gardenbetty.com

What All Those Weird Abbreviations in Seed Catalogs Mean

What do all those weird plant terms, abbreviations, and acronyms mean? Sometimes flipping through a simple seed catalog can feel like you’re trying to decipher a science book.

Cut through the jargon and learn how to read your seed catalogs and seed packets like a pro with this layman’s guide to seed terminology.

Types of seeds listed in seed catalogs and seed packets

Open-Pollinated Seeds Denoted as (OP), open-pollinated seed varieties are pollinated naturally by wind, insects, birds, or humans.

Heirloom Seeds

The generally accepted definition of an heirloom is an open-pollinated seed variety that has been passed down for at least 50 years. All heirloom seeds are open-pollinated, but not all open-pollinated seeds are heirlooms.

Hybrid Seeds

Not to be confused with GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or GM (genetically modified) seeds, hybrids are the result of cross-pollinating two plants of different varieties within the same species.

In genetics, the term “F1” (sometimes written as “F1“) refers to Filial 1—meaning “first children.” F1 hybrid seeds are created through the selective cross-pollination of two different parent plants.

F1 Hybrids

When seeds are genetically engineered, genetic information is artificially extracted from plants of different species and inserted into the DNA of other plants.

Non-GMO Seeds

gardenbetty.com

Swipe up to read the full post!

The Best Seed Catalogs for 2025, According to a Garden Expert

What Days to Maturity REALLY Means On Your Seed Packets