9 Best Places To Buy Fruit & Vegetable Plants Online

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, people turned to a variety of hobbies, including gardening. However, as lockdowns stretched on, so did supply chain shortages, and people began to realize how valuable a skill it is to be able to grow your own food. A 2022 study conducted by the University of California Davis indicates that food concerns stemming from the pandemic were a key reason people started gardening, but not the only reason: participants reported they gardened to relieve stress and anxiety and as a way to safely socialize. However, it isn't always easy to just go to the store and pick up a plant, and even after lockdowns lifted, gardeners continue to order plants online.

There are definite benefits to purchasing your plants in-store, namely, you can see that the plant is healthy before you purchase it and you don't have to worry about it being damaged in transit. However, there are benefits to buying online as well. Online sellers often have a greater variety of plant types, allowing you to find options you aren't going to see at your local hardware store or nursery. We've dug up the nine best places to buy fruit and vegetable plants online so you can start growing your own food today.

Based out of Berks County, Pennsylvania, Almanac Planting Co. is a female-owned, family-operated gardening and planting company. It recently celebrated five years in the industry, during which this small business had been committed to empowering women and creating a healthier planet through a passion for nature.

While the company was originally focused on hemp plants, it sells a variety of plant types, including succulents, tropical plants, houseplants, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. On its website, you'll find standard tomatoes and peppers, but also more unique plants like "Pink Lemonade" blueberries. You can also find peach, pear, fig, and orange trees. Unsure of what to pick? The website lets you search by plant size, U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone, and how much sun exposure the plant needs.

Almanac Planning Co. started by selling on Etsy and continues to maintain its Etsy shop, which is listed as a Star Seller by the site and has an average review rating of 4.8 stars (as of writing). Customers rave about how well the plants are packaged, with one saying, "Some of the best packaging I've ever seen. Not superfluous, was just the right amount to be very effective." Many also mention that their plants arrived in good condition, with one reviewer describing their blueberry bush as "healthy and happy when it arrived." Over on Judge.me, the company has a rating of 4.88 and similar reviews, with customers saying delivery was quick and their plants arrived healthy.

On the opposite coast is Annie's Annuals and Perennials, a plant nursery in North Richmond, California, that specializes in hard-to-find plants. The company has over 20 years of growing experience and currently cultivates plants on a three-acre garden in the Bay Area. The nursery grows most of its plants outdoors from seeds, ensuring that plants are hardy before they leave. Annie's Annuals is also committed to being bee-friendly and does not use any neonicotinoids associated with colony collapse disorder, nor does it use any growth hormones or systemic pesticides.

The nursery doesn't offer many fruit plants, but it does grow over 100 vegetable cultivars, including beets, broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peas, squashes, and tomatoes. Some of these, including eggplant and lemon drop peppers, are somewhat rare. If you're interested in herbs, the site offers several varieties of basil, cilantro, dill, and parsley.

Annie's Annuals and Perennials has an average of 4.7 stars on Google as of writing. Many reviewers mention the variety, with one saying, "They have a great selection of plants that you won't find in your regular big box stores or other nurseries." Those who purchase online are pleased with the products they receive, with another reviewer stating, "Their plants are healthier and happier after coming through the mail than a lot of other nursery's are right off the shelf in retail."

Bonnie Plants first started planting vegetables over 100 years ago, and it never stopped. What started as 2 pounds of cabbage seeds planted in Union Springs, Alabama, has grown — no pun intended — into a nationwide business offering almost 300 different plant varieties. The company has greenhouses across the country and sells plants online as well as in-store through retailers like Menards, The Home Depot, Lowe's, and Walmart.

Bonnie Plants is still primarily focused on vegetables, offering nearly every type of veggie imaginable, including asparagus, broccoli, celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, and more. Some, like the Bonnie Original Tomato, are hybrids found only at Bonnie's Plants. For fruits, the company sells strawberry, cantaloupe, and watermelon starts online, and a variety of herbs are available as well. The website lets you search by planting time, sunlight conditions, and garden environment, so you can narrow down what will work for your garden.

There isn't anywhere online that hosts general reviews of Bonnie Plants, but generally speaking, product reviews on the website are positive. One user said of their strawberry plants, "They came expertly packaged and heałthy as all get out." Another was pleased with their order of Big Beef Tomato plants, saying, "When the plant arrived, I was super impressed because the plant came packaged so perfectly that my plant couldn't have looked any better upon arrival."

Since 1876, Burpee Seeds and Plants has been cultivating and selling plant varieties from its farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It was responsible for introducing the original iceberg lettuce in 1894, and today, it ships a multitude of traditional and unique plant starts across the country. Its website also offers gardening supplies and tips to help gardeners ensure their plants' success.

Burpee's fruits include berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. It also sells fruit trees, such as apple trees, cherry trees, pear trees, and peach trees, as well as other types of fruits like cantaloupe and watermelon. An even wider selection of vegetables is available, and popular picks include beans, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. A variety of herbs, including parsley, oregano, basil, and lavender, are also available online.

On Trustpilot, Burpee has an average of 3.8 stars with over 15,000 five-star reviews as of writing. Customers say that the online ordering process is simple and customer service is superb. Many state that they've been using Burpee for years, with one reviewer stating that they've been ordering from Burpee for three decades, and another raving that, "Every seed or plant I've gotten from Burpee has not only thrived but generally exceeded expectations."

