Heirloom Seeds

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

What are heirloom seeds, and what are the advantages of them over just regular seeds?

Is there anything wrong with just using regular seeds?

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Heirloom seeds are old vintage varieties that can produce seeds that will come back truw to type year after year, non hybrid

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Quote:
Exactly. What you plant is what you'll get, unlike hybrids. If you plant hybrid seeds you'll get plants that are one parent or the other. With heirlooms, you'll get the same fruit year after year.

 

[AHappychick]

also they are usually tastier but do not travel well. Therefore you will usually not see them in the stores but in farmers markets. I grow them almost exclusively.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

So, if I just plan to grow and eat the plants this year, and not collect the seeds, it shouldn't matter?

 

[AHappychick]

yep but once you do that you may want to try saving them so you dont have to buy them the next year. but if you are never gonna save seeds then just order what ever you like

 

[debilorrah]

Once again, I have learned something new from you intelligent folks!

 

[herbsherbsflowers]

I think heirloom plants are usually tastier and more interesting than the hybrid varieties. The tomatoes are especially wonderful. They don't produce quite as many fruits, and are more susceptible to diseases, but the ones you get sure are good.

 

[imfowl]

I think I will go back to creoles and better boys this year. For the last two years, I tried heirlooms such as black krims and cherokee purples. The fruit is absolutely exquisite, but production is terrible, and the plants need constant attention. The cherokees want to run on the ground even when staked. Also, I found that about 75% of the ones you do produce rot on the vine before ripe. I could probaly make 10 times the creoles in the same amount of space.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

Where can you buy these? Sounds like fun to grow.