GMO vegetable seedlings or seeds

[Anonymous]

I like to grow my own vegetables and consider them somewhat organic given the growing conditions. However, I don't know if the seedlings that I buy are GMO, since that label is not required. I have ordered organic plants before, but curious about the ones that aren't labeled organic, such as those sold as Home Depot.

[Anonymous]

You'll never know unless you know and trust the grower or at least seller and for that issue, no reason to trust a big box store - they have no interest in the issue.

[Anonymous]

They are not GMO -- unless you're buying seedlings of Round-Up Ready soybeans, Bt corn, canola, or virus-resistant papayas.

[Anonymous]

Anything that is labeled either heirloom or OP whichrans open pollinated is not GMO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are not GMO -- unless you're buying seedlings of Round-Up Ready soybeans, Bt corn, canola, or virus-resistant papayas.

This.

Virtually no seeds available to the home grower are GMO.

[Anonymous]

Virtually every seed you buy has been cross bred and modified in some way...when people freak out about GMO they are generally referring to mass produced crops. But your regular tomato plants (or whatever) have been carefully bred and cross bred over the centuries.

Try a local store for organic seeds (seeds must come from organic plants). Last time I looked HD didn't carry organic seed but I haven't shopped there in awhile.

[Anonymous]

I agree -- there's really almost no chance that you're buying seeds or plants that are GMOs. Most commercially available GMO crops have been bred to be sold as a package with a pesticide or herbicide -- such as Roundup Ready crops.

That said I would be concerned about a different issue with respect to buying from big box stores or large nurseries -- and that is whether your plants have been treated with neonicotinoids, a class of pesticide associated with pollinator decline. If you can buy plants that are guaranteed to have been raised organically great but don't buy "bee friendly" plants from big box stores or large nurseries unless you are 100% sure they have not been treated with neonics.