Comments regarding Prairie Moon Nursery

I have ordered seed three times from Prairie Moon Nursery, and I've been pleased with the results each time. The seed comes well packaged and well marked. I have not had any germination issues. Will go back to them whenever I can for future purchases.

I ordered some seeds and have had good success! They have some plants that are somewhat hard to find and they're a great source for pollinator plants.

First time ordering. Good selection. Good packaging. Clean seed. Have not yet planted; currently smothering ground to kill weeds/grass, in preparation.

I've ordered twice from them this year, both for bare root plants. The communication is good: emails to confirm the orders, quick response to an email from me to add a couple of plants to an existing order and then emails with a tracking number when they were sent. The packaging is good: bare roots in a soil-like medium, with a label showing how deep to plant them. I've had a little problem with the plants coming up. One of the wild geraniums and one of the maidenhair ferns took a REALLY long time to grow. They did eventually start sprouting, however. It's odd, as they were planted close to the ones that grew well. I am not sure that's the product fault versus my fault, however.

When I was looking for native seeds I stumbled upon Prairie Moon Nursery, and have been delighted with their seeds and plants. They provide an awesome selection. For each plant they provide incredibly useful information in a format that is very helpful. Plant information includes:

-- a range map - showing where the plant is native and not native;
-- a germination code for seeds - indicating difficulty of germination, details such as whether a period of cold moist stratification is required, etc.;
-- planting and growing details such as USDA hardiness zone, sun exposure, plant height and spacing, whether a pollinator favourite, whether deer resistant, etc.

The staff are super friendly, knowledgeable and helpful answering all questions.

The plants and seeds I have received have all been in great condition.

Note: some native seeds are slow or difficult to germinate (no mater who offers them) and Prairie Moon Nursery is very helpful in letting us know what is involved with germinating native seeds by providing a germination code and explanation for each. Note: you can also order plants instead of seeds which is especially useful where germination is more difficult.

Prairie Moon Nursery has bent over backwards to share native seeds and plants with us providing us with as much information as possible.

They are an awesome company truly interested in saving our pollinators and helping us to do so.

Some of the best customer service I have EVER received.

I came upon Prairie Moon when I was trying to figure out where to source seed for a 3000 square foot native wildflower area (and where to get info on how to do that successfully). I called PM with a general question about a seed mix and ended the call with answers to questions I didn't even know to ask thanks to the incredibly knowledgeable staff I spoke with. Their guidance on the phone and their educational materials on their website completely demystified the big task of installing a wildflower garden. If you're looking to install a wildflower area, big or small, I highly recommend talking with the people at Prairie Moon to get your project off on the right foot!

Second year ordering from them. Only place I have found where I can get liatris ligulistylis corms and not just tiny seedlings, although they offer those as well in 3 packs. I love that you can also get species-specific legume inoculants. I’m disappointed that they will no longer automatically come with the seeds but I hope it will still be a free option if requested. I have had great experience with this company both years.

Received my plants this week and they were larger than expected. The packaging is exceptional and all the plants were very healthy. They are now in the garden and can't wait for the first blooms. Thanks to all, very nice job.

I searched for phaseolus polystachios seeds and found this company had some. I really like they have actual pictures of what they have, seeds and plants, because I like growing different varieties of the same species. Got the seeds in the mail within a week and also received a bonus packet of partridge pea.

Planted 1 of the phaseolus polystachios seeds in a pot and it's already started to germinate.

I'll shop here again if I find other seeds I'm looking for listed.

I ordered three bare root plants last fall and when they arrived found them to be medium sized and pretty dried out. I planted them in a raised bed where I could monitor them and all three came in this spring and are healthy young plants that I planted out in the garden this week.
I've learned from experience that bare roots may need a bit of extra coddling in the beginning and am pleased with the resulting plants.
Would order from them again as they carry many plants unavailable elsewhere.

I’ve ordered several packs of seed and had considerable success with each. I also purchased a pair of bare root witch hazels that did extremely well through spring, summer, and fall (culminating in their untimely rabbit driven demise over winter) Their website is a pleasure to use as well. I love that I can search by hardiness zone, sun, soil type, moisture, growth height etc.

