Starting from Seed

Over the years, the diversity of seeds available to the gardener has decreased considerably. For vegetables, for instance, the number of non-hybrid varieties offered by seed companies is approximately 5,000 between 1984 and 1994, according to one of the authors in this fine book. Not only is this a matter of concern in terms of the stability of our food supply--lack of genetic diversity makes the few remaining species that are widely used much more vulnerable to unforseen problems--it means that many gardeners are being denied the opportunity to grow vegetables that are widely held to be better tasting. One solution is to grow heirlooms and save the seeds year after year, and Starting From Seed is a concise and readable introduction to the vital process of starting and collecting seeds. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to other beginner organic gardeners.