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Are hybrid or non-hybrib seeds better for growing a garden?

I'm into more of organic ways, no chemical pesticides and want to know what the difference is in these seeds ... if one has harmful stuff in them or has been genetically changed?

Public Comments

1. The only difference in hybrids and non-hybrids is the plants that are used to get the seed. If both the male and female parts of the flower are from the same plant or exactly the same variety of plant, the seed is non hybrid. If you take the male part from one variety and the female from another variety, you get a hybrid. Plant breeders are always crossing varieties to try to get better results, such as disease resistance or bigger crops, etc. Either one can be organic.
2. Hybrids are a first generation seed cross between two different parents. If you save the seeds from a Hybrid, you won't get the same plant from them. A non Hybrid is considered genetically set and the seeds will be the same as the parent plants. Normally the cross breeding of two different parents to produce a Hybrid offspring is done by bees or the wind and is very natural. All the plants we eat and use for flowers have been genetically changed. The original plants were poor producers and not very pleasing to look at. By carefully cross breeding the seeds over centuries, we have the veggies and flowers of today. Hybrid seeds are new crosses and most of the seeds won't breed true if you save them from the veggie or flower and plant them again. Remember 8th grade Biology section on Genetics? 49% of the seed will be one parent, 49% will be the other parent. 2% will be a mutation and may or may not be the Hybrid. If the 2% are the Hybrid, they are no longer considered a Hybrid, they are considered to be genetically true and almost of all their offspring will be the same as the parent.