Where ever you’re getting your seeds from its helpful to research specific cultivars or groups first then seek out seeds because even heirlooms exist for different reasons. Catalogs often have good info that can help you narrow it down, a lot of them will list specific resistances to plant diseases or soil problems for example. And there’s not much issue with just growing a bunch of shit and figuring out what works. But if you’re looking for something specific you won’t neccisarily find the info you need direct from a retailer.
As an example I like Thai food, but can’t reliably get Thai basils here. And wanted to grow some Thai holy basil. Holy basil plants and seeds are pretty widely available from seed catalogs, especially heirloom and specialty companies. But almost all of them are selling Indian cultivars intended to make incense that are unpleasant to eat. Not the tasty Thai varieties. To get Thai holy basil I had to order Thai seeds, from Thailand through Amazon.
