# where to find CDT seed mix



## mariebaby21 (Aug 12, 2013)

I've been searching the internet to find a place to buy a forage seed mix for my CDT's and I can only find the desert seed store... and unfortunately they took my money and didn't send me my seeds. 
Any suggestions as to where I should buy from? I want to get seeds now so I can have them when it's time to redo their enclosure when they hibernate.


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## Tom (Aug 12, 2013)

I like the Testudo Mix from tortoisesupply.com. It's good for all species. I also buy all sorts of seeds from groworganic.com. They have all sorts of good pasture mixes as well as clovers, alfalfa and leafy greens too.


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## lynnedit (Aug 12, 2013)

Agree with Tom.

And have you seen this web site?
http://store.theodorepayne.org/product/SEED_M/SM_DTM.html

(haven't ordered from them myself, but others have).


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## Tom (Aug 12, 2013)

lynnedit said:


> Agree with Tom.
> 
> And have you seen this web site?
> http://store.theodorepayne.org/product/SEED_M/SM_DTM.html
> ...



I don't want to pee on your parade Lynne, but I actually went there and got some, and I wasn't too happy with it. Only a few things popped up and my tortosies who will eat anything and everything weren't too keen on what did pop up.

Has anyone else had better results than me? Maybe I grew it wrong. Too deep? Too shallow? Too wet? Not wet enough? I had no issues with other things I tried to grow. Well except the clover. Clover doesn't like 110+ weather no matter how much water you put on it.


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## lynnedit (Aug 12, 2013)

Go ahead and pee, lol. As I said, I haven't personally tried them. 
I think the Tortoise Supply seeds, both individual and dry mix would also work.


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## ellen (Aug 13, 2013)

mariebaby21 said:


> I can only find the desert seed store... and unfortunately they took my money and didn't send me my seeds.



I had a problem with that vender as well. Thankfully I was able to file a Paypal claim and get a refund.

I personally haven't had much luck growing anything (because I have a brown thumb), but I get my seeds from a non-profit in Arizona that sells various seeds -- ones they've had luck growing in Arizona, things native to the Sonoran Desert, etc, produce, peppers, wildflowers, etc. I know you're looking for "California" tortoise seeds, but some of the plants do cross over between the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.

Oh my gosh they updated with the tortoise mix! It was only available in the store until now! Native Seeds / SEARCH - Desert Tortoise Mix


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 13, 2013)

Excellent resources. Thank you, all y'all. And Ellen, your artwork rocks! Loved it! The tortoise series is awesome! : )


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## ellen (Aug 14, 2013)

I'm biased and partial to the Native Seed / Search but that's because they apparently go around the US teaching seed saving techniques. That, and I can go straight to their store, buy seeds, and ask questions right then and there. 

Thanks!  The tortoise series got bigger than I had initially expected... I've been asked to turn it into some kind of print or poster.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 16, 2013)

ellen said:


> Thanks!  The tortoise series got bigger than I had initially expected... I've been asked to turn it into some kind of print or poster.



Well it is lovely. Yes! Cards or prints or stickers would be awesome. You should! Thanks again for sharing your seed source! : )


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## kathyth (Aug 16, 2013)

I go online to " American Meadow" and buy large amounts of great seed at a great price!
I love them!


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 16, 2013)

kathyth said:


> I go online to " American Meadow" and buy large amounts of great seed at a great price!
> I love them!



Oh wow! Awesome seeds for tortoises and for me (flowers!), too. Thanks Kathy! : )


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## TigsMom (Aug 23, 2013)

Thank you for all these posts! I've placed my orders. Now to really get bunny proofed areas and ready to plant. Even emailed myself with the links to each so I can refer back easily. LOL


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## TigsMom (Aug 24, 2013)

TigsMom said:


> Thank you for all these posts! I've placed my orders. Now to really get bunny proofed areas and ready to plant. Even emailed myself with the links to each so I can refer back easily. LOL



WOW! I ordered the Desert Tortoise Seed Mix from Native Seeds just yesterday before noon. If it weren't for the postage on the envelope, I'd have sworn they drove it here! We don't get anything THAT QUICK ever! less than 24hrs! and it's here! And it wasn't even priority mail!!!


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## ellen (Aug 24, 2013)

I'm glad it got there quick! I hope you have a better hand with growing things than I do! If you could send me the list of what's in it, I'd really appreciate it because I lost the label and I don't have any idea what came up. I know it has some grasses, wildflowers, and other stuff, but... What exactly I managed to grow is a mystery...


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## TigsMom (Aug 24, 2013)

Here ya' go.






TigsMom said:


> Here ya' go.



And their website shows a few more in the mix: Mix includes 10 species including Desert Marigold, White Evening Primrose, Mexican Primrose, Globemalow, Summer Poppy, Penstemons, and Lupines.

I plan to put some in flower pots as well as the habitats, hopefully I'll get some luck and let a flower pot or two go to seed so I can re-seed the following season.

I've got a fairly green thumb and a lot of luck, so I feel positive they'll grow successfully, IF I can keep the wild critters from devouring them. LOL


I went with getting Grass Seeds from American Meadow. This Desert Tortoise Mix from Native Seeds does not list any grasses, nor could I find any on their website. We don't have their store to visit here, maybe they have grass seeds in their store.


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## ellen (Aug 24, 2013)

Hmmm.... That's odd. . . The one I got from the store calls it "Short Stuff" and has a cute watercolor painting of a tortoise and some flowers on it. Maybe there are two desert tortoise seed mixes there now, or they replaced it? I think I'll need to investigate.

If you look up Short Stuff, though, you get a lot of weed links and no tortoise seed mixes... I wouldn't recommend that internet search at all.


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