Seed quality is extremely important to us here at Hoss Tools. There are many factors that go into the selection of seeds we offer to you in our store; germination percentage, disease resistance, grow time, crop yield, etc. Because we look for only the best seeds to offer, we get to know the companies we work with and like to help you get to know what you can expect from the products we offer.

We recently invited Tracy Lee from Sakata Seeds to stop by and talk with us about the company and their products that are newer for us and the ones we have had available.

Sakata

Tracy tells us that since 1913 Sakata has strived to be one of the top innovative creators and suppliers of top quality seeds. Their global network of breeders work diligently in accordance to the company's motto, "Quality, Reliability, Service", to bring superior performance and standards to the seed industry. 

One of her main driving factors is the needs of the home gardener. Tracy says that she works with the breeders and tells them what gardeners want, what they are in need of, and what they are looking for. The breeders in turn will look at what they have, look at what's needed, and work to develop a product that will check the boxes of what growers are looking for.

The time and effort that has been put into the company's seed production and development is evident in the quality of the seeds we have to offer here at Hoss Tools. 

One of the advantages to having the global network of growers and breeders is that each product is tested for yield in all kinds of conditions. In turn, you can trust that the seeds we offer are the best for your needs and your zones.

Quality

After focusing on horticulture and vegetable production in college, Tracy has spent her entire career in the seed industry, working at a few of the top named companies in trialing, product selection, and cataloging. All of this experience has given her a wealth of knowledge on what makes not just a good seed, but a quality seed and now helps suppliers, like Hoss Tools, bring amazing products to you.

Tracy goes on to explain that there was a tendency in the past for seed breeders to focus on yield over flavor as they engaged with the larger crop production companies. She says that Sakata has not given up on flavor in the products they provide; quite the contrary as flavor, disease resistance, and good performance are of extreme importance to the company. After all, those are the factors you, as a grower, are looking for in a product.

Varieties

For many years there were only a handful of options available to shoppers in US supermarkets when it came to vegetables. Then, not too long ago, the grape tomato was introduced. This was a tomato type that was unique in its shape and sweetness. Home gardeners had nothing like it to grow in their gardens which led seed companies, like Sakata, to begin breeding their own varieties.

Now there are many, many options of every type of vegetable out there. So much so that you can plan out extended growing seasons for a specific crop. For instance, if you want to harvest tomatoes until well past July, we have a few suggestions on what to plant and in what order as well.

Tomatoes

There are two main types of tomato; determinant and indeterminate. If you are not familiar with these terms they simply refer to how they grow. A determinant will grow a certain height and remain there for the duration of the season whereas an indeterminate will continue to grow as the season progresses. An interesting fact that has been discovered with testing is that indeterminate plants tend to have a better tas...