The superior flavor of heirloom vegetables is one reason to grow them. Another advantage is that heirloom varieties produce seeds that can be passed along from gardener to gardener, keeping that variety viable (and sharing the love). For the best growing results, choose seeds that are already regionally adapted, such as those obtained through the Hudson Valley Seed Library (www.seedlibrary.org), offering over 200 varieties of heirloom seeds for vegetables, herbs and flowers, many grown here in this region. And the seeds they sell are packaged in attractive “art packs,” each unique and designed by local artists, extending the regional identity for the seeds further.
Some say that heirloom varieties of vegetables can be less resistant to pests, but home growers of heirloom tomatoes have had success eradicating common tomato diseases with natural methods like solarization, where the soil is kept wet and covered with clear plastic at the height of summer, creating enough heat to burn off pathogens in the soil. Again, planting regionally-adapted seeds to begin with would be a good starting point.
Heirloom flowers are another way to enjoy the trend. People attracted to heirloom varieties tend to be appreciative of the legacy involved in the old varieties, knowing they provide a link with history.
