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There is a growing interest in home gardening with heirloom plants. The term refers to varieties that are usually at least a half-century old and have been open-pollinated to produce seeds with the same traits as the parent plants.

Heirloom seeds can be varieties that have been grown in your particular area by your family for decades, or seed varieties brought over by immigrants, or perhaps plants that had been offered commercially prior to the 1950s.

Your parents or grandparents may have saved seeds for you to grow. There are also seed banks dedicated to the preservation of heirloom varieties. (Look for more information on them online.) You can participate in these banks by donating seeds from your own family heirloom varieties, or by obtaining some heirloom seed for your own planting purposes. You can return the “loan” with seed you have produced from these same heirloom plants.

The appeal of these plants is undeniable. They usually have more scent and flavor than moden hybrids. Also, the genetic diversity in heirlooms (compared to today’s hybrids) provides a natural resistance to disease. For many heirloom fans, growing these varieties is all about preserving them for future generations. If you grow heirloom plants in your garden, consider setting aside some seed to pass along to your family’s next generation or donate some seed to the heirloom seed projects.

Tags: Heirloom+Plants, Heirloom+Seeds

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