So you decided to start a garden and are trying to decide what to plant. There are so many seed companies and seeds to choose from that it can be overwhelming! I have been researching different seed companies for the last few months in addition to what seeds I want to plant. Keep reading to find out where I got my seeds, what seeds I am planting, and how many of each I hope to plant for my family.
This post may contain affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I would use myself and hope that these resources are beneficial to you.
Important Things to Consider Before Ordering Seeds
Sometimes I spend so much time researching that I have trouble making a decision. But, I finally decided on a seed company and am more than happy with my decision, so I’ll save you the trouble of researching and share about why I chose this company!
I researched for months and finally decided to order my seeds from True Leaf Market. True Leaf Market sells non-GMO seeds, a wide variety of growing bundles, micro green kits, lots of gardening tools, and indoor seed-starting supplies. I chose to order my seeds from this company for five main reasons that I will share below:
1. Seed Variety
True Leaf Market intentionally sources their seeds from brands including Mountain Valley Seeds, Sustainable Seeds, Kitazawa Seeds, Mountain Valley Hybrids, Handy Pantry, and more! These brands are available exclusively through True Leaf Market. Additionally, I appreciate that they source their seeds from multiple companies because it means that they have a wide variety of types of seeds from companies that specialize in different varieties. True Leaf Market sources conventional seeds, organic seeds, flower seeds, Asian varieties of seeds, F1 varieties, cover crops, wheatgrass, specialty seeds, and sprouting seeds–making them a one-stop shop for all of your vegetable and flower seed needs!
2. Seed Quality
I want to focus on growing organic, non-GMO, and heirloom seeds. All True Leaf Market seeds are non-GMO, and they offer many organic and heirloom varieties. Here are definitions of organic, non-GMO, and heirloom seeds if you are new to gardening terms:
– Organic Seeds
According to Botanical Interests website, “Organic seeds are from plants grown by farmers following organic farm management practices, using federal organic standards for growing and processing which excludes the use of synthetic pesticides and genetically engineered/genetically modified or ‘GMO’ technologies. Transitioning land to be certified organic typically takes 3 years, a good deal of paperwork, fees, and inspections before farmers can legally label what they grow as “organic”. Organic farmers incur more costs to be certified organic than non-organic, which is why organic products are often more expensive. Organic seeds are a good choice for consumers who want to support organic agricultural practices or invest in practices that are inline with their own organic lifestyle.”
I want to grow organic produce because of the extra work the farmers did to ensure its quality and safety. Furthermore, I prefer not to use synthetic pesticides and have peace of mind knowing that organic seeds do not contain these toxins.
Here is where you can find organic seeds at True Leaf Market.
– Non-GMO Seeds
According to Get Urban Leaf Blog, “GMO means Genetically Modified Organism – and specifically modified by genetic engineering – where genes from a different animal or plant are put into another. So ‘non-GMO’ seeds just means that genetic engineering wasn’t part of the plant breeding process.”
I want to grow non-GMO seeds because they are more resilient, and because they are free of chemicals and toxins that could be damaging over time to my body and to my family. Thankfully, I can have peace of mind knowing that all of True Leaf Market’s seeds are non-GMO.
I recently learned that all organic seeds are non-GMO, but it is possible for non-GMO seeds to not be organic. True Leaf Market has the option to filter seeds by type so that you can ensure that you are getting the type of seeds that you want to grow in your garden.
– Heirloom Seeds
According to Better Homes & Gardens, “A seed variety is typically considered an heirloom if it existed more than 50 years ago, but some plant experts only classify seeds cultivated before World War II as heirlooms. Either way, like the name suggests, heirloom seeds have been around a long while. Why? Because they have unique and special characteristics that people want—a string bean with a pretty purple-speckled pod instead of plain green, for instance. Gardeners and farmers saved the seeds to make sure these desirable plants would be around from year to year, often handing them down through the generations. A few seed companies and organizations have also helped preserve heirloom seeds and make them more widely available.”
