The miracle of seeds

The seeds contain all the experience of the parent plants right up to the great-great-great-great-grandparent plants. About soil quality, water quantity, temperature, pests, light and so much more. There are perfectly adapted plants for every location. However, according to UN estimates, we have lost the vast majority of our seed treasure - namely 90 percent - in the last hundred years. In the past, there were different plants in every region, sometimes in every field. Today, a few large corporations dominate the seed scene with seeds that are used worldwide and that cannot be propagated themselves.

It is good for us gardeners that there is a small, fine scene of keepers and producers of old cultivated plants. They propagate seed-resistant seeds that we can harvest ourselves and sow again the following year.

Seedproof means that a plant with the same characteristics in shape, taste and health as the parent plant can grow from the seeds.

This is the decisive difference to so-called hybrid or F1 seeds. These high-performance seeds from the laboratory can only be used once, as the resulting seeds are not suitable for reproduction. This is good for companies, as it means that farmers have to buy new seeds every year.

Today, there is a much greater awareness of the importance of biodiversity, especially in view of the enormous loss of diversity in recent decades. Many old, almost lost varieties have been saved in so-called seed databases.

Using old varieties

We can make a contribution to this by sourcing only seed-safe reproducible seeds for our gardens, balconies and terraces, and those who enjoy this can even become a valuable seed propagator. Here we have compiled a small, incomplete list of good sources for your garden:

• Noah's Ark
• Flail
• Bingenheim seeds
• Culinaris
• ProSpecieRara
• Organic garden delivery
• Organic garden store
• Tendril
• Garden of life

Save-the-date for all seed lovers

On February 25, 2023 the ARCHE NOAH Seed Festival will take place in Vienna! You can find all information here.

As the days get longer, the longing for fresh greenery and the scent of moist soil slowly warmed by the sun rises in us #bedsisters. Pre-growing vegetable seedlings indoors from hardy, wonderful varieties can help us to curb our impatience for the coming gardening year!