SEEDS EXPLAINED: Heirloom, Hybrid, Organic, and GMO Seeds 🌰

Summary

In this informative video, Kevin Espiritu from Epic Gardening clarifies common seed terminologies such as GMO, hybrid, and heirloom. He explains that GMO seeds are not available for home gardeners and debunks the misconception that 'non-GMO' labels offer additional value. Espiritu further discusses the pros and cons of hybrid seeds, emphasizing their reliability and the need for annual seed purchases. He advocates for organic seeds, highlighting their hardiness and the benefits of supporting local seed companies. Lastly, he extols heirloom seeds for their true-to-type characteristics, diverse varieties, and regional adaptability, while acknowledging their potential lack of genetic improvements.

Takeaways

• 🌱 GMO seeds are genetically modified organisms and are not typically available for home gardeners.
• 📌 'Non-GMO' on seed packets is essentially redundant as most seeds are non-GMO by default.
• 🍃 Hybrid seeds, often labeled as F1, are the result of cross-pollination between two different parent plants.
• 🚫 Hybrid seeds may not produce true to type offspring when seeds are saved and replanted.
• 🌼 Heirloom seeds are older, open-pollinated varieties that will produce plants with the same characteristics as the parent plant.
• 🌳 Organic seeds are grown without synthetic chemicals, which can lead to hardier plants.
• 🔄 There is a false dichotomy between organic and synthetic; both can have benefits and drawbacks.
• 🌿 Conventional seeds may be grown with synthetic chemicals, which can affect the resulting plants' resilience.
• 💰 Growing heirloom seeds can provide more autonomy and potentially save money in the long run by saving seeds.
• 🌍 Heirloom seeds are often adapted to specific regions, making them a good choice for local gardening.

Q & A

What is the main concern Kevin Espiritu addresses in the video?

Kevin Espiritu addresses the confusion and misinformation surrounding different types of seeds and aims to clarify what each category of seed means, including GMO, hybrid, organic, and heirloom.

Why are GMO seeds not typically available for home gardeners?

GMO seeds are not available for home gardeners because they are genetically modified in a way that involves taking genetics from one species, sometimes even animals, and splicing it into the genetic sequence of the plant, which is not accessible for home gardeners to perform.

What is the significance of the term 'non-GMO' on seed packets?

The term 'non-GMO' on seed packets indicates that the seeds have not been genetically modified by splicing in genetics from other species, but it is essentially redundant since most seeds available to home gardeners are non-GMO by default.

What is a hybrid seed and why might some gardeners avoid them?

A hybrid seed is a cross between two different parent plants, often resulting in a plant with desirable traits from both parents. Some gardeners might avoid them because the seeds saved from hybrid plants may not produce the same plant characteristics in the next generation, requiring them to buy new seeds each year.

What does the term 'F1 hybrid' signify in seed terminology?

The term 'F1 hybrid' signifies the first generation of hybridization, indicating that the seed is from the initial cross between two parent plants.

Why might organic seeds be more resistant to pests and diseases?

Organic seeds might be more resistant to pests and diseases because they are grown without synthetic chemicals, leading to a natural selection process where only the hardiest plants produce seeds, thus passing on their resilience.

What is the difference between 'organic' as a certification and 'organic' in a scientific sense?

In a scientific sense, 'organic' refers to something that was once alive, while 'organic' as a certification involves a specific set of practices and standards that must be met for a product to be labeled as organic, such as the use of natural pest control methods instead of synthetic chemicals.

Why are heirloom seeds considered valuable by many gardeners?

Heirloom seeds are considered valuable because they are often older varieties that come true to type, meaning that if you save their seeds, you will get the same plant characteristics in the next generation. They also offer a wide variety of flavors, colors, and growing characteristics, and can be more self-sufficient as you can save the seeds for future planting.

What is the potential downside of heirloom seeds compared to hybrids?

The potential downside of heirloom seeds compared to hybrids is that they may not have been improved upon genetically for traits like pest or disease resistance, as they are not actively selected for these improvements like some hybrid varieties might be.

How can gardeners find out which heirloom seeds are best suited for their region?

