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  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] non-hybrid seeds
  • Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 21:19:03 -0700


paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
---------------

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/clay51.html
Excerpt

While the popular trend these days has been toward only growing hybrids, this
is not a good policy for folks aiming at self sufficiency. First of all, the
seed of hybrid vegetables does not grow true, should you save your own seed.
You may get what you want, or you may not get taste, productivity, or even
appearance. Only open pollinated (or “heirloom” “traditional”) varieties will
produce seed which, when saved and planted next year, will give you the same
results as the parent plant.

You can study your seed catalogs carefully. Any listed as “Hybrid” or “F1”
should be avoided. Get in the habit of saving your own seeds. This simple
practice can cut your gardening costs down by 1/4 or 1/2. Seed saving is
simple and very satisfying. Many seed catalogs, such as the ones published by
Native Seeds/Search and Garden City Seeds, also have extensive information on
seed-saving.

An additional reason to raise non-hybrids is that most of the open pollinated
varieties taste better. That’s opposite what we have been led to
believe...often by seed companies, who, by the way, often hold the rights to
certain hybrids they developed and/or sell.

The good old heirloom varieties taste great. True, you might not be able to
ship them 1500 miles in a truck, they might not last 10 weeks in a warehouse,
or they might not have thick rinds or skins to prevent bruising during rough
handling, but in a home garden, or even a small market garden, who cares? I’d
rather have the taste.





  • [Livingontheland] non-hybrid seeds, TradingPostPaul, 03/31/2006

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