And reality for preppers with respect to gardening means taking a close look at the carefully held prepper PC view that heirloom or open-pollinated seeds are the only way to go.
For purposes of this post and ensuring we're on the same page, let's begin with a few definitions. Heirloom seeds have been around for 100+ years, kind of like antiques. They are what your grandparents grew. They breed true, meaning you can collect the seeds from your harvest this year, dry and preserve them properly, and plant them next year to get the same fruit or vegetable (assuming you planted them far enough away from related varieties so that no hybridization occurred). The produce is generally prized for having better flavor. And the produce generally does not store as well as their hybrid counterparts.
Open-pollinated (OP) seeds have not been around as long as heirloom seeds, but in every other respect they are basically the same as heirlooms. The seeds can be saved and they do breed true.
Hybrid seeds are not necessarily genetically modified, at least as the term is currently used and understood. In our world, genetically modified has become synonymous with Roundup Ready. It is highly unlikely that any of the seeds you buy, unless you are a professional farmer, are going to be genetically modified. Hybrid seeds are simply a cross of two similar varieties. The seeds from their produce will not breed true.
Based on the above definitions, it seems like heirloom/OP seeds are the way to go. They're sustainable. In twenty years, you can still be growing the same produce that you start out with today. And if the times were good and you were living on your homestead and you knew things weren't going to change, heirloom/OP seeds would be the way to go.
However.... Those however's can get you.
What if times aren't going to be so good? What if things change, like your climate, altitude (because you bugged out or moved), soil, etc.? What if pests or disease crop up?
Hybrids have their place.
There's this thing in the living world called hybrid vigor. The best example is probably the mule. It's a cross between a horse and a donkey. It can work longer and harder than a horse. And it is completely sterile. Farmers raise hybrid crops for one reason--to make money. They make money from hybrid crops because hybrids yield better, especially in adverse conditions, whether it's drought, humidity, cold, or pests and disease. In general, hybrids produce faster and the fruits and vegetables don't spoil as quickly.
So when you are planting your garden for the survival of your family, would it be wise to plant hybrids that are going to be more likely to yield better if you get slammed with cool temperatures, blistering heat, drought, humidity, or disease? It's a point worth considering.
Now, another thought to ponder. Do you really have the time to produce seed? Cabbage and carrots, for example, take two years to produce seed, plus all that space in the garden that can't be used for anything else during that time. If you're not going that route, why worry about heirloom/OP seeds?
Finally, do you have the space and/or equipment to separate crops and prevent cross pollination? Unless you isolate by distance (up to half a mile) or time (which you may not have in a shorter season) it won't matter that you used heirloom/OP seeds, because those seeds won't likely breed true. Do you really want to take that chance? Especially in the first year or two of a collapse, when you're really doing this for reals? Or do you have the time to bag each blossom before it opens, hand pollinate yourself when it opens, and then re-bag each after you've pollinated? These are important points to consider.
Now the point is not to totally dismiss heirloom/OP seeds. In achieving the impressive yields of hybrids, something had to give, and that something was flavor. Heirloom/OP seeds are important. They taste better. The seeds can be saved for the future. And indeed, they will produce better year after year, because, if you are planting in the same place, you will select only the best fruits for seed-saving, and thus your seeds will be tailor-made for your exact climate and soil and other conditions. Until you get to that point, though, have some hybrids to help you along the way.
Links to related posts:
Black Gold
16 may 2019
13 may 2021
Squash come in 3 families.
ReplyDeleteSNIP: Note: If you plan on saving seeds from your pumpkins or squash, remember that the different species of the genus will cross. So if you plant a C. pepo pumpkin and a C. pepo squash (often zucchini or summer squash), they will cross. Or if you plant a Hopi Pale Grey squash and your next door neighbor grows Hubbards, they’ll also cross. But you can plant one of each species, C. pepo, C. maxima, C. mixta and C. moschata and still save pure seeds as they will not cross. To raise pure pumpkin or squash seeds, they will often need to be planted a mile from the nearest like species unless you have a thick woods, tall hills or some other physical barrier between the crops.
So, you can grow three different squashes and maintain pure seeds for next year. I personally LOVE Hopi Grey Squash and don't bother with Hubbard.
Yes, you need 2 years to save the biannual seeds. As my Grandmother would say "Such a problem".
What pray tell will you do when your supply of hybrid seeds run out?
Even if you buy a huge amount of the seeds have a best by reality issue. They go bad after a while. Smaller seeds like onions, faster generally than large ones like corn.
Your call.
I've heard little snippets over the past year about something called landrace gardening. There is one book on the topic available on Amazon; reviews are mostly positive, but I haven't decided whether I want it. If you google the topic, the vast majority of hits pertain to growing marijuana. Not helpful. But basically, the idea is that you can save and plant hybrid seeds and get a crop. If you do this for a few years, you end up with your own open-pollinated seeds that are perfectly adapted to your location. I'm starting an experiment myself this year with some F1 Naked Bear hull-less pumpkin seeds.
DeleteSorry, incomplete thought. Heirloom seeds were the best and most reliable seeds of the area. I only save the best seeds in my garden.
ReplyDeleteIf we cannot go to Walmart or Lowes to buy seeds, what is the trade value of your "extra seeds "?
All gardening is local. What heirloom seeds works best in your area might not be worthwhile in mine.
Also, as Jennifer mentioned your soil and dirty hands experience is critical.
Michael
I was more than curious about this SNIP:
ReplyDeleteFinally, do you have the space and/or equipment to separate crops and prevent cross pollination? Those melons and squash have no shame--they'll breed with anything within their family. If you plant zucchini within a quarter mile of watermelon, and then you save seeds of either to plant next year, you're possibly going to have wasted a lot of resources to produce something you don't really want. Ever had watermelon that kinda tastes like squash? I have. Edible? Yes. Tasty? No.
As I GROW Mellons and Squashes side by side in my garden for decades now. I save seeds yearly.
I've NEVER had such a crossing occur.
I looked it up and called the Ag School about it.
Doesn't happen is the reply.
You are right! Colossal mistake on my part that I need to correct. Squash and melons don't cross pollinate. (Though I have grown watermelons that tasted like squash--not tasty.) They are in the same family (not genus or species), so for plant diversity purposes they should be planted further apart. Thank you for pointing that out.
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