One of the factors that most influences the germination rate of seeds is how they are stored. Like the plants that produce them, seeds come in all sorts of forms and sizes. They are also variable in their longevity.
Vegetable seeds that are considered “long-lived” include the Brassicas (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, kohlrabi…) the chicory group (endive, escarole, radicchio), cucumber, kale, lettuce, melons, mustards, peppers, radish, rutabaga, sunflower, tomato and turnips. Stored correctly, these seeds should maintain a good viability for more than five years.
“Medium-lived” varieties include beans, carrots, celery, chard, eggplant, parsley, peas, pumpkin, salsify, and squash. These varieties, if properly stored, should last up to five years.
“Short-lived” seeds include corn, leek, onion, parsnip, and spinach. These are generally not recommended for more than one seas
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Scientists can now bypass the traditional breeding methods of manipulating plant characteristics. Rather than cross-breeding plants, they can work directly with plant DNA -- the genetic code containing the blueprint for all characteristics. Scientists can now take pieces of this code with the qualities they want and insert them into any cell.
Genetic modification of seeds primarily occurs to make plants resistant to herbicides or pesticides. The field can then be sprayed, leaving the modified plants unharmed. This process is used mainly in crops grown on an industrial scale. Like coating seeds with pesticides or other chemicals, this process, in our opinion, is fraught with problems.
We at West Coast Seeds do not support genetically modified organisms (GMO) for the following reasons:
- A single gene does not give rise to a single characteristic. There are too many unforeseen reactions to make this a safe method of breeding.
- There is a
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We are often asked this question. The easiest way to explain "hybrid seeds" to first understand what is not a hybrid seed. You may notice that some plants mature earlier than others of the same strain, or may have a slightly different colour. This is a clear indication that they are open pollinated. If you grow their seed next year, you will pretty much get the same plant you had the previous year. This is a great, cost-effective way for you to select plants that do well in your garden.
However, uniformity in disease resistance, date of maturity, and all physical qualities is necessary for most market gardeners and useful for home gardeners with very limited space. This uniformity is ensured by growing hybrid seed.
A hybrid is created by crossing two unique parents. Crossing involves taking the pollen from the male and transferring it to the female. The first generation of offspring from this cross all look and act the same. They also show what's
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