Heirloom Gardening for Biodiversity. The simple act of growing a variety of plants creates a diversity of species in your garden. But you may not realize all the benefits you get. Ecologists correlate species biodiversity with productivity. It means that more diverse systems produce more biomass. And that means more vegetables for your table!

Gardening with heirloom seed enhances the gardening experience for everyone, and there are several heirloom vegetables you can try growing if all growing conditions are met. Some famous heirloom vegetables grown worldwide include yellow plum tomatoes, Lolla Rossa lettuce, Moon and Stars. Watermelon, pink Brandywine tomatoes, Henderson lima beans, rainbow carrots, blue Hubbard pumpkin, Big Jim peppers, lemon cucumber and royal burgundy beans.

When it comes to understanding heirloom plants, there is no simple definition. Some claim that heirloom plants existed before 1951 when farmers introduced hybrid cultivars. Others say that to qualify. Plants must be passed down in families from generation to generation or be traceable for at least fifty or 100 years. Unlike newer hybrid plants, traditional plants pollinate naturally, without human assistance.

But what are the pros and cons of growing heirlooms in the garden? Are there any special benefits to Heirlooms or reasons to avoid them altogether?

Advantages of Planting Heirlooms

Open-pollinated seeds that are at least 50 years old or more. These seeds are often passed down from generation to generation. There are several benefits of inheritance. To appreciate it, it’s worth defining heirloom seeds. As mentioned above, heirloom seeds are … Read More ...