Ok They Say Heirloom?

[big rockpile]

I have many plants. I'm looking at Heirloom Seed.

They are calling several I have Heirloom. Detroit Red Beets, Clemson Spineless Okra, Beefsteak Tomatoes and such.

Never considered them Heirloom.

big rockpile

 

[Meadowlark]

Characteristics of heirloom seeds are:

1) non-hybrid, non-GMO
2) Open-pollinated meaning they’re naturally pollinated from plants of the same variety. or they self-pollinate.
3) Grown for at least about 50 years
4) the seeds are typically handed down from generation to generation.

The ones you listed meet those characteristics as far as I'm aware.

 

[big rockpile]

Thanks Learning.

big rockpile

 

[big rockpile]

Cool I can save seed and go.

Petunias are interesting. Started some from cuttings rooted and blooming.

Seed needing reported and starting to Bloom.

big rockpile

 

[PaulZone8b]

Question - Ferry Morse Packet says Non-GMO Silver N Gold Sweet Corn then Google says that is a Hybrid. I am confused....I thought anything that said (packet or seed websites) that say "Heirloom" means its NOT a hybrid. I am trying to do all un-altered seeds and dont know who to believe.

 

[big rockpile]

Question - Ferry Morse Packet says Non-GMO Silver N Gold Sweet Corn then Google says that is a Hybrid. I am confused....I thought anything that said (packet or seed websites) that say "Heirloom" means its NOT a hybrid. I am trying to do all un-altered seeds and dont know who to believe.

Same here.

big rockpile

 

[Meadowlark]

Question - Ferry Morse Packet says Non-GMO Silver N Gold Sweet Corn then Google says that is a Hybrid. I am confused....I thought anything that said (packet or seed websites) that say "Heirloom" means its NOT a hybrid. I am trying to do all un-altered seeds and dont know who to believe.

The Ferry Morse packet for Silver N Gold does not say " Heirloom", rather says "non-GMO and hybrid." Not mutually exclusive

Those are not mutually exclusive. Hybrid veggies are the result of cross-pollination between two different vegetables. Genetically modified organisms are vegetables developed through genetic engineering. Hence, Silver N Gold can be non-GMO and also be hybrid.

Heirloom seeds as mentioned above are:

1) non-hybrid, non-GMO
2) Open-pollinated meaning they’re naturally pollinated from plants of the same variety. or they self-pollinate.
3) Grown for at least about 50 years
4) the seeds are typically handed down from generation to generation.

 

[PaulZone8b]

Sigh... very confusing to a beginner. So we need to be buying "heirloom" only ? and we should be safe from anything thats been altered.

Cross pollination isnt a "bad" thing right ? Sounds like it could be. Its still mixing the genetics isnt it ?

 

[pepper]

Sigh... very confusing to a beginner. So we need to be buying "heirloom" only ? and we should be safe from anything thats been altered.

Cross pollination isnt a "bad" thing right ? Sounds like it could be. Its still mixing the genetics isnt it ?

Buy whatever you feel like growing, I don't see any of it as bad. For me personally I only like beefsteak tomatoes to eat unless I am making sauce or something. But that's just my personal preference.

 

[pepper]

Buy whatever you feel like growing, I don't see any of it as bad. For me personally I only like beefsteak tomatoes to eat unless I am making sauce or something. But that's just my personal preference.

Although if you are eating something for health reasons and not just taste preference there is probably more goodness in non GMO because nothing was taken away or altered. But that still doesn't make it bad, just not as good as far as dietary nutrients usually.

 

[Meadowlark]

Sigh... very confusing to a beginner. So we need to be buying "heirloom" only ? and we should be safe from anything thats been altered.

Cross pollination isnt a "bad" thing right ? Sounds like it could be. Its still mixing the genetics isnt it ?

1) If you do not want any seed that has been altered, then "Heirloom" would be your choice.

2) Cross pollination isn't necessarily bad. It happens naturally. "Cross pollination is a natural method in which transfer of pollen takes place from an anther of a flower of one plant to a stigma of a flower of another plant of the same species. "

Lots of gardeners experiment with cross pollination especially in tomatoes. For myself, I find many hybrid varieties superior in certain characteristics than "heirloom" varieties. Particularly in corn and tomatoes, traits that are highly desirable can be assured in certain hybrids.

If you save seed for future use, then don't save seed from hybrids but only from heirlooms. The so called F1, F2 offspring from hybrid seed are usually not desirable, nor true to the first cross.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

1) non-hybrid, non-GMO

I simply don't believe 'non-hybrid. Wouldn't that mean heirloom varieties are all natural sports? They are pretty rare, and unlikely to be an improvement on the original, and we don't even know the origins of some heirlooms. I can find 'Moneymaker tomatoes', for example, listed as originating in 1903, 1910, and 1913, and in several different places.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

If you save seed for future use, then don't save seed from hybrids but only from heirlooms. The so called F1, F2 offspring from hybrid seed are usually not desirable, nor true to the first cross.

That is not how I understand it, cross DD with dd you get Dd four ways, cross Dd With Dd and it will be DD, Dd, dD, dd, That is fifty percent will be the same, the other two will be like the originals, and people usually select good quality originals to hybridise from. I see this as propaganda from the seed sales people that has become widely accepted.

 

[Meadowlark]

Do you like seedless watermelons? I do and think they are fabulous...but they are a hybrid.



The very best tasting corn I have ever encountered is a hybrid. The triple sweet Honey Select.



The Celebrity tomato and the Super Sweet 100s are both hybrids and to me are fantastic:



I could post many more examples. I hate to think what it would be like if hybrids were somehow outlawed.

 

[pepper]

Do you like seedless watermelons? I do and think they are fabulous...but they are a hybrid.

View attachment 99088

The very best tasting corn I have ever encountered is a hybrid. The triple sweet Honey Select.

View attachment 99089

The Celebrity tomato and the Super Sweet 100s are both hybrids and to me are fantastic:

View attachment 99090

I could post many more examples. I hate to think what it would be like if hybrids were somehow outlawed.

I prefer seedless too with stuff like grapes and watermelon etc. Only thing I don't like about hybrids is you never know what the majority of characteristics the plant you grow from seed will take on. Then there is grafting, that I prefer if I was to play around with plants.