Kitazawa Seed Co. has been selling Asian vegetable seeds for 93 years, offering more than 300 varieties from Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, India and of course, the United States. I have to admit that I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Asian vegetables in my Victory Garden, so I wanted to review their catalog.

From a visual standpoint, Kitazawa Seed Co. has taken a simple approach to the look of their catalog. Rather than the often crowded pages filled with full-color photographs, their catalog is strikingly simple; using only two colors, black and a nice “garden green”. The contents of the catalog’s pages are mostly text, with a random placement of nicely illustrated vegetable art.

Though this approach of simple layout and minimal colors makes for an easier read, I feel it’s hurting the catalog’s effectiveness as well. I’m one of those “visual” people that has to see a color photo of the veggie, if for no other reason than to make sure i’m ordering the right variety.

Another way they have kept things simple is in the pricing structure. As I read some of the plant descriptions, I asked myself, “where are the prices?” My question was answered on the order form. All seed packets are $3.49 each… period.

Another nice feature in the beginning of the catalog is a “Chef Specialty Gardens” section. Here, they have listed their variety recommendations for different “gardens”; for example, an Asian Herb Garden or Asian Salad Garden. They’ve included a few pages of recipes at the end of the catalog as well.

So, if you are looking to include Asian vegetables in your garden, I would check them out. They have a great selection and can certainly send you a catalog at your request. You can reach them online at www.kitazawaseed.com.

More catalog reviews…

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