Word of a seed shortage has sown fear in gardeners, especially as more people are motivated to grow some of their own food this year. Will a dearth of seeds dry up vegetable plots even before they're planted? That looks unlikely, but there are steps that backyard gardeners — both pros and newbies — can take to ensure a robust harvest.
One of the most important steps: Buy seeds soon and close to home.
At Tangletown Gardens in Minneapolis, vegetable seeds are plentiful at the moment, but owner Scott Endres has noticed an uptick in interest. "People are just in a state where they are yearning for something to nurture," he said.
Other garden centers and hardware stores in the metro area report full display cases of seeds, even while sales are robust, from Home Depot and Menards to Bachman's and Tonkadale.
But the seed companies that ship supplies to retailers in winter may be running low.
A banner across the top of the Seed Savers Exchange website reads, "We are temporarily not accepting new orders while we restock and ship current orders." The renowned Decorah, Iowa, nonprofit that conserves and sells heritage seeds explained on its website that it has seen "a sharp increase in seed orders."
The Burpee Seeds website warns that orders will take 10 days to be processed. The seed stalwart has run out of some popular seed types, including Blue Lake bush beans and Chioggia beets, whose slices show off concentric circles of white and red.
"Even not during a pandemic, seed companies run out of seeds," said Julie Weisenhorn, extension educator in horticulture at the University of Minnesota. Shortages are most common for new varieties that may have limited seed production. That's why avid gardeners peruse seed catalogs and stock up as early as January, when fresh-picked zucchini is only a dream.