How to read a seed catalog: gardener browsing catalogs at kitchen table.

It’s that time of year.

 

The mailbox fills with glossy pages of tomatoes so red they look almost fake, flowers that seem to glow, and descriptions promising “incredible yields” and “unmatched flavor.”

 

Seed catalog season is here. And if you’re new to this, it can feel like drinking from a firehose.

 

Learning how to read a seed catalog is one of those gardening skills that changes everything. Once you understand what the descriptions actually mean, you stop guessing and start choosing with confidence. However, without that knowledge, you’re essentially relying on pretty photos instead of the information you need.

 

How do you know which seeds are actually good? What do all those abbreviations mean? Why are there fourteen different types of basil? And how do you narrow down the options without ordering one of everything?

 

Whether you’re planning your first vegetable garden or your fifteenth, navigating seed catalogs is a skill worth learning. In fact, the right seed choices can mean the difference between a thriving summer harvest and a disappointing season.

 

How to Read a Seed Catalog: Understanding the Terminology

 

Before you dive into those beautiful photos, you need to understand what the descriptions actually mean. Seed catalog terminology can feel like a foreign language to beginners, but once you crack the code, it becomes your most powerful tool for choosing seeds.

 

How do I know which seed catalog is best for me?

Start with a catalog that matches your region and experience level. For beginners, Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Burpee offer clear descriptions and reliable varieties. For Southern gardeners, try Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. For heirloom enthusiasts, Baker Creek is hard to beat. Requesting multiple free catalogs is the best way to compare.

Here’s what you’ll encounter most often:

 

Days to Maturity —    This tells you how long from planting (or transplanting) until harvest. For example, a tomato listed at “75 days” will take about 75 days from transplanting seedlings to picking ripe fruit. This number is critical for gardeners in short-season climates. Always check days to maturity against your frost dates before ordering.

     Reading seed packages to plan a vegetable garden.

Open-Pollinated (OP) — Seeds that will produce plants identical to the parent. As a result, you can save seeds from open-pollinated varieties and grow the same thing next year. This is an important distinction for seed savers.

 

Heirloom — Open-pollinated varieties that have been passed down for generations, typically 50+ years. Heirlooms are prized for flavor and history. On the other hand, they may be less disease-resistant than modern varieties. Understanding the difference between heirloom vs hybrid seeds is one of the most important parts of learning how to read a seed catalog.

 

Hybrid (F1) — A cross between two different parent plants, bred for specific traits like disease resistance, uniformity, or yield. However, seeds saved from hybrids won’t grow true to type. In other words, you’ll need to buy new seed each year if you want the same results.

 

Determinate vs. Indeterminate — For tomatoes specifically, determinate varieties grow to a set height and produce fruit all at once, which makes them good for canning. In contrast, indeterminate varieties keep growing and producing until frost, making them ideal for fresh eating all season.

 

Disease Resistance Codes — Letters like VFN, VFNT, or TMV indicate resistance to specific diseases. For instance, V = Verticillium wilt, F = Fusarium wilt, N = Nematodes, and T = Tobacco mosaic virus. These matter more in some regions than others, so check which diseases are common in your growing area.

 

AAS (All-America Selections) — Varieties that have been trialed and awarded for superior garden performance. Consequently, they’re a good indicator of reliability — especially for beginners who want a safe bet.

 

Heirloom and hybrid seeds —Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated varieties passed down for 50+ years, prized for flavor and genetic diversity. Hybrid (F1) seeds are crosses between two parent plants, bred for traits like disease resistance and higher yield. The key difference is that you can save seeds from heirlooms and replant them, while hybrid seeds won’t produce the same plant the following year.

 

Seed Catalog Videos for Beginners

Many of us learn best by watching experienced gardeners walk through their actual process. These videos break down how to read a seed catalog in ways that stick.

 

“How to Read a Seed Catalog” — MIgardener

Luke from MIgardener walks through an actual seed catalog page-by-page, explaining what each term means in plain English. He doesn’t just define the words, he shows you how to use the information to make smart choices for your specific garden. In addition, he shares his strategy for narrowing down choices without getting paralyzed by options. That’s honestly half the battle when you’re staring at twelve pages of tomato varieties.

 

Why we love it: No fluff, no gatekeeping. Just practical information for people who want to grow food. Luke’s approach is beginner-friendly but still useful for experienced gardeners refining their selections.

 

 

“Seed Catalog Terminology Explained” — Epic Gardening

Kevin from Epic Gardening does a quick breakdown of the confusing abbreviations you’ll see in catalogs: VFN, AAS, OP, F1, and more. Once you understand what these seed catalog terminology codes mean, you can actually use them to choose varieties that will perform well in your specific growing conditions.

This one is short enough to reference while you’re actively browsing catalogs, keep it open on your phone while you flip through the paper version.

 

Why we love it: Concise and practical. It’s the perfect quick reference when you’re mid-catalog with a highlighter in hand.

 

 

What We’re Reading: Guides to Choosing Seeds

“How to Choose Seeds from a Catalog” — The Old Farmer’s Almanac

The Almanac has been helping gardeners make smart decisions for over 200 years, and their seed selection guide is solid. It covers understanding your growing zone, reading variety descriptions critically, and knowing when “disease resistant” is genuinely important versus marketing language.

This is a good one to bookmark on your phone and pull up while you’re flipping through a physical catalog at the kitchen table. If you’re still figuring out how to choose seeds, this is a reliable starting point.

https://www.almanac.com/ordering-garden-seeds

 

Best Seed Catalogs for Every Type of Gardener

Not all seed catalogs are created equal. Different companies specialize in different things, so it helps to know where to look. Here’s what we reach for depending on what we’re looking for.

