Seed Sources | Favorite Garden Books | Knowledge Bases
Seed Sources
Mother Earth News Seed and Plant Finder lets you quickly search the online catalogs of more than 500 mail order seed companies. Especially useful for unusual varieties.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds has an incredible variety of seeds and an extensive Grower’s Library I consult frequently.
Renee’s Garden offers a wide selection of heirloom and gourmet vegetable, flower and herb seeds. Some of their seeds I’ve planted for decades. Frequent new introductions and lovely seed packets with artist drawings and useful info.
San Diego Seed Company Brijette, urban farmer and seed purveyor produces and curates organic, heirloom vegetable, herb and flower seeds regionally adapted for Southern California. Check her Instagram feed too.
Territorial Seeds often has seeds I want that are out-of-stock at other companies. The seed quality and germination rates have been excellent.
Seeds from Italy is the U.S. distributor for Franchi Seeds, Italy's oldest family-owned seed company, founded in 1783. Many of their heirloom varieties are untreated, most are open-pollinated, and many are certified organic. Seed count is very generous and packets reasonably priced.
Fedco Seeds is a no nonsense seed company in Maine with many organic, open-pollinated and unusual varieties. Seed packets and website are ordinary but have everything you need to know.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds carries the largest selection of heirloom seeds and one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century; hence their website rareseeds.com
Botanical Interests is another reliable seed source with gorgeous art and helpful information on their seed packets. Often available in garden centers.
Favorite Garden Books
Sunset Western Garden Book of Edibles
Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening
California Master Gardener Handbook (2nd ed.) Dennis Pittenger
Harvest Unexpected Projects using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants by Stefani Bittner/Alethea Harampolis
The Earth in Her Hands 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants by Jennifer Jewell
Grow a Little Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph
Groundbreaking Food Gardens by Niki Jabbour
Sunset Western Garden Book
California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein/David Fross
Ornamental Trees for Mediterranean Climates by Don Walker/Steve Brigham
The Drought-Defying California Garden by Greg Rubin/Lucy Warren
52 Weeks in the California Garden by Robert Smaus (Some info is dated to the 1990’s but it is a charming and useful read).
Knowledge Bases for Gardeners
UC IPM Solve your pest problems with the University of California’s best science. Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a process you can use to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment.
The California Garden Web The UC Master Gardener Program designed the California Garden Web to serve as a portal to organize and extend the University of California's vast collection of research-based information about gardening to the public. The California Garden Web focuses on sustainable gardening practices and uses a question and answer format to present solutions.
Harvest to Table A very comprehensive resource for growing vegetables, herbs and fruit. The author is a Master Gardener and provides how-to instructions and practical gardening tips for the beginning and veteran gardener alike.
Fruit & Nut Research & Information Center Created in 1995 to make University of California research-based information publicly available and coordinate extension activities in planting, growing and harvesting fruits and nuts.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Soil Biology Primer - Excellent resource on soil biology.
Calscape This powerful native plant database that helps you discover the plants best suited to your property. Using calscape.org you can:
Search by location, plant name, water needs, and more
Get detailed plant information and growing tips
Create and share your own plant lists
Find nurseries near you and check available inventory
EWG—Environmental Working Group Consumer guides to help you learn about the hidden health dangers in your food, water and everyday products to make better decisions.
San Diego Seed Company produces regionally adapted seeds for Southern California climates. The seed company, not only produces organic heirloom varieties well adapted for Southern California growers but also facilitates and promotes ethical seed production. Here’s SDSC’s seasonal planting guide for USDA Zones 9 & 10.
