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Posted on May 11, 2009, updated December 14, 2009
My infant bay laurel arrived when promised, was securely packed and is now making itself at home. It looks to be very vigorous and I have great expectations that it will live up to its promise.
On December 14th, 2009, Spriggin added the following:
New purchase. I ordered the 'Can of Worms' worm condo. My worms love it. They are chowing down on my kitchen scraps. I can keep it inside as it doesn't smell or drip. The previously mentioned bay laurel is continuing to thrive despite the dreadful cold spell we had recently. Whee!
On Nov 25, 2009, RussMartin4154 Omaha, NE (Zone 5a) wrote:
If there was a rating higher than 'positive', I'd give it to Territorial Seed.
OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE in a difficult pinch!
My first two orders were without issue, prompt and perfect.
With my third, their payment processor and my credit card provider collided, creating problems at both ends. To resolve the problem, knowing that a birthday present was included in the order, they upgraded the shipping to UPS 2nd day. Then, faced with a holiday, they further upgraded to UPS next-day. I didn't request either; they just did it!
They were as unfailingly polite and courteous as I was cranky and difficult.
On Jul 29, 2009, Moonglow Sunset Zone 17, CA wrote:
The plants I have ordered from Territorial Seed Company are among the healthiest I have growing in my garden this season. The plants arrived in excellent condition.
Customer Service is superb as well. Lori responded right away (a couple of hours) on an email query, and when she could not help me further, she relayed my question to Mr. Josh Kirschenbaum who is also equally fast in responding.
I placed a large seed order with the company in Spring 09. I have had success with every seed type I ordered (and I ordered a lot) with the exception of their little loup cantelopes. These grew for a short time and then shriveled and died. I'm most pleased with the peach envoy impatiens. They have an unusual color and are larger than what I see in the nurseries around my town. Overall, I've found the seed yields to be high and the resulting plants to be large and healthy. I'm still waiting to taste the vegetables, but the plants are growing nice and healthy right now and I'm sure they'll be delicious when ready to pick. I have ordered from Burpee in the past and the quality from Territorial is by far superior. I will be ordering again from Territorial next spring.
Another order to Territorial filled completely and quickly with no backorders (this late in the season!) and arrival here from the W.Coast in 4 days (including the weekend) from placing the order!
Also, called and talked to a customer rep who was terrific!
I cannot recommend this company enough! Wish they had a Southern counterpart!
On May 15, 2009, loveblossoms CA United States (Zone 8b) wrote:
This was the first time I purchased from Territorial Seed Co. I just received my order today and my little hellebore seedling plant arrived safely and in excellent healthy condition. Super bargain, great communication and exceptional packing. I only regret I did not buy more to save on shipping. I definitely look forward to purchasing from Territorial again in the future.
Territorial Seed is a real favorite with me. I love their seed and equipment selection, and am favorably impressed with their service. I had a genuine problem with one of the products they sell, and they immediately gave me credit for it. Any mail order company can, without meaning to, sell a product that is inferior - the acid test is how they deal with an unhappy customer. The woman who had to listen to me whine was courteous and patient. I'm very pleased and relieved, and wholeheartedly recommend this company to other gardeners.
My seed order arrived quickly and I had good germination. I'm glad to see more organic items are being added to the catalog, but I agree with a previous poster that I'd like to see more OP and fewer hybrid choices. It's disappointing to see a plant I'd like to try and then realize it's a hybrid. That being said, I ordered their Sun Gold Tomatoes (hybrid). I tried a few last summer that someone else had grown, and they were the best I've eaten.
On Apr 22, 2009, therussells1998 Everett, WA wrote:
I found seeds that I was not able to find anywhere else on the Web, in our local greenhouses, garden shops or home development centers. I ordered my seeds on Friday the order went out on Monday, and I received them Wednesday. Very Prompt for the order, and really really prompt on the reply to the email I send to them.
I met someone at our local home development center who wanted to know if I found the seeds I was looking for, have given them the companies web site, so they can order the seeds too!
Will I order from these folks again? You bet!
Will I put their name out there? You bet!
Too bad they couldn't fix the weather here in the Everett area :)
so I could put the seed out!
