Spring Series: Finding the Best Seeds

It should come as no surprise that a great garden starts with great seeds. Not all seeds are created equal though. In general you want you stick with organic seeds whenever possible. They’re more expensive, but they’re also the best way to know you’re getting strong seeds without any additives you don’t want to ingest later. If you plan to save seeds for next year, you’ll also want to avoid many hybrids since they are sterile. 

Try to steer clear of GMO seeds. GMO stand for Genetically Modified Organism, which means they’re not a natural variety, but instead spliced together in a lab. 

You’ll probably see chemically treated seeds for sale as well. There are pros and cons with these seeds. After all, one of the main reasons people grow their own gardens is to avoid the chemicals found in supermarket produce.  However, a chemically treated seed will likely be more resistant to common garden pests and be easier to grow.

Heirloom seeds are a popular choice. Like the nobility of yore, these seeds come from long established lineages. They’ve been proven to work over the years, so you know exactly what to expect from them. 

Once you’ve decided what types of seeds work for you, you may want to save them for next year. It’s a little bit more work, but many gardeners find the extra effort worth it. Here’s a handy guide to see if saving seeds is the right choice for you. 

As an additional note, what works well for seeds works even better for bulbs, whether they’re onions or tulips.

Seeds are the foundation of that garden you’ve always wanted, so use this guide to help your garden down the right path.