Cross Country Nurseries is a family-owned nursery in Stockton, New Jersey. The company's nursery first opened in 1997, and since then, it has focused on offering healthy, organic, sustainable plants with a particular focus on seed and plant diversity. If you love peppers, you'll love Cross Country Nurseries, as it grows the world's largest selection of sweet and hot pepper plants of over 400 varieties.

In addition to peppers, Cross Country Nurseries also offers 30 varieties of eggplants and 200 varieties of tomatoes. That's quite a selection, and if you're not sure of what to choose, the website will help you out. It allows you to sort by the number of days to harvest, pod type, color, size, country of origin, species, and more. The website also offers supplies, like fertilizer, and how-to guides to help both new and veteran gardeners nurture their plants.

Cross Country Nurseries has a 4.6 rating on Google as of writing. Customers are often thrilled with the packaging, with one reviewer saying that their box was crushed in the mail, but "I credit the quality of the plants and superb packing for these plants surviving!" Another reviewer said, "Despite arriving in boxes which looked like they had barely survived a rugby game, I was pleasantly surprised to find perfectly protected, well secured, healthy looking plants!" This reviewer went on to say, "As if that wasn't enough, in advance of the plants' arrival, we were emailed the most thorough care and planting instructions I've ever seen."

Etsy is an online marketplace where independent sellers offer handcrafted and vintage items. The site currently has nine million active sellers and over 96 million active buyers. When most people think of Etsy, they think of things like jewelry, home decor, and baby blankets, or maybe more unique finds like salad nails, but it can actually be a great place to search for fruit and vegetable plants.

To browse plants on Etsy, go under categories and select Home & Living, and then Outdoor & Gardening. From here, select Plants, and then Fruits & Vegetables. The site lets you filter by price, delivery date, and location. Searching by location is one of the biggest benefits of buying through Etsy; if you're worried about your plants surviving on a mail truck during a heat wave, you can choose a seller nearby to reduce the time in transit. You can also enter what you're looking for into the site's search bar and narrow down your results with the filter.

Another benefit of Etsy is that you can see seller ratings before you purchase. Every shop shows the star rating, reviews, and total number of reviews so you can make an educated purchase. Shops listed as Star Sellers are ones that have consistently earned five-star reviews, ship their orders on time, and reply to messages quickly.

Fifteen years ago, Joe Stutzman started growing tomatoes in a garden patch in Berne, Indiana. Today, that patch has grown into GrowJoy, a company that grows a variety of plants in its greenhouse and ships them country-wide. The company prides itself on growing plants without the use of chemicals and is committed to providing quality plants that anyone can nurture.

GrowJoy hasn't forgotten its tomato roots; it offers nearly 100 varieties of tomatoes, including heirloom tomato varieties. A wide range of other vegetables are available as well, including squash, beans, cucumbers, lettuce, okra, beets, and corn. For fruit, the site offers options like cantaloupe, strawberry, and watermelon plants. If herbs are more your thing, you have a dozen options, including chives, dill, mint, and tarragon. GrowJoy's website also lets you sort plants by purpose, from options that are good for bees to those that you can grow indoors.

The company has an average of 3.9 stars on Google as of writing. Most reviews are positive, with customers raving about how well the plants are packaged for shipping, how healthy the plants are when they arrive, and how helpful the customer service is. Many say that they've placed several orders through GrowJoy and have always been pleased with the plants they receive, with one customer stating, "I'm continuously impressed by the plants I received from GrowJoy. After purchasing from several different online nurseries they have the best selection and plants arrive larger and in better condition."

Located in Wadsworth, Ohio, Hirt's Gardens is one of the oldest gardening centers in the state. It focuses specifically on providing hard-to-find, unusual, and exotic plants from around the world. Additionally, the site offers gardening supplies, including stunning garden planters.

The site offers several varieties of vegetables, including asparagus, cauliflower, and a few unique types of peppers. It offers even more fruit options, such as kiwi, oranges, grapes, currants, and rare types of strawberries like the pineberry and the marina strawberry. Herb varieties include mint, turmeric, sage, and lavender.

Hirt's Gardens has an average rating of 3.9 stars on Google as of writing. Customers are typically pleased with how quickly the plants ship, the packaging, the health of the plants, and the variety of difficult-to-find plants the website offers. One reviewer sums it up by saying, "Every plant I have received has been well packaged, healthy, and ready for planting. Selection, packaging, and good prices are making me a repeat customer."

Park Seeds was founded in 1868 by George W. Park, a 15-year-old who hoped to make some pocket money by selling seeds through the mail. The company started to grow, and eventually moved from Pennsylvania to Greenwood, South Carolina, where it remains today. Though times and seasons have changed, Park Seed remains dedicated to bringing the joys of gardening to as many people as possible. The company currently sells only through its online store, shipping seeds and plants across the country.

Gardeners can choose from a huge variety of vegetable plants, from artichokes to zucchinis and everything in between, including exclusive hybrids like Whopper Red Tomatoes and Sir Crunch a Lot Cucumbers. For fruits, choose from standard options like berry plants, apple and fig trees, and melons, to more exotic options like kiwi, guava, and paw paw. Herbs such as chamomile, cilantro, mint, and sage are also available.

Customers give Park Seeds a rating of 4.6 on Google as of writing. Many reviewers say they are repeat customers, and that they return thanks to the excellent quality of the plants, the great customer service the company provides, and the high germination rate of the seeds.