What Does "P.V.P" on Seed Packets Mean?

I love seed packets almost as much as I love the seeds inside. Sometimes I purchase a seed packet just because I like the photo or seed packet design and I have no intention of ever growing the seeds. My seed keeping bin is stuffed with old seed packs of some seeds I've sown and packs that are there just as curios. Take, for example, this seed packet for ‘Lumina’ pumpkin. In the upper-right corner of the seed pack you’ll note that “P.V.P” is printed on the seed packet next to the name.

The Best Garden Seed Catalogs

Seed Packs As Stocking Stuffers

The proverb, “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” applies to gardeners too. While you can give several houseplants for the holidays, giving a gardener (or potential gardener) a pack of seeds can lead them down a path of self-exploration, garden activism, an understanding of their role as stewards of heirloom plants in the garden, and within their community. Seed packs make great stocking stuffers because they are relatively inexpensive. There are a few seed companies that really produce seed packs that can capture the imagination and inspire a gardener to get their hands in the dirt. Below are four examples of seed companies that create exceptional seed packs that you can stuff a gardener’s stocking with this Christmas.

What Would Luther Burbank Do?

The Smithsonian Institution maintains an online collection of vintage seed catalogs of about 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830s in their archives. Many of the catalogs were part of the Burpee Collection donated to the Horticulture Services Division by Mrs. David Burpee in 1982. The impressive collection maintained by The Smithsonian includes seed catalogs from Burpee its competitors and smaller companies like those of Miss C.H. Lippincott.

Vintage seed catalog examples from the Smithsonian Libraries.

Seed Lab at Ball Horticultural Company

Even though the average home gardener, like myself, isn’t a direct customer of the Ball Horticultural Company many of the packaged seeds and plants we buy at garden centers and nurseries were developed by Ball Hort. An example being petunia ‘Black Cat’ which is the world’s first black petunia. Recently, I was invited on a tour of the gardens at Ball in West Chicago, Illinois., which include container gardens, a seed lab, example gardens for vegetable and shade gardening, and a trial garden where Ball Hort plants are grown alongside competitor’s plants. If you’ve read this garden blog with any regularity you may have noticed that seeds are regular topics so I jumped at the chance of touring a seed lab. Below are a couple of pictures from the seed lab that I thought other seed-obsessed gardeners may find interesting.

How to Organize a Seed Swap

Organizing a seed swap is a great way to engage the gardening community where you live and give gardeners, new and old alike, a chance to mingle and get to know each other, exchange garden information, seed history and experiences. Gardeners who participate in seed swaps have the chance to try small amounts of new to them seeds, unload personal seed stashes or seeds from personal seed banks, garden groups and seed savers can use the opportunity of a seed swap to distribute seeds from their seed library. Below are some tips on how to organize a seed swap that I have picked up attending and organizing in-person seed swaps.

How to Start a Seed Library in Your Community

A seed library operates just like your local library, but instead of stocking books it carries vegetable, annual and perennial seeds. The idea behind them is to encourage seed saving, the exchange of seed history, nurture new gardeners, exchange gardening information and build communities through seeds. Seed libraries are also great ways to acquire heirloom and open pollinated seeds. The biggest benefit though of a seed library, in my opinion, is how it can help foster a feeling of community among people who may have little else in common.

Growing Basil, Mini, "Windowbox"

Can an herb in your garden be too cute to eat? That's how I currently feel about "Windowbox" basil. I can't even bring myself to pinch the developing flower buds so it doesn't flower and go to seed. The seeds for my "Windowbox" basil came from Renee's Garden, but before seeing it her online seed catalog I never knew such a basil existed. On the product page "Windowbox" is described as being "truly a bonsai basil" and while the bonsai purist in me bristles at a basil being called "bonsai" I can't help but nod in agreement with this description. At certain angles, this little pot of basil looks like a miniature forest. I find myself going out to the porch garden just to look at it.

Hudson Valley Seed Library

Burpee Seeds At Walmart, Kmart And Lowe's Garden Centers

I noticed today that for the past three years Burpee seeds I find at garden centers and nurseries end up being blogged about. So, I guess this is the 4th Annual Burpee Seeds post, which probably makes this more of a Burpee Seed Watch by now. In last year’s Burpee Seeds at Home Depot post I pointed out how the Cypress Vine labeled Burpee seeds were what most people call Cardinal Climber. I’ve never grown Cardinal Climber, but I have grown Cypress Vine and it is my absolute favorite climbing vine to grow in the garden. The first time I saw what I know to be Cypress Vine labeled as Cardinal Climber by Burpee I thought it had to be an error, then I thought; “Who am I to question a seed giant like Burpee?” But then I came across these two seed packets at Menards and I was again left scratching my head.

One Seed Chicago 2010

Voting is now open for www.OneSeedChicago.com. If you have never participated in One Seed Chicago before, it is really easy to do. NeighborSpace, Chicago's land trust for community gardens and GreenNet Chicago choose three plants. Gardeners like you and me vote for their favorite. The one that gets the most votes is the "winner" and celebrated all season long and we're giving seeds (for free) of the winner to grow.

