On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 17:22:34 GMT, Dawn
wrote:

Now that I'm being inundated with seed catalogs, I find myself wondering
if there is a difference between the seeds I can buy at the local
drugstore and the seeds from these catalogs --other than the catalogs
having a better variety. Are the mail order seeds going to be more
likely to germinate, or to produce stronger plants?

I would say that on average, regular ol' seeds from any commercial
source are about the same. The advantage of brand-name catalogues is
the variety and usually guarantee of satisfaction. If I want to grow
generic flat-leaf parsley, I pick up a 10-cent packet at the dollar
store. If I want to try a new pepper hybrid, I go with a catalogue (or
a well-stocked garden center). I think my own care in starting seeds
has a lot more to do with germination rate than brand, 'though
statistically, the respectable seed houses performance *could* be
superior. Since one of my perpetual problems is too many plants, a
failed seed here and there doesn't bother me much. :-)