Great source for native bare root plants! I only wish they had a wider selection from the western US. The bare root plants I have ordered here have varied in size, but that is somewhat expected, given that we're working with living organisms. I recently placed an order and had to submit a revision before it shipped and they promptly made the adjustment.

I have noticed that some of their prices have crept up in recent years, but still feel they generally offer good value for the money.

the plants were a bit smaller than I expected, but they are doing well and growing quickly. I really can't complain.

"On Jun 15, 2017 10:44 AM, Prairie Moon Nursery responded with:

We appreciate your positive rating and comments. We try to provide bare root plants that are at least as large as the ones shown on our website. If you had potted material then they should have a well developed root system. I'm glad these are growing well for you but if you should have any problems please do not hesitate to contact us. Thanks, Bill"

Great prices on seed packets. Prompt shipping and excellent instructions.

I don't know yet how the seeds will do, but it's an experimental year for me.

In an age where many online nurseries exploit customers, Prairie Moon is a refreshing, trustworthy site. Each plant profile shows the exact range map of the species - unlike many other sites that simply say what region the plant is from. Scientific names are displayed first before common names, which is a massive plus when searching for a specific plant. They even will say if a plant is potentially aggressive - which is extremely nice of them.

Not only are they trustworthy, but they have some of the best prices and variety for native seeds. My only wish is that they would sell more southwestern endemic species - but I can see why they don't since they're based in Minnesota. The staff is eager to help - and each plant profile lists a germination code - and some even will say it may be difficult to grow from seed. Seeds are nicely packed in a plastic baggie, which is nice considering many other online nurseries just throw the packets in the bag where they're susceptible to damage. Some of the smaller seeds are double-packed! They'll even scarify seeds if needed and requested - and since I have carpal tunnel, I have a hard time doing it myself so its really nice of them.

Seed packets will also say what year they were bagged, which can be helpful if you store seeds for a long time. I have bought many seeds from them, and many of my plants are happily growing! Any that have died have been because of mistakes made by myself. As for bareroots and potted plants... I'm not sure! I was thinking about ordering witch hazel and some rosa species from them at some point. I'll update my review if I do! But in conclusion, I highly recommend this website for your native needs.

They shipped quickly and answered questions about seed germination promptly. I'll update this later on as my plants grow, but so far this company's service has been excellent, and they offer a very large selection of native plants and seeds.

I have been buying seed from them for a few years. I have not bought plants from them. I am doing prairie rehab in Missouri and they have a great selection. They are good about designating those plants that are hard to start.

I ordered a dozen bare-root Veratrum virginicum. They were sent out the next day. Well-packed, plump, and huge. Price was very reasonable, especially for nursery-propagated plants. Company communication was prompt and businesslike. I look forward to dealing with this nursery again.

Germination rates have been good. Shipping is a little more than expected.

Very nice and healthy bare root plants, shipped quickly. Answer emails in a timely fashion. Have order from Prairie Moon more than once. Will order from them again.

First time customer in winter 2016. Purchased seeds of Asclepias exalta, Chamaecrista fasciculate and Pycnanthemum tenuifolium. Order shipped quickly and germination percent and seedling vigor has been great. Will buy from them again in the future.

I got seeds from Prairie Moon last fall. They were wintersown in December '14 and sprouted wonderfully this past spring. I was very impressed with them and have made another recent purchase for winter sowing this year. I really love their selection of native plants and the germination instructions make it easy for seed sowing newbies like me.

I needed to order milkweed seeds for my daughter's Girl Scout troop project. I ordered A. Syriaca, Exaltata, Tuberosa, plus the company sent along a free packet of Incantata (rose/swamp milkweed). My order arrived promptly--within a couple of days. Because we were short on time, I did the cold stratification myself using the directions supplied by Prairie Moon. The day before we were scheduled to plant, I soaked the seeds briefly in warm water and kept them in coffee filters/baggies at room temperature.

Based on what I had read, I was very, very worried about what our germination rate would be. However, the seeds started to germinate within a couple of days (really!) and almost all the flats were well under way by two weeks EXCEPT the free seeds supplied by the company. Not sure what happened there, but I would guess there is a link between the fact that they were free and their poor performance.

