FAQ

Questions worth answering once

Is the USDA zone enough to pick seeds?

Zone tells you winter survival. Frost dates tell you whether a 70-day tomato finishes. We use both. A zone 6a garden in Chicago and a zone 6a garden in Denver do not share a May.

How accurate are the frost dates?

They are typical 32°F dates for the zone, not a forecast for your block. Valleys, lakes, and pavement move them a week or two. Use them to choose varieties, then watch your own last frost.

Do you sell seeds?

Not yet. We send you to seed houses we would buy from. If we ever pack our own, that will be a licensed seed business — not a weekend dropship.

Why only a few varieties per crop?

A wall of SKUs is how first gardens fail. Each crop names a beginner pick, a flavor pick, and a short-season pick. That is enough to finish a year.

Can I garden in containers / on a balcony?

Yes. Cherry tomatoes, peppers, basil, lettuce, and bush beans are the honest list. Use potting mix, not garden soil. A north window is not a tomato climate.

When should I start seeds indoors?

Peppers about 8 weeks before last frost, tomatoes 6, basil and lettuce 3–4. Beans, peas, carrots, radish, and potatoes do not want to be started indoors. Open Start dates after you match a ZIP and the calendar fills in.

What do I sow in late summer?

In zones 5–7 in August: lettuce, spinach, kale, radish, cilantro, arugula, and maybe a last bush bean if you have 60 days. Not new tomatoes. Order garlic for October.

Do you take affiliate commissions?

Yes, on some shop links, at no extra cost to you. Commission is not a ranking factor. We will not send you Amazon seed packets.

How do I get the weekly sowing note?

Join the sow list on the homepage. Seasonal, not daily. We use the ZIP if you saved one.

Can I print a calendar for my zone?

Yes. Match a ZIP, open Calendar, then Print. It is a web page, not a PDF warehouse.

Is grocery garlic the same as seed garlic?

Often no. Grocery bulbs may be treated to not sprout, or grown for a climate that is not yours. Buy seed garlic from a seed house. Plant cloves in fall.

Will leftover seed from last year grow?

Usually. Store it cool, dark, and dry. Tomato and squash hold for years. Onion and parsnip fade fast. Sow a few extras if the packet is old.

Do you ship internationally?

We do not ship anything. Partner shops set their own shipping rules. Most US seed houses will not mail seed outside the country.

How do you map a ZIP to a zone?

ZIP prefix (the first three digits) to a 2023-style USDA zone, with a state fallback when we do not have a city override. It is approximate on purpose — a valley two miles over can be a half-zone off.