Seed Guarantee | Happy Valley Seeds

Our Seed Guarantee

Every packet we sell has been carefully grown, selected, tested and packed. We stand behind it with a simple promise.

We guarantee your seed will germinate for six months from the date of purchase, provided it is stored cool and dry as described on this page and sown according to the instructions on the packet.

If it does not, you will be refunded.

What the guarantee covers

Seed packets purchased from happyvalleyseeds.com.au.
Germination failure caused by the seed itself, within six months of your purchase date.
A refund of the price you paid for the affected seed. If you would rather try again, tell us and we may happily send replacement seed from a different batch.

What it does not cover

Seed is a living product and germination depends on conditions we cannot see or control. The guarantee does not extend to failures caused by:

weather, frost, heat, flooding or drought;
birds, insects, snails, rodents, pets or other animals;
sowing outside the season or climate zone recommended on the packet;
sowing depth, soil temperature or watering outside the packet directions;
seed stored in heat, humidity or sunlight rather than cool and dry;
seedlings lost after they have germinated, for example to damping off, transplant shock or pests;
seed sown more than six months after purchase.

Seed potatoes, garlic and other live planting stock are covered by our Return and Refund Policy rather than this germination guarantee.

How to make a claim

Email support@happyvalleyseeds.com.au within six months of your purchase with:

your order number and the variety concerned;
when and how you sowed it (date, depth, indoors or outdoors, tray or ground);
the approximate soil temperature and how you kept the seed moist;
how the seed was stored before sowing;
a photo of the sowing area or tray if you have one.

Germination problems usually come down to three things: temperature, moisture and timing. We will look at your details, help you work out what happened, and tell you honestly whether the seed or the conditions were the cause. If the seed is at fault we will refund it. There is no cost to make a claim and you will not need to post anything back to us.

Our liability

To the extent permitted by law, our liability under this guarantee is limited to the price you paid for the affected seed. We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, such as the value of an expected crop, or time, soil, pots, fertiliser or other materials used in growing.

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure. The benefits under our Seed Guarantee are in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

This guarantee is given by Happy Valley Seeds, ABN 63 634 537 492, PO Box 148, Riverstone NSW 2765, Australia. Email: support@happyvalleyseeds.com.au.

Phytosanitary certificates

We do not ship seeds overseas, so we don't provide phyto certificates.

Safe seed storage

How seed is stored is one of the biggest influences on germination, and it is the condition of this guarantee. Because a packet often holds more seed than one season needs, it is worth knowing how to keep the rest.

Long-lived seed includes the brassicas (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, kohlrabi), the chicory group (endive, escarole, radicchio), cucumber, kale, lettuce, melons, mustards, chillies, radish, rutabaga, sunflower, tomato and turnip. Stored correctly, these should stay viable for more than five years.

Medium-lived seed includes beans, carrots, celery, chard, eggplant, parsley, peas, pumpkin, salsify and squash. Properly stored, these should last up to five years.

Short-lived seed includes corn, leek, onion, parsnip and spinach. These are best used within a season, although they may still germinate acceptably in the second year. Pelleted seed should be bought fresh each year.

The secret is cool and dry. As soon as your seed arrives, put it in an airtight container in a cool spot away from heat and sunlight, ideally at 4 to 10°C. A desiccant sachet, or a teaspoon of milk powder wrapped in tissue, will absorb any moisture inside the container.

When you sow:

Use a sterilised seed-raising mix indoors. Garden soil carries fungi that cause damping off and bacteria that can harm seed.
Keep the temperature steady. Most seed germinates best at a continuous 20 to 24°C, day and night. Check the packet for varieties that prefer cooler or warmer soil.
Never let sown seed dry out, but do not drown it either. Seed needs oxygen as it germinates, so aim for evenly moist rather than wet.
Ventilate seedling trays. A plastic dome left on in the sun can cook seedlings. If you see heavy condensation, remove or prop it open.
Harden seedlings off before planting out. A gradual transition using a cold frame or cloche prevents the stunting and losses that a sudden move into cold, damp conditions can cause.

Safe Seed Pledge

We pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seed or plants.