Once upon a time I ran a bedding plant business. I think I made about $200 that year. But from that experience I learned something so obvious it's embarrassing. Wholesale is cheaper than retail. And nowhere is that more obvious than in the seed business. Owning a small greenhouse business has its advantages, not the least of which is you get to write things off on your taxes and maybe even realize a profit. You also get to buy from wholesale distributors. The price is always much less than retail. The catch is you must buy in quantity. This is not really a problem since most seed keeps for years, or you could resell some, perhaps at a reasonable mark-up, to gardening pals.
If you are not interested in going into business, then watch those seed-rack displays. Seed companies only sell seed packaged for the current year. At the end of each season, you can get mega-bargains on this year's product. Often seeds that sold for $1 a packet, sell at ten packets for $1 when the stores are clearing inventory. Garden centers offer the least drastic discounts, while grocery stores, hardware stores, and other stores not normally in the garden supply business just want to get rid of them. A word of caution, however, is remember that the perfect environment for storing seed is a cool, dry place. Don't buy from seed racks exposed to rain or excess summer heat. The seed may be ruined.
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