I had also separately ordered planting cells and trays from the company but they did not arrive in time. I sent the whole box back and Prairie Moon not only reimbursed me for my order but the shipping as well, which is not something I had asked for or expected.

They have a gardener on staff and I emailed her a couple of times before placing my order but never heard back. She was probably overwhelmed.

In short, the only blips were the staff gardener not getting back to me and the poor performance of the free product. In the future I suggest if you really want a particular seed, order it and do not rely on free samples. The rest of the customer service and performance of the seeds I ordered was fantastic. I would definitely order from them again.

"On Jun 8, 2015 10:04 AM, Prairie Moon Nursery responded with:

Sorry to hear of the difficulty you had getting the free Rose Milkweed Seed to germinate. I'm not sure what the problem was but our free seed is of the same high quality. I will check and see who was supposed to call you back. Our goal is to always return calls in a timely fashion. We very much appreciate the positive rating! Thank-you, Bill"

Have ordered many times from Prairie Moon and plants and seeds are always very good. Almost my entire garden in Texas was planted with seeds or plants from Prairie Moon and even after moving the owners there still enjoy my garden and send me pictures of the flowers. I always had good germination success with the seeds and the BONAP maps really helped with what types of plants would work well in the extreme heat and droughts of Texas. Would highly recommend this nursery!

We are restoring a 5 acre parcel and have seen great results from their seed. They do a great job with service, provide information when trying to select seed and determine the site conditions, provide plant plugs with strong root development and have the most comprehensive native variety out of all Midwest vendors of which I'm aware. They recently added a map to show the origin of each plant. I find this highly useful as I used to use a second website to make sure I was selecting only plants native to my area.

Prairie Moon Nursery remains the vendor of choice for my restoration goals and I highly recommend them for your project.

I really like this company. Seed prices are quite reasonable for a small gardener, shipping costs are reasonable, and I have gotten great customer service. Once, I forgot the whole reason I was on their site, looking for native aquilegia, and ordered everything but that. By the time I had realized my mistake, I had already completed the transaction. I emailed them, told them what I had done, and they sent them in a separate shipment with no shipping charge! I can't tell you how much I appreciated that! I have had good germination results, some things they offer need cold stratification or outdoor fall planting, but I feel good that I can get native plants from seed for a great price. I hope they are able to offer even more varieties. Prices on seed are still very reasonable, in my opinion. Some plants take a few years to get to a sale able rootstock size, so I understand why some things might seem a bit pricey to some but in reality it is still a good price. Hope they stay in business forever. One of my favorite seed companies to deal with.

I have been using Prairie Moon since about 2011, almost exclusively ordered bare roots. They offer several bare roots hard to find elsewhere. I have noticed that they are becoming more popular and their prices are starting to rise, and their orders are becoming somewhat backlogged IMHO, but they still offer extremely high-quality plants and they are shipped healthy. They routinely sell out of products every year. I appreciate the email notification features and special offers this nursery provides, and I will use them again in the fall. My advice is to shop for the plants you want, and when their shipping season starts jump on the plants you want because they are selling out faster every year.

My Dad I help maintain an adopt-a-highway site in New York City. This year, I wanted to try planting a variety of low-maintenance flowering perennials on the site for the benefit of both passer-bys and pollinators alike. I was blown away by the large variety of plant species offered as both seeds, plugs, and bare roots. The descriptions of the plants and the associated cultural information was very detailed and were of great help in guiding me to the right plants for the adopt-a-highway site.

When I inquired about adding some more bare root plants to a previous order, I was quickly contacted by a P.M.N. worker who informed me that the nursery would combine the shipping charges of my two separate orders. If you are looking for native plants that can be hard to find at your local nursery of big box store garden center, this company offers an excellent service at a very affordable price.

I can't wait until the weather is ripe for planting and I will definitely be coming back next year! Thanks so much!

I'm a bit late adding my strong endorsement for Prairie Moon, but wanted to be sure I added my say on what a great company this is. They helped us out with plugs last year for an annual community plant sale. Really worked with us on what for them, I'm sure, was a small order -- 3 trays of native perennials. The plugs came and we were blown away. They were amazingly large, with incredible root systems. We potted them up right away, and they took off. By the time of our sale, a few weeks later, the plants were beautiful and strong. We were proud to offer them. I wouldn't hesitate for one minute to order from Prairie Moon and to recommend them to one and all.

