Seed Selection and Sourcing

What should I look for in a variety?

Start with how the crop will be used. A tomato for fresh market, one for canning, and one for a home table have different needs. Then look at days to maturity, disease resistance, tolerance to heat or cold, storage ability, and flavor. Seed descriptions list these traits, but they are written by sellers, so treat them as a starting point.

Local performance matters most. A variety bred for a long, hot season may sulk in a cool short one. Ask your extension office for variety trial results from your region and ask nearby growers what they replant every year.

Keep a notebook of every variety you grow with a short note on yield, flavor, and problems. After three or four seasons the notebook is a better guide than any catalog, and it keeps you from repurchasing something that disappointed you.

• Match the variety to its end use
• Check days to maturity against your season
• Look for resistance to diseases common near you
• Favor varieties with local trial results

What is the difference between open-pollinated, hybrid and heirloom?

Open-pollinated varieties breed true from seed when kept isolated from relatives, so you can save seed and get similar plants. Hybrids come from a deliberate cross and often bring vigor, uniformity, or disease resistance, but seed saved from them will not match the parent. Heirloom usually means an open-pollinated variety with a long history.

None of these is automatically better. Choose by what you need. Uniform harvest timing may matter more to a market grower, while a home gardener may value flavor and the freedom to save seed.

If you plan to sell seed or plants, ask your state agriculture department about any labeling or licensing rules. They differ by state.

How do I judge seed quality?

Good seed is clean, labeled with the variety and year, and has a stated germination result. Older seed often still works but germinates less reliably, and storage conditions matter as much as age. Buy from sources that provide clear information about testing and handling.

Run a simple germination test on leftover seed before planting. Count out a small number of seeds, keep them damp and warm, and see how many sprout. The result tells you whether to plant normally, plant thicker, or buy fresh.

Be cautious with seed from unknown sources or old collections, since weak or diseased seed can cost you the season. A small trial block tells you quickly whether a new lot is worth planting at scale.

Where should I buy seed?

Sources include regional seed companies, co-ops, local farm supply stores, seed swaps, and catalogs. I will not recommend a specific company. Instead, look for sellers who disclose where seed is grown, offer varieties suited to your region, and answer questions about treatment and testing.

Some seed is sold treated with fungicide or other coatings. Read labels, follow handling instructions, and keep treated seed away from children and animals. If you farm organically or sell certified products, check seed rules with your certifier before you order.

• Prefer sellers that offer regional varieties
• Read labels for treatments
• Ask how germination is tested
• Check certification rules before buying

Should I save my own seed?

Saving seed can lower costs and let you adapt varieties to your farm over the years. It works best with self-pollinating crops such as beans, peas, and tomatoes. Crops that cross easily, like squash, need isolation or hand pollination to stay true.

Save from healthy plants only, since some diseases travel on seed. Dry seed thoroughly, label it, and store it cool, dry, and out of reach of rodents. Start with a few easy crops and learn before attempting more.

Label saved seed with crop, variety, year, and where it grew, and never save seed from plants that showed disease or odd traits that you do not want next year.

How much seed do I need?

Estimate from your bed plan: how many feet of row or plants you want, the spacing, and how many seeds to sow per spot. Add a margin for germination failures and for replanting. Seed packets and catalogs list seeds per packet, so you can compare real value rather than packet price alone.

Keep an order sheet each year with what you bought, what you used, and what was left. After a few seasons you will order with confidence.

Share bulk orders with neighbors when quantities are larger than you need, and agree in advance on how to split cost and seed so there is no confusion later.

How do I store leftover seed?

Heat and moisture are the main enemies. Keep seed in labeled paper envelopes inside a sealed container, in a cool, dry place away from direct sun. Check the container for damp and for pests each season, and discard seed that smells musty.

Date every envelope, and plant the oldest first after testing it.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.