Getting Started with Seeds!
Seeds, a gardener's all time favorite thing. They are the source off all the fruits and vegetables we eat, they are the basis for everything we're talking about. They are where it all starts. One of the most captivating moments for me is looking at my garden when it's at its fullest, and thinking how amazing it is that all of it started as just a tiny seed somewhere.
When shopping for seeds, there are so many options it can get very overwhelming. GMO? Non-GMO?, Heirloom or Hybrid? Who's the best company to get them from? What is germination time? How long will it take to get my harvest? When do I start them? The list is so long, but don't fret, we are going to break this down so it's all crystal clear.
Let's start with the white elephant in the room, GMO. GMO stands for genetically modified organism. GMO seeds are not actually available to the home gardener, these types of seed are reserved strictly for big commercial growers. Now, every seed packet will have a big Non-GMO stamp on it, but just know, you couldn't buy them if you wanted to. This is not something any of us need to worry about at all.
Heirloom vs Hybrid, there are a lot of myths surrounding this topic. Some growers only grow heirloom, other's grow a mix. What's the difference? An heirloom seed is a type of seed that grown through selective breeding has been around for a very long time. Some say anywhere between 50 ,75 and even up to 100 years. These seeds when grown and harvested in the right conditions will give you the exact same thing you planted that year.
A hybrid is simply defined as "a cross between 2 things", this means if you have a tomato "A" and tomato "B" and a bee comes from tomato "A's" bloom to tomato "B's" the tomato from that "B" bloom will contain that are a hybrid. They'll be a cross of tomato A & B. This means if you save the seeds from that tomato, you are not guaranteed to get the exact same tomato the next growing season. See illustration below.
I grow a variety of heirloom and hybrid seeds in my garden. Most of the seeds I save could technically be hybrid. I don't isolate my blooms to ensure it doesn't get cross pollinated, because I am not too picky about them getting crossed. I will choose some varieties of hybrids because sometimes they're more disease resistant, are heavier producers, and can tolerate the heat in my area better. It's honestly a personal choice you'll have to make. My suggestion is to look at what and how you plan to grow. Will you be saving seeds? Do you care if they cross? If not, then don't worry about whether it's heirloom or hybrid, it technically doesn't matter unless you're saving the seeds.
Now that we have the big misconceptions out of the way we can tackle the fun stuff. like, Where do I buy seeds from? My response to that is ANYWHERE YOU WANT!!!!! You can go to Dollar General, Walmart, Lowes, your local garden or even online. It really doesn't matter if you're looking for the basics in the beginning. I just started purchasing the majority of my seeds online because I was looking for specific varieties I couldn't find in the stores. I still cannot resist the seed aisles anywhere I go, in fact, I can't resist looking anytime I go. I have over 500 packs of seeds in my personal collection, and will still spend 20 minutes at the store gazing at every seed pack available to see if there's anything I still "need". My suggestion for beginners is start cheap, most dollar store seeds will germinate just as well as an online retailer, but if not, you've only spent a fraction of what you can spend online. I have found some seeds I've spent $1 for have germinated better than seeds out of a $5 pack. So don't feel like you have to go online, or to a specific heirloom only store. Go to the big box store, spend $20 and get some seeds. I did this for years and grew Amazing amounts of food. If you do this for a couple of seasons it will give you the ability to experiment with what you do and don't like without investing a small fortune on seeds you don't want to grow. In the meantime, start requesting seed catalogs, they're usually free, and they will give you an idea of what they carry. Now, I must WARN you, seed catalogs will suck you in and make you want to grow literally EVERYTHING they have to offer. Also seed buying becomes an addiction, it really does. It's just so hard to resist the stories behind them. The marketing from a seed catalog is genius, I'm also just a sucker for the pretty pictures and amazing descriptions.
Below is a list of seed companies I have used and currently use to order seeds from. This list is far from all inclusive, my best advice is ask people you know where they get their seeds from.
Online Seed Companies
Baker Creek - www.rareseeds.com
Botanical Interest - www.botanicalinterest.com
Seed Savers Exchange - www.seedsavors.org
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - www.southernexposure.com
San Diego Seed Company - www.sandiegoseedcompany.com
MI Gardener - www.migardener.com
The Rusted Garden - www.therustedgarden.com
Johnny's Seeds - www.johnnyseeds.com
*** I'm sure I've missed some that I use, for a more all inclusive list go to the link below.