Gardeners can find out which heirloom seeds are best suited for their region by consulting with local master gardeners, visiting local nurseries, or talking to other gardeners in their area who specialize in heirloom varieties.

What is the main takeaway from Kevin Espiritu's discussion on seed types?

The main takeaway is that each type of seed—GMO, hybrid, organic, and heirloom—has its own characteristics and considerations. Understanding these can help gardeners make informed decisions about which seeds to choose for their gardening needs.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Understanding Seed Types

Kevin Espiritu from Epic Gardening introduces the topic of seed types, aiming to clarify common misconceptions and provide guidance on selecting seeds for gardening. He addresses the difference between heirloom, organic, non-GMO, hybrid, and open-pollinated seeds. Kevin explains that GMO seeds are not available to home gardeners and that the term 'non-GMO' is essentially redundant for seeds sold to consumers. He also discusses the concept of hybrid seeds, or F1 hybrids, and the reasons why some gardeners may prefer them over others, including the inability to save seeds from hybrid plants for future planting.

05:01

🌿 The Debate on Organic vs. Conventional Seeds

The script delves into the distinction between organic and conventional seeds. It clarifies that 'organic' in a scientific context refers to something that was once alive, while in the context of seed certification, it involves a set of strict guidelines that must be followed to earn the organic label. Kevin challenges the false dichotomy between organic and synthetic, arguing that not all natural substances are beneficial and not all synthetic ones are harmful. He expresses a preference for organic seeds, supporting smaller seed companies and the idea that seeds grown without heavy reliance on synthetic chemicals tend to be hardier.

10:01

🍅 The Allure of Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom seeds are discussed as a favorite among gardeners for their rich variety, flavor, and the ability to save and replant seeds for true-to-type results. The term 'heirloom' is not strictly defined, but generally refers to seeds that are very old and have been passed down through generations. Kevin notes that heirloom seeds offer a sense of self-sufficiency and are often well-adapted to specific regions. However, he also acknowledges potential downsides, such as a lack of genetic improvements and the argument that some hybrids may offer better resistance to pests and diseases.

🌼 Conclusion and Encouragement for the Growing Season

In the final paragraph, Kevin summarizes the information provided and expresses his hope that the video has clarified the complexities surrounding different seed types. He acknowledges the depth of the topic and the potential for confusion, but encourages viewers to apply the knowledge gained as they prepare for the upcoming growing season. The video concludes with well-wishes for success in gardening and an encouragement to continue growing.

Keywords

💡Heirloom

Heirloom refers to seeds or plants that are old varieties, often passed down through generations. In the context of the video, heirloom seeds are prized for their ability to produce true-to-type offspring when seeds are saved and replanted, unlike hybrids. The video mentions heirloom seeds as a favorite among gardeners for their unique characteristics and flavors, and for providing a sense of self-sufficiency and connection to the past.

💡Organic

Organic, in the video, is used in two contexts: as a certification indicating a specific process of cultivation without synthetic chemicals, and as a general term for something derived from living matter. The video emphasizes the distinction between organic as a certification and organic as a natural state. It also discusses the preference for organic seeds due to their potential for hardiness and resistance developed without synthetic protection.

💡Non-GMO

Non-GMO stands for 'non-genetically modified organism'. The video clarifies that for home gardeners, GMO seeds are not available, and thus, the term 'non-GMO' on seed packets is essentially redundant as all seeds sold to home gardeners are non-GMO by default. The video also explains that GMO involves the direct manipulation of an organism's genes, often from different species, which is not something that can be done at a home gardening level.

💡Hybrid

A hybrid seed, often referred to as an F1 hybrid, is a first-generation cross between two different parent plants. The video explains that hybrid seeds are not always 'safe' in the sense that they may not produce true-to-type offspring when seeds are saved and replanted. Hybrids are valued for combining desirable traits from different varieties but require the gardener to purchase seeds annually as the saved seeds may not produce the same plant characteristics.

💡Open Pollinated

Open pollinated seeds are seeds that are pollinated naturally, without human intervention, and can be saved and replanted to produce plants with the same characteristics as the parent. The video does not explicitly mention open pollinated seeds, but the concept is closely related to heirloom seeds, which are often open pollinated and can be saved and reused by gardeners.

