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FREE standard shipping on orders of $150 or more!

Frequently Asked Questions

Find quick answers to common questions about our seeds, ordering process, and growing advice. We’re here to make growing your garden easy, enjoyable, and successful from the very first sprout.

Our seeds are stored in a climate-controlled environment and undergo regular germination testing to maintain high-quality standards.

Yes! We carry a selection of organic seeds that meet rigorous quality standards for natural and sustainable gardening.

We offer a variety of soil amendments, including compost-based and organic fertilizers, tailored to different soil needs.

Absolutely! Our team is happy to provide guidance on seed selection, soil health, and gardening best practices.

Open-pollinated seeds come from plants that are naturally pollinated by wind, insects, birds, or other natural mechanisms, without deliberate human control over the process. Because the pollination occurs within the same variety, the seeds produced will generally grow into plants that closely resemble their parents in both appearance and performance. This means gardeners can save seeds from open-pollinated plants year after year and expect consistent results, making them ideal for seed saving. While all heirloom seeds are open-pollinated, not all open-pollinated seeds are heirlooms, as some are more recent varieties that haven’t been around long enough to be considered heirlooms.

How experts define heirlooms can vary, but they are generally at least 40-50 years old. Most heirlooms come from seed that has been handed down for generations in a particular region or area, hand-selected by gardeners for a special trait. Others may have been developed by a university a long time ago in the early days of commercial breeding. All heirloom vegetables are open-pollinated, which means they are pollinated by insects or wind without human intervention. In addition, they tend to remain stable in their characteristics from one year to the next. Many gardeners agree that most heirloom varieties boast greater flavor than that found in hybrids, especially among tomatoes.

A hybrid vegetable is created when plant breeders intentionally cross-pollinate two different varieties of a plant, aiming to produce an offspring or hybrid, that contains the best traits of each of the parent plants. Cross-pollination is a natural process that occurs with members of the same plant species. In hybridization, pollination is carefully controlled to ensure that the right plants are crossed to achieve the desired combination of characteristics such as: Dependability, less required care, early maturity, higher yields, improved flavor, specific plant size, and better disease resistance. The offspring of a hybridized seed will not produce genetically identical seeds to their parents and are not recommended for seed saving. It is important to note that hybrids are not genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and do not present any environmental or health risks.

A genetically engineered plant is a plant that has had its DNA altered in a lab to produce a specific outcome. New DNA from an unrelated organism is inserted into plant cells using biotechnology techniques. These plants are also know as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Treated seed has undergone a process, either chemical, biological, or physical, to protect it from seed or soil borne pathogens and improve crop establishment. Treatments may include fungicides, pesticides, or methods like hot water to defend against pests and diseases during early growth. This is not the same as seed coating, which often refers to physical layers added for handling or spacing. The goal of seed treatment is to give young seedlings the best possible start by minimizing threats before and during germination.

Emerge+ Seed Treatment is all-natural and works as an immune system booster, which helps the seedling emerge stronger, and fight off disease and decay. Emerge+ seed treatment contains non-food grade ingredients and seed should not be used for food, feed or oil. Emerge+ does not effect the color of your seed. We recommend planting after the soil temperature has reached 65°F.

The white pelleting material has no adverse effect on seed or soil. Just plant them shallow in the spacing you desire and keep them moist for good germination.

Weight points are a weight score assigned to heavier or bulkier items. The higher the weight point value, the heavier or more oversized the product. Light items—such as seed packets—usually have no weight points listed. Weight points are used only on products where the size or weight is significant enough to require special handling.

Berlin Seeds does not ship seeds internationally. Due to federal and international agricultural regulations, including export permitting and inspection requirements, seed orders are limited to shipment within the United States. Please contact us if you would like to make a special request.

When you receive your plants, immediately take them out of the box and spread them out in a cool, dry area. DO NOT PUT THEM IN WATER OR SOIL while waiting to plant. The plants are in a dormant state, and should be planted as soon as possible. Onions tolerate cool soil well and should be planted as soon as soil can be worked. The roots and tops may begin to dry out, but don’t be alarmed, the onion can live for three weeks off of the bulb. Plant with the roots just deep enough to keep the plant upright. Eliminate weeds rigorously as onions do not tolerate weed pressure.

Check the package when it arrives. If they appear dry, moisten roots slightly and store in refrigerator in the plastic bag in which they were shipped. Prune off any broken and damaged roots and shorten excessively long roots for convenience when planting. Excessive pruning of the root system is not advised. However, it is better to prune a few roots than stuff the roots into a small planting hole. We recommend soaking the plants in water for several hours prior to planting. Dig a shallow trench, spread the roots out and cover with topsoil. Do not dig a deep hole and plant roots deep into subsoil. Trim to 2 buds after planting.

When strawberry plants arrive, check the bundles. If they appear dry, moisten roots slightly and store in refrigerator in the plastic bag in which they were shipped. Do not put in a container of water. If storage conditions are not available or if you need to hold them longer than 10 days, the plants should be heeled in. This can be done in a container or the garden. Make a shallow trench, spread the bundles out in a single layer, with only the crown exposed and cover with damp potting soil, peat moss, or sawdust. Generally plants can be kept this way 14-16 days if roots remain moist.

Store bundles in refrigerator or cool dry location up to 2 weeks. Any surface mold will disappear when planted. Plant 14”-18” apart in rows 4’ apart. Purple varieties can be spaced closer. Plant in a trench with crown 3” to 4” below ground level. Lime, bone meal, and super phosphate help maintain proper soil fertility levels. Soil Ph of 7.0-7.2 is best with good phosphorus levels. Remove perennial weeds as much as possible prior to planting. We do not recommend using salt as a weed killer. It does not harm the asparagus but inhibits water penetration and is harmful to microbes in the soil.

Keep plants cold and dormant until planting time. Easily stored up to 2 weeks. If the soil is not well drained create raised planting beds 12”-16” wide. Separate Red/Yellow raspberry plants from blackberry/black raspberry by 200 feet to avoid virus problems. Blackberry/Red raspberry-dig a trench deep enough to cover the roots and shallow enough to allow the suckers to easily come up through the covering soil. Take special care during planting to protect blackberry roots from bright sunlight. Roots will often suffer high transplant loss if planted on a bright sunny day. Keep roots in the dark as much as possible. Trim plants back to 2”- 3” after planting.

Plant crowns as soon as possible. Crowns are fresh cut and do not store well. Rhubarb roots should be planted in early spring before soil heats. Ideally your soil should have high organic matter but low in manure based compost. Good drainage is absolutely essential order to avoid rot. Set 3 feet apart within the row. Do not bury the entire “plant” deeply under the soil. This means that the bud itself is at or slightly below the soil line. It is better to plant too shallow than too deep. You should see new green growth in about 2 weeks. If you plant late after soil warms cover the crown bud with 1/4” to 1/2” loose soil. Do not harvest the first year. Mulch after plants are growing well.

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We only offer non-GMO seeds because good food starts with good seed. You’re one step closer to planting something you can feel great about.

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