Organic Seeds
Is there any stores where I can purchase organic seeds or plants?
I am working on a science fair project. One idea that I have thought about is comparing the growth of regular plants (that are grown with fertilizer) to the growth of organic plants. Any help and ideas will be appreciated!
I assume from what you are saying that you are testing whether organic growing is better than chemical fertilizers. If you are using already established plants, you would need one plant that was already grown organically and one that was not. For a true test you would need to have the same genetics so that you cannot attribute the growth difference to genetics. It might be hard to find plants of the same genetics grown differently. So I would say you would have to start from seed.
Now aside from the conditions you set up, genetics will also affect growth. Large batches of commercial seed are most likely a mix of a different genetics. If you wanted to get the closest genetics you could, you would want seeds from the same plant. I run an online business selling seeds and plants. We carry seed pods of some plants, and the plants are not chemically grown or treated.This is not something you will tend to find in a lot of places. By using seeds from the same pod, I think your conclusions could be less attributed to genetics and more to the actual conditions. I would also recommend growing a lot of plants so you have a large sample from which to compare. Below are two different options that would work for your purpose. Specifically, these will give you plenty of seed to work with, seed that has not been treated, and seed with similar genetics.
Organic Seeds
Seed Starting: The Basics
Gardeners who rely heavily on vegetable, herb and flower seedlings from their local garden center are missing an opportunity to save substantial sums of money, broaden their gardening knowledge, widen their array of choices, and control their gardening calender. It really isn’t necessary to spend hundreds of dollars on fancy equipment in order to achieve excellent results starting your own plants from seed. What it does require is good observation and note-taking skills, some basic equipment and supplies, and the ability to keep a regular schedule.
Here are some pointers:
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Keep It Clean: Think of your seeds as babies. You are preparing for their birth and you want everything as clean as possible that will impact them. So your seed starting equipment, including the soil medium you use, must be clean. (And if you’ve been handling other plants, wash your hands.) If you are reusing anything, sterilize it first with a 10% bleach solution, rinse well and air dry. Reused soil can be sterilized in the oven by spreading on a cookie tray and heating for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees F, but I prefer to use new organic seed starting mixes as they are sterile and don’t have any weeds or diseases lurking and my clay soil benefits from the addition of the lighter medium at time of transplant.
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Know your Seed: Just as people are different, seed varieties differ in their germination requirements. Is it a light-dependent germinator? Does it need a period of cold or moist “stratification” before sowing? Does it need bottom heat (and if so, how warm) or will it germinate in a cold water hydroponics system. It is usually very easy to research these things on the web so that you may soon be attempting even the most challenging varieties. It is essential that every seed, even those that you merely place on top of the soil, make good contact with the growing medium or soil. So gently tap down after placing. If covering with soil, do it to the recommended depth. And when watering – don’t pour! Rather, “mist” using a fine mist spray bottle.
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Calculate your timing: Timing really is everything in gardening, and especially so when starting your seeds. To avoid having to hold your seedlings for too long awaiting hospitable weather, or being too late to the garden with a plant that requires more time to complete its cycle than is left in the growing season, you must calculate the right time to start for your area. To do this you will need a calendar, knowledge of your average last and first frost dates and information about the variety or type. For example, Tomatoes generally need to be started 6 – 8 weeks before your last frost date, depending on the reliability of spring weather in your area. That 6 – 8 weeks includes days to germinate, grow to transplanting stage and a period of hardening off (gradual exposure to the elements) before actually transplanting in the garden. But other plant varieties may have far different germination times and needs, so research first. At the other end of the season, you will work back from your average first frost date to calculate if there is even enough time to plant certain varieties. For example, some watermelon varieties take more time than the growing season allows in Northern climates, so the only way to grow them is to start indoors sufficiently early and then transplant.
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Write it Down: Even in my younger days of gardening, when my memory was near perfect, I did not rely on it when it came to gardening. Partly because of the pleasure I would get when the snows raged and I could pour over my records from prior seasons and plan. But mostly because of the value in the currant season. One easy method is to create a chart of your seed flats. I have found this to be the most reliable method of knowing what is what in any seed flat or even in my garden where garden critters routinely make off with markers. For flats, mark one corner cell of the flat “A” on one side and “1″ on the other side. Then make a chart with enough blocks to correspond to the tray cells, and run letters and numbers across the top and left side to create a grid. You can then “map” the cells on the chart noting dates of sowing (“S”), germination (“G”), transfer (“TF”) and transplant (“TP”) in each block for each cell. You can use the same method for your garden. Then keep an addendum page for notes about problems or successes.
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Let There Be Light: Once germination has occurred, your seeds will need a good light source. Without it your seedlings will quickly become “leggy” and will never be the strong healthy producers you are hoping for. The problem with window gardening is that plants will turn to the light and even if you are very good about turning the tray twice a day to correct them, your seedlings will still become rangy. So, you can skimp on almost everything else up to this point, but this is the one piece of equipment well worth the investment. You do not need something elaborate, but an adjustable grow light that can be maintained at about 2″ above the seedlings tops is ideal. There are fairly inexpensive table top versions now available.
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Feed Your Seed: I am an organic gardener, so when I start seeds I want that to be organic as well. I use only filtered water. And I use only organic feed, diluted to an appropriate strength for seedlings. Most vegetables, herbs, and flowers can use the same solution, but if you are starting exotics, you may need a special solution. Do not overfeed. Less is more, because too much will result in shot-put growth, instead of strong, stocky seedlings.
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Give ‘Em a Hug: Once the true leaves have emerged, gently rustling them once a day either with your hand or by blowing over their tops, will help to strengthen them. You are playing Mother Nature here, and it leads to the next period of plant starting – preparation to transplant.
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Hardening off: This is where many a plant is lost or irrevocably injured. You’ve spent weeks coddling your seedlings to great results. So it’s now 70 degrees outside and you figure its time to put them in the ground, right? Wrong! Your seedlings need to be gently introduced to the natural world – at first in 15 minute increments, preferably on a cooler or cloudy day, building up the time and sun exposure. And daytime temps are less important than soil temps. And don’t forget nighttime temps, so be prudent. When you start the hardening off process, set a timer! I remember once setting out my prize tomatoes in the early stages on my deck and taking an important phone call. When I emerged from my office an hour later the sun had cooked them down to nothing. So be very protective. By the time they are ready you will know – they will have been able to be out in the garden for hours at a time and will look happy and healthy for it.
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Transplanting: Ideally done on a cooler and/or cloudy day, or failing that, late in the day so your seedlings have a chance to adjust for a few hours before the full force of the sun hits them. Water in well and keep an eye on them, keeping their beds moist (but not soaking). This requires frequent checks until they are well-established. Happy Gardening!
About the Author
Deborah Phillips is a free-lance writer who has been gardening all her long life and is the owner of CherryGal Heirloom Seeds at CherryGal.com. Deborah resides in North Carolina where she is blessed with a long growing season and challenged with wildlife, weather extremes, clay soil and all the other problems and joys that beset modern gardeners. Deborah also keeps bees and is an avid organic gardener and supporter of sustainable practices and local growers.
Morning Glory Organic Seeds?
Do you know if Burpee Morning Glory – Heavenly Blue Seeds are organic? It does not say on the packet at the store. I need ones that are organic and not chemical treated. If You know what I mean 
Why insist on organic? It’s not something you will eat anyway. I believe that they are not chemically treated. None of the morning glory seeds I ever bought were treated with chemicals.
Seeds of Change: Why Organic?