You have to type in the title of the article in the search function to get there, but it was an interesting read. I particularly think we all need to know that many of the plants now produce sterile seeds. That is a good thing re invasive plants but a bad thing if you want to collect seeds, especially vegetable ones.

Root, in that seed list I posted from NARGS, did you notice that the wild collected seeds had the site from which the seeds were gathered? I try to request seeds from areas in which the horticultural features mimic NC's Piedmont.

So many plants we purchase are now grown from tissue culture. There are positive things about this action, but it also means a "sameness," perhaps no chance of random sports. T. Avent buys tissue culture starts for many things, but most of his expensive plants are grown out the "hard" way, thus his very high prices. On the other hand, tissue culture has made possible lady slipper orchids at what some may think a reasonable price...still a little too pricey for me to chance growing them...but I love seeing them in his new catalog, which just arrived at my house yesterday.

Happy New (Gardening) Year to all.

http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/90/90-2/Jerri_Cook.html Works better in my browser.

This tale of who (just 7) owns 98% of the world's seed companies is fascinating. That is why I only use the 2% and only grow heirloom or open pollinated seeds. They haven't been hybridized and I don't need a special chemical to activate disease resistance or whatever. I don't like chemicals of any kind in my food, especially ones I grow myself. And, I can save seeds from what I grow for next year making it quite economical over time.

Reliably non-hybridized vegetable seeds come from Baker Creek (www.rareseeds.com). The owner states at the beginning of his catalog, "All our seed is non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated, and non-patented. .. We boycott all gene-altering companies. We work with a network of about 50 small farmers, gardeners & seed collectors...". I have been buying from this company for years and the number of seeds in a packet is always higher than those you pick off a revolving rack at big box stores.

Nancy

I will add that in the case of cucumbers, in my garden at least, a second crop of plants that sprout after some of the earlier "new seed" crop has produced fruit that got overlooked, over ripened and sprouted its mixed breed seeds around - those half breeds perform so much better. It may be because they end up growing later in the summer but I think its because they're mixed between various types. They always seem better and healthier.

Thankyou Nancy for the info on Baker. I always have to check what kinds of payments websites accept. Baker accepts ,besides credit card, checks and money orders. I'll be placing an order for sure and soon.
It's very gratifying to find a place like Baker.

Do you know where your seeds come from ?

Why yes I do,My garden or those of friends
and of course GERMANY,yes Germany any seeds
that I do purchase I do so from German Companies.

Blueangel

oook- why germany?

I think Germany is just the headquarters, the actual farms are scattered all over the world. There are huge greenhouse growing operations in the mountains of South America where the temps are pretty mild and the daylight is around 12hours bright, 12 hours dark, so they can grow just about anything. In order to provide the best seed possible very little of it is grown 'in the field' outside, most of it is grown in greenhouses with humans acting as the pollinators. Sometimes the facility is owned by the main company and other times it is on a contract.

All that being said... when one huge facility gets the contract to grow the seed for a certain flowering plant, they grow tons and tons of it. Then when you see this plant's seed offered for sale in a bunch of catalogs you would think they all had separate seed sources but in fact they all buy their seed from the same place and just package them in their own packaging.

I LOVE Baker Seeds. Great seeds and the selection grows every year (no pun intended). Shipping is always very fast and they always throw in a freebie pack of wildflowers too. Just a good company with a great product.

Yes John that is how it is done
same as food can goods
the label is put on the tin when the order is
placed,delmonte,green giant store brand.

amazing how several large companies supply
smaller ones with the same product.

blueangel

Another no-GMO seed company is Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (read about the gene altered mustard plant that would take over the world's other mustard strains if the Univ of Chicago continued their trials and provided the seeds to farmers). I've ordered from them many times and the seeds seem to have much higher germination rates, compared to the store-bought packets. Many seeds are also USDA certified organically grown.

Nancy the nancedar

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange