12/10/2022
Why save seeds?
1. They are free. I frequently see people comparing saved seeds to home canned food. The lack of confidence might result in fear of an inferior product, so buying packets every year masks that fear
2. They make great gifts. I will regularly give them away at seed swaps, to friends and family, or a neighbor. I send ripe tomatoes and zucchini their way from the garden, so gifting seeds is the “teach a man to fish” gardening equivalent.
3. Genetic preservation. Too often we just say “I don’t trust my ability” or “it isn’t worth my time” or “it doesn’t interest me” and this attitude is dangerous to the survival of heirloom seeds as we know it. Every heirloom seed that has ever existed, exists today because someone found it worth saving seeds from, and did so to ensure the genetics were saved for a future year.
4. Seed security. Don’t put your faith in a certain variety being available for sale every single year. What happens if a drought and wildfires kill off 90% of the farms growing the seed commercially? This happened to Mizuna red streaks mustard and it was a near miss with extinction. Or what if record rains flood the fields of 90% of rhubarb seed production, resulting in a worldwide shortage of rhubarb seed? This happened 3 years ago and is still wreaking havoc today.
5. Better seed. How could Blue Lake Bush Beans from seeds you saved be better than ones you bought? Climatization. Over time, seeds from your garden will get accustomed to your soil, your elevation, average rainfall, average nighttime temperatures, daytime temperatures, humidity, etc. and this gives them an advantage over seeds you just bought that have been grown and moved to a new location.
If you need seed however, check out MIgardener.com - we have over 700 varieties of heirloom seed at a super affordable price. We proudly offer the highest quality seed at the lowest price, and ship anywhere!
