Around the first of December, our mailboxes begin disgorging seed catalogues for the new year. All the familiar, big-time names will be there. Here are my top five favorite off-the-radar seed sellers you’ll want to know about before you plan your next garden.

Brim Seeds

Brim Seeds is that little ole seed company from Texas.
Located outside Waco, Brim offers a wide selection of
veggies, herbs, flowers, and even cotton. They specialize in
“Southern Acclimated” varieties. These are nice,
honest people.If you have a problem, they’ll make it right.

Row 7 Seeds

What do you get when a Chef partners with a Plant Breeder?
Row 7 Seeds - a seed company “Dedicated to Deliciousness”.
Their Koginut is my new favorite winter squash (see my blog entry here).
I had their delicious Badger Flame Beets at a farm-to-table restaurant in Austin. Fantastic.

New Mexico State University Chili Pepper Institute

Chili Heads - This one’s for you.
More pepper varieties than you can shake a stick at -
lots of good historical and growing info too.

Seeds of India

Plenty of pretty things to see here, but don’t miss this seller’s
unusual selection of herbs and peppers. This is one of the few
sites I’ve found selling Persian Basil. As an added plus - check out
the recipe section featuring Indian dishes.

Truelove Seeds

Truelove’s owner, Owen Taylor, specializes in rare and
“culturally important” seed. Many of his products come
from small farms around the country. Lots of good stuff here, but
I especially love their Speckled Brown Butter Beans. Give a listen to
their radio show, “Seeds and Their People”.