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Edible Gardens
How the Little Act of Saving Seeds Can Make a Big Difference
This year, grow an heirloom variety in your garden, save the seeds and play a small part in preserving plant diversity
Saving and sharing the seeds of a favorite heirloom variety of tomato, pepper or zucchini saves money, helps strengthen a connection with your garden and community, and preserves the variety so that you can grow it year after year. But that’s not all it does.
‘Purple Peacock’ broccoli
Why Seed Saving Is Important
“Humans have been collecting, saving and sharing seeds of carefully selected crops that grow well in their specific climate for thousands of years,” Buttala says. Through these actions, our ancestors created a genetically diverse plant collection that forms the base of our global food supply.
Over the past century, however, agricultural biodiversity has undergone a rapid decline, with many heritage and native plant species being replaced with commercial crop varieties.
Saving the seeds of slowly adapted heirloom plant varieties, and other open-pollinated varieties, helps preserve genetic diversity and prevent a single pest from wiping out a crop. The action of selecting the seeds to save of a crop that has an outstanding trait — like flavor, early ripening or disease resistance — ensures that the desirable characteristic can be enjoyed by future generations.
Why Seed Saving Is Important
“Humans have been collecting, saving and sharing seeds of carefully selected crops that grow well in their specific climate for thousands of years,” Buttala says. Through these actions, our ancestors created a genetically diverse plant collection that forms the base of our global food supply.
Over the past century, however, agricultural biodiversity has undergone a rapid decline, with many heritage and native plant species being replaced with commercial crop varieties.
Saving the seeds of slowly adapted heirloom plant varieties, and other open-pollinated varieties, helps preserve genetic diversity and prevent a single pest from wiping out a crop. The action of selecting the seeds to save of a crop that has an outstanding trait — like flavor, early ripening or disease resistance — ensures that the desirable characteristic can be enjoyed by future generations.
‘Aurora Mixed’ orach, an edible green with a flavor similar to spinach
What is an heirloom plant? To be considered an heirloom, a plant variety must have been passed down from gardener to gardener or within a family for a number of years. Although there’s no official industry standard for how many years a plant variety must be passed down to be considered an heirloom, many growers require at least 40, 50 or 75 years.
Heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and perennials are all true to seed, meaning that the seed from one plant will grow to produce the same plant and fruit as the parent. This is not always true with modern hybrids, which often produce sterile seeds and are propagated by cuttings in agricultural labs. Heirlooms are also open-pollinated, through the wind, bees or other natural methods.
What is an heirloom plant? To be considered an heirloom, a plant variety must have been passed down from gardener to gardener or within a family for a number of years. Although there’s no official industry standard for how many years a plant variety must be passed down to be considered an heirloom, many growers require at least 40, 50 or 75 years.
Heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and perennials are all true to seed, meaning that the seed from one plant will grow to produce the same plant and fruit as the parent. This is not always true with modern hybrids, which often produce sterile seeds and are propagated by cuttings in agricultural labs. Heirlooms are also open-pollinated, through the wind, bees or other natural methods.
‘Brad’s Atomic Grape’ tomato
What is biodiversity? Biodiversity — a contraction of “biological diversity” — is the variety of all forms of life on Earth, the diversity of life forms in a certain area or habitat, or both. A higher degree of biodiversity (more variation in genes, plants and animal forms) is considered to be important to the health of ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
A lack of biodiversity in our agricultural systems can lead, and already has led, to disaster. The 19th-century Irish potato famine, for example, which is estimated to have caused the deaths of roughly 1 million people, occurred when a mold wiped out the potato crop that a large proportion of a country’s population depended on for food. Planting a single type of crop, instead of a more biodiverse mix of crops, put the country at risk. Although we’ve gotten better at combating plant pests and diseases since then, modern methods of agriculture with mass plantings of single varieties put us at a similar risk.
What is biodiversity? Biodiversity — a contraction of “biological diversity” — is the variety of all forms of life on Earth, the diversity of life forms in a certain area or habitat, or both. A higher degree of biodiversity (more variation in genes, plants and animal forms) is considered to be important to the health of ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
A lack of biodiversity in our agricultural systems can lead, and already has led, to disaster. The 19th-century Irish potato famine, for example, which is estimated to have caused the deaths of roughly 1 million people, occurred when a mold wiped out the potato crop that a large proportion of a country’s population depended on for food. Planting a single type of crop, instead of a more biodiverse mix of crops, put the country at risk. Although we’ve gotten better at combating plant pests and diseases since then, modern methods of agriculture with mass plantings of single varieties put us at a similar risk.
‘German Pink’ tomato, an heirloom first brought to the U.S. from Bavaria in the 1870s as a seed, and one of the first two varieties in the Seed Savers Exchange collection
While governments and groups like the United Nations increasingly recognize the importance of conserving seeds that are vital for agriculture, seed saving started with small actions by local people, and home gardeners can still play an important role in carrying on the tradition.