I want to grow heirloom seeds because of the quality, the lack of human-intervention, and the special traits of these seeds. I also love that many of these seeds have stories and a history because they have been passed down for generations.
Here is where you can find Heirloom seeds at True Leaf Market.
3. Affordability
I compared prices between multiple organic and heirloom seed companies, and True Leaf Market was the most affordable that I could find. I also love how they offer value seed packs like their Heirloom Seed Collection to help you save money and decide on seeds for your garden.
4. Company Values
True Leaf Market has been around since 1974. Their mission states: “We hope to build and rebuild communities through growing by making indoor and outdoor growing an accessible practice for all. We want everyone to experience the joy of growing.” They value relationships, education, and support. Furthermore, they truly care about making gardening accessible to gardeners of all experience levels, which was encouraging to me as a new gardener. There website is easy to navigate and there are so many helpful resources on their blog.
5. Positive Reviews
Today, positive reviews are so, so important. If you are going to invest your hard-earned money into something, you want to make sure that it is worth it. True Leaf Market has multiple reviews for the majority of their seeds, and their reviews are very positive overall. I not only looked at reviews to help me decide on a seed company, I also looked at reviews to help me determine different varieties of plants.
There are over 8K positive reviews for True Leaf Market. Check them out HERE!
My 2023 Non-GMO Seed Picks
I picked up a few seed packs from my local garden center, and the rest are from True Leaf Market. We have a large garden, but it won’t be big enough to grow all of our produce for the entire year. We tried to choose vegetables and herbs that we love and use on a regular basis in addition to a few other ones that we want to start adding into our diet on a more regular basis! Here is what was in my seed order this year!
Bundle Pack – The Best Way to Save on Non-GMO Seeds!
Instant Garden Heirloom Seed Collection
I chose this pack because it was the most affordable way to get a lot of seeds! According to True Leaf Market’s website, “Instant Garden Seed Collection is the ideal beginner’s assortment handpicked of the 15 easiest, most prolific annual fruits and vegetables possible to get you feeling like a seasoned gardener in no time… The Instant Garden Seed Collection is intended to maximize your garden’s productivity with the least effort possible. ”
This collection includes herbs and crops that are simple to grow and that produce until the fall. As a new gardener myself, I loved buying this pack knowing that these heirloom varieties are proven to be simple to grow. It was also helpful to not have to think about narrowing down certain seeds from all of the different available varieties. Additionally, this bundle comes with a bonus garden growing pocketbook guide that helps new gardeners know how to care for each individual type of plant.
What’s in the Instant Garden Heirloom Seed Collection Bundle?
This Instant Garden Seed Bundle includes heirloom varieties of the following plants:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Basil
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
- Sweet Pepper
- Hot Pepper
- Onion
- Pea
- Summer Squash
- Broccoli
- Tomato
Other Vegetable Seeds I Bought
I loved growing cherry tomatoes last year and wanted to add some to the mix because they did not come in the garden bundle. I’m also hoping to try onions, asparagus, and celery from seed. The asparagus will take a few years to harvest, but I figured I don’t have much to lose! We use onions and celery to make homemade bone broth, so I am hoping to have a good harvest with these seeds.
Herbs I Ordered
I am planning on mixing these herbs into my vegetable beds as companion plants for other vegetables. I might also start a few inside so that they will be easier to access for meals. Starting herbs from seed is so much cheaper than buying an established plant, and I have the potential to grow a lot more because of this. I can’t wait to use these fresh herbs in our meals this summer. I then plan to dry them for use throughout the winter!
Flower Seeds I Ordered
I am planning on using these flowers as pollinators around my garden and companion plants within it. I already started the marigolds indoors, and they have been growing well! Starting flowers from seed ensures that I will have a lot more than if I were to buy them for $5-$10 per plant.
I used the discount MGE5 to save, and I paid $53.84 for this list a few months ago! Not a bad deal for all of that potential produce if you ask me!
