Stef72 wrote:on my side I take my seeds from friends, and I complete with germinance because they are my region, so I tell myself that the conditions are closer to my garden that if I ordered them in the south of France for example.
I try to do the maximum with non hybrid seedling because I like to let go to seed and exchange with friends;)
A little like that.
I think you have to know first what you want. Let me explain: if you are afraid of the faculty to germinate, almost all the seed companies are equal. The price changes a lot.
Moreover, it is possible that some groups sell almost the same products under different brands (eg: the Limagrain group owns "Clause" and "Vilmorin").
The seeds sold in the trade are subjected to strict controls which guarantee a good germination ... but the price is felt ... If you do your seeds, you get much more and can allow you some% of seeds which will not germinate, it will be a little more generous on the doses.
Seeds (eg garlic, onions, shallots, potatoes, ...) not from seeds likely to be carriers of viruses. Buying these certified seeds (blue label) is a guarantee that these varieties have been regenerated and are free from these pathologies. To make my seeds, I used, for example, "certified" garlic and shallot seeds.
The cheapest is not the worst and you can also go to low-cost seeds.
If you want to encourage local, organic, it will be more expensive.
It's up to you to place the cursor where you want. But it seems to me that there are no brands "to avoid" a priori.
At me the closest organic seed is biaugerme (47). I try to favor buying at home for orders of several bags (organic, local, but expensive)
Otherwise, the seeds bought piecemeal, those whose weight is important (potato, beans, ...) are at Range V *** (gardening network in the south-west) or elsewhere. For flowers, I can buy at lidl, intermarché, ...
Otherwise, I have a friend who spun me about thirty bags of seeds of various brands that were for the purpose of stock, I have not been choosy. The dates were sometimes exceeded but the germination rate remains satisfactory.
I try to exchange the seeds, it's nice too.
For a growing number of seeds, they are my own seeds, adapted to my terroir. For tomato, Swiss chard, gray shallots, pink garlic Lautrec, I began since 3 years a variety selection by keeping only the seeds of the most beautiful and healthy feet.
My goal is:
- generalize this practice of varietal selection
- stay open on purchases of new varieties (by favoring local organic seeds for ethical reasons)
- to exchange more
- to reproduce as much as possible my own seeds
- try some varietal creations (tomatoes, zucchini, ...) on species where it is not too complex.