Every year when I plant my garden, I feel a tinge of doubt. Shaking out lettuce seeds from the packet, they seem hard and lifeless. I drop the seeds into a trench […]
What are seeds made of – and how can they grow into fruitful plants?!
Why are seeds of different sizes and shapes?
Seeds come in different sizes and shapes across plant species. They range from dust-sized seeds in orchids to double coconut Lodoicea (yes, coconuts are seeds!). Depending on geographical location and the prevailing […]
The incredible, edible seed
Think about all the animals at the zoo. Even though the elephant looks drastically different from the eagle, they each share common functions for survival. Including humans, all animals (with few exceptions) […]
How does the USDA help make global seed trade safer?
Whether you garden, farm, research plants, or develop new plant varieties, healthy seeds are critical to your success. Seeds are also big business. In 2018, global seed exports were worth more than […]
Protecting seeds: The what, why, and how of seed treatments
For millennia, people have understood the need to protect seeds. They are precious packets of life that bring us food. As early as 2000 BC, there are records of people soaking seeds […]
How are seeds labeled for a farmer’s purchase?
When planning their successful farming enterprise, farmers often start with buying high-quality seed. Before even reaching the marketplace, Certified Seed goes through inspection to ensure: the amount of weed seeds present does […]
How can you prevent weed seeds from germinating in your garden?
Cover crops differ from ‘regular’ crops in that they are grown solely so the soil is covered, rather than for harvestable things. Cover crops are used by lots of folks – grain […]
What is the status of public plant breeding programs in the United States?
Most plant-based foods we eat today are a product of innovative plant breeding programs. Careful choice of plant parents is followed by a multitude of intentional, hand-pollinated blooms. These result in thousands […]
What can the wild chile teach us about conserving crop wild relatives?
There is a humble, wild chile pepper that grows in Arizona. Commonly called chiltepín, it is the wild relative of hundreds of domesticated pepper varieties grown (and eaten) all over the world. […]
The tale of a wild tomato’s discovery
Ripe, juicy tomatoes are one of the hallmarks of a summer picnic – and a key ingredient in salads and the classic BLT. Like many of our modern crops, today’s tomatoes have […]