Heirloom Vegetables

People grow heirloom vegetables for a variety of reasons and it’s probably a good idea to keep these sources of seeds available. When we think about commercially produced seeds that many of our crops are grown from, the value of heirloom vegetables becomes remarkably apparent.

Commercial crop seeds are most often hybrids, from plants deliberately cross pollinated to provide the most productive or pest resistant or disease tolerant plant. This can be very advantageous and necessary in a world which is trying to provide food for an ever increasing population. However, these hybrid seeds, once grown into plants, will produce seeds well enough, but the seeds will not produce the same type of plant and in this fact lies one of the values of heirloom vegetables. When we realize that without heirlooms, the government and seed companies will control the distribution of seeds, we can see the a need to propagate heirloom vegetables – because we are free then, to grow our own plants year after year, collecting our own heirloom vegetable seeds to grow.

The Advantage of Heirloom Vegetables

When we grow heirloom vegetables, they will be, through natural selection, resistant to the local pests and plant diseases in our area. The plants will also become adapted to the local growing season and soils. This cuts down on the use of pesticides and fertilizers and that’s a good thing for all of us. That means vegetables that are easier to grow.

In addition to all this, the taste of heirloom vegetables can be surprisingly different from hybrids in much the same way as a homegrown tomato just tastes so much better than a supermarket tomato. Imagine your friends comments on your spaghetti sauce simmered with heirloom vegetables compared to their own spaghetti sauce out of a jar.

Where to Find Heirloom Seeds

So how do you get your hands on heirloom vegetable seeds? Local hardware stores often stock a line of heirloom seeds in packets, but if yours doesn’t, check your local farmer’s market. They are often a great source of heirloom seeds and you may even find a vendor selling heirloom vegetable plants which you can buy for the season and harvest your own seeds from them in the fall. Your local county extension agent may also have information on heirloom seed suppliers in your area or check The Seed Savers Exchange or the Heirloom Vegetable Gardener’s Assistant on the web

This year when you think about your garden, think about planting a few heirloom vegetables and you may be surprised not only at the difference in taste but also how easy they are to grow and you can save yourself money on seeds for next year.