Learn the key differences between treated seeds and untreated seeds. We’ve laid out the pros and cons so you can decide on which type of seed best suits you and your planting needs.
Treated seeds are increasingly making headlines about being inorganic and bad for your health. On top of that bad for wildlife and a pollutant in soils and water. However, they have their use in planting.
To make an informed decision about what kind of seed to pick for your planting you need to learn what sets them apart, here are a few comparisons.
Table of Contents
- Treated seeds vs untreated seeds – What’s the difference?
- Treated seeds
- Untreated seeds
- How to plant treated seeds
- When should you plant treated seeds?
Treated seeds vs untreated seeds – What’s the difference?
The simple difference between the two is that treated seeds have been coated with some type of fungicide, pesticide or chemical preservative. This is to prevent them from being eaten by pests, fungus or bacteria in the soil and also improve the length of the shelf life of seeds.
Untreated seeds are seeds fresh out of the plant that have only been dried in the sun or open air before storage. Treated seeds are never spores because those would be too small to treat.
However, it is important that both untreated and treated seeds are stored in a cool, dry place before you plant them as moisture can lead to the seeds starting to rot or sprout.
Treated seeds
Treated seeds have an inorganic coating on them and are often selectively bred before they are treated to be sold. Often by seed manufacturing companies or plant breeders.
Pros
- May produce more pest resistant and bigger crops due to the seeds being selectively bred and picked specifically.
- They have improved germination rates due to the protection the seed get from pests and diseases due to their inorganic coating
Cons
- While it is proven that the chemical coating doesn’t produce any contamination of the plant once grown. The nature of the chemical added in order for the seeds to grow could have negative long term effects. This is because seeds are often applied with insecticides, chemical fertilizers and other treatments under a controlled environment in order for the treated seeds to sprout.
- Chemicals used to sprout seeds and the seed coating could contaminate water supplies and harm insects and pollinators of the plant
- Treated seeds when consumed in large quantities are harmful to mammals and fish so making sure you dispose of any unused seeds is important
- Can ruin your soil overtime if crop rotation instructions are ignored
Untreated seeds
- Untreated seeds are fresh seeds that have nothing coated on them before they are sold or planted to produce crops.
Pros
- They are 100% chemical free and will give you a peace of mind if you are an organic grower or want to avoid using GMO’s, insecticides or chemical fertilizers.
- You are more likely to grow crops sustainably using untreated seeds because of the absence of additional chemicals needed to grow the seeds.
Cons
- Lower germination rate of seeds as some could die due to fungus, insect or bacteria
How to plant treated seeds
First and foremost, read the instructions. If you manage to get your hands on treated seeds, it is likely you were given clear instructions on planting requirements and chemicals needed in order for them to grow effectively.
Revisit the place you bought your treated seeds and seek instructions on the soil temperature, spacing and chemicals you may need to invest in to keep your plant happy throughout the growing process.
Make sure that any unused seeds you do not discard or leave lying around for animals to consume as this can be extremely harmful to wildlife
It is important you wear gloves or sufficient protective equipment when handling seeds and wash your hands after handling
When should you plant treated seeds?
If you find yourself looking for specific seed varieties that are selectively bred and you want to create a near lab controlled growing environment for your crops that produces the best possible yield then using treated seeds would be ideal.
Especially if you are on the hunt for seeds that have been selectively bred and genetically modified. Because these seeds are more expensive and harder to come by in the first place, it is sensible to create the best conditions for them to grow
On the other hand if you are in to organic gardening and being GMO, pesticide, chemical and fungicide free. Un-treated seeds are your best bet. In fact for the average gardener, finding treated seeds would be a rare occurrence.
