catalog shopping? think like a seed breeder, says joseph tychonievich

Joseph Tychonievich, author of, “Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener: How to Create Unique Vegetables and Flowers” (affiliate link), says that just a little knowledge of the basics of breeding and genetics might help you shop with new discernment–with the eye of a breeder–from that heap of catalogs on the bedside table.

Joseph, former nursery manager at Arrowhead Alpines, the venerable rare-plant nursery in Michigan, was named one of “six young horticulturists who are helping to shape how America gardens” by “Organic Gardening” magazine, and he recently joined the popular collaborative Garden Professors blog at extension.org and on Facebook. He also blogs at Green Sparrow Gardens, his personal website.

In our conversation on my public-radio show and podcast, Joseph told me how to take best advantage of all the self-sowns that pop up by knowing which to keep and which to thin out; how to apply a smarter eye to saving seed, and more.

Read along as you listen to the Jan. 5, 2015 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Our discussion was the second installment in the second year of my annual wintertime seed series (here’s the whole archive). This year’s series began last episode with Bill Tracy, a longtime professional corn breeder from the University of Wisconsin, and the story of a new organic corn and why it matters.

Q. I read in the introduction to “Plant