Which do you value more?

[seedcorn]

Each of us makes a decision on what type of seed to plant. What is your #1 selection criteria?

Open pollinated, so you can save seed.
Taste, if you are like me, my sweet corn must be sweet, etc.
Productivity, this could be germination, health, or production.

Feel free to add other reasons for your choices. I'd beg we stay away from arguments of anti/pro Organic or "company" seeds.

 

[aftermidnight]

Beans and tomatoes for the most part open pollinated and I saved seed from them. One exception Celebrity tomatoes I buy the seed. I've grown a Croatian lettuce for over 10 years which I collect seed every year. Everything else I buy seed or plants. I grow a short row of Ozette potatoes every year keeping a few to plant the following year. Yacon I save the caudices to plant the following year. I don't have enough room to grow a stand of corn now but when I did I grew Peaches and Cream.
Annette

 

[journey11]

It's gotta tickle my taste buds. I like to save seeds on whatever I can, but not if it doesn't taste good or look appealing. I make my choices based on what I plan to can, dehydrate, like to cook with. For example, I tried an O/P jalapeño a couple years ago, but it wasn't hot enough, large enough or productive enough to trump the Mucho Nacho hybrid I've used for so long. Now tomatoes, I want something pretty and flavorful, and I like variety. Most tomatoes get eaten fresh in my house and I like a sweeter sauce tomato, so heirlooms win in that category for me. I prefer super sweet corn for eating, but I'm willing to experiment with all the pretty heirloom dent and flint corns. Beans I collect for fun, and heirlooms have some of the best flavor and tenderness on those, although some may sacrifice a little on productivity or disease resistance, but not always.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Hard to say since most of my stuff fails parameter zero "will it actually grow at all" (I suppose that actually fits on the extreme end of 3)

OP is good since I have learned the hard way I can't always count on being able to get more seed of a variety.

Producing a lot of seed is also a plus, since I have to go in to anything assuming that 99% of the seed of whatever I plant will be eaten by critters before making it to maturity, and what is left has to be able to produce enough seed to break even.

Tastiness would be wonderful, since it would mean I had done well enough on the first two I could actually afford to eat some of my product.

 

[Beekissed]

I like heirloom seed if I can get it along with taste, ease of growing and high production for tomatoes. For corn I don't mind planting a hybrid, as taste and production mean the most to me there. I like being able to save seed if I can but mostly I like to stick with the tried and true things that are hardy to grow, taste good and yield big.

 

[baymule]

Open pollinated for me. I love taste in my tomatoes, heritage wins over hybrid, hands down. I have grown Celebrity hybrid and it is a good tomato, but I made the switch to heritage. Cherokee Purple, German Johnson and Tommy Toes are on the must have list, trying Mortgage Lifter and True Black Brandywine this year.

I am mostly still in the trying different varieties to see what I like, there are so many! It is fun. I am learning more about saving seeds and getting better at it.

I like saving varieties from extinction. The hybrids certainly have their place, but their genetics had to come from somewhere. Preserving the genetic base and diversity of the many varieties is important to me. The wider the available genetics, the better. I can't grow them all, but I can find my favorites and keep them growing and share seeds with others.

 

[digitS']

Taste, but it has to survive.

Environmental stress is likely to result in disease just as it may weaken and make the plants vulnerable to insects. So, health is important but sometimes that is successful adaptation to the local environment. I'm a little disappointed when I find that a variety which does well for me is widely adapted, like I haven't found something unique. Still, it gives me something to talk about on TEG .

I save some seed and delight in having generations of this or that. Still, I know that with most things, I can't be selecting from dozens or hundreds of individual plants. Crossing and degeneration is possible. I'm willing to turn to other, trusted sources. And, I value my long relationships with some seed companies.

And yet ... I'm disappointed when hybrid varieties I rely on vanish or become difficult for me to order. I ain't skeered of hybrids but, rather, have higher expectations for them. It balances, somewhat, the vulnerable position I put myself in, growing and depending on them.

Steve

 

[buckabucka]

I look for varieties that do well in the north (and taste good).

I need to learn about saving seed, since I basically know nothing about it. Can I save seed from my Cherokee Purple tomato if it is grown right next to a whole bunch of other varieties?

I do save some of my seed from dry beans to plant the next year, but then I started getting all these outcrosses. Now I have to plant those too, just to see what happens, and it seems to quickly get out of hand, like chicken math!

 

[Nyboy]

I am a gardener that has no patience for seeds every thing I plant is already started

 

[seedcorn]

@Nyboy Do you buy hybrids, heirlooms, etc? What makes you spend your $$$ and energy?

I buy plants for some things. Tomatoes are Better Boys and San Marzano because of taste and productivity. I find heirlooms very disease prone and don't enjoy their taste-San Marzano being the exception. Peppers are a mixed bag as I'd love to use hybrid green peppers but can't find plants so heirlooms it is.

Store bought plants are much nicer and bear faster than anything I can start.