Ordered my seeds online on Tuesday; seeds arrived on Saturday. Seeds germinated quickly and plants look stronger than the ones I ordered from another company. Am very impressed with customer service attitude and quality of product! Did not think their shipping/handling costs were out of line in the least.
On Apr 1, 2009, gardener_galore Pleasant Hill, OR wrote:
Quality seeds and excellent customer service. Every time I go to the store or have ordered online I have been nothing but pleased. Good germination rates, awesome catalog descriptions to help, and the store staff have always been very friendly.
I ordered on the 13th or 14th, received a confirmation on the 15th and received my order on the 20th. I did note that shipping seemed a bit high, though not outrageous. The last time I ordered vegetable seed it was from Parks and I no longer do business with them for all the reason listed elsewhere on this site. Territorial's service, shipping time and the generous amount of seed in each packet will make me a repeat customer. Also, their web site is well organized and easy to navigate.
This was a first time purchase for me, and I am pleased. The customer service rep answered my questions to my satisfaction, the order was shipped quickly and received as scheduled. The items were well packaged, and the shipping charges were reasonable and in keeping with shipping charges assessed by other companies, if not slightly less, and the box was a large one.
I ordered my cold weather greens from territorial late summer, 2008. The tundra blend performed very well, and my early spring crop is germinating as we speak in the cold frame. Arctic King is also doing well. The flat shipping charge is generally to my advantage as I batch larger orders togethor.
I made my order online on Feb. 24th. According to the invoice, it was filled on the 25th and I received my order on the 27th. Everything present and accounted for and all seed packets (and one small jar of pelleted seed) stating, "Packed for 2009". I'm very happy with their promptness and I really, really appreciate not having to wait for my seeds with the planting season coming up. Our garden area is small and I appreciated the "sampler" sized seed packs. They'd be nice if I just wanted to try a small amount of something without planting a ton of it. Thanks, Territorial! Well done!
On Feb 24, 2009, farmerwhaley Millbrook, NY wrote:
I have used this company for many years and been satisfied but this year they are disappointing me on a regular basis. First I ordered seeds. They delivered 5 of the packs twice and I had to pay to return them for the refund on my cc. They said it was my fault because I had made several orders and then asked to combine them (on a Sunday). It was too difficult for them for some reason. They are very nice voices on the other end of the line but they don’t like to admit they have made a mistake, a little patronizing, but that is just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt. Then I ordered peat pots and a heating mat. My local stores didn’t have them in yet and I really needed them. It was a shipping rate that was %50 of the cost and I just figured I had no choice. I have learned my lesson. THREE WEEKS later and I have still not received the peat pots. I learned they were BO only when I called today to ask about them. I bought some in my local store one week ago. So I paid $18 in shipping - what a waste. I still have plants to be delivered and I am very concerned about that now. I will keep you informed.
On March 3rd, 2009, farmerwhaley changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following:
Since writing my comment I was contacted by a representative of Territorial Seed Company and we had a long conversation. He was extremely understanding and helpful and corrected all of my concerns. Therefore I would like to change my rating. Territorial Seed company is concerned enough about their clients to have Josh working with them - and that’s a good thing.
On Feb 19, 2009, HawaiiAL Kailua Kona, HI (Zone 11) wrote:
one of best catalogs i've seen. great, shipping is high to me from most suppliers as i'm in hawaii.most people are offering,usps mailing ether flat rate or priority flat rate.
I ordered 18 packets of seeds on February 4 and received them on February 6 which I think is outstanding. I ordered from another company on the 3rd and I don't think they have even shipped them yet!
None of the seeds were out of stock. The seed packets are lovely and appear to have a lot of information. Their catalogs are full of great, detailed information and their website is easy to order from. The cost of seeds are a bit on the pricey side but I decided to order from them based on reviews on this site.
I, too, think their shipping rates are high. I was charged $7.50 when actual shipping was under $3.00. I understand a handling charge but in my case, over $4.50 for a padded envelope and the time spent shipping is overblown. I have a small mail order business and would never dream of that handing charge. A sliding scale would be great with perhaps an incentive for free shipping after a certain price limit.
