Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

What is your opinion on using heirloom, organic, non-GMO seeds versus the hybrid versions, or seeds that Montsanto has possibly manipulated?

Reason I am asking is because this year, I have purchased all heirloom seeds from a company called www.mypatriotsupply.com I received them in the mail yesterday, and I am really excited about them. They come in mylar bags, and were only $1.50 a package with at least 100 seeds in each package! I have posted a picture of them below. I got a lot of seeds for a small investment.

This is my first year to try to go non-GMO all the way. In past years, I've mixed organic and hybrids.

Anyone else doing strict heirloom only? If you are planting a garden, where are you buying your seeds? Did you save your seeds from last year?

Please share your experiences! Thanks :)

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

I have been toying with the idea of planting a 4' X 4' garden.

The idea is to build a wooden box on the ground and fill it with a mixture of:

* Blended Compost
* Peat Moss
* Coarse Vermiculite

I had not given any thought to the seeds I would use though, and now you have given me something else to think about.

I would like to grow tomatos, cucumbers and maybe melons.

The main problem I have is that my yard has a ton of trees, bushes, plants and shade. I have yet to figure out what spot would get the optimum amount of sun.

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

I never understood the problem with GMO foods. Man has been genetically manipulating foods for centuries through cross breeding. All our food is GMO

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

I bought heirloom seeds a couple years ago. My experience with The Ark Institute http://www.arkinstitute.com/ (where I bought the seeds) was that it was too expensive for what I got (in comparison to your company), they were packaged terribly, the seeds fall out in the corners of the non-sealable brown paper packets they came in, (maybe they changed that by now), they don't tell you how much you are getting (just a lot), and the seeds did not grow well. I will not be buying from them again.

I have also learned more about what specific seeds are GMO so some seeds I will buy cheaply at the store and just buy non-GMO corn, zucchini, summer squash etc.

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

It is one thing to cross-breed, and work to manipulate and create hybrid plants, as generations before us have done, but Montsanto has taken it a step further by using chemicals, namely Roundup, to work with their seed manipulation in their laboratories. Further, the seeds manipulated by Montsanto cannot reproduce beyond the third year. Anything manipulated or created in a laboratory cannot reproduce itself. The fear is that if Montsanto has its way, soon, no seed will be able to reproduce itself, unless created in a laboratory. This is why having heirloom seeds, non-GMO is so crucial, because eventually, if Montsanto has its way, no seed will be able to reproduce further than 3 years.

Not only that, the GMO-grown food has been shown to dramatically increase cancer rates in those who consume it.

Here is an article, one of many, that you can read to learn more about GMO versus non-GMO.

http://naturalrevolution.org/gmo-res...ly-about-gmos/

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

I have been wanting to build an above ground box too. There is a book called Lasagna Gardening, which shows you how to go about building a garden in a box, lasagna style (with the different layers resembling lasagna, hence the name). You can probably check it out at your local library.

Tomatoes need full sun, really, as do cucumbers, and melons. If you have a lot of shade at your house, perhaps you could look and see if there is a community garden in your area where you could have a garden. More and more communities are doing this. There is one in our small little town. Or, if there is not one, perhaps you have a neighbor, friend, or family member, who has a better spot to garden, and wouldn't mind you using their area to garden. I know of people who do this as well. Just some things to consider. Sunlight is really important for the garden, as well as good soil. But, if you feel you have too much shade, it wouldn't be worth all that effort to try to garden in your yard, without the sunlight.

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

That is sad that you had such terrible luck with that particular company. I have no idea how these seeds will do, but they certainly came packaged very nicely in the mylar bags, with instructions on each package on when and how to plant. I know that heirloom seeds do not produce as well as the hybrid ones, so, I will be watching closely to see what my yields are with these seeds. We have had such a cold winter here, that I doubt I'll be able to plant until the end of May. The ground is still frozen here, although most of the snow has melted.

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

We plant only non-gmo, organic, heirloom seeds. We've had a huge, huge garden which is at least twice the size of our full sized barn...however, it's too much, I can't take care of it and it's nothing but a weed patch. This fall hubby is building me two 4 x 10 raised beds, waist high. Also, a 2 x 5 or so raised bed for herbs. When he's finished, I'll take pictures and try to figure out how to put them on here.

I will plant only the veggies we will really eat. We've wasted so many veggies because no one wants them, although we are juicing these days and we will use more than I originally thought we would. Broccoli, kale, lettuce, onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, beets, and zuchini. Oh, and cucumbers. In the herb bed I'll put sage, thyme, rosemeary, parsley, dill, cilantro, and oregano. There is nothing like fresh home grown herbs. In pots I'll grow ginger...(takes 2 years so they come in for the winter), chamomile, peppermint and possibly astragalus or california poppy. Maybe feverfew, too. I use them for home remedies for our family as well as for cooking. Might try growing turmeric again, too.

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

We just started ours last year, using a raised bed. Had onions, carrots, peppers, and pole beans.

This year we did squash. YUUUUUGE! We haven't bought veggies from the store except some carrots and some potatoes since I think May or something. How many ways can you cook squash and zucchini? lol

We also expanded, and planted tomatoes, peppers, and watermelon. Everything died. Well, except the peppers, they never even came up. We've got TONS of St Augustine that took over, though, lol. Plus dome stuff from our pasture I dont even know what it is.

Our two grapevines are in their second year, going out of control. lol

All our newly planted fruit trees died over winter, except the apple tree. North east Texas, whodathunkit? Even the orange tree failed to come back.

Might do a greenhouse next year.

We only plant non GMO heirloom seeds too.

Re: Heirloom organic non-GMO seeds vs Hybrid
 

When we have years like that, we just chalk it up to learning, experience or figuring out what to do better next year. And our peppers never come up! lol.