When we collect seeds for sowing from the harvested crop, we think that if the harvest was abundant, the seed will also be of good quality. This is not always the case, as we often don't know everything about the varieties we originally planted.
Important F1 symbol
When reading the labels on the seed packaging, pay attention to the F1 symbol. It is a sign of a cross between two proven varieties. It is from them that we obtain beautiful fruit and the most beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, their downside is the abundant harvest only in the first year after emergence. In the following seasons, the yields gradually decrease. So collecting seeds from such varieties is pointless and I sincerely advise against it.When reading the labels, let's also pay attention to whether the seeds are domestic or foreign. Personally, I prefer domestic ones, because they come from varieties bred in our climatic conditions. This guarantees abundant harvests.
Seed selection
When it comes to the types of seeds, the choice is wide. We can buy traditional seeds, inlaid, coated and on tape. They all have their pros and cons.
- Traditional seedsare usually small and therefore uneconomical. We sow them more densely and then we have to stop.
- Enveloped and encrusted seedsare covered with a special treatment containing fertilizers and plant protection products. The main difference between them is that the coated seed is a calibrated or controlled product. They are larger than traditional ones. This makes them easier to sow and maintains the correct spacing between the plants. Although seeds of this type are more expensive than traditional seeds, they are also more efficient, because we need less seeds for sowing.The emergence does not require much interruption. Their disadvantage may be the need to maintain proper soil moisture so that the mass used for paving or encrusting is constantly moist.
- Seeds on the tape are also available for saleThey are arranged in points on a special strip with a spacing adapted to the requirements of a given species. We need to provide the East with adequate soil moisture for the tapes to decompose. The advantage of these seeds is also that we do not have to interrupt the seedlings.
Each of us gardeners surely has our favorite types of seeds. However, it is worth trying something new.
Janina Paszek
