…..Aaron's EnvironMental Corner…..

Some Advantages & Disadvantages to Consider When Looking At Hybrids Vs. Heirloom Vegetables

Filed Under: Organic Gardening, Susatainable Living on August 13, 2009

When you look at heirloom vegetables versus some of the hybrids available today, you have a lot to consider.  Both are organic and offer the same basic nutrition of the vegetable type you’re looking at.  Some purists will insist that the heirlooms taste better, but in my experience the difference between one or the other is a matter of, well, taste.

The biggest differences between hybrids and heirlooms is in the qualities of each. An heirloom is a seed type handed down for generations while a hybrid is one that was two plants cross-pollinated to combine the most desirable traits of each plant.  Both are natural plants, of course, to all but the most stringent of fundamentalist gardeners.

Some advantages of each are worth noting.  Let’s look at the advantages of both heirlooms and hybrids and then compare.

Here are some of the advantages that heirlooms have over hybrids:

1. You can save the seeds and grow new ones every year, every time.
2. Most heirloom variety seeds are cheaper than their hybrid counterparts.
3. Natural variety between plants creates non-uniform harvest and sizes, allowing for mixed bag harvesting.
4. They have a great history that can be learned and retold.

These are some pretty compelling reasons to pick heirlooms.  The first reason is a solid no-brainer if you’re an organic gardener, grower, or farmer who prefers to do things on the cheap.  It also has the advantage of allowing your operation to be basically self-contained.  The second reason plays into those thoughts.

Seasoned gardeners will appreciate the third reason, since plentiful harvests are great, but not all at once.  Variety in what’s coming in (“mixed bag” harvesting) and a lack of uniformity for harvest times can really make the gardener’s life easier.

That fourth reason is great fun and a real family-oriented reason to choose heirlooms.  Especially if your family has a long history of gardening (as mine does).

Now let’s consider what hybrids offer:

1. Bigger harvests and generally lower seed attrition (more plants per seed pack).
2. Often hardier, more pest and disease resistant plants.
3. Interesting variety of plants available, with unique properties and uses.
4. Uniform harvest times and yields.

The first reason may mean that the seeds are actually on par (cost-wise) with their heirloom counterparts.  There can be a difference of up to 25% in the number of seeds planted versus those that sprout, in favor of hybrids.

The second reason is aimed directly at new gardeners and at those who don’t have a lot of time to care for their gardens.  Many varieties of hybrid are specifically bred to be more resistant to problems and require less care. The fourth reason plays into this same group of people, since uniform harvests and harvest times mean easier planning for the event so you can devote a weekend to a particular crop yield, for instance.

The third reason plays into this as a definite bonus for the gardener or family who easily tires of one type of crop all of the time.  Especially those who enjoy fresh off the vine eating.

Obviously, both hybrids and heirlooms have advantages worth considering for your gardening plans.  I personally like to use both in our garden.   I prefer hybrid tomatoes, for instance, because of the available variety and relative ease of care in growing them.  Some heirloom varieties, however, are definitely more succulent (at least to me).

Burpee Burpless Cukes From This Year's Garden

For other vegetables, I have mixed likes and dislikes of a similar vein.  I’m a big fan of the Burpee Burpless variety of cucumbers, for instance, because I can eat them all day without getting gas (wow, that makes me sound like an old man..) and I love fresh cucumbers.  I prefer heirloom green loose leaf Canadian lettuce, however, because it has broad, tasty leaves and seems to last longer into the winter than other varieties I’ve tried.

Part of the fun of gardening is trying all of the different options available and seeing what you prefer and don’t like.  Since seeds can be saved almost indefinitely if you keep them under the right conditions, it doesn’t hurt to buy several packets of different types and just plant a few of each and see which you like best.

After a couple of years of comparison, you can start to get an idea of which ones seem to be working for you.

Every year, I try at least one new variety of heirloom or hybrid to see what it’s like.  This year, for instance, we tried a 3-part lettuce hybrid that grows green and red leaf lettuce plus a bitter kale in one plant.  I honestly didn’t like it much, but I gave it a shot, which was the point.

What are you favorites?  Let me know!

Related posts:

1. The Basics of Seed Saving
2. Seed Starting Tips: Start Your Sustainable Garden Today
3. The Garden’s Bounty Overwhelmes