides to a natural lifestyle, but when it comes to seeds, the downside is that they have a relatively small selection compared to the companies that are solely seed providers.
Planet Natural also sells numerous other organic gardening products, for which standard shipping charges generally apply.
Mystic Seeds
Mystic Seeds has a fascinating selection of rare and unusual flower seeds; unfortunately, it's very small, with only about 20 varieties to choose from. But if they happen to have something you're looking for, their shipping is free.
Free Shipping With Restrictions
The following seed companies offer free shipping based on a minimum order or other restrictions.
High Mowing Seeds
High Mowing sells herb, flower, and vegetable seeds and offers free shipping on orders over $200 to all customers in the continental U.S. Their seed prices are on the high side, but they sell exclusively organic seeds, which always cost more because they are more labor-intensive to produce.
American Meadows
American Meadows specializes in wildflower seeds but also offers an enormous selection of other flowers, as well as grass seeds and vegetables. They offer a special line of 82' ready-to-ship' seed mixes marketed as gifts for special occasions that come with free ground shipping. On the downside, if you want to order any of their other products, including other seeds, their shipping rates are unusually high — $7.95 for a $10 order, for example.
Mary's Heirloom Seeds
Mary's Heirloom Seeds offers free shipping on heirloom fruit, vegetable, and herb seeds. However, all orders must be at least $20. Mary's is a small company that lacks the selection of a large retailer, but they do have some interesting perks, like the Seeds of the Month Club. This is a membership program where you get new seed packets each month for a year.
Seed Corner
Seed Corner offers a wide, general selection of seeds. All orders over $25 are shipped for free to U.S. addresses. For international orders, the free shipping threshold is $50. They are a relatively new company that doesn't have the long-standing reputation of the more established companies, but they are a great way to get cheap seeds.
Besides the free shipping, packets start at $1.99, and you can use their coupons on the main page to get even more discounts, like percentages off orders.
Seeds Now
Seeds Now offers herb, vegetable, and sprout seeds with free shipping for orders over $30. Otherwise, they charge a modest $2 in shipping for each $12 of product ordered. They are a new company, but the selection is impressive, and all their seeds are 100% GMO-free.
Their prices are extremely low, they offer tons of free growing information, and their seeds are packed in resealable foil packets that preserve quality much better than conventional paper packets. In short, it's hard to find any disadvantages to buying from a company like this.
Park Seed
Park Seed normally charges for shipping, but there are a couple of ways to get it for free. The first is to purchase from their list of seeds and supplies with free shipping, which contains about 40 of their products that ship for free (no minimum).
The second is to subscribe to their email list, which they reward with a coupon for free shipping on orders of $40 or more. However, it must be noted that their seed prices are exorbitantly high, and they could potentially change their email list reward coupon at any given time.
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds is one of the top names in the seed business, catering to both home gardeners and commercial growers. They have a very high minimum order of $200 to qualify for free shipping that is clearly geared toward professional growers but is worth mentioning in case you are planning a large order — you can always join with your friends to make a group order!
Gearing Up for Planting Season
A packet of seeds is a wise investment, from which beautiful and bountiful harvests may follow. Keep your costs to a minimum by ordering from companies that offer free shipping, and set your sights on a successful season of gardening.
