What does non-hybrid seeds mean?

We speak of non-hybrid seeds for open-pollinated seeds that differ from “F1” so-called hybrid seeds.

What is a hybrid seed?

A hybrid is the product of crossing two different plant species to create a new plant variety.
We will cross parent plants with a particular interesting characteristic, their shape or their taste for example or their resistance to diseases.

This crossing can be done in a natural way by placing the plants side by side in the vegetable garden for example (we then speak of cross pollination) or in the laboratory . It is this type of hybridization that produces the “F1” (First Filial Generation) hybrid seeds .

The “F1” seeds resulting from this cross will then give plants that are all identical, with the desired characteristics.
By sowing these seeds, you therefore have the “guarantee” of obtaining the desired result.

On the other hand, seeds from “F1” plants produce offspring different from the parents: the seedling is not faithful, the variety is unstable .

You will therefore have to buy seeds for the sowing of the following year.

Open Pollinated, Non-Hybrid Seeds

Open-pollinated seeds are varieties that pollinated with little or no human intervention.

These are so- called fixed varieties . Old varieties or fixed cultivars, selected by man for millennia to improve or modify the organoleptic and physiological characteristics of the original species: appearance, flavor and resistance.

These seeds can be re-sown from one year to the next , each time giving identical descendants to the parents.

Just make sure you leave enough distance between similar varieties in your garden so they don't cross paths!

The great advantage is therefore that you can save your seeds . And the more you replant them from season to season, the better the plants will adapt to your growing conditions.

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