In the world of today, heirloom vegetables, heirloom seeds and heirloom gardening in general are becoming increasingly popular. More and more people are returning or turning to home gardening for different reasons and heirloom seeds are a part of the process. Some do that due to the fact that they want to consume fresh and healthy foods, some need a new hobby, while others need to stretch the family’s food budget. Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure – it is a healthy way to provide yourself with natural and quality produce for an improved quality of life.
There are many differences that you should be aware of when it comes to hybrid, heirloom and GMO plants. Hybrid plants are produced when different varieties of plants are cross-pollinated and this can happen either with, or without human intervention. Heirloom plants on the other hand, are the only ones that breed true and the same traits are passed on from one generation to another. These two types of plants, hybrid and heirloom, can be perceived as natural occurrences, while GMO ones can only be produced with the help of unnatural methods like gene splicing.
Let’s take a look at all the benefits that heirloom seeds offer, where can you find them and why you should actually grow them?
Why Grow Them?
Let’s get straight to the point – they taste much better than GMO and hybrid plants! Plus, heirloom vegetables and fruits are known to be quite nutritions and are less expensive in the long run. True, they may require a bit more care than their counterparts, however, the effort you will put in growing them is just a small price to pay for their enormous health benefits.
Where to Find Them?
Since the demand for heirloom seeds has been on the rise in the past few years, it is no longer difficult to obtain them. Seed exchanges, local farms and botanical gardens are some of the places where you can find seeds locally. However, how can you be sure that the seeds that you want to buy came from heirloom plants? Well, there is one thing you should look out for – the Safe Seed Pledge. Although it is not regulated, it is still a good indicator that the company provides only GMO-free products. Make sure to find a reputable and a reliable seed company which has signed up for this pledge so that you know you’re safe. You can check if they have signed up for it on the company’s website.
