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What are The Diggers Club heirloom vegetables?

By Bunnings magazine /

Raised garden beds with trellises filled with leafy greens.
For time-tested flavour, grow heirloom vegetables from The Diggers Club

Gardening is enjoying a tasty renaissance, and heirloom vegetables are at its heart. With their incomparable flavours, proven performance and intriguing shapes and colours, a garden full of The Diggers Club Heirloom Selection is a joy to behold, from patch to plate.

What are heirloom vegetables?

We know what giant tomatoes, stripy eggplants and kaleidoscopic carrots look like, but what does ‘heirloom’ mean?

These are open-pollinated varieties that have been passed down through generations, cultivated for decades, even centuries, and saved for their exceptional performance and flavour. Their long legacy has allowed them to adapt to specific locations and climates. As they’re open pollinated, you’re able to save your own seed, which means these vigorous varieties continue to adapt for success in your garden’s environment. 

How are heirloom varieties different from commercial vegies?

Commercial vegies – including what lines the supermarket aisles – are usually bred for values such as long shelf life or high yield. Taste isn’t necessarily a priority. Heirloom varieties, by contrast, offer qualities that bring joy to home gardeners and cooks, including:

  • Superior flavour; interesting shapes, colours and texture
  • Diverse growth habits
  • Outstanding performance in the garden
  • Research has also shown that these varieties are often much more nutrient-dense, with higher levels of vitamins and minerals than their commercial counterparts*.

What is The Diggers Club?

The Diggers Club, a certified social enterprise, has spent nearly 50 years preserving rare and heirloom seeds for future generations of gardeners, cooks and families to enjoy – varieties that would otherwise be lost forever.

When you choose The Diggers Club’s heirloom seedlings, profits go to The Diggers Foundation, a registered charity charged with preserving heirloom seed, historic gardens and sustainable gardening practices. Play your part in preserving what we can’t afford to lose.

Keep in mind

  • Planting seasons vary according to region – check with your local store.
  • Wear gloves and a mask when handling mulch, compost and potting mix.

Ready to grow flavour-packed heirloom vegetables?

Check out the full range of The Diggers Club products available.

 

Photo credit: The Diggers Foundation. 

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