And so it has begun! Our seed catalogs have started to arrive! Our planning efforts for next season will soon begin!
Many of you have probably heard of, and possibly even ordered from, Baker Creek. Some may love them, some may loathe them. But, if you’re a fan, you’ve likely heard about the “Whole Seed Catalog” and wonder what it’s about.
Basically, they produce two seed catalogs. One is free, mailed to previous customers or upon request. Then, there’s the “Whole Seed Catalog” that you actually pay for. If you’re simply looking for basic information to make your selections and a bit of fun, the free one is plenty enough for most people.
But, the Whole Seed Catalog is another animal. Each edition is usually over 500 pages. It contains much deeper information about the varieties they sell, including interesting plant and seed histories, various stories and even some recipes. It often provides a deep overview of various flower and vegetable types. We find this especially helpful for flowers, particularly those we’ve never grown before.
As with most seed catalogs, the best part is the pictures. The Whole Seed Catalog has much larger pictures, including some that take up a half or even full page. This really gives a person a sense for what it is, compared to trying to make out a small, grainy photo that “sort of” shows you what to expect.
Each catalog has their entire seed collection. So, you’re not missing anything with one edition or the other. It’s really just about all the “extra” information you get.
In the realm of “is it worth it?” Honestly, for most people, probably not. But, if you’re an avid gardener that’s looking for some unique reading material over the winter, it certainly does provide some value. We always do the pre-order, which gets you several dollars off.
Anyway, our 2025 editions came in, so we figured we’d briefly discuss it in case some of you are curious of what it’s about!
