Germination Rate for Yellow Brandywine (Platfoot Strain)?

[JosephineRose]

I bought seeds for yellow brandywine from Sand Hill Preservation last year - my first experience with this particular company. I bought a few other varieties as well, as they came with good recommendation.

Of all 27 varieties I started this spring, I started the Platfoot and the Pink Brandywine Sudduth from Sand Hill. The germination rate for the yellow brandywine has been surprisingly poor: 25% success. I've resown twice and the results have identical each time: 1 in 4 comes up.

After all the restarts since my first sowing on 3/17, I've got a few platfoot seedlings now to get me through this season. The strongest will be transplanted - most likely the first one that came up since it will be furthest along at transplant time. Still, since the method, tools and soil were the same for all the varieties I tried, I'm wondering if the issue is the variety or the seeds themselves?

I had trouble earlier with one variety I received in trade, and I learned that things can happen in shipping that damage seeds, something I never considered. Should I contact Sand Hill?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by JosephineRose

I bought seeds for yellow brandywine from Sand Hill Preservation last year - my first experience with this particular company. I bought a few other varieties as well, as they came with good recommendation.
Of all 27 varieties I started this spring, I started the Platfoot and the Pink Brandywine Sudduth from Sand Hill. The germination
rate for the yellow brandywine has been surprisingly poor: 25% success. I've resown twice and the results have identical each time: 1 in 4 comes up.

After all the restarts since my first sowing on 3/17, I've got a few platfoot seedlings now to get me through this season. The strongest will be transplanted - most likely the first one that came up since it will be furthest along at transplant time. Still, since the method, tools and soil were the same for all the varieties I tried, I'm wondering if the issue is the variety or the seeds themselves?

I had trouble earlier with one variety I received in trade, and I learned that things can happen in shipping that damage seeds, something I never considered. Should I contact Sand Hill?

Glenn sells no seeds over two year sold, so seed age is not the problem, and if you go to the Plant and Seed forum here at Tville you'll see many outstanding comments that have been made about Sandhill Preservation.

I see no reason to contact Glenn, but that's your choice.

And the Platfoot strain is one I know very well and have never had problems with it.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...llow,_Platfoot

It is featured on page 72 of my heirloom tomato book and if you look in the appendix you'll see that the original source is not known, but Barabara Lund of Ohio introduced it to SSE via Charley Knoy Of IN and my source was Gary Platfoot.

I'm pretty sure I'm the one probably sent seeds to Glenn as I send him new seeds for trial every year

Just for clarification,you posted

(I bought a few other varieties as well, as they came with good recommendation.
Of all 27 varieties I started this spring, I started the Platfoot and the Pink Brandywine Sudduth from Sand Hill. The germination
rate for the yellow brandywine has been surprisingly poor: 25% success. I've resown twice and the results have identical each time: 1 in 4 comes up.)

It isn't clear to me if you bought all 27 varieties a year ago from Glenn,or somewhere else and planted just the two you mention from Glenn 2 years ago.

I guess all I can say is that lots of seeds are sent so if you want 3 plants just sow about 12 seeds. And you should have lots of fruits to save your own seeds from.


Hope that helps,

Carolyn

[JosephineRose]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Glenn sells no seeds over two year sold, so seed age is not the problem, and if you go to the Plant and Seed forum here at Tville you'll see many outstanding comments that have been made about Sandhill Preservation.

I see no reason to contact Glenn, but that's your choice.

And the Platfoot strain is one I know very well and have never had problems with it.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...llow,_Platfoot

It is featured on page 72 of my heirloom tomato book and if you look in the appendix you'll see that the original source is not known, but Barabara Lund of Ohio introduced it to SSE via Charley Knoy Of IN and my source was Gary Platfoot.

I'm pretty sure I'm the one probably sent seeds to Glenn as I send him new seeds for trial every year

Just for clarification,you posted

(I bought a few other varieties as well, as they came with good recommendation.
Of all 27 varieties I started this spring, I started the Platfoot and the Pink Brandywine Sudduth from Sand Hill. The germination
rate for the yellow brandywine has been surprisingly poor: 25% success. I've resown twice and the results have identical each time: 1 in 4 comes up.)

It isn't clear to me if you bought all 27 varieties a year ago from Glenn,or somewhere else and planted just the two you mention from Glenn 2 years ago.

I guess all I can say is that lots of seeds are sent so if you want 3 plants just sow about 12 seeds. And you should have lots of fruits to save your own seeds from.


