So try not to get too caught up or angsty about which is better. Just pick one and grow. Have your own opinions on the difference between heirloom and hybrid plants or vegetables? Sound off on the topic in the comments below. All rights reserved. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Heirloom seeds are GMO-free. In other words, heirlooms are not genetically modified - their DNA has not been artificially changed with the genes of other unrelated species. For instance, GMO tomatoes have genes from other plants to help them grow.
But that's not the case for heirloom seeds. Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated. Open pollination is a process in which the pollen is released on the ground via birds, breeze, or insects. These seeds then grow into plants they came from, having the same characteristics as their parent plant. So, you end up growing the same variety of plants using the seeds collected from the parent plant.
The produce from openly-pollinated heirloom seeds also tends to be much more flavoursome and tastier than hybrids. Whereas, if you grow hybrid plants, the pollination process won't produce a plant with the exact same characteristics. If you want to grow that variety another time, you'll have to buy new seeds instead of growing seeds saved from the plant.
The seeds available in the markets, generally hybrid seeds, are produced for large-scale commercial production and profitability. Hybrid seeds are the cross produce of heirloom seeds, the results are usually different than expectations. It is like a gamble that can be either good or bad. The GMO genetically modified seeds are created in a lab where the DNA of the seeds is altered to make them more resistant and disease-free.
Heirloom seeds produce a diverse variety of greens with sharp flavours, rich nutrition and have been revered for generations. So, which one should you choose for your gardens? Heirlooms or hybrids? It's a polarizing question.
GMOs are not what I am going to get into here, though, because that is a really lengthy topic in its own right. You can do your own research, but please understand; most vegetable seeds are not GMO. GMO crops are focused on crops such as corn, soy and alfalfa. Here are some of my personal favorite heirloom seed varieties for home gardening:. Sweet Corn: For most home gardeners, it is hard to move away from the hybrids because of the Super Sweet genes that have been introduced in them, but if you want to try an heirloom, Golden Bantam is a very good one.
Toss carrots and onion with oil to coat. Spread veggies in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender. In a large saucepan combine roasted vegetables, broth, and paprika. Bring to boiling.
Cool slightly. Transfer half the vegetable mixture at a time to a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan. Add lemon juice. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer beets to serving bowl.
Sprinkle remaining juice over beets. If desired, drizzle with honey. After having a difficult time getting plants this and last year, I saved at lot of seeds from what was grown. I placed them on paper towels to dry but many turned brown around the edges. I read seeds should be kept in a cooler dry and dark place. Your email address will not be published.
0コメント