💡True to Type

True to type is a term used to describe seeds or plants that, when grown from saved seeds, will produce offspring with the same characteristics as the parent plant. The video discusses this in the context of heirloom seeds, which are valued for their ability to come true to type, unlike hybrid seeds which may not produce the same plant when their seeds are replanted.

💡Pest Resistance

Pest resistance refers to a plant's ability to withstand or tolerate damage from pests. The video mentions that some hybrid seeds are developed to have improved pest resistance, which can be a desirable trait for gardeners. However, it also suggests that heirloom seeds, while not specifically bred for resistance, may have developed natural resistance over time.

💡Disease Resistance

Disease resistance is the ability of a plant to resist or recover from diseases. Similar to pest resistance, the video discusses how hybrid seeds may be developed to have improved disease resistance. This is contrasted with heirloom seeds, which may not have been specifically bred for disease resistance but could have naturally developed some level of it.

💡Survival of the Fittest

Survival of the fittest is a concept from evolutionary biology that the organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. The video uses this term to explain why organic seeds might be hardier, as they are not protected by synthetic chemicals during cultivation, leading to a natural selection process where only the strongest seeds survive to be used for planting.

💡Self-Sufficiency

Self-sufficiency in the context of the video refers to the ability of gardeners to provide for their own needs, such as saving seeds from one season to plant in the next, without relying on external sources. The video suggests that growing heirloom seeds can lead to self-sufficiency as these seeds can be saved and reused, reducing the need to purchase new seeds each year.

Highlights

GMO seeds are not available for home gardeners; all seeds available to them are non-GMO by default.

GMO seeds involve taking genetics from one species and inserting them into another, such as Bt corn, which has bacterial genetics spliced in.

Hybrid seeds, often labeled as F1, result from cross-pollinating two different plants to create a new variety with desired traits.

Hybrid seeds do not come true to type when saved and replanted, meaning you may not get the same plant as the original.

Hybrids can combine the best traits of two heirloom varieties, such as flavor and pest resistance, to improve overall plant performance.

Organic seeds must adhere to specific growing practices, including the prohibition of synthetic chemicals and reliance on organic pest control.

Organic seeds can be hardier due to natural selection processes that favor survival in the absence of synthetic protections.

Heirloom seeds are old, stable varieties that come true to type when saved, unlike hybrids.

Heirloom seeds are prized for their unique and diverse varieties, offering distinct flavors, colors, and traits.

Heirloom seeds are often regionally adapted, making them a strong choice for local growing conditions.

Heirloom varieties offer autonomy, as gardeners can save seeds year after year without relying on commercial seed companies.

Some heirlooms may lack improvements seen in hybrids, such as disease or pest resistance.

Hybrids are sometimes favored for enhanced resistance to pests and diseases, offering a more reliable yield.

There's no inherent safety issue with hybrid seeds, and they often improve on the genetic traits of heirlooms.

The debate between organic and synthetic practices often creates a false dichotomy; some organic practices may be harmful, while synthetic ones can be beneficial.

Transcripts

Heirloom, organic, non-GMO, hybrid, open pollinated.

What does this all mean?

And is there a best type of seed to grow in your garden?

Kevin Espiritu here from Epic Gardening where it's my goal to help you grow a

greener thumb.

This is hands down the question that I get the most when it comes to

starting seeds, selecting seeds.

And also it's the section of gardening I think where there's a lot of

misinformation. So in today's video, I'm going to go over each category of seed.

What it actually means, if it's safe,

if it's not safe and hopefully give you a little better understanding of what

you're actually buying. So without further ado,

cultivate that Like button for an informative seed selection class, if you will,

and let's get into it.

The first thing we need to talk about is the big bad boogeyman of the gardening

world, which would be a GMO seed. But what does it mean? First of all,

GMO - genetic modified organisms, sometimes called genetically engineered.

And I'm going to cut right to the chase for you.

You really can't even grow these as a home gardener.

They're not available to you. You can't really buy them.