The Seedy Side Of Independent Garden Center Show '09

Earlier in the week I attended the Independent Garden Center Show 2009 here in Chicago on the same site as the Chicago Flower & Garden Show. Over on Chicago Garden the first post is Independent Garden Center Show 2009. Followed by the post on products for gardening in small spaces, garden pots and planters, garden tools and plants and my favorite the Obama head planter. While the Independent Garden Center Show isn't open to the public I hope my posts give you an idea of what was on display and you may catch in garden centers in your area next year.

Bean Bush Royal Burgundy One Seed Chicago

I've made my seed selection for One Seed Chicago. The bean I will be growing will be Bean Bush 'Royal Burgundy' from Botanical Interests because I think the pods will make interesting garden photos. Botanical Interests, like Renee's Garden, is a sponsor of Chicago Spring fling.

I'm the kind of gardener that will buy seeds from wherever I can, but these two seed companies are making me consider buying exclusively from and endorsing smaller seed companies in my gardening endeavors. Their embrace and support of garden bloggers is enough to make me come to this realization and their seed packets are impressive enough to seal the deal.

In the post 'Edible Gardening in 2009' I provided pictures of the seed packets from Renee's Garden to illustrate just how much seed sowing information is part of the seed packaging. Botanical Interests also uses the seed packets to provide good information on the seeds they sell.

Edible Gardening In 2009

I've been reading a lot about how growing your own fruits and vegetables is going to be huge this year. The bad economic news apparently has people turning to gardening to in an effort to feel like they have some control in their lives or they're turning to vegetable gardening in order to feed their families.

Whatever the reason people are turning to gardening it is welcomed news not only to the seed companies, who are reporting increases in sales, but to those of us who garden. All of a sudden family members who once made fun of my dabbling with plants and seeds are now calling and emailing me asking for advice. This year tiny urban garden in Chicago will be a lot more edible than it has in the past. I feel a bit like I'm jumping on the edible gardening bandwagon but in reality it is more out of necessity. Last year I was too busy to tend to my garden and this resulted in a lot of plant deaths-instead of replacing them with more perennials I'm going to fill the space with vegetables.

Burpee Seeds At Home Depot 2009

A few years ago I requested a catalog from Burpee but I never got it. My zip code is probably not seen as very desirable to people in the gardening business so I pretty much stick to buying retail. That's the case with Burpee, I couldn't tell you what is in their catalog but I can tick off what I like that they're offering in retail settings. I really enjoying growing my own plants from seeds and I buy from whoever is selling them. This year though the Burpee seeds at Home Depot seem to be uninspired and there isn't much for an ornamentalist like myself to choose from.



I wanted to buy the Burpee 'Cypress Vine' seed pack I saw at Home Depot but didn't because it looked to be mislabeled to me. The name of the seed pack says 'Cypress Vine' but if you look at the photo of the plant is isn't what is commonly called 'Cypress Vine'-it is 'Cardinal Climber.' I already grow a mix of pink, red and white Cypress Vine and posted pictures of it in the post "When I collected Cypress Vine Seeds". You can look at the photos in that entry and compare them to the photos of the packet at Home Depot. I also have pictures of a pink and white Cypress Vine flower.They're in the same family and very similar looking except 'Cypress Vine' has the prettier shaped flowers (they look like 5 point stars) and nicer foliage than 'Cardinal Climber'. If I'm not mistaken I believe Burpee is also selling the mix of 'Cypress Vine' I already grow but I didn't bother to check the labeling and didn't notice this "mistake" until I was uploading the photo to this entry.

Burpee Seeds At Home Depot

Over Christmas I noticed that Home Depot had received a shipment of seeds for spring. Today I took a look around their greenhouse and saw the seed racks had been put on display. All of the seeds that they had for sale were Burpee seeds. The selection from Burpee at Home Depot this year seems to be geared towards people who want to grow their own food but I noticed a couple of seed packs for ornamentals that I thought I'd point out.

Seeds Of Change Sows Displeasure With Some

Seeds of Change which sells 100% certified organic seeds has decided to switch to plastic envelopes to store and ship seeds to it's customers. A statement on the company's website states in part:

Cheap Seeds For Your First Garden

I noticed yesterday that Walgreens is having their "ten seed packs for a dollar" sale with the coupon from the sale flyer. The seeds are from American Seed and normally cost 59 cents and span ornamentals to veggies. I tried those seeds last year and I had great germination rates, way better than the more expensive seeds sold at Target under the Sean Conway brand that either didn't germinate or didn't come true to what the packet said they were.

If you're planning on starting your first garden or want to try to grow some veggies without investing a lot of money take advantage of this sale. The huge amounts of marigolds I bought last year really saved my container gardens from looking drab once the tender bulbs had finished blooming.