All seed varieties we offer have been trialed and evaluated at our farm. Over 5 acres of our farm are used for trialing (plantings of new varieties) and grow-out (plantings of current offerings). Trialing is where we test hundreds of new varieties each year and identify only the best performers that have proven to thrive and yield the highest quality crops on our Organic farm. Only these top performers will receive our stamp of approval and be available for sale the following year.
Grow-outs are plantings of our current offerings that we grow to ensure quality and to make sure the information we are providing about the variety is correct (size, taste, days to maturity, etc.). Grow-out plantings are there to serve as a comparison to our trials of new varieties. In addition, we constantly grow-out the seed varieties we produce. They are planted in larger quantities, over 70 plants of each variety to check for uniformity of quality and to ensure that it is true-to-type.
The bulk of our farm is used for seed crop production. We are our own largest seed producer, specializing in lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash. All the varieties we produce are grown and carefully maintained using traditional selection practices which ensures that our signature crops are of the highest quality, true-to-type, and best germinating seeds available.
40+ Years of Hands-On Experience
Since its founding in 1979, the mission of Territorial Seed Company has been to help growers produce fresh-from-the-garden food year ‘round. Our founder, Steve Solomon, was an avid grower and researcher, and before his first packet of seed was filled, began major vegetable trials in both summer and winter varieties to ensure the best possible varieties would be available to his home garden customers. He knew the Maritime Northwest climate was unique from other parts of the country and felt confident that if varieties could flourish in this unique climate, they’d perform even better in more favorable climates. When the Johns family took ownership in 1985, they have continued this rigorous testing and trialing, amassed large amounts of product growing information, and also honed their growing skills along with the entire Territorial Seed Company team.
Highest Germination Standards
To ensure we sell only top performing seed, we have established germination standards that are higher than prescribed by the Federal Seed Act. We want our customers to have the best possible experience growing our seeds in their garden, which is why we pursue these higher standards. Our lab technician seed analysts test every lot of seed we sell to ensure these standards are met and sets you up for success in your garden.
Organic Certified Seed Production
We are a USDA Certified Organic producer. When seed is certified Organic it means that the plants that produced the seed were grown using standardized practices and inputs. One important aspect of producing seed is selection, or harvesting seed from only the most vigorous and healthy plants. Organic seed thus comes from plants selected for their performance in Organic conditions. They are in many ways hardier and well adapted to natural environmental conditions. Since strong chemical fertilizers are not used, plants grown and selected in organic systems prove more resilient and resourceful at scavenging nutrients. Also, pest control options are limited when growing organically, so plants must also become hardy enough to withstand pest and disease damage.
Additionally, Organic and sustainable farming greatly lessens the use of artificial fertilizers, chemical pest controls, and other environmentally impactful practices. This can help reduce the negative impact on our water supplies, pollinator insect populations, worker health, and our environment generally.
100% Guarantee
At Territorial our products are backed by our full guarantee. We want you, our customers, to be 100% satisfied with the seed, plants, and supplies that you purchase from us. If anything you buy from Territorial proves to be unsatisfactory, we will either replace the item or refund the purchase price, whichever you prefer.
