How To Choose The Right Seeds. Part 2

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

We continue to talk about how to choose and buy seeds of cultivated plants correctly. Even the most experienced and wise gardeners say that the summer cottage season does not start in May, but with the purchase of seeds. So that the poor quality of the seed does not disappoint you, here are some simple tips on how not to get lost in the variety of bright sachets

Package

In order not to fall for the trick of fraudsters, not to get disappointed and counterfeit product, carefully consider the labeling of the packages. They contain important information:

- the name of the crop and seed variety;

- contact details and email address of the manufacturer;

- number of the batch of seeds;

- a photo of the plant and detailed instructions for use;

- weight of seeds in grams;

- TU, GOST and OST. If there are such abbreviations, it means that these seeds have been tested in a laboratory and meet all standards;

- expiration date of seeds.

Scientifically speaking, expiration date is our misconception about seeds. Because they, first of all, retain their germination capacity, and not the shelf life. By the way, different seeds retain their viability in their own way. For example, pumpkin seeds remain viable for almost 10 years. Celery seed 3 to 11 years old. So, when purchasing seeds, you can safely ask the sellers for documents that indicate their germination.

"Extra" seeds

Buy seeds in excess, but not for future use - this is the next point of our rules.

Try not to buy one pack at a time, but buy a little with a margin. This will help you if crops need to be renewed. Consider this scenario: you purchased the seeds of a capricious carrot or beet and it is quite possible that the seeds will not germinate the first time. So we need an extra bag of seeds. There is another example, you planted a radish, and it grew surprisingly tasty, juicy and at the same time even, beautiful fruit. In this case, you will also need an extra bag of seeds. After all, you will probably want to taste these wonderful fruits again.

Import and exotic - be careful

The ninth rule - be very careful with imported seeds. Vigilance in purchasing imported goods is your main weapon. Overpriced seeds and beautiful packaging are not a guarantee of good quality. Such seeds are often expired.

Also beware of the exotic. In the most cunning ways, scammers lure inexperienced gardeners and gardeners into the trap of wasted money. Never buy seeds from unknown exotic plants. You will definitely not grow a giant strawberry. Before buying exotic, be sure to find out all the information about the plant you have chosen. Often the name does not reflect the quality of the variety; dishonest sellers deliberately make bright and memorable names for profitable sales. In fact, it so happens that the result is absolutely far from the colorful photo on the bag with seeds.

The Internet will help you in this matter, you can check if your selected variety is registered on the website www.gossort.com.

Hybrid or regular seeds?

To save the family budget, we recommend purchasing ordinary varieties of cultivated plants. In addition, the yield from hybrid seeds can only be obtained in the first generation. But there are also advantages of hybrids: the harvest is of a higher quality, resistant to diseases, unfavorable environmental conditions. When buying a hybrid variety, learn about its benefits, analyze the qualities of the plant.

Purchase term

The last, twelfth point of our rules: it is always necessary to take into account the time of acquisition of seed material. You can safely buy corms and bulbous crops in the fall, at this time the price for them is lower. Vegetable seeds are available from January to June.

In general, you can go shopping at any time of the year, the main thing is not to forget about our golden rules. We wish you good luck and success in your choice!