Ask a Master Gardener: Sort through jargon to get right seed

Q. As I thumb through seed catalogs, I notice terms such as hybrid seed and heirloom seed. What do these terms mean?

A. Growing plants from seedis exciting, but it may also prove confusing if you don’t understand some of the jargon used to describe seeds.

Hybrid seedHybrid seed is produced by cross pollinating plants to create desired features in the offspring. For example, one tomato plant may be drought tolerant, while another tomato plant produces vigorously. The two plants are cross pollinated to produce a drought-tolerant tomato plant that produces a lot of tomatoes.Organic seedOrganic seed is produced by plants that are grown without using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and must meet organic certification requirements. These requirements specify that the plants from which the seeds are gathered have not been genetically modified or treated with any non-organic chemicals like synthetic fertilizers. Heirloom and heritage seedWhile these terms are used interchangeably, they both refer to seeds that have been grown reliably for at least half a century, and some even further back. They have been able to keep their original traits such as growing habits and taste, through open pollination, and therefore, are very similar to the parent plants. It is not unusual to hear someone comment, #147;These new tomatoes just don#146;t taste like the ones my Grandma grew.#148; One of the largest non-profit organizations dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds is the Seed Savers Exchange. Since 1975, this non-profit organization has been maintaining thousands of different plant types in one of the largest seed banks of its kind in North America. They offer a seed catalog which is available on their Web site.Q. I read that houseplants require humidity during the winter. How can I give my houseplants humidity?A. Lack of humidity is a culprit in many indoor plant deaths, especially during the winter. Signs that your plant is suffering a lack of humidity include leaf tips turning brown, leaves dropping off plant, plant wilting, and flower buds withering soon after opening.To ensure your houseplants get the humidity they need, there are several ways you can increase humidity around your houseplants by doing the following:Ÿ Set the plant containers on a humidity tray. Use any tray made of hard plastic and cover the bottom with a shallow layer of pebbles. Pour water up to just below the level of the gravel and place the pots over the pebbles. Make sure you do not pour too much water; otherwise, the plants will sit directly in the water and you will create more problems.Ÿ Group plants together. This helps the plants emit moisture and helps raise the humidity in the air surrounding the plants.Ÿ Mist the plants a few times daily. Mist close to the soil. Do not mist on the leaves since the water can leave a residue that may prevent the leaves from breathing.Ÿ Mulch the plant using sphagnum moss and other types of mulch. This will help retain moisture and humidity.Ÿ Provided by Mary Boldan, Mary Moisand and Donna Siemro, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. Send questions to Ask a Master Gardener, c/o Friendship Park Conservatory, 395 W. Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016, (847) 298-3502 or via e-mail to cookcountymg.com@gmail.com.