You'll be hard pressed to find a company with better customer service and great seeds than PMN...and the prices for these wildflower seeds are incredible. 6th year ordering from them..never an issue, not once. Great source of seeds.

Fast! Fast! Fast!

The seeds arrived in three days! (That is very quick from MN to VA). I love the packaging! The company has an excellent selection of native plants, and the prices are great. I found this company by reading their negative feedback regarding seed germination, but I have to disagree. From my experience, some native plants can germinate for up to 2 years, and that is normal.

I ordered 9 packets of seeds, and I am already planning to put another order in. I am so happy that I found Prairie Moon Nursery!

I ordered native seeds from Prairie Moon Nursery last fall, wintersowed them, and planted the seedlings this spring and summer. It was my first year with native seeds, and I am happy with the results.

Posted on May 19, 2011, updated May 8, 2012
I have been a customer of Prairie Moon Nursery for numerous years now and the order I just received yesterday shows why. I ordered 17 bareroot plants from their bareroot clearance sale, they came yesterday (2 days after ordering), packed, as always, in bags of peat moss. It was when I opened the bags that I could not believe my eyes!!! I figured, being the end of the shipping season for bareroot plants, they would be somewhat dried out and stressed, boy was I wrong! These plants looked amazing! Many had young, healthy top-growth beginning, and several of the ordered items had 2-3 roots in the bag when only one was ordered! No signs of drying or stress whatsoever, just beautiful, large, healthy roots. I have absolute confidence that all of these will grow and thrive in my woodland / savannah garden, if they do not, I can assure you, it will be my own fault and not that of this awesome company. Thank you so very much Prairie Moon Nursery...I will be ordering again and again!!!!!

These folks really have it together. The bareroot plants that I ordered for last fall have come up almost without exception. My spring order, in which I took advantage of some of their sale items, was also well packed, and the plants healthy. I have never been shortchanged on barefoot plants, on the contrary, many of the plants they send are able to be further divided and occasionally they simply send more plants than ordered. I appreciated that bonus, and look forward to my fall order.

To those that feel unsure about taking care of bareroot plants, I would suggest you try this company, pot up what you're not ready to plant, and just watch them wake up into beautiful healthy plants. Don't be afraid!

excellent prompt service, plants arrived in great condition. Very pleased with the plants I received!

Ordered 36 Actaea rubra, and overall the plants are healthy though the sizes varied greatly. Some were larger than expected, but others were really tiny. It would have been nice if they had sent a couple extras to go with the small ones, and that would have made this an extra positive review. As it is, the large ones sort of balance out the tiny ones, which might be what they thought too, but I was slightly disappointed. They are all actively growing and several are going to flower and I would order from them again.

"On Apr 23, 2012 10:26 AM, Prairie Moon Nursery responded with:

Hi Chris,
We appreciate your review. I thought it might be a good opportunity to explain how we pack plants. We try to be consistent in the sizes we supply but sometimes when we only have a certain number left we have to supply plants of various sizes. Even the smaller plants should have been at least as large as the root shown on our website for that species. It is our "minimum" size. If it was not of minimum size or if that plant fails to thrive then we will provide a replacement or refund. I will also follow-up with the folks who pack the plants to make sure we are doing a good job.
Thanks, Bill
"

If you are a native plant enthusiast, PMN is your source! Such a fabulous selection of native plants. I've placed several orders with them over the years, and the bare root plants arrive healthy, robust and sprouting! Plus, there is sometimes 1 or 2 extra roots in the bunch, which is a nice bonus! Courteous customer service, great selection and timely accurate shipping all add up to a superior company to do business with!

Love, love, love Prairie Moon. I've been ordering from them for three years now, and have had good success with their plants. Their plant finder makes the experience easy.

I just received my first order from them, and was delighted with it. The plants were in excellent condition, healthy and vigorous. They were extremely well packaged, and came with clear, detailed planting and care instruction.