And whenever you see a seed pack that says non-GMO,

it is TRUE that those seeds that you're buying are not genetically modified,

but at the same time,

every seed that you're buying is not genetically modified in the way that GMO

seeds are. And what do I mean by that?

Typically what you're dealing with there is when you're taking genetics from one

species, sometimes even animal,

and implanting it and splicing it into the genetic sequence of the plant

that we're talking about. So let's take corn for example. Bt corn is a very,

very popular GMO seed.

And we know from our organic gardening practices that Bt,

bacillus thuringiensis, is a popular organic control.

They've taken genetics from that bacteria and put it into corn.

So that is what we call a GMO seed.

When you're taking genetics from one species and putting it into another.

Now what I'm saying here - and I'm not commenting on the politics of it,

the ethics of it, the morality of it,

the safety of it - I'm not commenting on any of that.

I'm commenting on the actual definition of what we're talking about.

So when you see at a store that these seeds are non-GMO,

you basically aren't being told anything of value because every seed you're

buying is non-GMO,

in the sense that none of those seeds have genetics that have been spliced in

from other species. But that brings us to our next term. Next up,

we have the often confusing hybrid seed sometimes called an F1

hybrid.

The reason why people think hybrid seeds are not safe or not

good to grow, is slightly related and slightly different than a GMO.

So what is a hybrid?

Let's just say I have my Epic Cabbage variety over here that

resists pests really well. It's an heirloom variety.

And then I have another cabbage over here that has incredible vigor and it grows

really fast and it's just amazingly delicious.

And I let them go to seed and I actually cross the seeds, and then voila,

what do I have?

I have a cross pollinated plant and the resulting seeds will be a hybrid of

those two parent plants.

That's what we're talking about when we're talking about a hybrid. Now,

what does F1 mean? That simply means the generation of hybridization.

So F1 would be the first generation. Now,

the reason why a lot of gardeners prefer NOT to grow hybrid seeds is because

more or less, you're beholden to a seed company when you buy a hybrid seed.

Because you cannot save the seeds from those plants and have them come what we

call, true to type. And so whatever you grew,

let's say you grew a beautiful tomato F1 hybrid plant, right? And you loved it.

You save those seeds, you plant those seeds.

You're not going to get the same plant because they have a tendency to revert

back to the qualities of their parents until they get more stable.

So you'll see F2, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

The further down you go in the lineage,

the more stable those plants become until eventually they will become their own

stable variety.

Now that's just a completely different thing that gets into plant genetics.

That's actually a little bit out of my expertise.

But I do want to explain that there's nothing inherently bad about a hybrid seed

from a safety perspective or anything like that. And in fact,

some varieties that I grow are fantastic as hybrids.

Because a lot of the times what they'll do is they'll cross beautiful heirloom

varieties and improve upon those varieties while retaining all the qualities

that those varieties are known for.

And so let's say you have a beautiful tomato, the color and flavor is amazing,

and you cross it with something that adds more disease or pest resistance while

not deleting the flavor, the color, the vigor, or et cetera.

Then that's just simply a better variety. Now,

the difference there is that you're going to have to pay that seed company every

single year for that variety. You can't save the seeds.

So you lose a little bit of your autonomy there.

Next up we have organic seeds or conventional seeds.

What does that actually mean? Well,

this is probably deserving of its own video and it might be something that

causes a little bit of debate down in the Comments.

So I'm actually curious what you guys think here.

But you really have to separate the word organic as a certification,

that goes through a specific process versus the conventional way of growing,

and the actual meaning of the word organic. So from a scientific perspective,

organic means something that was once alive, right? Organic matter.

From the perspective of the certification,

you really have a quite long checklist of things you can and cannot do in order

to be called an organic seed.

Like you cannot use synthetic chemicals to grow your plants, to prevent pests,

to prevent diseases. You have to use organic ones or natural ones.

Now there IS a false dichotomy, and I really want to speak to this,

of organic versus synthetic.

Some things that are organic or natural are actually not good for you.

Arsenic would be a great example. You don't want to eat that.

Whereas things that have been made by man, synthesized,

can be fantastic for society in some cases.

There is no one's good, one's the other. It is a false dichotomy.

And in fact if you ask me,

the conventional industry and the organic industry are sort of in league with

each other, kind of bouncing each other off as the good and bad guy.

