I was reading the book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and Michael Pollan was talking about seed companies promises of higher yields to growers. He was saying that a lot of times (which in my head I automatically downgrade to "sometimes") when seed companies claim higher yields, they don't necessarily mean on the plant. Sometimes it is referring to a variety that has been bred to be able to tolerate being planted closer together. ie., more yield per acre, not per plant. He was specifically talking about corn, but I suppose it could be true for any plant. And of the "high yield" strains I've tried, only supersweet 100 cherry tomatoes have seemed to be higher yield per plant.
I suppose since I've switched to mostly heirloom seeds I shouldn't worry about it. I just thought it was an interesting angle. And definitely something I never thought of. I always assumed it meant yield from the actual plant.
ALSO, does anyone know of a variety of heirloom corn? I realized that of all the things I try to grow heirloom I always end up with a hybrid corn. And if there is an heirloom, is it sweet corn? Or more like a dent corn?
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MyMrSir1112
- Full Member
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- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 1:06 am
- Location: Southern Wi. USA
Well good thing though, if I could find some, nobody anywhere near me is growing corn that's for sure. I'm in a subdivision, and I have looked at satellite pics of the neighborhood. Only a few others have gardens, and none of them contain corn.
I really have no idea, but I am thinking that if I could find some heirloom corn it would be more like the ornamental maize. Have another interesting question, but I think I'll make it another thread. And that is, if you took a hybrid, and just kept the seeds it gave you (provided they weren't sterile) and just kept growing those, and keeping your best and growing those and keeping your best, getting what you want out of it. How many generations would you have to go before it was considered heirloom again? I mean, and especially in the case of corn, there really is no "original" or "land race" corn.
I really have no idea, but I am thinking that if I could find some heirloom corn it would be more like the ornamental maize. Have another interesting question, but I think I'll make it another thread. And that is, if you took a hybrid, and just kept the seeds it gave you (provided they weren't sterile) and just kept growing those, and keeping your best and growing those and keeping your best, getting what you want out of it. How many generations would you have to go before it was considered heirloom again? I mean, and especially in the case of corn, there really is no "original" or "land race" corn.
[url=https://www.seedsavers.org/Items.aspx?hierId=27]Seed Savers Exchange open-pollinated varieties of corn[/url]GardenRN wrote:Well good thing though, if I could find some, nobody anywhere near me is growing corn that's for sure. I'm in a subdivision, and I have looked at satellite pics of the neighborhood. Only a few others have gardens, and none of them contain corn.
I really have no idea, but I am thinking that if I could find some heirloom corn it would be more like the ornamental maize. ...
Maybe some of these will be of interest.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
Gonna go look today. Walmart was packing up their seeds last night when I went so I grabbed about 30 packs of stuff I didn't need. I'm sure everyone else will be following closely behind. I know where there is a southern exposure rack in a nursery around here too.
Any excuse to go to the nursery is always a good thing
Any excuse to go to the nursery is always a good thing
