Planting from a seed “grex”

Usually, commercial seeds are optimized for predictability so you can grow more or less what you see on the seed package. With a grex, you don’t quite know what you’re going to get because the seeds are from a genetically diverse interbreeding mix. I started a bunch of seeds from a perennial kale grex, and some came out purple, some green, some matte, and some shiny. Of those, some seedlings did very well in our microclimate and have been perennial in the garden for several years now, like the shiny green one in the photo. It’s very rewarding (and practical!) to grow something that has uniquely flourished in your own garden’s environment.