Participate in Variety Trials
You are invited to be part of our mission to make the seed system more transparent and resilient by signing up to participate in collaborative variety trials on SeedLinked! Jump ahead to collaborative variety trial sign up!
Taking part in collaborative variety trials is a great way to:
- Grow new and exciting varieties before they are released commercially.
- Provide vital feedback on how the varieties perform. Your reviews will be available (anonymously) to help other growers choose seeds on the SeedLinked Marketplace.
- Participate in the discussion on the trial community feed where you can learn from other growers, share your expertise, and build community.
- Get instant access to trial results when you complete each trial.
What am I committing to when I sign up to be part of a collaborative variety trial on SeedLinked?
- When you sign up, you must create a free SeedLinked Account.
- The trial manager will review your request to participate in trials and may or may not ask you to officially join depending on your location, experience, or grower type (gardener or farmer).
- Once you get accepted to join the trial, you will get a confirmation email.
- The trial manager for the trial will send you seeds and will ask you to grow out each variety and submit your reviews, comments, and photos on the SeedLinked website and/or app during the growing season.
- The trial manager for each collaborative variety trial will communicate more specific details about participating.
Sign Up for Collaborative Variety Trials
Check out what trials are available below. Note that this page is updated frequently, so check back often to sign up for more trials.
2023 SeedLinked summer green lettuce trial
Nothing beats a crisp and refreshing salad on a summer day, but growing lettuce during the heat of summer is always a challenge. See how tried-and-true varieties stack up against newcomers for production during summer. The 2023 summer lettuce Trial features 12 new varieties from some of the industry’s most innovative breeders, such as Fedco, Sativa and Frank Morton.
Growers will receive a subset of 3 varieties, and are asked to plant at least 10 individuals of each variety in the same conditions, either by transplanting or by overseeding and thinning to 10 plants at your standard head lettuce spacing (or 12″). Plant the trial during your last spring or summer planting, or by July 10th if you’re a lettuce afficionado who plants all summer long. Seed will be shipped in April.
2023 SeedLinked Specialty Moschata Trial – Comparing Tillage
Winter squash varieties have been anecdotally reported to perform very differently in full vs reduced tillage systems. In this trial we are testing 7 specialty moschata types, from exciting new releases to underappreciated heirlooms. This trial includes Lodi, Koginut, Autumn Frost, Long Island Cheese, Black Futsu, Autumn Crown, Seminole, Doran Round, and Gouda Winter Squash varieties (all either untreated or certified organic). Everyone loves butternut, but specialty Cucurbita moschata squash can be even more delicious than usual butternuts, and their unique shapes make them a perfect decorative piece on a kitchen or farmers market table. Growers will receive a subset of 4 varieties, 10 seeds each, and are asked to plant at least 4 individuals of each type in the same setting. In this trial we are especially interested in comparing standard tillage vs reduced tillage systems, so be sure to fill out the management survey at the end of the trial, and plant in no-till (AKA no-dig) beds if you have them available.
Updated 27/1/23