What Are Organic Vegetables Seeds?

Certified Organic

• In the United States certified organic crops grow in soil that has not been treated with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or other unapproved substances for three years or more. Crops are maintained using physical, mechanical and botanical treatments and methods -- such as tilling, weeding or biological controls. Though certified organic crops are usually started from organic seed, in instances where no certified organic seed exists crops are started from non-organic seeds but are grown using other organic methods.

Seed Quality

• Seed production occurs in regions where a specific crops receives optimal growing conditions enabling it to produce large quantities of viable seed. According to agricultural scientists from the University of Oregon, regions of the world most suited for seed production cluster around the 45th parallel. These regions receive high amounts of summer light -- an essential ingredient to healthy seed production. Healthy seeds make healthy plants and a good seed is worth the investment. Choose seeds from a reputable seed distributor via catalog or retail outlets. Ensure the label is marked with a certified organic seal.

Organic Vegetable Gardens

• Starting a plant from an organic seed does not mean the harvest will be organic. Organic growing conditions and standards must be met throughout the plant's growth and development. Use fertilizers with a USDA-certified organic seal. Nurseries and garden centers make their own mixes or can supply you with bulk materials so that you can create your own organic fertilizer mixes. Choose non-chemical herbicides, such as horticultural vinegar, or manual removal to suppress weeds and pests.

Considerations

• Most commercially sold seeds are treated with coatings to prevent the build-up of fungus or to keep a seed rot resistant. Treatments like ionized radiation are not considered organic and seeds receiving such treatments cannot be labeled organic. Labels with phrases such as "sustainably harvested" are not organic unless accompanied with an organic seal.

  Heirloom vegetable seeds are not necessarily organic. These seeds have been passed down from generation to generation. Although the seeds may be free of genetic modifications, the seeds may not have been grown in organic conditions.