I ordered garlic last fall from them and will find out in June how that fares. I may consider ordering or buying it elsewhere next fall if their shipping prices don't come down a bit.
I had a tough time getting my carrots thinned last year and I was pleased to see pelleted seed in the Mokum carrots from this company. I was NOT pleased to see the high shipping fee for a few seeds, but decided to try them anyhow. The order arrived very promptly even though Maine is a bit of a distance. I was dissapointed to see the carrot seeds were NOT pelleted and that somehow I must have misunderstood the web site information. I emailed the company and was very pleased with their very PROFESSIONAL speedy personal response. They promptly sent me a container of the pelleted seed at no further charge and overall I am happy with them so far. I would like to see a smaller shipping fee offered for small orders since the actual cost was far less than the fee charged. That alone may prevent me from ordering from them in the future. However I am awfully glad to now have carrot seeds that I won't have to thin quite so much this summer!
Received alfalfa seed shortly after ordering and fall garlic several weeks later in the fall with no added shipping costs (surprise! yay!) Alfalfa seeds did great, garlic sprouted and seems to be doing fine. Instructions on packets are very good too.
On Jan 15, 2009, nygardener2 New Hyde Park, NY wrote:
Quick seed delivery(7 days after order) most items were in stock. The seeds are for 2009 season. Each packet has detailed information on care. Customer care is great at making changes to any order. Very happy :) will report in on produce taste!
On Jan 15, 2009, whitie Baker City, OR (Zone 5b) wrote:
I have ordered from Territorial for the past few years and have never had a problem with customer service or their products. I like to have 'all my ducks on the same page' when the gardening season kicks off in the spring; so I ordered earlier than usual this year. I placed my first order on 12/27/08 and had it in my possesion within 2 weeks. I thought this was pretty good considering the delays from holiday and the weather we had in this part of the country. I work for the post office and am aware of all the road closures between here and there. We have had a lot of them in the past few weeks. I placed my second order(stuff I had overlooked) this past sunday and they were delivered to my door today(wednesday). It's a pleasure doing business with a company of this caliber.
On Nov 10, 2008, WisGeorge Wisconsin Rapids, WI wrote:
I just had to take some time and write you folks to tell you
> how thrilled I was with two specific hybrid tomatoes. One was Super
> Marzano and the other was Oregon Star. I can a lot of salsa and just
> "hunky" tomatoes for chili and the like. Not only were these tomatoes
> very sweet and flavorful, but they were of a size and number that I
> had to go out and buy four more cases of quart jars! Yikes!
On Sep 30, 2008, larrisb Mission Viejo, CA (Zone 10a) wrote:
First time buyer from Territorial Seed-
Your seeds have been the most viable and vigorous by far-
I'm getting very, very close to a 100% germination rate and
the plants just accelerate from there to production!!
My current sowing of fall lettuce is up and running!!
For EVERY seed sown there is a plant!!! Incredible!
I have been buying seed from Territorial at about 20 years. I am an organic gardener. The company provides speedy delivery, great diversity of varietals. I have seen the company and catalog grow over the years...a testament to the quality of their service and products. Their seed is tested and I have had great germination of their seed. I tried new varieties in my garden and greenhouse this year. One was "Flashy Trouts Back Lettuce and the other "Red Noodle" Dow Gauk...both were phenomenal! I grow Purple sprouting Broccoli and Trombocini Rampicante Squash as well, favorites of mine.
I've ordered from Territorial Seeds for several years - and I've always been positively impressed. I was delighted to see them highly rated this year - and ordered yet again. My order arrived with lightening speed! Bravo! Thank you.
On Sep 1, 2008, p1mkw Danville, IN (Zone 5b) wrote:
I recently placed a very small order just to get some lettuce to try for this fall. The order was sent out immediately and arrived last Friday. I dampened a couple of coffee filters and sprinkled a few seeds of each variety on the filters. When I checked on them yesterday (3 days later) to make sure they weren't drying out ... they had already sprouted. The one variety had 100% germination and the other, while a little less, was still excellent. I will be ordering more seeds from Territorial in the spring.
i have been a customer for 5 years or so, and i have never been disappointed. i like the fact you can buy the seeds by the ounce, instead of just by the gram or package like so many other companies. this gives territorial an edge over the competition when it comes to saving money.
they are good quality seeds and have a shelf life of at least what they say on the package. the germination rate is usally better than advertised. the only problem i had with the seeds is when i did something wrong. the tomatoes i started from seed are doing better than the plants i bought from a local nursery.
whenever i have a gardening question, they are eager to help and always give good advice.
