| It is difficult to define the term "heirloom."
Some people consider any variety older than 50 years to be an heirloom. To others,
the term only covers hard-to-find varieties that have been passed down in a family
from one generation to another. What everyone can agree on is that all heirlooms
are open-pollinated, meaning that they are pollinated without human intervention
— by wind, insects, etc. Seeds collected from open-pollinated varieties
will grow true to the plant that the seeds were collected from (to avoid cross-pollination,
plants need to be isolated from other varieties of the same species).
The plants below are ones that I have identified as heirloom. Some, like Freckles
lettuce, Green Glaze collards and Yellow Pear tomatoes, I am sure of. Other, mainly
the peppers, have left me completely confused. If you know that one of these is
not an heirloom, or that some of the other plants I'm growing are, please let
me know! I'd also love to hear about your favorite heirlooms.
|
