Comparing heirlooms seeds

Saving non-hybrid seeds for later use - regardless of what the bureaucrats say! Emergency packs of seeds - you've all seen them.
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fern
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Comparing heirlooms seeds

Post by fern »

I cannot find the location for where we listed heirloom seed suppliers so I am starting a new post.

Just to try out some of the seeds I had purchased, I planted seeds from heirloomseeds.com beside seedsofchange.com. The 4 types of squash I planted showed the most difference. The seedsofchange plants were larger and healthier with many more blossoms and fruit...until they died. I will add that two of the seedsofchange plants moved out of the garden after the swimming pool flood and are happily growing a bounty of produce in the lawn now. It took those 2 end plants about 4 days to totally move through the fence and into the yard. The rest of the plants are all dead along with all the cucumbers, broccoli and all but 2 cauliflower plants.

I planted pintos from both companies too. The rows from seedsofchange blossomed and produced much faster. I only planted 2 rows of spinach but one from each company with the same results. The onions I planted from heirloomseeds did not even make it (little spindly tops like a blade of grass) although the other half of the same row is prospering well from seedsofchange.com. It is the same story with the tomato plants, the green beans, peas, beets, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and all 4 types of peppers. The cucumbers from seedsofchange.com grew uniformly while heirloomseeds were somewhat deformed and that could be a deficiency but it should have affected both.

I am heavily investing in seedsofchange this year although I have a several year supply from heirloomseeds. Not saying heirloomseeds are bad...just saying in my experience this year that seedsofchange are superior by far. I did not plant any corn from heirloomseeds this year. Seedsofchange.com had candy corn and that is all that I planted...yum...got some ears just about ready to pick!!
“Laws are made for the weak more than the strong.” Ben Franklin
Toepopper
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Re: Comparing heirlooms seeds

Post by Toepopper »

I have noticed the same and EVERY Heirloom seed that I planted was a dwarf . The Heirloom tomato seeds did not germinate, 2 packs and 2 varieties, same with the yellow Hungarian peppers, they were no shows. My Heirloom snowpeas were dwarfs and I got a 50% germination rate with those seeds. Green beens were also a 50% germination rate and the plants are slow growing and much smaller than the Ferry-Morse seeds from last years leftover seeds. I planted this years seeds in potting soil and added manure and rock phosphate plus some greensand and wood ashes from the stove , when I transplanted into the ground, so its not like there was any lack of nutrients. This has happened to me before in past years and I did not buy any Heirloom seeds until this year, for that reason. I have never seen Seedsofchange in any left coast stores but after reading your report I will purchase next years seeds via the mail.
It is bad enough to invest all of the time and backbreaking labor into a garden, but having no or poor results just adds insult to injury. If you found yourself in a position to where you had to rely on your veggi garden as a sole supply of food, using Heirloom seeds , you would starve.
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WillyPete

Re: Comparing heirlooms seeds

Post by WillyPete »

I just ordered a catalog from seedsofchange that should arrive after awhile. What I've seen in all of the garden, home center and hardware stores for seeds have all been various hybrid seeds. I have not yet planted any but I would not expect them to produce any usable seeds to generate next seasons crops. Or any after that to be honest.
fern
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Re: Comparing heirlooms seeds

Post by fern »

Seedsofchange.com also packs ALL their seeds for long term storage. I paid no more for them than I did from all the other places I purchased seeds last year. It is a great little perk that you only have to throw them in the drawer or storage bin without any prep. I will have a bounty of seeds from what I am getting from my producing plants this year. I plan on saving those seeds and trying them out next year.

The chinamart south of here sold Burpee 100% organic seeds and I bought them out...but I did not plant any this year. They are all dated through next year so I may try them then if I have a larger garden area. The sides of my home are covered with growing things (except the heirloomseeds.com peas are tiny little things) and my larger plot is half dead. I wonder if the half that got flooded is even safe to plant in next year?? Must have been some bad boogy in that old pool water. I need to take a pic so everyone can see how the few remaining plants moved into the back yard. They are even planting roots now in the yard and the original plants in the garden plot have started dying. I truly have never seen such a thing. The wonders of nature and survival.

I purchase most of my bulk seeds from highmowingseeds.com. I have purchased from them for years and I know they offer quality and in bulk. I have stock piled an array of hay, grains, corns, and even tobaccos. Now I just need ground to start planting!

Seedsofchange is a west coast company but they may not sell to stores??

I purchased "soft" rock phosphate from 2 companies this year and had to return both of them...they were touting them as "soft" rock phosphate and when I read them...they were HARD rock phosphate and the bags said rock phosphatle!! Beware! That alone can set your garden back in a big way!! I will only send to Florida now for the true soft rock phosphate. There is a couple that will sell a 50# bag delivered for $40. That is a good investment and will last years. It must go on with the high calcium lime this fall and set for two weeks. Then add your compost and manure (preferably good chicken sh!t) and let her sit all winter. Till in the spring and plant. When I mix the soil in the spring, I will add regular horse or cow manure and molasses. That will typically yield a healthy garden subject to no old pools.
“Laws are made for the weak more than the strong.” Ben Franklin
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