I have separate bill to/ship to addresses - and my order was shipped to the bill to address. I would give them a neutral for that - but most of the seeds I ordered are germinating well.
I ordered several different types of sunflowers. I was disappointed that the packaging was all the same - with just a generic sunflower print on the front. I have one in particular (Floristan) that doesn't seem to be germinating, but I'll keep an eye on it and contact the company if it doesn't work out.
I'm a newly addicted gardener, now with 1/3-acre of a backyard to garden. Well, that's enough land for a home gardener to play with, and I'm very excited this season carving out of my expansive lawn a vegetable garden and later, new beds and borders. Anyway, I bit the gardening bug back when I lived for a couple of years in Seattle, WA. I brought that new-found "love" all the way here to the mid-Atlantic. Coming from the Pacific Northwest, that's how I know about Territorial Seed. I'm truly glad Territorial has gotten ALL POSITIVE ratings. It very well deserves that sterling reputation!
Here is a copy of a review I posted today on another site:
"I've ordered now from Territorial, so I figured I should add my review as well:
1- Name of company? Territorial seed
2- Catalogue, online or in-store purchase? Online
3- Rating of company (based on combined- customer service, accuracy in your order, quickness of your order, communication, your happiness with the order & germination of the seeds)-
*= NEVER AGAIN!
**= poor
***= OK
****= Good
>>>*****= LOVE them & will definitely order from again<<<
4- WHY you gave the rating you did & any additional info!
I ordered a blueberry bush & a Meyer Lemon in April. I rec'd the BB bush fairly quickly. It looks good, has been transplanted and is growing well. The only thing was the lemon bush- it was on B/O- no biggie, but it was a LOT smaller than I had anticipated. I figured it would be about the size of the BB (in a 4" pot), but it was literally a bare root STEM. I can't really blame them for that as I didn't ask when I didn't see the description on the webpage. The lemon was also very healthy, and seems to be doing well after transplant. So I feel comfy giving them a 5* on this first order.
I've also just placed my 2nd order with them. I've spoken to a CS rep over the phone- she returned my call very quickly, given the 3 hour time difference & on a Saturday. She was able to fix MY mistake. I will update as soon as I rec'v that order as well."
I received my plant order from Territorial Seed Co yesterday. Despite a long trek from the Pacific Northwest to the eastern seaboard (VA), my plants arrived in perfect condition. Their packaging was unique to my experience, and the plants arrived at just the right time to be put into the ground. What else can I say, this is a number one company!
On May 7, 2008, mom2goldens Carmel, IN (Zone 5b) wrote:
This year is the first time I have ordered from this company, and was very pleased with everything I received. My seeds were shipped promptly after ordering, and my live plants arrived today, just in time for planting. Their packaging was excellent, and the plants were strong and healthy. Selection and prices were good; communication to confirm orders and shipping were excellent.
I've ordered from Territorial for about three years. They are consistently helpful and prompt. Plants arrive during the ship time promised, and have thus far been in great shape. Their seed has always performed. My only disappointment was with the ladder trellises - they are priced too high for what they are - poor quality wood with wire for hinges. They do work well, however, after I added real hinges to them. I highly recommend this company for live stock and for seed. As another reviewer mentioned, the print catalog is an education all by itself.
I LOVE this company. They carry tthe perfect plants for my cool coastal climate. They give excellent customer service! One of the live plants I received was crunchy & unrevivable. They sent me out another imediately no questions.
On Apr 28, 2008, littlebrook15 Rock Tavern, NY wrote:
Very good experience with this company. The seeds germinated well, and the plants I received were packed very well. One was broken (headless) and pulled out of the pot, but when I called the company, they understood right away and sent a replacement (which was perfect) immediately. I would recommend them.
