The Sample Seed Shop

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I got thinking about things I want to ensure as I start this business, things I want to promise myself as well as the customer.

• Great Customer Service~ I want to make sure all email inquiries are answered promptly. I think within 24 hours, less if possible, should be the standard practice. If for some reason I will be away, and no one else can answer emails, make sure it is visibly announced on the web site.
• Have Seeds offered In Stock~ If for some reason a run on a variety happens like a mention in a magazine article, take care of the problem quickly. I don’t want anyone disappointed in the seed being out of stock after ordering. They should be contacted immediately and offered a solution
• Customer Information(phone numbers, email, and addresses)~ I promise to only use them for contacting the customer about orders. I will never give them out to other companies. I can’t stand telemarketers and spam mailers!
• Viable seed~ I will send seed of excellent quality. Seeds that are harder to germinate, needing special conditions or a long wait period, will be listed as such. I don’t want to disappoint the novice gardener.
• Low Prices~ I will do my best to keep prices reasonable, down right cheap if possible. I think some seeds are way over priced. When I see some of the stuff for sale elsewhere, I can not believe people are paying those prices.
• No False Claims of Rarity~ I promise to never state something is rare if it isn’t. Sometimes plants are unusual or not found at the popular seed outlets, but that makes it unusual or hard to find, not rare. If I’m the only business selling the seed in the USA, then it might be rare.
• No False Claims of Plant Virtues~ I promises to give accurate plant descriptions. I may like certain varieties and think they are great, but they are not the BEST EVER! or TOTALLY DISEASE FREE! or what ever silly claim you might read elsewhere. I slso promise to never use a color enhance photo. BEWARE OF PLACES THAT DO THIS
• No Making New Names Up or Histories for Varieties~ Unfortunately there are catalogs out there that like to rename plants and/or give some story that is totally untrue to help drum up sales. I promise the names and histories I write to be as accurate as possible.
• Religion ~ No using biblical references to get you to buy seeds. BEWARE OF PLACES THAT DO THIS.
• No Stealing Photos~I would rather go without a photo and have poorer sales than steal some unsuspecting gardener’s pic. It is happening much too often unfortunately. Which reminds me… All photos on this site, be they good or bad, are take by me unless stated otherwise. You can not use them without my permission.

I’ve probably forgotten a thing or two. Any suggestions of things you hope I do, or hope I never do, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! The more you say now, the better for everyone. You can leave a comment or send an email to sampleseeds@yahoo.com

Figuring I should put a face on this web site for people to know me, here it is. The photo is of my SIL(cactus) and me(butterfly) last year at Plantasia, WNY’s garden show.

You should never feel too old to have fun and be silly!

Orlovskie Rysaki ripening

There’s not much that’s more wonderful than a home grown tomato! If you’ve never experienced eating one, I just don’t know what to tell you except you haven’t truly lived yet. Of course ever eating one always seems like a fantasy in winter with the cold and snow outside, but I need to start planning this year’s grow list soon. February vacation will happen before I know it(Key Largo here I come!) and then March will be arrive. I have a tendency to change my mind many times making list after list weighing in on reasons why one variety should be grown over another.
I try to get my seeds planted on or close to St. Joseph’s Day, March 19. Being Italian, I know the story of how praying to St. Joseph saved the Sicilians from starvation during the middle ages. There was a long period of drought. The people prayed to him for rain, and it came. So I pay homage to St. Joseph; I figure his intercession on my crop would always be a good thing.

Hello Fellow Plant Lovers,
It is the new year, and I am preparing to start this new endeavor, The Sample Seed Shop. I plan to offer quality seeds for the home gardener at an inexpensive price. The seeds will be in small sample size packets. To keep costs low and offer a better price, there will be no paper catalog or fancy seed packets. Cutting costs on the frills does not mean seeds of poor quality, or that the seeds offered will be same seeds you will find everywhere else.  Through this site, I will be offering excellent seeds, many interesting varieties of both vegetables and flowers, and of course great customer service.

For those of you who don’t know me, I am an admitted plantaholic. I love all kinds of plants from annuals to perennials to roses to vegetables,especially heirloom tomatoes, to bulbs. You name it, I love it! I’m also a seed hoarder. I love to start plants, when possible, from seed. The whole process is just amazing. It can even be a healing process. Some people will tell you I am a walking encyclopedia of plant knowledge. It has come from years of growing, studying, and helping other gardeners. (Though there is so much more to know! The world of gardening is a vast one.) All this has led me to this place, SampleSeeds.com.

It seems like mid winter already. There has been lots of cold wind and snow for the past month. I know I must get out there and start setting out my seed containers for winter sowing soon. Some perennial seeds need a cold period or they will not germinate. On another day, I will post pics of this process. It makes difficult seeds seem quite easy.
Hoping 2009 is a wonderful gardening year for you all,
Remy