How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

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Barmaley
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How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#1

Post: # 40019Unread post Barmaley
Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:37 am

Hello everybody

It is the time to buy seeds. How do I know that if I buy SunGold F1 or Esterina F1 or even heirloom variety from Amazon I will get real SunGold and not seeds taken from $0.99 tomato from a supermarket?

In addition - what is a good alternative to SunGold which does not crack?

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pondgardener
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#2

Post: # 40021Unread post pondgardener
Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:44 am

I have had good results with SunSugar which is a little more resistant to cracking. But that depends on how much moisture the plants get any given time.

Regarding purchasing seeds on Amazon or eBay, while there are reputable sellers there, you are taking chances as to what you may get. I would suggest looking through the Preferred Vendor list linked below or someone here online may offer a few seeds for a SASE.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=390
It's not what you gather, but what you scatter, that tells what kind of life you have lived.

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AZGardener
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#3

Post: # 40022Unread post AZGardener
Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:17 pm

I've purchased from Papa Dennis on Ebay. I don't believe he sells hybrids tho'. FedCo still has Sungold and Esterina Seeds. Tradewinds is out of Sungold, but they do have Sun Sugar. Sorry, I don't have any other experience with other seed sellers on Ebay and have never bought seeds on Amazon.
I forgot to add Papa Dennis' site was MrTomatoHead before he moved his store to Ebay.
Last edited by AZGardener on Thu Feb 04, 2021 7:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13
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pepperhead212
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#4

Post: # 40026Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:30 pm

I've also had better luck with sunsugar than sungold, with both splitting and disease resistance.

I've had good success with most of the things I've bought on ebay and Amazon. Usually, the only reason I'm doing this is because one particular batch of seeds I have is bad, and needs to be replaced, or it was out of stock where I ordered it (or would have ordered it), and I have everything else. But occasionally, I am looking for an unusual item, and the only place I find it was on ebay, sometimes from a dealer over in Australia, Thailand, or elsewhere, and almost always, the shipping was free, or so low that I wondered how they were making a profit! Compare that to the ever-rising shipping fees from many companies in this country! Usually, I'd check out the rest of the seeds they had to offer, and order some other things, sometimes other unique items, sometimes just things I had old seeds for that should be replaced, to make it worth their while. The prices from the other countries were usually cheaper than anything here, and I only got an different seed than stated once - a tomato, but it was only one of 2 planted that was different..but still good.

Amazon, however, doesn't have great prices - the shipping is included in the price, that is almost always "free shipping". But better than ordering 1 pack from a place with a minimum 8 or 9 dollar shipping fee!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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wildcat62
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#5

Post: # 40038Unread post wildcat62
Wed Feb 03, 2021 3:41 pm

I've also purchased from Papa Dennis on Ebay.

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wykvlvr
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#6

Post: # 40040Unread post wykvlvr
Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:11 pm

Pinetree is still open and still has Sungold as well as a number of other heirlooms and new OP varieties.
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DavidO
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#7

Post: # 40050Unread post DavidO
Wed Feb 03, 2021 6:38 pm

I have ONLY purchased from Papa Dennis on ebay and I was happy. I normally wouldn't except for everyone else glowing reviews.

mikestuff49
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#8

Post: # 40054Unread post mikestuff49
Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:17 pm

I've purchased seeds both places with good results. Your mileage may vary.
The best things in life---are not things.

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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#9

Post: # 40066Unread post mama_lor
Thu Feb 04, 2021 4:39 am

Should be fine for OP tomatoes. I've bought good seeds from ebay. For hybrids, a bit more tricky. If the seller has lots of sales and feedback I would expect them to be legit.

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Nan6b
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#10

Post: # 40089Unread post Nan6b
Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:28 am

I purchased some flower seeds on Amazon, and didn't realize they were coming from China. They didn't germinate. I wouldn't purchase from Amazon or Ebay because you don't know how much knowledge or care the vendors take. Some are fine, I'm sure, but how can you tell? Some have pictures of the tomatoes or flowers that have been so Photoshopped you can see the lurid colors, never found in nature.

Who knows if they've bagged their blossoms, or if the seeds are even the type they're advertised to be?

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wykvlvr
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#11

Post: # 40100Unread post wykvlvr
Thu Feb 04, 2021 1:41 pm

Nan6b wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:28 am Some are fine, I'm sure, but how can you tell? Some have pictures of the tomatoes or flowers that have been so Photoshopped you can see the lurid colors, never found in nature.

Who knows if they've bagged their blossoms, or if the seeds are even the type they're advertised to be?
wry grin I love the glowing reviews on Etsy that say seeds got here quickly, look nice but I haven't planted them yet.
I always think how can you tell what they are like until you have planted them, grown them and seen them flower or gotten food from them...
That said yes I will take a chance on Etsy seeds and plants when I have some funds to throw away and can't find what I want anywhere else. BUT I do look on it as a form of gambling.
Wyoming
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Elevation : 6,063 ft
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edweather
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#12

Post: # 40339Unread post edweather
Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:02 am

I've purchased from The Seed Source on ebay, several times. Good results. They are established.
Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28

Gardadore
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#13

Post: # 40344Unread post Gardadore
Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:13 am

Would you have a link to this site on EBay? Not having much luck finding it! But I don’t use e Bay much so not sure how to find vendors just products. Thanks!

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rdback
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#14

Post: # 40347Unread post rdback
Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:35 am

Gardadore wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:13 am Would you have a link to this site on EBay? Not having much luck finding it! But I don’t use e Bay much so not sure how to find vendors just products. Thanks!
Here's the Store of PapaDennis:https://www.ebay.com/str/papadennis

I'm having trouble finding The Seed Source also.

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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#15

Post: # 40427Unread post Gardadore
Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:00 am

Maybe with the Pandemic they have stopped selling on eBay. Stocking has been a problem for some vendors if they aren’t selling their own seeds. Thanks for trying and I will check out Papa Dennis in the meantime!

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edweather
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#16

Post: # 40465Unread post edweather
Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:56 pm

Sorry, it was theseedplant on ebay.
Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28

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rdback
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#17

Post: # 40474Unread post rdback
Tue Feb 09, 2021 9:08 am

theseedplant has quite the following. https://www.ebay.com/str/theseedplant

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Barmaley
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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#18

Post: # 41565Unread post Barmaley
Sun Feb 21, 2021 12:34 am

where do sellers who offer 10-30 seeds for sale get hybrid F1 seeds?

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Re: How Safe are Amazon and Ebay seeds?

#19

Post: # 41577Unread post Paquebot
Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:13 am

Barmaley wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 12:34 am where do sellers who offer 10-30 seeds for sale get hybrid F1 seeds?
They buy bulk packets and re-package.

Martin

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