What's In A Seed?
All seeds are not created equal- that's the first lesson to learn about growing exceptional produce. Exceptional food comes from exceptional seeds. And exceptional seeds come from carefully grown plants that are healthy and free from chemicals and disease. Commercial growers that grow the produce that we buy from the grocery stores use seeds that have been designed to insure their success. Some seeds are treated with chemicals to stop potential fungus, or to speed germination, or to prevent some other unwanted circumstance from happening. They do this because they grow food on such a large scale that they must insure that they reap the most profit from what they're doing. This is very understandable, but we just don't know how all of those chemicals affect our bodies when we ingest them. And still more seeds are genetically altered to perform better in certain climates, or to be drought resistant, or to produce a certain desired characteristic (flavor, disease resistance, etc.), and this poses an even greater threat to our health when it comes to fresh produce. First, here again, we don't know exactly how genetically altered food affects our own bodies, and second, it may be that we lose many of our different varieties of seeds thru this genetic breeding. What if we can't get back the original seed? We must have it in order to genetically modify it. What if we eventually destroy our food source? I think there is a better way.
Luckily, you, as a backyard gardener don't have to worry about profits and large scale farming, so you can do better. Choose seeds that are organically or biodynamically grown and that are free from GMO's (genetically modified organisms). This is the start of your exceptional, home-grown, healthy and delicious produce. Let's talk about what some of the terminology describing seeds means:
Hybrid- Hybrid seeds come from two parent plants that both
have certain characteristics that are desirable. When
these two plants are crossed (or bred) they produce
an offspring with these desired characteristics. This
seed can be saved, but you will not get the same plant
that you planted in the first place. It will have
different characteristics because the seed cannot
come back "true". If you want that same plant again,
you will have to buy that seed new each time.
Open Pollinated- This is seed from one parent plant that can
be saved from year to year and produce the same
plant every time. If you like to save your seed from
your favorite varieties, this is the kind of seed to
purchase.
Heirloom- These are seeds that are from varieties that have
been around for many years. There are several
different opinions on exactly what makes an
"heirloom". But generally, an heirloom variety is one
that is not used in commercial agriculture, is at least
50 years old, and/or has been handed down from
family to family. All of these seeds would be open
pollinated, and many of them are excellent quality
vegetables. If you are looking for unique or rare
varieties, this is where to start.
Determinate- This usually describes a plant more than a
seed, but when you're reading the seed packets, it's
helpful to know what this means. This means that
whatever vegetable or fruit your plant is making, it
will "come in all at once". These kinds of plants are
great for canning because you get the majority of
your produce at one time.
Indeterminate- Yes, you guessed it, this is the opposite of
determinate! This kind of plant will produce all
season long, generally until frost.
Locally grown seed- There are many advantages to locally
grown seed. As a plant is grown in the same general
area year after year, it modifies its own genetics
naturally to adapt to its specific climate and pest/
disease population. This will give you a superior plant
with excellent disease resistance that is very
dependable and a reliable producer.
Treated seeds- These are seeds that have been treated with
some kind of chemical(s) to help with germination, or
some other characteristic. Commercial growers
usually use this kind of seed, but many seeds that you
buy locally for home gardening are treated as well.
Read the labels carefully.
