Heirloom Seeds

You can purchase heirloom seeds or historically significant seeds from farm museums, e.g., Monticello and Mount Vernon, and online. The seed companies listed gather seeds that are open-pollinated, which allows the seeds to breathe. These are the true heirloom seeds.

On a seed packet there will usually be the history of the seeds, various species, its common name and Latin or generic name, price and weight. Heirloom seeds give seeding and growing details. If the seeds are organic, you will see Certified Organic. If you see Omri, this is a specific logo for recognizing organic. Omri is a nonprofit organization that tests for organic. If you purchase products with their logo, it is a way to be confident that the product is certified organic. If the seeds are tiny, add a bit of sand before planting. Bigger seeds can be soaked one to two days before planting. A simple rule to follow is to plant a seed two times as deep as the size of the seed.