How Home Gardeners Can Help Preserve Heirloom Varieties and Plant Biodiversity
1. Grow heirloom varieties. “We can all help preserve heirloom varieties by growing them in our backyards,” Buttala says. Seed Savers Exchange refers to this as “in situ preservation.” The value of growing heirloom varieties at home is that, over time, the plants adapt to the growing conditions of each area. Growing heirlooms in diverse areas plays an important role in discovering slight variations that might make a plant more drought-resistant, more productive, or better adapted to poor soil or other desirable characteristics.
2. Save heirloom seeds. Instead of harvesting and eating your entire crop or deadheading all the flowers, allow some fruits or seed heads to grow to maturity. Harvest and fully dry the seeds before saving them in a cool, dry area (like a north-facing room with low humidity) for next year’s planting.
3. Share seeds with others. Share heirloom seeds with neighbors and family members. You can go a step further by sharing heirloom seeds on the Seed Savers exchange, which allows users to share heirloom seeds with others, or on any other online seed exchange. The GardenWeb channel on Houzz also has a seed-saving section.
While governments and groups like the United Nations increasingly recognize the importance of conserving seeds that are vital for agriculture, seed saving started with small actions by local people, and home gardeners can still play an important role in carrying on the tradition.
How Home Gardeners Can Help Preserve Heirloom Varieties and Plant Biodiversity
1. Grow heirloom varieties. “We can all help preserve heirloom varieties by growing them in our backyards,” Buttala says. Seed Savers Exchange refers to this as “in situ preservation.” The value of growing heirloom varieties at home is that, over time, the plants adapt to the growing conditions of each area. Growing heirlooms in diverse areas plays an important role in discovering slight variations that might make a plant more drought-resistant, more productive, or better adapted to poor soil or other desirable characteristics.
2. Save heirloom seeds. Instead of harvesting and eating your entire crop or deadheading all the flowers, allow some fruits or seed heads to grow to maturity. Harvest and fully dry the seeds before saving them in a cool, dry area (like a north-facing room with low humidity) for next year’s planting.
3. Share seeds with others. Share heirloom seeds with neighbors and family members. You can go a step further by sharing heirloom seeds on the Seed Savers exchange, which allows users to share heirloom seeds with others, or on any other online seed exchange. The GardenWeb channel on Houzz also has a seed-saving section.
‘Glass Gem’ corn
4. Tell someone about your special plant. Seed Savers Exchange accepts donations of unique open-pollinated heirloom seeds. It particularly looks for varieties with exceptional characteristics, those with some history in the Americas (indigenous or brought by settlers) or varieties attached to a family story. Each year, it grows a selection of new varieties at Heritage Farm, its 890-acre farm in Decorah, Iowa, and makes outstanding heirlooms available for purchase in following years. Apart from Seed Savers Exchange, other resources for sharing exceptional seeds include your local Master Gardener group and groups listed at the end of this article.
5. Buy from groups that sell heirloom seeds. If you can’t save seeds yourself, buy from groups like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Territorial Seed, Seed Savers Exchange and others that save and sell heirloom seeds. Your purchase helps support these groups, and growing their plants keeps heirloom varieties in gardens.
6. Buy produce from farmers who practice sustainable agriculture and grow a diversity of heirloom crops. Use your purchasing power as a consumer to make a stand. Whenever possible, buy fruits and vegetables from local farmers who practice sustainable, organic methods of agriculture and plant a diverse range of heirloom crops.
4. Tell someone about your special plant. Seed Savers Exchange accepts donations of unique open-pollinated heirloom seeds. It particularly looks for varieties with exceptional characteristics, those with some history in the Americas (indigenous or brought by settlers) or varieties attached to a family story. Each year, it grows a selection of new varieties at Heritage Farm, its 890-acre farm in Decorah, Iowa, and makes outstanding heirlooms available for purchase in following years. Apart from Seed Savers Exchange, other resources for sharing exceptional seeds include your local Master Gardener group and groups listed at the end of this article.
5. Buy from groups that sell heirloom seeds. If you can’t save seeds yourself, buy from groups like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Territorial Seed, Seed Savers Exchange and others that save and sell heirloom seeds. Your purchase helps support these groups, and growing their plants keeps heirloom varieties in gardens.
6. Buy produce from farmers who practice sustainable agriculture and grow a diversity of heirloom crops. Use your purchasing power as a consumer to make a stand. Whenever possible, buy fruits and vegetables from local farmers who practice sustainable, organic methods of agriculture and plant a diverse range of heirloom crops.
