Grow Guarantee
Seed is alive, and native seed can be slow. Every lot has a germination test, and the result is printed on the back of each packet, but weather and timing vary. If a packet lets you down, we'll make it right.
If a packet doesn’t come up after you follow our guide, tell us within 12 months and we’ll send a replacement packet, shipped free. You don’t need to send anything back.
Who it covers
Anyone who received one of our packets: bought on our site, on Etsy, at a market or a shop that carries us; received as a gift or in a Seed Club mailing; or picked up as a giveaway from a business, wedding or event. Each packet can be claimed once.
What "doesn't come up" means
Few or no seedlings appeared after you sowed the seed as our guide or the packet describes, including any winter chill the species needs, and the typical sprouting time below has passed.
Typical sprouting times
These are planning estimates. Weather varies from year to year.
| How you sowed | When to expect seedlings |
|---|---|
| Outdoors between September and February (in jugs or on bare ground) | In spring as the soil warms, usually March through May in the St. Louis area (the milkweeds, Nos. 4–6, usually April–May) |
| After a fridge chill, or a no-chill species sown in spring | Usually within about four weeks of sowing in warm, moist soil. Black-eyed Susan often comes up in one to two weeks. |
Native seed doesn’t always come up all at once. Some of it waits for a second spring, so if you see a few seedlings, leave the spot undisturbed for another year. Not sure whether to keep waiting? Write to us anyway.
How to make a claim
Email [email protected] (or message us on Etsy if you bought there). Include:
- your name and shipping address;
- the packet number or species and the lot number from the back (a photo of the packet back is easiest);
- where the packet came from (an order number, a store, a gift or a giveaway);
- roughly when and how you sowed it, for example “outdoor jugs in January” or “fridge for 30 days, then the garden in April.”
We reply within 2 business days and ship replacements within 4 business days of approving a claim.
What we'll send
A replacement packet of the same species, with shipping on us. If that species is out of stock, you can choose a different packet from the series or a refund for that packet.
What it doesn't cover
- Seedlings that came up and were later lost to weather, drought, flooding, pests, animals or other growing conditions.
- Seed stored somewhere hot, damp or in direct sun, or sown in a way the guide says not to (for example, a winter-chill species sown in late spring without a chill).
- Guides, plant markers, boxes and sleeves. If those arrive damaged, our shipping and returns policy covers them.
The fine print
This page is a summary. The full terms, including how long the guarantee lasts and its limits, are in our Grow Guarantee policy. If anything here differs from the policy, the policy applies.
Get it right the first time
The policy in full: Grow Guarantee policy.