Specifics on My Garden Plans
As I mentioned in THIS POST, we have two 4 ft x 10 ft raised beds and a 26 ft by 36 ft no-dig garden. I am growing to grow as much as I can within the space that we have and hope to grow enough produce to feed my family for most of the year. I used Google to determine how many of each plant I need to plant per person. I’m planning on planting enough for 3-4 people as space allows. My kids will probably not eat the full amounts of many of these recommendations, so we are hoping to have extra to share with family and friends. Here are the seed per person ratios that are recommended online.
I’m planning on planting extra (3-4 per hole) and then I will thin them to the strongest plant. Thankfully, starting from seed is way more affordable than planting from starts! Most of the seed packs had more than enough for me to plant the recommended amounts per person for my family, but I did not have enough onions or green onions. Next time, I will plan on ordering a larger pack of seeds for onions or possibly ordering bulbs instead of seeds. I still have a lot of seeds leftover for next year, and I am planning on storing them in this organizer to keep them safe until the next planting season.
Number of Plants Recommended Per Person
Below are the recommended plants per person that I found when researching online. I also shared the ideal number of plants I hope to plant for my family and friends for fresh and canned produce. Like I said, these are the ideal numbers. I still need to calculate plant spacing and see how much I have room for in my garden. Then, I will adjust these numbers by determining what plants we eat the most, and I will shop for the rest of the produce that we do not grow-preferably from the discounted bulk-bins.
Produce Planting Recommendations
Beets: 5-10 plants per person
- I think 10 plants will be sufficient for my family
Carrots: 10-20 plants per person
- I am planning on planting 30+ plants for my family
Cucumber: 2-3 plants per person
- I would like to plant 4-5 for my family
Kale: 4-5 plants per person
- I would like to plant 12-15 for my family
Lettuce: 2-3 plants per person
- I plan to plant 5 for my family
Cantaloupe: 1-2 plants per person
- I would like to plant 4-5 for my family
Watermelon: 2 plants per person
- I would like to plant 6
Sweet Pepper: 3-5 plants per person
- I would like to plant 10-12 plants, as space allows
Hot Pepper: 1-2 plants per person
- I would like to plant 2-3 plants
Onion: 10-20 plants per person
- If I have the space, I would like to plant 30-40 plants
Pea: 3-5 plants per person
- I would like to plant 10 plants
Summer Squash: 1 plant per person
- I would like to plant 2-3 plants
Broccoli: 2-4 plants per person
- I hope to plant 12 plants for my family
Tomato: 5 plants per person
- I hope to plant 10-12 as space allows
Cherry Tomato: 1-4 plants per person
- I hope to plant 5-8 for my family
Green Onions: 15-25 plants per person
- I hope to plant 25 plants as space allows
Asparagus: 10-20 plants per person
- I hope to plant 40-50 plants in our raised bed
Celery: 5 plants per person
- I hope to plant 12-15 plants
Herb Planting Recommendations
Basil: 3 plants per person
- I will plant 6-8
Thyme: 1-2 plants per person
- I will plant 4-5 plants
Dill: 1-2 plants per person
- I hope to plant 4-5 plants
Oregano: 1-2 plants per person
- I hope to plant 4-5 plants
Parsley: 2 plants per person
- I hope to plant 4-5 plants
Cilantro: 1-2 plants per person
- I hope to plant 4-5 plants
Rosemary: 1-2 plants per person
- I hope to plant 4-5 plants
Flower Planting Recommendations
Pollinator Flowers: entire pack
- I plan to scatter these around and throughout my garden
Marigolds: entire pack
- I plan to scatter these around and throughout my garden
Other Useful Resources at True Leaf Market for Beginner Gardeners
I am still finalizing my garden plans with where I will plant everything and how many of each plant I will have room for. As I have shared before, I am still very new to gardening but absolutely love learning about all there is to learn. I also appreciate how True Leaf Marketing works to make gardening less intimidating for beginners. Their blog has so many helpful resources, and they even have various kinds of growing kits for all of your planting needs.
Check back here soon for our full garden plan, and in the meantime, now is the perfect time to order seeds from True Leaf Market for your spring garden! Once you plan your garden, I’d love to hear about what seeds you are ordering and planting this year!
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