FAQ

What seeds am I meant to sow this time of year?

What time of year is it now Spring/Summer or Autumn/Winter? See our lists below which are general recommendations of what you should be sowing and when.

Autumn/Winter Seed Sowing List

Spring/Summer Seed Sowing List

How will my plants arrive?

All our plants are grown on site at Greenpatch and are Southern Cross Certified. Our plants are supplied in a plastic pot suitable for the plants size and occasionally are sent bare rooted. Some plants are dormant during winter meaning there are no leaves on the plant or it has retreated to below the soil into a bulb or rhizome. Please read the product descriptions for more details on pot size and if plants are deciduous. Plants arrive via Australia Post and they may deliver the parcel to your door or leave a parcel card and it will need to be picked up from the post office.

When receiving plants remove from the box immediately and place into sheltered position. Water well, over a few days gradually move to a sunny position or plant out into your garden. All plants have information supplied for growing and usage.

When are orders sent out?

Plants are posted to VIC, QLD, SA and NT on Mondays only to ensure you receive them before the weekend. Plants to Northern QLD and NT need to be posted Express Post and a extra postage charge will be available at checkout. Plants take up to 5 working days to arrive from the date they are posted.

Plants are posted to NSW & ACT on Mondays and Tuesdays.  Plants take up to 4 working days to arrive from the date they are posted.

During busy periods (Spring and Autumn) or public holiday interruptions, some plant orders may be sent the following week due to high demand or to ensure they will arrive before the weekend. We do our very best to post orders ASAP.

All other seed orders are processed within 1-3 days, your order and may take up to 10 working days to arrive depending on your location and the postal service used.

Seeds -  Seed orders are posted Monday to Friday all over Australia except WA.

Is our farm shop open to the public?

Yes! Our farm gate is open to the public Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm. In our retail area we have a large seed display, garden products and our nursery housing 400 varieties of certified organic plants. We also grow all of our seeds here so you can see the summer/winter seed crops growing.

Who grows our seeds?

We are proud to say at Greenpatch we grow:

- 250 varieties of certified organic seeds

- 200 varieties of plants in our certified organic nursery

A large percentage of our seeds are grown onsite at Greenpatch or our second farm near Tinonee, plus a handful of organic growers spread throughout Australia support us by producing seeds using organic principals and methods. We pride ourselves on our extensive range of vegetables, herbs, flowers and grains and do our best to maintain and grow our diverse range. 

Many seed companies buy their seeds in from overseas and rarely produce any varieties themselves...But here at Greenpatch we are passionate about producing as many varieties as possible preserving heirloom seeds for future generations.

Do we sell Imported Seed?

Yes, in some cases imported seed is used, this happens when no other option is available. We do this to continue to ensure a vast and diverse variety of seed are available.  

How long will seed last?

We try to maintain good seed viability for multiple sowings. Seeds can have sow by date with a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 2.5 years. The majority of the time sow by dates will be 1-2 years. The viability of seed will depend on how you store the seed. Ensure they are stored away from direct sunlight, excessive heat (20^oC or less) and away from any moisture to ensure the sow by date stays accurate. If you want to expend your seeds life well beyond the sow by then the ideal place is inside a Tupperware container in your fridge.

How many seeds are in a packet?

Each individual variety varies and you can find the approximate seed counts listed in the description of each product. We typically supply enough seed for more then one sowing.

Organic Certification Related enquiries.

Greenpatch Organic Seeds is certified with Southern Cross Certified.

Our organic certificate can be downloaded by visiting the home page and scrolling down to the heading 'Downloads'.

Any product with Certified Organic Seed or Certified Organic Plant is certified to the national organic standard by Southern Cross Certified.

Any products with the term Organically Grown - Uncertified means its has been grown using organic principals but are not certified organic.

Click here if you would like to learn more about our seed and plant certifications

What does organic mean?

Organic growing can consist of any number of methods, including the use of green manure, composting, crop rotation following mulching and establishment of legumes. Plant preparations, biological controls, companion planting and plant diversity are combined to balance pests and diseases.  No chemical pesticides, chemical herbicides, artificial fertilizers or chemical fungicides are used in organic growing.

What are "Untreated" Seeds?

Untreated seeds specifically refers to the seed being free of chemical fungicide, insecticide or rodenticide as a seed coating. Seeds sold in the untreated section are not grown organically. If you only want organic seeds please order from our "Organic Seed" section.

Are our seeds hybrids or GMO seeds?

No we don't stock any hybrid or GMO seeds. They are all open pollinated varieties so you can save the seeds year after year.

Do you send your products Overseas?

No, we do not send any of our products overseas.