Tomatoes - breaking my oath

Possibly, but probably not. More likely it means they had sufficient seed remaining from the previous crop years that they didn't bother purchasing more, they just re-tested the older seed and updated the labeling for the packets. That's why you generally see the phrase 'packed for' on the label. Tomato seeds retain their viability for many years, incidentally.

Also, most retail seed providers don't grow their own, they purchase from third-party sources.

I worked for a regional seed company years ago. We were the distributors of bulk seeds from many major and minor seed companies. If you wanted to buy any of their seeds in bulk, you didn't buy direct from the producers, you bought from one of their regional distributors. They sold us the same seed they sold to all the companies that package and sell the very same seeds under their private labels. Burpee, Ferry-Morse, etc. - as long as it's the same variety name, it's all the same seeds coming from the same sources. Only the package and the price differ.

Reply to
Moe DeLoughan
Loading thread data ...

Dern! How depressing! From the aura surrounding Tatiana's Web site (part of which I quoted above), I really got the impression that it was an in-house operation, not that they bought from wholesalers for resale.

Especially since these seeds sounded "exotic"; not the familiar brands carried by most nurseries.

Sigh! Guess I'll have to wait till (a) they germinate and (b) bear fruit, probably well into summer. (beats up self) Should have started earlier...

Tx for reply.

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

, probably well into summer. (beats up self) Should have started earlier. ..

The jury is in on germination of the 3 Canadian "exotics". Two of them ZERO. Other one, TWO puny little things that don't seem to be growing. I' m sending the packets back to Tatiana with germination rates.

Note that these were planted in good cimposted soil and appropriately water ed.

I'm on a Library computer right now (don't ask!!!) but when I get computer fixed I'll post the varieties of tomato plants I bought at nabe nursery, wh ich are doing fine. Interestingly, the plant person who helped me choose " sharp, acid" -- which has been my quest -- noted that most customers want " sweet"??!!

Go figure.

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

Many people seem to assiciate acidic tomatoes to with heartburn. I assume that is part of why the breeding trend has been toward lower acid types.

I don't think my varieties are considered low acid, but I haven't looked into it. I just know what I like. I pressure can the sauces, so it is fine if they are low acid.

Reply to
Drew Lawson

Here at last is report on the four varieties I planted after consulting with helpful plant guy at my nursery to find "sharp, acid" varieties.

I didn't specify "heirloom" or "organic" but 3 out of 4 fit that bill.

Black Krim - heirloom - organic

Brandywine - heirloom organic

Old German - heirloom - organic

Black Zebra

After [censored] years of planting the tried&true varieties offered for this area, it will be VERY interesting to see how these turn out.

Anybody know if the ones with "black" in the name are really "black"?

TIA for any feedback.

HB

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

I grow black varieties with some frequency - no, they are not black, but dark, dark green. There is one variety of blacks that is dark, dark, dark, but to me, they look a bit like purple plums.

formatting link

formatting link

The fruits from the heirlooms you have should be quite nice, except I do not generally find these varieties as prolific fruiters. Some can be. Additionally, what one gain for the flavor, one loses due to disease susceptibility or cracking. Some years you will be fine....other years, you'll get caught short.

I generally plant a mix of heirlooms and others, including cherry varieties. It is hard to lose an entire crop of cherries, so there is always something to harvest.

I have at least 15 different varieties planted and a bunch o' volunteers that will surprise me as the season goes on.

Reply to
Boron Elgar

I haven't grown your varieties. Black Plum is dark but not black. Depending on the weather they are dark red or a bit toward purple. The insides are a rich red.

My Black Plum just started to bloom a few days ago. The others (Amish Paste and Opalka) have not. They look stressed, but are growing. The weather was pretty hot when I first put them out. I suspect that the roots have not expanded as much as I'd like.

We're looking at a week of thunder storms, which should be good.

Looking at some notes from earlier years, the Black Plum shoudl be getting ripe just about the time we leave town for a week.

Reply to
Drew Lawson

Disappointed in performance of the 4 varieties described above. I tried so hard to get "acid-y" varieties from local nursery after Canadian debacle.

One or two fruits; vines not flourishing despite sun, water & fertiliZer. Santa Monica is not prime tomato country, but this is really a bummer.

At least French string beans roaring along.

HB

Galileo: "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use"

Reply to
Hypatia Nachshon

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.