The scoop on 'Ferry-Morse Seed Company'

I like the variety of seed that this company offers. Even though I have plenty of seeds that I have harvested from my own garden over the years, I can't help picking up something from their rack.
I had grown one of their morning glories years ago and really loved it. I couldn't remember where I had gotten the seeds originally until I saw their packet of Scarlet O'hara.
It isn't what the other companies have for this variety. It is very vigorous and puts on a much nicer display.

My main garden interest is trying to grow tomatoes most of the year around. This is a real challenge in south Texas 90 deg. + weather. Most of the time I start my seed inside under a pair of fluorescent lamps with the AC set about 76 deg. I have tried a various of seed including Tropic,Cabernet, Greenhouse 656, Super Bush, etc. I have done a lot of just plain experimenting, such as starting seed both inside and outside under the shade of a tree. Outside, the seed were started in small pots on a large picnic table. After transplanting to the garden, the plants are shaded from direct sun by gunnysack material. The F/M Better Boy Hybrid has consistently been able to stand the heat better than any other tomato that I have tried. Daily watering is a must with fertilizing once a week. At this time (Aug.), my 11 plants are over two feet high and growing. I lost one plant to direct sun exposure. The seed started outside under the shade tree have done better than the ones started inside. It is just too much of a shock for the little plants to go from 76 deg. to 90 deg. plus temperature. I have a small greenhouse with raised beds for the winter plants. We will see what happens this winter !

I purchased a packet of seeds (Zinnia, Giant, Canary Bird) at Home Depot and for $1.79 plus tax got 8 seeds. No kidding. Is this a quality control issue or some extremely rare zinnia? The outside said 700 MG but what does that mean to me the average gardener.
No I can't take it back to the store for a refund, I've put them in starter pots already.
Not the end of the world but annoying.
I have emailed the company thru the Dave's Garden link. By the way when you go their company site their own email link isn't working.

Dear denisedelong,
At FERRY-MORSE SEED COMPANY, we strive to make all our products, people, and operations perfect for you - the home gardener. We only use seeds with germination rates higher than required by the USDA, and our quality-trained personnel fill packets with these seeds on high-speed machines built especially for our industry.
I do apologize that you received a packet that was obviously underfilled. Sometimes we do make mistakes among the tens of millions of seed packets we fill each spring; however, we've not been able to continue business now for 150-years by avoiding problems an error on our part creates for you or any other home gardener.
We always listen to any unpleasant experience that may occur (sorry, we're still not perfect even though we try); and, in any rare cases of underfilled packets, we always promptly send a replacement packet of the same variety directly to the customer's home.
Please email me with the exact variety you purchased, and with your mailing address so that I can have a fresh packet sent to you immediately. If it is too late for you to plant the seed this season, simply keep the packet in your home in a cool, dry place until next spring...the seed will still be just as viable 10-months from now.
Again, denisedelong, I apologize for this inconvenience for you; and, I sincerely hope the replacement packet will at least in some small way help to rectify this error on our part.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please note that you can always reach us at 1-800-283-3400 and at ferry-morse.com should you ever need us again.
Mike Tate.
Mktg Mgr.
FERRY-MORSE SEED COMPANY.
601 Stephen Beale Drive.
Fulton KY 42041.

These are the old reliable seeds planted by our Grand Parents before high-speed internet surfing was in vogue. Their first price list, printed in 1856, preceded the U. S. Department of Agriculture by almost 30 years. They have stayed in business by selling viable seed. Gardeners rely on the seed they plant. They expect it to germinate and grow into the blooming or productive plants. Ferry-Morse guarantees their seed to grow. Red Rock Nursery offers free shipping on their Ferry-Morse seed.

They're ok, but you find their seeds are pretty common and can be purchased elsewhere. Shipping charge is pretty steep even for the smallest order, under $20.00. Order some grass seed from them, but asked them to let me know if the items were in stock. No one took the time to answer my question, but they didn't charge me either. Bad thing is they do not have a telephone number for customer service if you need to talk to someone.

I have used there seeds for several years even before I really started growing allot of things from seeds and have always had good germination with them. They don't have allot of unusal things but all the seeds a new gardener would want to try.

I have ordered in the past, not much variety to choose from.
Seeds did okay.

I have had good germination with their seeds. They have a fairly basic assortment of perennials - not the best for variety.

I was doing some research on seed companies and I learned that Ferry-Morse Seed Company is not the "old time" garden seed company that they use to be. It was purchased, and is owned by, and presently a marketing arm or subsidiary of French biotech giant Vilmorin Clause & Cie. Vilmorin Clause & Cie is heavily into GMO. Please refer to their Web sites at [HYPERLINK@www.vilmorinclause.com] and [HYPERLINK@www.vilmorinclause.com]

I recently moved and called to request a current catalog. I was told that they no longer did catalog sales to home gardeners. Too bad.

We had a dry summer and quite a few seeds from Ferry Morse died as sprouts or didn't even sprout. I e-mailed Ferry-Morse and they sent replacements for next year.

I would like to say I have been very satisfied with this company. All of my seeds have grown up to big beautiful plants. Both ornamental and agricultural seeds thrived.

They are a wonderful company! All the seeds that I've ordered from them have thrived in my garden! And their shipping charges are great, too!