18/10/2026
Seed myths debunked: what’s true, what isn’t, and what actually matters if you want to grow your own food. After my last garden post there were a lot of questions about seeds, and a few myths came up that are worth clearing up. Here’s what I've discovered is real and what isn’t.
Myth 1: “Supermarket veg doesn’t have seeds anymore”
Mostly false. Some fruit and veg is bred seedless or near-seedless because shoppers prefer it: watermelons, grapes, Lebanese cucumbers, some snacking tomatoes and capsicums. But pumpkins, tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, beans, melons and most other veg still have plenty of seeds.
Myth 2: “So I can just plant the seeds from supermarket veg”
Sort of, but don’t rely on it. Most commercial produce is grown from F1 hybrid seed, a cross between two parent lines bred for yield and shelf life. The seeds will often sprout, but the plants won’t grow true. You might get something like what you ate, something like a grandparent, or a weak plant that barely produces. Good for a fun experiment, not for a food plan.
Myth 3: “Hybrid means GMO”
False. Hybrids are made by cross-pollinating two plants, the same thing bees do, just controlled. Gardeners have been doing it for well over a century. Genetic modification is a completely different process done in a lab.
Myth 4: “Our veggies are all genetically modified”
False in Australia. The GM crops grown here are mainly cotton and canola. You won’t find GM fresh vegetables at Coles or Woolies.
Myth 5: “Seed companies sell sterile ‘terminator’ seeds so you have to rebuy every year”
False. The technology was patented in the late 1990s but never sold commercially, and there’s been an international moratorium on it ever since. The real reason hybrid seed needs rebuying is Myth 2: it doesn’t grow true, not that it’s sterile.
Myth 6: “Seeds last forever if you store them”
Depends on the seed. Stored cool, dark and dry, tomato, pumpkin and cucumber seed can stay viable for five years or more. Onion, parsnip and leek seed is often poor after a year or two. If you’re building a seed bank, rotate the short-lived ones every season.
Myth 7: “Supermarket potatoes are as good as seed potatoes”
Not really. Washed or brushed potatoes may be treated to slow sprouting, and they aren’t certified disease-free, so they can bring viruses or blight into your garden. Certified seed potatoes from a nursery cost a bit more but are the safer bet. (Full disclosure, I planted Coles ones. I’ll report back.)
If you want a food supply that keeps going without a trip to Bunnings every season:
Buy open-pollinated or heirloom seed. Save seed from your best plants and they’ll grow true next year. Start with easy seed savers: beans, peas, tomatoes, lettuce and pumpkin.
Store saved seed in a labelled, airtight jar somewhere cool and dark. A few silica gel sachets in the jar help. Grow from your saved seed every season. A seed bank you never plant is a seed bank you don’t know works.
One packet of heirloom seed, looked after properly, can keep you growing for years. If you are looking for some long life food products to tide you over before the crop comes in you can check us out at www.survivalstorehouse.com
