There has been a lot of talk about heirloom seeds and hybrid seeds lately but what does it all mean? Why should you use them and is one better than the other? Let’s talk about it.
Hybrid seeds are two varieties of a plant that are bred together to make a new plant. Most of the time it is because of disease resistance, flavor, or even just a hardier plant. Veggies and fruits have a lot of hybrid varieties. Hybrids often produce more than other plants since they breed that into them. Most people like hybrid plants because they are more dependable and are bred to perform better.
Heirloom seeds are from open-pollinated seeds that are collected from an older plant, usually before WWII. There is a lot of debate about what the age of the seed is that considers it to be an heirloom. Heirloom seeds are also considered dependable since you know what you are getting since the plant has been passed down. Most heirloom seeds are more susceptible to diseases.
So which one is better? That is really a matter of opinion. I personally love heirloom seeds but the disease resistance of hybrid seeds is appealing too. Heirloom seeds help farmers and can even be saved so you can keep heirloom seeds going too! A lot of the plants I like to grow are heirloom. I tend to just buy what I love and not pay attention to what kind of seed it is.
Some of my favorite heirloom plants include:
· California Wonder Peppers
· Burpee’s Stringless Bush Green Beans
· Scarlet Globe Radishes
· Lacinato Kale
· Yellow Pear Tomatoes
· Amish Paste Tomatoes
· Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
How can you tell what seeds are hybrid or heirloom? Most seed packages will say what kind of seed they are. A lot of companies love to promote their heirloom varieties.
In the end, grow what you love and experiment with hybrid and heirloom seeds. You never know what fruits, veggies, and flowers you might find that you love.
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