Seed Products
It is important to identify good seed products from quality sources for your garden. To save disappointment it's worth following a few pointers on obtaining vegetable seeds. It's becoming a contentious issue whether to purchase mass produced seed products or to source your seeds from smaller more specialised suppliers. There is also a growing network in co-operative seed traders around the world. The trouble is, some of the mass produced seed products are genetically modified in some way. It could be to make a species more pest resistant or it could be to produce a hardier plant for a broader range of climates. But there is a growing backlash in the community towards this sort of manipulation of our food. Some are prepared to throw out the baby with the bathwater and suggest we should ban these foods altogether. Whether you agree or not, it's a complex issue and it's important to understand the difference between modifications aimed at improving plants' productivity and modifications aimed at controlling the earth's biodiversity. Hybridising of seeds has been done for generations. It's done without inteference by Nature and it's done by plant breeders or even home gardeners for fun. Hybridising means selecting a plant for the traits it has, such as bigger, tastier or hardier, then crossing it with another plant to get optimum results. Genetically modifying plants means introducing another species, usually animal genes into plants. The risks are enormous and the outcomes for the future are unknown and possibly dangerous. Big, Boutique or Grass RootsFor the most part, quarantine officials don't like seeds coming in from other countries. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and some European countries are particularly touchy about this issue, so it's important for you to source a good internal seed supplier.It will also help if your seed products are from a local supplier that is familiar with your growing conditions, should you need to ask questions. The choices you have in seed products settle into roughly three categories... big, boutique and grass roots. Big: The big seed suppliers have a large variety of vegetable seed types available. Don't write them off just because they're big... many are very sensitive to the concern over GM foods and supply seed varieties that are original and unmodified. If it concerns you, ask. If not, go for it. The range of vegetable seeds available is extraordinary. Those that make seed a core business, generally provide good quality seed products. Otherwise, it would be counterproductive to stay in business. Boutique: Boutique seed suppliers generally specialise in heritage or heirloom vegetables. These are unmodified species that have often also become rare vegetables. They are suppliers that collect seed from outdoor gardens, not laboratories. I have sort of intimated that big cannot be boutique, and that boutique cannot be big. That's not true. There are some very big, boutique suppliers of seed products. The other great thing about boutique suppliers is that the hunt for a particular type of vegetable can be fascinating. Serving a green tomato or a purple carrot could be just the thing for your next dinner party! Search them out on the internet under 'Heritage or Heirloom Vegetable Seeds' or 'Rare Vegetables'. Grass Roots: Ahhh! People power lives. This is a thriving movement to protect the biodiversity of the earth. The projects go from small collections of individuals in a neighbourhood to co-ordinating bodies across continents. They are not entirely focused on vegetables, but it's a good source of information for learning how to collect seeds. Some groups are more organised than others, so start at the top with this terrific collection of seed resources and work your way down to a group near you. If there isn't one, start one. Growing your own vegetables AND saving the planet? How good does that feel! Return to top: Seed Products
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