As you graze through germ catalogs plan this yr ’s garden , you ’ll probably notice some varieties advertize as “ heirloom . ” But unless you ’re already a veteran agriculturalist , you might not know exactly what the term means .
So , what is an heirloom vegetable , and why might you want to set a few heirloom varieties in your garden this season ?
Beginning with the basics , an heirloom vegetable is an old variety that predates innovative agriculture . Most advanced vegetable varieties , on the other script , are transmitted hybrid ( meaning they are a crossbreeding of at least two “ parent ” varieties ) conceived and developed by seed troupe . These loanblend are have it away for their warm growth and eminent proceeds , and they are typically bred to be immune to coarse pathogen .
So , why might you want to plant an former vegetable change that has n’t been improved in any of those direction ? Among the most rough-cut reasons is sapidity .
The heirloom varieties of most vegetable tend to be particularly flavorful . This is largely because tone has , in a sense , been accidentally bred out of many modern veggie varieties . By focusing on things such as promoting disease electric resistance or extended shelf - life , forward-looking flora breeding has neglected to select for flavor , leading to less and less flavorful produce over time .
Historically , however , vegetable were oftentimes bred specifically for their flavor , meaning that the honest-to-god variety are ofttimes the most delightful . A homestead husbandman salve his or her own tomato seed , for example , would improve the flavor of the family ’s craw next season by holding onto seeds from the only the most flavorful yield .
ShutterstockBeyond the exceptional flavor , there are also other reason people grow heirloom vegetables . Heirloom varieties fussy to your area , for example , have been bred to grow in your climate and should therefore be especially well adapt to the locating . Regional come caller or local seeded player libraries frequently carry local heirlooms , so see whether you could discover any in your field . Because it is much easier to save seeds from heirloom varieties than it is from modernistic hybrids , many come - savers also plant predominantly heirloom vegetable . lastly , many mass are draw to heirloom varieties because their tale can connect us to our cultural and farming history . For example , one of the most delectable heirloom tomato miscellanea appoint the Mortgage Lifter is linked to effort of a West Virginia family in the 1920s .
Tomatoes are definitely the most vernacular heirloom veg that mass are likely to bump , but heirloom squash , peppers , eggplant and Zea mays are all passably wide grown as well .
Heirloom vegetables are not always identifiable based on appearances alone . Any variety of distinct appearing — a purple love apple , a black radish , a yellow carrot — is probably the best indicator , though not all of these varieties are needs heirloom . That said , in any retail place setting such as a farmers market or grocery store , heirloom vegetables are almost guaranteed to be labelled as such .
Over the past several days , heirloom vegetables have begun to receive more attention for their exceptional flavor . Whereas 15 years ago heirloom produce could be hard to bump at farmer markets , today it ’s comparatively coarse to see multiple varieties of heirloom tomatoes on market table or the menu of farm - to - board restaurants .
The in force news ? As a dwelling nurseryman you do n’t have to pay more at the granger ’s market or at a restaurant to bask the decided flavor of an heirloom veggie . And , if you ’re a market farmer , there ’s a growing market of mass who will pay more than supermarket prices for heirloom diverseness . Once you find a good source of heirloom seed , this year ’s garden can generate your most yummy crop to particular date .
