Heirloom Seeds
from the April 2005 Issue

No matter how much a family heirloom might be worth, it will rarely be sold because of the sentimental value and family history associated with it. Heirloom seeds are just as prized to some gardeners. Using heirloom seeds in your garden, you can eat fresh fruits or vegetables that taste like they did when you were growing up, and you can pass down your gardening knowledge to your children or grandchildren.

Heirloom seeds are like any other kind of heirloom; they're kept to use again. As many gardeners have known for decades, the plants that grow from these seeds have distinct advantages to some of their hybrid counterparts. There are different pros and cons to every species of heirloom plant, so we'll focus on one variety of watermelon - Moon and Stars. When you buy watermelon seeds at the store, you can never really be sure how well they'll grow. If you plan on your fruit maturing at about the same time every year, you'll need to make sure you get the same variety of seeds, and probably even get the same brand as you did the previous year. Just because a certain brand or variety is around one spring doesn't mean it will be readily available next year when you go to get it at your local gardening store.

More importantly, every year could bring you a different tasting watermelon. When you try different varieties or even different brands, you could be getting sweet in one patch and bland in another. You also won't know what the fruit will look like if you're trying to make a little extra money during the growing season or using the fruit for decorative purposes. Heirloom seeds like moon and stars watermelon take the worry out of the equation for growing quality fruit or vegetables. There's no question you'll get what you intend to every year as long as you keep saving the seeds from your patch. The melon will taste just as sweet and juicy as it did last summer.

Varieties such as the Moon and Stars watermelon appeal to gardeners for their distinct appearance as well as their flavor. This is true in many other heirloom varieties as well - heirlooms give you the freedom to grow things like orange potatoes or purple beans. Fruits and vegetables like these will almost guarantee that your garden gets noticed. The Moon and Stars watermelon variety appeals to almost anyone who grows them. This melon, an Amish mainstay for many years, gets its name from the yellow blotches that appear on the skin of the watermelon - the larger blotches look much like the moon and the smaller yellow markings appear like stars around the moon. The Moon and Stars variety also contains plenty of seeds for you to save inside its juicy flesh, making it much easier to pass on.

Before you have your own source of seeds, you'll have to buy some of these unique varieties from someone who is already saving seeds. There are plenty of heirloom seed enthusiasts around, so finding someone to supply you with your first batch of seed shouldn't be too difficult. Once you locate your seeds, the next step is putting them in the ground. Melons are a little different than most things you might find in the garden; they're planted in hills (groups of four or five seeds) as opposed to rows. Watermelons like warm temperatures and somewhat sandy soil, so if you have a spot in your garden that's too sandy for anything else, they might be worth a shot. Melons also like a lot of room, so plant your hills about eight or ten feet apart.

Once the sun is setting on your first growing season with your new Moon and Stars, you'll need to save their seeds to continue your newfound tradition. Picking a few seeds out of every piece you eat during the growing season can easily accomplish this. You can't just throw them anywhere, though. You'll have to follow these basic tips to make sure your crop next year was as good as this year's (these work for most other heirloom seeds as well):

1. Once the seeds have been extracted from the watermelon, you should only save the cream of the crop for next year - steer clear of any that look wrinkled, shriveled, or otherwise unhealthy. Remember, if they don't make it until planting time next spring, they're no good to you. One easy way to do this is simply observe your plants during their growing season. Take the seeds from the plants with the qualities you want to keep growing. If one melon tastes especially good to you, go ahead and plant a whole patch next year. You could also pick out seeds from plants that mature early, are bigger, or resist drought better than others.

2. The next phase is to dry the selected seeds. This needs to be done some place with good circulation to avoid moisture seeping into the seed. The last thing you want is the watermelon that's supposed to be growing in your garden in the spring trying to grow in your garage over the winter. You'll also want to avoid any heat sources, including sunlight. You want your seeds to dry, not dry up.

3. Once your seeds are dry, you'll need to store them in a cool and dark place where the temperature doesn't fluctuate much. Refrigerators are perfect for this stage of the process. Kept in the right environment, some seeds will be good for up to five years. Since the watermelon seeds will keep for a long time, an easy way to pass your newfound heirlooms along is to give them to your friends and family to plant next year. Besides providing great looking and great tasting fruits and vegetables like Moon and Stars watermelon, heirloom seeds give you an opportunity to continue traditions that were passed on to you, and a chance to pass on those traditions. Trying different heirloom seeds could also give you a new tradition in your family for generations to come.