If you’ve been browsing seed catalogs lately, you may have noticed that many varieties have completely sold out, and some companies have stopped taking orders from gardeners entirely. There are reasons for seed shortages and ways to get access to the seeds you need.
Is there really a seed shortage? The seed shortages we are seeing reflected on seed company websites are complex, and don’t necessarily mean that there is an actual shortage of seeds. There are many factors playing into the “sold out” messages on some of our favorite varieties.
Last year, we saw unprecedented seed sales at the onset of COVID-19, and companies struggled to keep up with demand. Based on early seed sales in 2021, it seems that the resurgence in gardening is indeed going to continue this year.
Many companies responded to the pandemic by ordering more seed for 2021. Seed companies buy from farmers, who grow crops specifically for seed, and so this meant bringing in new growers and asking current growers to produce more seed for this year. However, many of these contracts are negotiated early in the year (pre-pandemic in 2020), so some companies may not have been able to account for the increased demand last year. These companies tend to keep plenty of seed in stock so they do not run out entirely, and have had more time to account for increased demand in 2021.
Seed companies tend to store seeds in bulk, and repackage them into seed packets throughout the year. Due to COVID-19 workplace safety precautions, this process has been slow for many companies.
While many seed companies anticipated higher demand, they continue to operate more slowly than they would in non-pandemic conditions, which means it can be difficult to keep up with orders. Every year we see seed shortages with specific varieties. Because seed has to be grown in the natural world, insects, diseases, hail, floods and droughts can have an impact on crops grown for seed.
If there are only a few growers of a certain variety of carrots, and one of them loses a substantial portion of their crop, there will likely be a shortage of that variety in the following year. However, there will be plenty of other varieties to choose from. As you’re looking at seed catalogs and seeing that many of your favorite varieties are sold out, or perhaps one of your favorite companies is no longer selling to gardeners, do not panic. The seed supply is not depleted, it has simply been a challenging year to manage increased demand.
If you have leftover seed from last year, they should be fine to plant and share again. Consider planning a seed swap with neighbors or putting up a little free seed library. If you have extra space to start seeds indoors, you might even consider starting seeds and sharing transplants with your neighbors. Make sure to label everything well. If your seeds are saved from your garden, only share seeds from healthy plants so that you’re not transmitting any pathogens to your neighbors.
If you do not currently save seed, take some time this year to learn about seed saving and consider saving some of your seeds in 2021.