Every year, at the end of winter, many customers buy in gardening shopsvegetable and flower seedsSellers tempt us with an increasing selection of varieties and nice, colorful packages of seeds. There are also price promotions for vegetable and flower seeds. Unfortunately, not everything that looks nice is really good. Seewhat seeds for vegetables and flowers to buy , how to chooseseeds that have good reviewsand what information on vegetable and flower seed packaging to pay attention to!
What vegetable and flower seeds to buy?
How to pick good varieties of vegetables and flowers?
My first advice is:choose what vegetable and flower seeds you want to buy before you go to the storeWhen you are in the store it may be too late. Lost in the maze of information and a large selection, you will not buy what you need, but what the seller wants to sell you. Remember that the seller is not always a good advisor.
If you want to buy flower seeds , think about what effect you want to achieve. You can choose plants according to their growing requirements, flower color, height. Some species and varieties of flowers are recommended for high beds, others for low beds, and some are especially suitable for rock gardens. Selectflower seeds with different flowering datesto make your garden look beautiful throughout the season.
At this point I would like to point out thatflowers do not have to be full only decorative roleSome of them may give off a pleasant smell or scare away pests.If you do not want mosquitoes on the terrace, sow lavender seeds, and in the garden you can plant flowers that repel hares or flowers that attract butterflies. The choice of this type of seed mixture is really big.
Flower seeds of various uses
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
When you are wonderingwhat vegetable seeds to buy , pay attention to the ones that are the tastiest and eagerly eaten by you and your family. Within a given species, however, you will have a choice ofvarieties of vegetable seeds , differing not only in terms of taste, but also cultivation requirements, maturation date and disease resistance.
As we usually growvegetables on our own plot in order to eathe althier foods than those purchased in grocery stores, this last feature takes on a special importance. Well, the cultivation of varieties resistant, or at least tolerant to diseases, isthe cheapest and most effective way to avoid the need to chemically protect vegetablesagainst diseases and pests.
" Information about the resistance of a given variety should be placed on the seed packagingWe can usually find here the term resistant variety, which means complete resistance to a given disease, and the term tolerant variety, which means that the data the vegetable may get sick, but it will endure it well and the disease will not deteriorate the quality of the crop. "
Description on the 'Picolino' cucumber packaging
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
A great example is the Tanja Salad Cucumber, which is highly resistant to diseases such as the powdery mildew of cucurbits. The resistance to mildew, as well as the fact that Tanja Cucumber is suitable for both soil and greenhouse cultivation, as well as pots for balconies and terraces, makethese cucumber seeds ideal for amateur cultivation
Once you have decidedwhat species and varieties of vegetables and flowersyou are going to get, you can go shopping. You will now have to choosewhich seed producer to buyand where to buy it.
What vegetable and flower seeds are really good?
The first thing that is most often paid attention to when buying vegetable and flower seeds is the producer.To some extent, choosing a producer with a good reputation guarantees the purchase of good quality seeds. Pay attention to whether the bag with seeds, in addition to the name of the species and variety, also contains information about the name of the company producing and packing the seeds. It's good tobuy seeds from well-knownseed companies that have a long tradition.
Only high quality seeds will produce even emergence of he althy plants
Fig. depositphotos.com
Unfortunatelyit does not always mean that it is worth choosing vegetable and flower seeds of a Polish producerOur domestic seed market is so unusual that seed producers usually compete with low prices, not good quality. This means thatshelves with seeds in garden centers and supermarkets are covered with cheap seeds of poor quality Then, despite our best efforts, such seeds do not germinate, the obtained plants are easily susceptible to diseases, and the obtained harvest does not meet our expectations.
According to mebuying the cheapest seeds of flowers and vegetables does not make much senseIf you look at how much we spend on pots, soil for sowing, and then watering, fertilizing and caring for the obtained plants, then the cost of buying seeds is pennies. Meanwhile,if we buy really good quality seeds , almost all of which will germinate, and the resulting plants will not cause problems in growing,on other costs, such as fertilizers or chemicals plant protection, we can really save a lot
That&39;s whyfor the store of our guide, we chose the seeds of the highest quality German brand KIEPENKERLand only seeds from the special professional Profi-Line. However, don&39;t worry - they are packed in small packages for amateur use in gardens and allotments.Among these seeds are such fantastic vegetable varieties as the mildew resistant cucumber &39;Picolino&39; mentioned earlier, the fleece resistant carrot &39;Flyaway&39; and the fungus resistant cherry tomato &39;Siderno&39;. When you sow such seeds, you can really see the difference, and the furthercultivation brings surprisingly good resultsThen it turns out that despite the failures of previous years, we are not poor gardeners, but previously sown poor quality seeds. "
KIEPENKERL is a seed brand with over 100 years of tradition. Very well known and appreciated all over Europe. And on the Polish market it isthe only seeds for gardeners and allotment gardeners that are hermetically packed!
