How to Choose Heirloom Seeds

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By Jeanne Grunert
User-Submitted Video

Grow Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom seeds are seeds that have been preserved over time. Many are open pollinated, meaning that nature - not man - pollinates and creates new varieties. Heirloom seeds and plants tend to be hardier than many modern hybrids. Nature and time have ensured that only the strongest plants survive to produce seed. Heirloom seeds are available for vegetables, herbs and flowers. They enable gardeners to grow varieties typically unavailable through traditional supermarkets. Heirlooms are often tastier, more nutritious, and easier to grow. It's no wonder that heirloom seeds are sweeping the gardening world! Here's how to choose heirloom seeds for seed germination and gardening success.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Heirloom seeds - Thompson & Morgan, Burpee and Parks all have varieties in their catalogs
Seed starting trays
Seed starting soil
Water
Lights or sunny windowsill

Step 1

Determine whether you want to grow vegetables, herbs, or flowers. Look at the space that you have available in the garden. You can also grow heirloom seeds in patio containers.
Step 2

Note how much sun the area gets each day. Sunlight is one of the most critical factors in determining what you can and cannot grow. Anything in the seed catalog marked "full sun" requires six or more hours of direct sunlight per day. "Part shade" can get away with three to six hours. "Shade" is anything less. Don't try to grow plants in less than the required sunlight. They won't thrive.
Step 3

Choose your heirloom seeds. Among vegetable seeds, some heirloom favorites are Bull's Blood Beets. These seeds are available from Burpee, Thompson and Morgan and Parks. The heirloom seeds produce rich red beets with red beet leaves. Both the leaves and the roots can be eaten. Other favorite heirloom vegetables include Brandywine tomatoes and Moon & Stars watermelons. There are hundreds of heirlooms, so take your time and have fun choosing them.
Step 4

Start seeds indoors or directly sow them into the garden according to package directions. Be sure to label seeds to know where you planted each variety. Most heirloom varieties are more disease-resistant than their hybrid cousins, so they are ideal for organic gardens.

Comments

kenjae said

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on 8/29/2009 Brandywine is the Queen of the Heirloom tomatoes (in our humble opinion). Grew some this year and what a treat they were. They beat out Better Boy and Margo with disease and drought resistance. We have quite a few neighbors asking for seeds for next years gardens. Excellent Article.