 

Best Heirloom Seed Catalogs

 

• Baker Creek Rare Seeds — Gorgeous free catalog with an incredible selection of heirlooms from around the world and stunning photography. If you’re drawn to unusual varieties and garden history, start here.

 

• Seed Savers Exchange — A preservation-focused nonprofit that connects you to the history and stories behind heritage varieties. This is more than a catalog — it’s a mission.

 

Best Organic and Small-Space Seed Catalogs

 

• High Mowing Organic Seeds — 100% certified organic with excellent choices for northern climates and short seasons. A great option if organic growing is non-negotiable for you.

 

• Botanical Interests — Beautiful seed packets with detailed growing information printed right on the back. They’re widely available at garden centers, which is a bonus if you want to browse in person.

 

 

Best Seed Catalogs for Beginners

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds — Professional-quality seeds with excellent growing guides and variety comparison charts. Their catalog is essentially a seed catalog for beginners and pros alike, thanks to how clearly they present information.

 

• Burpee — Widely available, solid performers, good customer service, and an easy-to-navigate catalog. A safe starting point if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

 

Best Regional Seed Catalogs

• Southern Exposure Seed Exchange — Varieties bred for heat and humidity, making them perfect for Southern gardeners.

 

• Territorial Seed Company — Pacific Northwest focus, great for cool and wet climates.

 

• Fedco Seeds — New England cooperative with no-nonsense descriptions and honest assessments of each variety’s strengths and weaknesses. Refreshingly straightforward.

 

Pro tip: Request two or three catalogs from different companies. You’ll notice the same varieties priced differently, and you’ll discover options you wouldn’t have found sticking with just one source. Most catalogs are free, so it’s easy to explore.

 

The Cottagestead Approach to Ordering Seeds

 

Now that you know how to read a seed catalog, here’s how to actually order without losing your marbles or your budget. You can avoid over-ordering, losing track of what of you planted, and watching expensive seeds expire in the drawer.

 

Start With What You’ll Actually Eat

That high-fashion purple kohlrabi looks stunning in the catalog, but it means nothing if no one in your household actually likes kohlrabi. Before you open a single catalog, make a list of what your family eats. Then grow that.

 

Grow Fewer Varieties, More Plants

Five tomato plants of one proven variety will feed you better than one plant each of five experimental types. Save the experiments for one or two “fun” slots — not your whole garden.

 

Check Days to Maturity Against Your Growing Season

A 90-day tomato in a 75-day summer is just an expensive green decoration. Know your last frost date, know your first frost date, and do the math before you order. This is one of the most common mistakes new gardeners make, and it’s completely avoidable.

 

Mark the Catalog Before You Order

Circle everything that catches your eye. Then walk away for 24 hours. Come back and cut the list in half. Then order. This “cooling off” period saves money and prevents garden overwhelm every single time.

 

Order Early

Popular varieties sell out, especially from smaller seed companies. If you wait until March to order, your first choices may be gone. January and early February are prime ordering time, so don’t procrastinate once you’ve made your selections.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Seed Catalogs

January through early February is ideal. This gives you time to receive seeds and start any transplants indoors before your last frost date. Popular varieties sell out fast.

 

Most vegetable seeds remain viable for 2-5 years if stored in a cool, dry place. Onions and parsnips are exceptions — order fresh each year. Many catalogs include viability information.

 

Organic seeds come from organically grown parent plants, but what matters most is how you grow them. Organic seeds are a good choice if you’re committed to organic gardening, but conventional seeds grown organically will produce organic food.

 

Sometimes. Rare heirlooms, unusual varieties, and certified organic seeds cost more for legitimate reasons. But for common varieties like zucchini or green beans, there’s little difference between budget and premium options.

 

Your Turn

What catalogs are landing in your mailbox this year? Any varieties you’re excited to try? What are some old favorites you plant every single season without fail?

Drop a comment below. We love seeing what everyone’s dreaming about while the snow is still falling.

 

Images, AI Generated, Banana Pro

Sources

Heirloom Seeds & Terminology

• Britannica. “Heirloom Plant.” britannica.com/topic/heirloom-plant

 

• Seed Savers Exchange. “What Are Heirloom Seeds?” seedsavers.org/what-are-heirloom-seeds

 

• Wikipedia. “Heirloom Plant.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heirloom_plant

 

Seed Viability & Storage

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds. “Seed Viability & Storage Guide.” johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/methods-tools-supplies/harvesting-handling-storage/seed-storage-guidelines.html

 

• The Old Farmer’s Almanac. “Vegetable Seed Viability: How Long Do Seeds Last?” almanac.com/how-long-do-seeds-last

 

• High Mowing Organic Seeds. “Seed Viability Chart.” highmowingseeds.com/blog/seed-viability-chart

 

Disease Resistance Codes

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds. “List of Plant Disease Resistance Codes.” johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/methods-tools-supplies/pest-disease-control/disease-resistance-codes.html

 

• Wikipedia. “VFN.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFN

 

• Tomato Dirt. “Understanding Disease Resistance Codes for Tomatoes.” tomatodirt.com/disease-resistance-codes.html

 

All-America Selections

• All-America Selections. “About AAS.” all-americaselections.org/about

 

• Wikipedia. “All-America Selections.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-America_Selections

 

This is part of our curated content series, where we share the resources, videos, and reads that help small homesteads thrive.