Because it perpetuates this sort of false war between the two,

where you really have to think for yourself. So,

am I saying that organic seeds are bad? No,

in fact I prefer to grow organic seeds and it's for these reasons. Number one,

a lot of the organic seed companies are smaller local seed companies like my

friend's, Brijette, over at San Diego Seed Company.

I love supporting a smaller business compared to these massive conglomerate

businesses. Number two, here's the really interesting one.

The less that you are protecting or providing a shield to your plant with

herbicides and pesticides when you're growing the plant for seed,

the hardier those resulting seeds will be.

Because the ones that would have died from the pest or diseases,

didn't make it to seed, right?

So you're sort of left with the survival of the fittest,

a true sort of evolutionary selection going on,

where the organic seeds oftentimes can be quite resistant to things that a more

conventionally or babied plant would not be. And of course,

these are broad generalities I'm speaking in as sort of these big concepts.

And I'm sure that like a plant geneticist or a seedsman or seedswoman would have

something a little bit more particular and technical to say about what I'm

saying. However, I do think this is a good general understanding. Now,

let's move on to our favorite type of seed as gardeners. All right,

the big kahuna,

the Holy Grail for gardeners and what's in this box for the most part,

and this one too, I might even need a third box for all my seeds this year.

Heirloom seeds. What are they?

They're sort of a confusing thing because there's not a true definition for what

heirloom means in a dictionary, right? People have different definitions for it.

Basically, heirloom seeds are extremely old seeds.

Some people say it can't be heirloom if it originated after the advent of

plant hybridization. We talked about hybrid seeds earlier on in this video. If,

some people - maybe the more purists - would say that if anything came out after

we really started hybridizing plants and combining them and cross-pollinating,

it really can't be considered an heirloom. It has to be older than that.

Some people say it has to be a hundred years old.

But the idea here is these are plants that WILL come true to type.

If you save their seed, you're going to get the exact same plant.

Not the exact genetic same,

but you're going to get the same characteristics from that plant that you would

expect to get. Unlike hybrid seeds,

where when you plant that seed that you saved,

it's not even going to come true to type.

You may have not even close to the same plant.

People like heirloom seeds for a couple reasons. Number one,

the varieties are absolutely insane. You can get some really beautiful tomatoes,

some beautiful cucumbers.

Any plant under the sun that has an heirloom selection,

you're going to get great colors, you're going to get great flavors,

great growing characteristics.

And they're just really fun and enjoyable to grow.

The other thing is you get a little bit more autonomy,

a little bit more self-sufficiency.

If you can save the seed then you aren't beholden to a third party,

another entity, to buy that seed.

So you save money in the long-term if you're willing to go through the process

of growing plants out and actually saving them for seed. And then third,

a lot of these heirloom varieties are adapted to a specific region.

I have a bunch of heirlooms that work well here in San Diego.

You're going to have a bunch of heirlooms that work well in your area.

And you can actually find which ones will work well just by calling up a master

gardener in your area or hitting up a local nursery and asking the person who's

just an heirloom fanatic. So heirloom seeds,

one of the things that we love here growing as gardeners. Now,

there are some potential downsides.

A lot of these heirloom seeds have not been improved much because they're not

being selected for,

they're not actually being actively improved on as far as their genetic traits.

And that's where a lot of the people who are on more of a "hybrids are fantastic

and I love growing hybrids thing" are really sort of pushing against the

heirlooms. A lot of people will say, okay,

well a hybrid is just everything that an heirloom is except for blank.

Except for better pest resistance, except for downy mildew resistance.

And to some degree that can be true.

There are some hybrids out there that I absolutely love to grow and they're

absolutely fantastic,

but in spirit of a more truly natural way of gardening,

I absolutely love growing heirlooms myself. And I'm sure that you do too.

So I really hope that this breakdown gave you a better understanding.

I know I kind of got into the weeds there a little bit,

but it is a confusing topic.

It's one that misleads a lot of people and I would like it not to,

especially as we go into this incredible 2021 growing season.

So thank you so much for watching. Good luck in the garden and.

Keep on growing.