What makes a seed organic; Is there such a distinction?

[Herbsandveg]

I aim to make my gardening as organic as I can this year, but have been wondering of late whether any seeds could be rightly described as organic as distinct from....errrr...not being organic...Surely what determines whether a plant is organic or not lays in the way in which the plant is raised and fed and looked after ie in the means of protection from predatory insects and diseases, and not through any inherent quality of the seeds, at which stage the plants future is still a horticultural blank page?

[Thelma Sanders]

organic seeds come from organically raised plants, with no seed dressings applied by the supplier.

Non-organic seed comes from plants that were probably sprayed at some time, and may have seed dressings such as fungicides applied by the suppliers.

What you do with it after you've bought it is then up to you

[Herbsandveg]

organic seeds come from organically raised plants, with no seed dressings applied by the supplier.

Non-organic seed comes from plants that were probably sprayed at some time, and may have seed dressings such as fungicides applied by the suppliers.

What you do with it after you've bought it is then up to you

Thank you for that, Thelma.

Heck, so technically not many of us will be totally organic irrespective of what we do once the seeds have sprouted and are subsequently grown on? Bit of a shocker, that...

[zazen999]

There are many reasons why we can't all grow completely organically, to be Organic as defined by the Soil Association is completely different to organic as defined by a single person.

Organic seeds, whilst having been grown in organic conditions, are often F1 s, at least commercial ones are, and are often grown in hothouses to avoid pests and diseases. So not quite as organic as one would like to think.

[Herbsandveg]

There are many reasons why we can't all grow completely organically, to be Organic as defined by the Soil Association is completely different to organic as defined by a single person.

Organic seeds, whilst having been grown in organic conditions, are often F1 s, at least commercial ones are, and are often grown in hothouses to avoid pests and diseases. So not quite as organic as one would like to think.

F1's meaning they are hybrids?...

[salome2001]

I've always thought it a bit of a damned if you do damned of you don't situation: do you go all non-F1 "organic" and end up with veg attacked by pests and diseases, or buy F1 seed that may have added resistance to disease, eg, carrot fly or downy mildew resistance, which means that you don't need the nasty chemicals to avoid losing your crops....

[chris]

I've always thought it a bit of a damned if you do damned of you don't situation: do you go all non-F1 "organic" and end up with veg attacked by pests and diseases, or buy F1 seed that may have added resistance to disease, eg, carrot fly or downy mildew resistance, which means that you don't need the nasty chemicals to avoid losing your crops....

Resistfly f1 if a load of tripe. I have tried it, both in pots, and in the ground (both with, and without growing other carrots that year / location) - it still was attacked. I've tried them amongst onions too, the only thing that works is growing under fleece or very fine mesh, for the entire time (from sowing -> harvesting)... Again, that's not very "organic", as the covering material will have been mass produced etc...

I highly doubt that many seeds are truly from organic stock . I have change to buying my seeds from smaller merchants anyway, and the majority of mine come from a place a little over an hour away now.

[Two_Sheds]

The word "organic" seems to have lost its meaning, or rather it has different meanings to suit the use of the person using the word. Semantics.

Just try to garden, and live, in the least damaging way that you can

[zazen999]

The word "organic" seems to have lost its meaning, or rather it has different meanings to suit the use of the person using the word. Semantics.

Just try to garden, and live, in the least damaging way that you can

It means different things to different people. To get Organic certification you have to garden a completely different way to the way most people garden...even if they do think of themselves as 'organic'. We will be converting our community gardens to organic status in time and its not an easy ride!

[Feral007]

Due to the copious amounts of weedspray that washed into the river years ago when potato growing was rife here, there are properties downriver who have never sprayed, who have measurable levels of weedspray in the ground.
Our local health food shop sells things - grown using organic principles. Seems reasonable to me.
I have a few companies that I get seeds and trees from. I like the way they grow their stuff, but I like that they are very upfront when things are not - organic, heritage, etc. Everything is clearly labelled, so that you are buying what you choose to. I think that's what I hate most about some companies.
Words are words, but I should be able to choose the level of 'natural, organic, susatainability' that I'm happy to live with.

[Linzy]

I remember being told in collage that in England you have to go without chemicals for several years before you are organic yet in Spain its 6 months, hmm interesting gem of a fact for you all there.

[zazen999]

Yes - its 3 years here.

[Feral007]

I'd have to check but I think that here it is something like 7 years. But you do in fact have to have the ground tested so even 7 years would be not enough for some of the sprays.