Heritage Farm in Decorah, Iowa, where Seed Savers Exchange grows selected heirlooms every year
About Seed Savers Exchange
Kent and Diane Ott Whealy founded Seed Savers Exchange in 1975 with just two heirloom seed varieties: ‘Grandpa Ott’s’ morning glory and ‘German Pink’ tomato. Both seeds were given to the Whealys by Diane’s grandpa, who had received them from his parents when they immigrated to the U.S. from Bavaria, Germany, in the 1870s. With Seed Savers, the Whealys brought together a network of home gardeners interested in growing, saving and sharing heirloom seeds.
Today, the Iowa-based nongovernmental organization has over 13,000 members, has 20,000 heirloom seed varieties, and acts as both a community-building group and a national seed bank for heirlooms. Select varieties are donated annually to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, in Norway.
About Seed Savers Exchange
Kent and Diane Ott Whealy founded Seed Savers Exchange in 1975 with just two heirloom seed varieties: ‘Grandpa Ott’s’ morning glory and ‘German Pink’ tomato. Both seeds were given to the Whealys by Diane’s grandpa, who had received them from his parents when they immigrated to the U.S. from Bavaria, Germany, in the 1870s. With Seed Savers, the Whealys brought together a network of home gardeners interested in growing, saving and sharing heirloom seeds.
Today, the Iowa-based nongovernmental organization has over 13,000 members, has 20,000 heirloom seed varieties, and acts as both a community-building group and a national seed bank for heirlooms. Select varieties are donated annually to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, in Norway.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, outside Longyearbyen, Norway
A trip to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. When we caught up with Buttala, he had recently returned from delivering Seed Savers Exchange’s annual deposit of rare seed varieties to what people call the Doomsday Vault, an underground global seed vault carved into the permafrost north of Svalbard, Norway, above the Arctic Circle. “It’s like something out of James Bond,” Buttala says. The vault, which houses more than 1 million heirloom seeds from all over the world, acts as a global safety net for preserving seed genetic diversity.
A trip to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. When we caught up with Buttala, he had recently returned from delivering Seed Savers Exchange’s annual deposit of rare seed varieties to what people call the Doomsday Vault, an underground global seed vault carved into the permafrost north of Svalbard, Norway, above the Arctic Circle. “It’s like something out of James Bond,” Buttala says. The vault, which houses more than 1 million heirloom seeds from all over the world, acts as a global safety net for preserving seed genetic diversity.
Visit Seed Savers Exchange. Seed Savers Exchange is open to visitors and hosts a number of heirloom-centric events at Heritage Farm, open March 1 through Oct. 31. Visitors can view the display gardens, the farm planted with heirlooms and the historic orchard planted with 900 apple tree varieties. Visitors also can purchase heirloom seeds from the farm store. More info
Don’t miss: The annual tomato tasting is a highlight of the summer events schedule. This year, it will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 1. Sample a range of tasty heirloom varieties, learn tips for growing healthy tomato plants and pick out which ones you’d like to grow next year. The event is free to attend. For details and a full events schedule, visit the Seed Savers Exchange website.
Don’t miss: The annual tomato tasting is a highlight of the summer events schedule. This year, it will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 1. Sample a range of tasty heirloom varieties, learn tips for growing healthy tomato plants and pick out which ones you’d like to grow next year. The event is free to attend. For details and a full events schedule, visit the Seed Savers Exchange website.
‘Borries Yellow’ watermelon is a “new” heirloom variety offered by Seed Savers Exchange that its executive director, Lee Buttala, is excited about. The fruit has a creamy yellow flesh and ranks high in flavor. The seeds were given to Seed Savers Exchange by the Borries family of Illinois. They were first acquired by Joseph Borries about 1970 and have been passed down through his family ever since.
In addition to Seed Savers Exchange, other local and international groups are working to collectively help preserve seed genetic diversity through saving heirloom and native seeds.
To name a few: Hawaii Public Seed Initiative on Kauai, Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance in Idaho, National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Colorado, Irish Seed Savers Association, Millennium Seed Bank in England, Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry in Russia, Navdanya in India and The Australian PlantBank.
Houzz readers: Have you grown heirloom varieties? Has your family passed down seeds with a story? Tell us about them in the Comments.
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To name a few: Hawaii Public Seed Initiative on Kauai, Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance in Idaho, National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Colorado, Irish Seed Savers Association, Millennium Seed Bank in England, Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry in Russia, Navdanya in India and The Australian PlantBank.
Houzz readers: Have you grown heirloom varieties? Has your family passed down seeds with a story? Tell us about them in the Comments.
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How to Get More Plants for Free
10 Delicious Heirloom Tomatoes to Grow This Summer
Seed saving may seem like a simple action but, if made by many, it can help preserve biodiversity and, in a small way, help with global food security. We caught up with Buttala to learn more about the importance of seed saving and the ways home gardeners can make a difference.
Note: These seed-saving suggestions are intended for heirloom and other open-pollinated plant varieties (those pollinated by wind, bees or other natural methods). Additionally, seed and plant exchanges are regulated by government laws.