Monday Top Ten: Heirloom gardening and seed saving

Heirloom gardening focuses on plant varieties that come from seed which has been handed down in a particular region or area.

On Saturday, Feb. 27, during a program at the Riverbank branch of the Stanislaus County Library, Terry Harper and Heidi Aufdermaur from the Riverbank Heirloom Gardening Group will discuss heirloom gardening and how to save seeds.

As spring nears and the itch to get back in our gardens grows, here is Harper’s take on the Top Ten reasons to grow heirlooms in your garden:

1. Free seeds: Heirloom seeds can be saved so you can plant and harvest seeds year after year. Most seeds will be good for five years or more.

2. Heirloom vegetables have more nutrition than store-bought foods.

3. Heirloom vegetables taste better than store-bought foods on the shelf for days.

4. A greater variety of vegetables can be grown that you can’t buy in most stores.

5. Heirloom seeds are acclimated to the area in which they are grown.

6. You know where your vegetables come from. No GMOs, no pesticides.

7. Heirloom seeds saved from a community garden will not grow true, due to possible cross pollination.

8. Friendships are developed with others who have the same interests.

9. Produce can be shared among other heirloom gardeners.

10. Ideas and tips can be shared with others on how to garden.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Monday Top Ten: Heirloom gardening and seed saving."