Apart from the obvious GM seeds, does it really matter whether or not seeds you use are organic if you grow your plants organically?
The only difference I have found is the price.
Presumably it shows that the plants grew well and productively when grown in organic conditions.
Organic seeds are guaranteed to not have been treated with anything to protect them from pests or help them to germinate, such as being coated with fungicides. 'Normal' seeds may or may not have been treated. If you want to sell produce labelled 'organic' then you can only do that if you know for certain that the seeds hadn't been treated.
I think that's the only circumstance that I'd worry.
As there would be such a tiny amount of chemical on a treated seed, the amount transferred into the plant would be so small that I doubt it would be measurable. However, if you believe in holistics (which I don't!) then the smaller the amount of chemicals, the stronger the effect is supposed to be (which makes no logical sense, but there you go.)
Thanks for replies. What you all say makes sense to me. I couldn't see either how anything sprayed on seeds could make much difference but the likelihood that they will grow well under organic conditions makes sense too.
I prefer to buy organically produced seed, not because I think they're better but because I think anyone producing anything organically should be supported. The more of us buy it, the cheaper it will get.
It's not simply the effect of a treatment on the seed itself which can be against organic principles, but its effect on the wider environment.
Seeds can be treated with insecticides and fungicides ... these not "...only IMO afford protection to the seed during storage and perhaps in initial sowing..." as suggested by Mike Allen, but their properties pass into the plant which grows from that seed and in that way the plant will become toxic to insects and resistant to fungal infection.
Whilst the use of seed treatments is argued by the producers to have a lower effect on the wider environment than the other methods of applying insecticides and fungicides such as spraying onto crops in the field/garden we need to be aware that they do have an impact on the wider environment, including wildlife, and cannot be considered in any way compatible with organic farming and gardening.
valid arguments on both sides. I'm just as puzzled as ever
What actually is an artificial soil fertiliser?
I wont use anything in my garden other than my own home made compost enriched with horse poo, (although I did use chicken pellets when we first made our garden) we make tons every year, I believe the soil makes what it needs if you get the soil in good condition, I know a lot if people are quick to say feed it, whatever the problem, but what is actually good feed for the soil, other than home made composts?