Three pale yellow ears of corn with the husks pealed back

Corn Hand-Pollination

In absence of isolation, hand-pollination ensures that the corn plant’s flowers are not contaminated by pollen from another variety. Hand-pollination prevents hybridization and ensures that the plant produces seeds that are true-to-type.

Rows of plants in the evaluation garden at Heritage Farm

Learn

It’s National Weed Your Garden Day!

So maybe it doesn’t spark the excitement of National Doughnut Day (June 2) or National Chocolate Ice Cream Day (June 7) or even National Selfie Day (no, you haven’t missed that—it’s June 21). But here at Seed Savers Exchange, we think National Weed Your Garden Day—observed annually on June 13—has a whole lot going for it too.

A garden with many plants and trees and a sign saying Edible Schoolyard.

Learn

Cultivating a Collard Curriculum

Seed Savers Exchange is excited to announce a multi-partner collaborative effort with Alice Waters’s Edible Schoolyard Project. This effort will continue the work of the Heirloom Collard Project and bring in longtime Seed Savers Exchange partner SeedLinked. The purpose of this project is to create a curriculum for middle school students around growing collard greens.

Learn

Decoding the DNA of Heritage Apples

As an orchard intern, it was my responsibility to learn about the heritage apples grown here and research information about these historical varieties.

A pile of orange-pink sweet potatoes of various shapes

Growing Guides

Growing Guide: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have significant cultural and culinary histories and uses across the globe. Growing sweet potatoes has very different requirements from growing potatoes.

Four sliced beets of different colors (white and yellow, red, yellow, and white) lined up.

Learn

SSE’s ADAPT program seeks community scientists

Do you enjoy gardening? Do you like growing truly unique varieties? Do you love knowing that you are contributing to a good cause like increasing biodiversity? Do you want to try something new in 2024? If you answered “yes” to any (or all) of these questions, then Seed Savers Exchange has an exciting opportunity for you: the Community Science ADAPT program.

Many trees with no foliage and tree guards around their trunks, in an open space of grass and blue sky

How Tos

How to Prepare Fruit Trees for Winter

It’s essential to properly prepare fruit trees for winter. Tree guards are the best method to protect your trees.

A colorful map of the United States depicting the plant hardiness zones. Text at the top reads

Learn

USDA Releases New Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Thanks to a new map released by the USDA in mid-November—the first update to the map since 2012—many gardeners will be planting some flowers, fruits, and vegetables for the very first time this spring.

A large pile of dark, rich compost, with more large piles covered in straw in the background.

Learn

Composting at Seed Savers Exchange

Seed Savers Exchange uses compost to improve soil health, along with other methods such as rotating crops and planting cover crops.

Several white cows graze a large open field next to a small red building

Learn

Meet the Ancient White Park Cattle of Heritage Farm

Wait a second, you thought Seed Savers Exchange only stewarded seeds? Think again! Heritage Farm is home to two herds of Ancient White Park cattle, cared for by Seed Savers Exchange. These heritage cows are part of an ongoing conservation effort and an important part of Seed Savers Exchange’s mission.