Seed question

[2dumb2kwit]

Please forgive me, if this is a dumb question, but I can't seem to find the answer.

When looking for seeds, I know I don't want hybrid's, but at wally world, a while back, I saw that they had "organic" seeds. Are "organic" seeds non-hybrid? (or can it go either way?)
(The package did not say, one way or the other.)

[crashdive123]

I believe (not 100% sure) that organic seeds just means that they are from organically grown plants. For growing plants that have viable seeds that can be harvested and used you want to look for heirloom seeds/plants. Others may produce viable seed, but some may not. Hybrids produce seed, many of which are not viable.

[Winnie]

Crash is right about the organic definition, as long as the seed you want to save is not an F1 Hybrid you can save seed. Choose the most vigorous specimin. I save all my own bean and pea seeds.

This article may give a better idea.
http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/medwyn-willi...w-show-39.html

[nell67]

Heirloom seeds are usually clearly marked as such,organic only refers to the way they were grown,usually meaning no chemicals of any type were used,the farmer used "natural" fertilizers and bug repellants.

Around here to get "organic" status,a farm has to be chemical free for 2-3 years according to an organic farmer that I talked to rcently.

[2dumb2kwit]

Thanks y'all.

BTW; This morning, I saw that Ace Hardware has heirloom seeds. Who'da thunk it?

[Chris]

Ya, organic means that the plant the seed was harvested from was not sprayed with a synthetic chemical (organic chemicals would still be used) nor fertilized with a synthetic fertilizer (again, organic fertilizers would be used).

The seeds are absolutely no different. It is purely from a guilt/ecoconscious position that one would buy them. Viewing the use of sythetic chemicals as being more damaging to the environment than using organic chemicals and not wanting to contribute to such practices.

This is consequently also true for organic fruits and vegetables. Only organic meats, cheeses, milk, and other animal products actually end up being significantly different.

The reason is animals if fed (or injected) with a substance it can accumulate in their flesh or be secreted, and since we're also animals, if it affects them it affects us (ie, estrogen).

Plant physiology is entirely different.

[Old GI]

I believe the anti-GMO lobby would differ. The true organic folks are very concerned about the hybrid efforts for getting GMO into our food. There are some websites discussing this and it carries a lot of political impact. Google it.

[Chris]

Huh? You're getting your ecoguilt issues confused. Non-GMO and organic are not interchangable. And hybrid is not GMO.

And genetically modified worries is a bunch of baloney too, we've been genetic engineering food for thousands of years, and the invention of modern genetic engineering of food has probably saved more lives than any other technology in the history of the world except maybe for the vaccine and antibiotics.

[edr730]

GMO crops, hybrid crops, or even common natural occuring weeds or plants can have pest resistant properties within the plant itself. Some of the genes from wild plants are used in GMO plants to make them resistant to disease, pests or Roundup. They are developed to be cost effective and they usually are, but , in rare occurances, they have failed miserably. That could be said for many new products or developments. There is no agency or policy that regulates the safety of the GMO's and that concerns some people. The only real way to prove anything about anything is through independent studies and open debate. I don't know how we could ever continue to produce the amount of food that is needed to feed the world without some method to combat pests and weeds. For me, I would rather eat something that is sprayed on the outside with pesticides rather that those food plants that contain natural or unnatural resistance to pests....GMO or not. In the garden, I'd rather keep my dosage as small as possible of any chemical...just in case, but now and then...sure.

[Trabitha]

Please forgive me, if this is a dumb question, but I can't seem to find the answer.

When looking for seeds, I know I don't want hybrid's, but at wally world, a while back, I saw that they had "organic" seeds. Are "organic" seeds non-hybrid? (or can it go either way?)
(The package did not say, one way or the other.)

Heirloom seeds make for a much better, (as in attractive) veggie. I've harvested and used seeds from the packs I got from Agway and while they were ugly as sin...they grew and produced an average amount of fruit. I like the pretty fruit though, so I get all my seeds from: http://www.heirloomacresseeds.com/default.asp

Obviously their stock will change per season, so if they don't have what you want now, keep checking back.

(their perennial flower seeds are great too!)

[Rick]

You'll like these folks then.

http://www.seedsavers.org/

You might also try your county Master Gardener program. They generally do annual sales (they do around here at least) and while a good many of the plants are the latest hybrids many of the members grow heirloom plants (they do around here at least).

Heirloom can be ugly as sin. Black Crimson is about the ugliest tomato you can grow, IMO. But they do taste good.

[Trabitha]

Rick, you are just a never ending pit of knowledge! LOL!! That is a great site, by the way!

[Rick]

Well, you got the pit part right.

[LowKey]

I'm all for hybrids. Natural crosses though. Taking polar fish genes and making frost resistant tomatoes or splicing in toxins (ie the Bacillus thunbergii gene inserted into corn) is just plain wrong. There is no solid FDA approval process on those things either. And don't get me started on Terminator genes. Greedy corporate a**holes.

[Rick]

Seriously? What could be better than a glow in the dark tomato for those late night treks to the kitchen? And knowing that even a mouse will die if it tries to eat it should be comforting knowing that it will sit on your counter top safe and sound until you're ready to enjoy it.