Frequently Asked Questions
Terms of Business
Trade Winds Fruit is committed to providing our customers some of the most difficult to find and exotic seeds fresh from harvest. We do not store seeds for excessive amounts of time and will send limited-viability seeds undried. We periodically test our seed stock and can attest to germination as we cultivate many of the plants ourselves, from our own seeds. All seeds are for planting purposes only, and should not be consumed. We identify all plants and seeds to the absolute best of our abilities and take great care to make sure both species and varieties are sourced and identified correctly. Some species are similar in appearance and nature, and Trade Winds Fruit does not make any guarantee or hold any liability if germinated seeds produce differently or are different from parent sources. Our tomato and pepper seeds are open-pollinated and as such, cross-pollination may sometimes occur. We offer no warranty on any seeds but in most cases are happy to work with customers or provide replacements for non-viable seeds. Many tropical seeds have widely varying germination times. Please refer to our seed germination page for tips on germination and estimated germination times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seeds are in a pack?
- The number of seeds per pack varies with the type of seed. The number of seeds per pack is listed in the item description.
Do you take phone orders?
- We do not currently take phone orders, but along with online orders, we also accept mail orders.
Do you have a printed catalog?
- We do not publish a printed catalog at this time. New seeds are added often, so please see our online store pages for all of our current in-stock seeds.
Do you test your seeds?
- We do test seeds for germination and viability before sending them to our customers. If they don't germinate for us, we don't send them!
My seeds are not germinating. What should I do?
- Please check our tips on seeds germination. Many tropical seeds have widely varying germination times. Examples include palms, which often take up to 6-12 months for germination and the Passiflora's, which may take up to several months to germinate without pre-treatment
I want to return my package. How do I do that?
- We do not accept returns of seeds UNLESS the package is unopened and returned promptly. Please notify us immediately if you are returning your package.
- If you are not happy with the germination of your seeds please contact us at service@tradewindsfruit.com and we will respond quickly to your request to make accommodations and recommendations.
- We are not responsible for poor germination due to customer neglect and improper care of seeds. We personally test every batch of seeds for germination and viability before sending them to our customers. If they don't germinate for us, we don't send them!
Oops! I accidentaly gave you the wrong shipping address, what can I do?
- If your order has not shipped, please e-mail us immediately at: service@tradewindsfruit.com. If your order has already shipped, you will need to contact the United States Postal Service to see if they can reroute the shipment to your correct address. We can only reship orders to changed shipping addresses once the original shipment has been returned to us in full. Often, it takes several weeks to a few months for packages to be returned.
Where can I get more information on my plants?
- Basic planting instructions are included on all seed packets.
- Additionally, please browse through our fruit database for more information about a wide variety of plants.
How do I place an order?
- You can order online through our shopping cart.
- You can order by mail. Just fill out the order form and mail it with payment to:
Trade Winds Fruit
P.O. Box 9396
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
Forms of payment.
- We accept credit cards for online payments through our website shopping cart.
- For mail orders we accept credit cards, checks, money orders, and cashier's checks drawn on U.S. funds.
Can I use your pictures for my own uses or put them on my website/blog/etc.?
- All of the images and text on this website are copyright Trade Winds Fruit.
- Images and text may be used for non-commercial purposes provided a link to our website accompanies the image or text, along with proper credit as to the origin of the image or text.
- Permission must be obtained from Trade Winds Fruit before using website content (text, photos) for any other purpose or for any commercial purpose.
- All photographs on our website are taken in-house. We don't use stock photos or photos from outside sources, so if you see one of our photos on another website or in a publication without a photo credit, it was taken without permission.
What do you charge for shipping?
- Standard domestic shipping is free on orders of $30.00 or more. Please see our Ordering and Shipping page for further information about shipping options and for information about international shipping.
To what countries do you ship?
- We ship to most countries. Buyers should check with their home country about any local import restrictions on specific seeds they plan to order.
How much do you charge for international (outside of the United States) shipping?
- International shipping rates vary. Please see our ordering and shipping page for a rate chart.
How long will it take to receive my order?
- We send out most orders within 2-7 BUSINESS days of receipt of your order. U.S. orders should be received within a few days after shipment. For customers choosing standard free domestic shipping, please keep in mind that postal delivery times can vary and sometime may take up to a week or two for delivery. For this reason we strongly recommend selecting priority or express mail shipping for faster and more reliable delivery. International orders have varying delivery times depending on the destination country and can on rare occasions take up to several weeks.
Can I have a tracking number?
- Tracking numbers are available with all U.S. shipments and with international shipments to several countries. If you would like your order to be tracked during shipment, make sure to select express mail. International orders cannot be tracked. Make sure to read our ordering information before placing a seed order shipped to an international destination.
How do I find out the status of my online order?
- Most orders will be sent within 2-7 business days after your order is received. Shipping times can vary once the order has shipped depending on destination and delivery option. Please see the questions above for more information. If you have specific questions about your order please e-mail us at service@tradewindsfruit.com.
You can also check the status of your shipment if you have an account with us.
How do I find out the status of my mail order?
- Please e-mail us for information about the status of mail orders. Most orders will be sent within 2-7 business days after your order is received. Shipping times can vary once the order has shipped depending on destination and delivery option. Please see the questions above for more information. If you have specific questions about your order please e-mail us at service@tradewindsfruit.com.
How can I find out about new seed arrivals?
- We offer an e-mail notification and newsletter service. To join, submit your e-mail in the e-newsletter box at the bottom right hand corner of the page. E-mails are not frequent and we never share or sell your e-mail address.
Do you carry GMO seeds?
- We do not carry any seeds to our knowledge that have been artificially genetically modified in any way.
What are F1 hybrid seeds? Are they GMO?
- The vast majority of the seeds that we carry are open pollinated, however we do offer a handful of hybrid vegetable varieties (mostly tomatoes and peppers). F1 refers to the first generation of offspring from the hybrid cross. Seeds from future generations of the hybrid cross cannot be saved true to type as they may not reliably produce offspring with the same characteristics as the parent plant. All hybrid seed that we carry is F1 seed.
I received an unsolicited e-mail from you containing an attachment, what is it?
- We do not send unsolicited advertisement e-mails, and we will never send you any e-mail with an attached file unless it was specifically requested. This is a common trick used by individuals and software programs wishing to spread viruses and malware. E-mail is sent to a user, seemingly from a real business or person, and includes an attached file, usually with a short, vague message. Never open the attached file. Delete such e-mails immediately.
Do you sell bulk seeds?
- We do sell a limited selection of seeds in bulk. Please see bulk seeds.
For all other questions, please contact us at: service@tradewindsfruit.com