It’s time to get those seed catalogs out and start thinking about ordering seeds for the coming season! This is the time of year when hope springs eternal and all of us farmers get to dream about the bountiful harvest to come. While you’ve got seeds on your mind we wanted to write a post to mention some considerations before you place that seed order.
- Place your seed order early
Most farmers will order seeds in December or January to reduce the chance that the seed company will run out of a favorite variety. While you don’t necessarily want to rush this decision-making process, it is important to go ahead and place your seed order to make sure you are able to get what you need!
- Base your seed order on your crop plan
It is important to have a plan for what and how much you will grow before placing your seed order. Crop plans can become very involved, especially as you accommodate for crop rotations and fitting in cover crops. If you haven’t started your crop plan for this season, now is the time! It is important to know how many row feet or bed feet of each variety you will be growing so that you know how much to order from the seed company.
If you need help getting started with crop planning, here is a free Crop Planning Template from Kat the Farmer in Virginia.
Once you have a crop plan finished you can use a tool like the Seed Quantity Calculator from Johnny’s Seeds to determine the quantity of seed needed.
- Look for varieties that adapted to your growing environment
Many of the larger seed companies are based in the northeastern US and varieties that perform well in their trials won’t necessarily thrive in the warmer and more humid climate of Arkansas or other parts of the Mid-South. When reading the variety description look for indicators that it will grow well in your specific climate. Also talk to farmers and gardeners in your area and find out what varieties do well for them and where they purchase their seed.
- Focus on productive varieties
Many gardeners love heirloom varieties for their appearance and flavor, but if you are growing for profit it is important to focus on factors like yield and disease resistance. While there are still some heirloom varieties that can be dependable and productive, most heirlooms will not come close to the productivity of modern hybrid varieties. Hybrid varieties are also bred for resistance to specific diseases, which is a very important factor for production in the South where we deal with heavy disease pressure due to our warm, humid environment. Hybrid varieties are still produced using traditional breeding practices and are allowed in organic production.
- Purchase seed from reputable seed companies
Your seed order can present a major expense during the time of year when there is not much cash flow, so it is important to ensure you are getting your money’s worth. Purchasing from a reputable seed company with consistent quality will help reduce the risk that you lose time or money by starting a batch of seed with poor germination rates. This is where talking with experienced growers and getting their recommendations is very helpful.
You can see our Arkansas Organic Ag suppliers list for a list of reputable seed companies that also carry organic seed.
What you need to know about organic seed
If you have an organic farm or plan to become certified organic in the next three years it is important that you follow the National Organic Program (NOP) rules regarding organic seed. To comply with NOP rules, the seed you use on your farm must be certified organic unless that specific variety is not available. The same applies to annual planting stock such as seed potatoes, garlic, and flower bulbs. Perennial planting stock such a fruit trees and berry plants may be purchased from non-organic sources as long as they are under organic management on your farm for at least 12 months before the first harvest.
Another consideration for organic compliance is that none of the seed or plant material you plant may be genetically modified. In addition, you cannot use seeds that have been coated with a non-organic seed treatment such as a conventional fungicide.
For more information on organic certification check out our YouTube video series!
Are there exceptions to the organic seed rule?
You may not be able to find a certified organic source for the specific variety you want to grow on your farm. In this case you need to document that you checked with at least 3 common organic seed suppliers before you purchased the non-organic variety.
As mentioned above you must ensure that a non-organic variety you purchase for your farm is not genetically modified and has not been treated with a prohibited substance such as a fungicidal seed treatment.
What documentation do you need to keep?
As a rule, it is important to keep records of your seed purchases for reference in future years. In addition to purchase records, you will want to have a place to make note of the performance of specific varieties.
If you have an organic farm there are four specific records you are required to keep pertaining to your seeds and plant materials on your farm. These include:
- List of your suppliers for seed and planting stock and varieties purchased
- Documentation of nonorganic seed and planting stock
- Documentation of seed treatments, coatings or inoculants used
- Record of seed saved and plants propagated
See the ATTRA Publication on Documentation Forms for Organic Crop and Livestock Producers for recordkeeping templates.
Conclusion
Depending on the scale of your farm, your seed order can be a major expense coming at a time when there is not much cash income. It is important to spend time selecting varieties that will perform well on your farm and result in sales. Taking the time to develop a crop plan based on anticipated sales and getting input from experienced growers in your community before pulling the trigger on a large seed order will help ensure success this season!
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