Black Plum Received in Trade
 

[COLOR=purple]I apologize in advance for my newbie-ness in the world of tomatoes....[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#800080]Okay - I rec'd some Black Plum seeds in trade, and started them about 3 weeks ago. Of the 12 started, I have germ. on 2, which is way below the rate on my other tomatoes. It was also a good deal slower to start. Is this a normal germ rate for this tomato? Also, is it normally a slow starter? (I rec'd other seeds from this person, and the eggplant she sent started late, but I have decent germ. on it, so it isn't neccessarily a seed saving issue.) I am also growing a beefsteak looking tomato out of a friend's garden - wonderfully tasty, large, and completely anonymous as of yet. And Roma, and a selection of stuff from [URL="http://www.tomatoville.com/wintersown.org"]wintersown.org [/URL]that I got in the mail. All of them are up and running, and I'm hoping that the cold weather breaks very soon, or I'll be buying new lights again for the basement, since they're getting so large! I don't have the room for as many tomatoes as you all normally plant. If these don't work, it's no big thing, I'm mostly just curious... [/COLOR]

Lavgirl, I don't believe germination rate has so much to do with variety as it does with the seed itself. Seed received in a trade is basically a crapshoot. Age of seed, saving techniques and other factors are players in the viability of seed.
I recently received seed in a trade and the first four seeds I planted none germinated. Planted four more and they all germinated. You tell me. Ami

[COLOR=purple]Yeah, I figured as much - thanks Amideutch. What about the length til germination? Are these slow starters? I'd hate to throw away a bunch of just-about-to-break-the-surface seedlings![/COLOR]

Lavgirl, I've heard of some seeds taking 4-6 weeks to germinate. Especially if they are using old seed. There are a few techniques for "Waking up old seeds". I know Carolyn and a few others here at T-Ville are pretty good at it. All you have to do is ask and they will point you in the right direction.
But like I said previously it may be something else that is causing your poor germination rates. Ami