Let's talk gardening seeds!
Do you know the difference between some of the different varieties you'll find in your local stores? They can be a bit confusing but here is some helpful information for mindful selecting when purchasing seeds.
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Heirloom Seeds
These have been around for a long time and are unchanged. If you save the seeds, they will produce the same next year.
Heirloom seeds are always open-pollinated, but not all open-pollinated seeds are heirloom.
The seed has been saved, grown, and protected through many generations, and that history is preserved along with the seed.
Hybrid Seeds
These are cross pollinated, (similar to mixing blue and yellow to get green) You can save these seeds but the next year the seeds will revert back to one of their parent varieties.
Disease resistance is very often a characteristic that is sought after in hybrid seeds.
Seeds must be re-purchased each year to maintain the desired traits, although hybridization is something that with the right knowledge you could do on your own.
Non-GMO Seeds
These are for marketing purposes only and very misleading! There are no gardening seeds that are GMO. This is a big misconception and usually cost more for no reason.
These are more so big field crops (think like thousands of acres of field corn to feed cattle).
In my opinion, this is one category I would just stay away from all together in order to be on the safe side.
Organic Seeds
This is a personal choice/preference. You can purchase non-organic seeds for less and then use organic practices for growing them and you are on the right track. The seed itself does not matter. This is just another marketing ploy and they cost more for no reason.
FYI "Organic" can still use sprays but have to be labeled Organic and sometimes they use the bare minimum practices in order to be certified and do not focus on quality soil.
There is nothing wrong with buying your seeds from your local stores such as dollar tree or Walmart! Amazon is also a great option if you'd like to save a trip to the store and have your gardening supplies delivered right to your doorstep!
I personally would focus on selecting heirloom seeds for longevity and hybrid seeds for special grows that you would like to experiment with.
Once you have selected your seeds, I would focus on learning all about healthy soil practices and what kind of soils are the best for the varieties that you plan to grow!
I have started to put together a list of gardening supplies and a variety of unique seeds on my Amazon storefront if you'd like to take a peek, please check it out here! Gardening Supplies & Seeds from our Amazon store front!
HAPPY GARDENING SEASON 2024!
Bear + Creek Homestead
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