KIPENKERL vegetable seeds hermetically packed
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Let me explain what's going on. Well,ordinary vegetable and flower seeds are usually sold in paper bags, through which moisture can easily penetrate Therefore, the seeds require appropriate storage conditions in the store, as well as earlier in transport. If the seller does not try and expose the seeds to large differences in temperature or humidity, few of them will sprout. Astands with seed packages, especially in supermarkets, are sometimes placed in very poor places , e.g. in full sun, where the seeds heat up a lot and dry out, or when the door is opened often, from where it blows cold and humid air.
It is different with hermetically packed seedsInside the paper bag there is a second bag made of opaque foil, in which the seeds are hermetically packed. Neither moisture nor sun can access them. Thanks to thissuch seeds do not age and retain their full germination capacity for many years.Storage and transport conditions do not have any special significance for the quality of seeds and their viability.Seeds of flowers and vegetables packed hermetically can be ordered onlineand via mail order without any worries.
Important information on the seed packaging
Producers put a series ofinformation on the packages of vegetable and flower seeds , which may be completely incomprehensible for a novice gardener. It is worth deciphering them, as some of them are very important. Here is a quick guide to these markings:Packing date and seed expiry date
The seeds packaging should contain the following information:batch number, packaging date and seed expiry date . Never buy old seeds that have passed their sowing date.
Marking of the production date and sowing expiry date
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
How many seeds are there in the package?
When buying seeds, it is of course worth checkinghow many seeds are in the package This is usually expressed by weight, e.g. 2g of seed. Unfortunately, often the weight does not tell us how many plants will come out of it. Therefore, I would like to draw your attention again to the KIEPENKERL seeds available in the shop of our guide. Herethe producer indicates on the packaging, depending on the method of sowing a given plant, exactly how many plants will be obtained, how many pots there are or what surface of the flowerbed we can sowThe information provided in this way is very helpful for the gardener !
Information about the content of seeds in the package
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
The packaging of the seeds should also contain information about the basic requirements of the plant and the method of sowingUsually it is a short description and drawing instruction. I would like to pay particular attention to the given germination temperature. Usually it is the temperature of the substrate and not the ambient (air) temperature.Therefore, after sowing the seeds, it is worth checking the substrate temperature using, for example, an electronic soil meter.
Marking of the production date and sowing expiry date
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Abbreviations
MIX- means a mixture of seeds of the same species but different, for example, in the color of flowers. There are also mixtures of several species with e.g. a similar application.
F1- a hybrid variety with special features. As a rule, exceptionally handsome. However, if you collect more seeds from plants grown from such seeds, unfortunately they will not repeat the characteristics (advantages) of the mother plant to a large extent.
EC quality- seeds meeting the standards of the European Community, the marking may only be placed on species selected by the Community.
Organic seeds- this designation applies to vegetable seeds, it says that the seeds were obtained from certified plantations using ecological cultivation methods.
Marking on the packaging of organic seeds
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Treated seeds- the marking applies to vegetables, it says that the seeds have been sprinkled with chemical preparations protecting them against diseases and pests. The composition and toxicity class of the mortar must be specified on the packaging. Note - gloves for use when sowing chemically treated seeds!
Encrusted seeds- says that an agent increasing the adhesion of the dressing agent has been added to the seed dressing.
Seeds treated with herbs- another designation for vegetable seeds. It says that no chemical agent was used in the mortar.Vegetable seedswere soaked in herb extracts. Such a mortar is slightly less effective but does not disturb the natural processes in the soil.
Coated seeds- says that the seeds are coated with a spherical coating containing protection agents and fertilizers, the coating facilitates the sowing of seeds and the development of young seedlings.
Hermetically packed seeds- seeds are placed in a hermetically sealed bag, which protects them from moisture. In practice, this means that the impact of storage conditions on the viability of the seeds is reduced.
Seed tape- seeds placed on the tape, it facilitates manual sowing, eliminates labor-intensive interruption.
Where to buy vegetable and flower seeds?
Probably each of us has a favorite garden store. Remember to buyvegetable and flower seeds in well-known and provenplaces, such as shops and garden centers. We should never buy seeds from street vendors, in the market or bazaar, and also from supermarkets. Maybe such seeds are cheaper, but we have no guarantee that they have been properly stored. However, the storage conditions have a huge impact on the ability of seeds to germinate.
If we cannot get the seeds of our dream plants in our local store, it is worth taking advantage of the offer of online stores, which is getting richer and richer. If you buy seeds online, make sure they are hermetically packed seeds that will withstand shipping wellWe recommend such seeds in the shop of our guide.