Hope that helps,

Carolyn

I'm a little confused about your reply? I'm not sure what was unclear, so here it is again:

I started seeds for 27 varieties. Two of those varieties were seeds bought from Sand Hill last year for the first time ever.

One those two Sand Hill purchases, the Yellow Brandywine (Platfoot Strain), had 25% germination. I resowed from the same packet several times since March 17th, four seeds at a time, and got the same result: one of four.

Since I have never bought from Sand Hill before, nor planted Yellow Brandywine before, I was seeking information from the group as to whether or not this was an expected result with yellow brandywine. It seemed unusual to me, which is why I kept trying the seed again.

I'm afraid don't have the space to sow 12 seeds of each variety, let alone plant three plants of each. I start the multiples I do because those are the right numbers for my space issues. I'm only planting one of each variety this year. My question is whether or not a 25% germination rate on the Platfoot Strain is to be expected?

Considering the 20+ other varieties I started on March 17th that had 100% germination, it seemed odd.

The only other variety I had an issue with this year came from a trade, and none of those seeds came up at all with the paper towel test, so something happened to those in shipping. So I was just inquiring as to others' experience with Sand Hill and/or the Platfoot Strain, since I had no experience with either previously.

Are you saying you sent Glenn the seeds last year?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by JosephineRose

I'm a little confused about your reply? I'm not sure what was unclear, so here it is again:

I started seeds for 27 varieties. Two of those varieties were seeds bought from Sand Hill last year for the first time ever.

One those two Sand Hill purchases, the Yellow Brandywine (Platfoot Strain), had 25% germination. I resowed from the same packet several times since March 17th, four seeds at a time, and got the same result: one of four.

Since I have never bought from Sand Hill before, nor planted Yellow Brandywine before, I was seeking information from the group as to whether or not this was an expected result with yellow brandywine. It seemed unusual to me, which is why I kept trying the seed again.

I'm afraid don't have the space to sow 12 seeds of each variety, let alone plant three plants of each. I start the multiples I do because those are the right numbers for my space issues. I'm only planting one of each variety this year. My question is whether or not a 25% germination rate on the Platfoot Strain is to be expected?

Considering the 20+ other varieties I started on March 17th that had 100% germination, it seemed odd.

The only other variety I had an issue with this year came from a trade, and none of those seeds came up at all with the paper towel test, so something happened to those in shipping. So I was just inquiring as to others' experience with Sand Hill and/or the Platfoot Strain, since I had no experience with either previously.

Are you saying you sent Glenn the seeds last year?

So we agree,you bought only 2 varieties from Sandhill.

Since you said the germination was low that's why I suggested that you sow more seeds. I wouldn't expect you to get 12 up from 12 seeds, just 1/4 of that as you noted was your germination %. How many plants do you usually set out of each variety? A minimum of 2 I would assume,so if 2, then sow less than 12 seeds.

I sent seed of the Platfoot one many years ago,my book was published in 1999 and I had those seeds way before that.

How long ago? I just checked an SSE Yearbook and Bill Minkey got seeds from me in 1992.

Because Glenn sends out tomato seeds that are never more than 2 yo it means that he has to do huge growouts every other year on a rotating basis of varieties to keep fresh seed stock.

Carolyn

[gssgarden]

Me me ME!!!

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by gssgarden

Me me ME!!!

Which means that you also like it?

Or am I to take a different view of what you posted.

Carolyn, who yes,also likes it. Perhaps not her fave Brandywine, but whatever.

[User 636]

I'm not helpful other then that I ordered and germinated yellow brandywine this year. My two that I planted both came up. One came up about a week after the other and is still about 1/3 smaller. They are also potato leaf if that is helpful.

[KarenO]

If I was selling seeds I would expect to hear about a low germination rate and I would replace the seeds.
KarenO

[loulac]

Originally Posted by KarenO

If I was selling seeds I would expect to hear about a low germination rate and I would replace the seeds.
KarenO

I regularly buy seeds in the US, I remember sowing the same variety 2 or 3 times without any germination when other seeds were thriving. I asked the seller if I was the only one to have problems with that variety. In fact I was and he spontaneously sent me another packet which germinated correctly. I had not asked for a replacement : if accidents may happen at the seller's place plenty more can occur when they are sent, stored and sown.

PS my oldest seeds this spring : 15 years. 3 out of 5 germinated. There had been not treatment at all, seeds had just been washed and stored by the grower.

[PureHarvest]

I got plattfoot from SSE this year. Took forever to germinate compared to most of my others. % was second lowest of 20 or so types. Seedlings are the tiniest of all upon emerging.
Still have good expectations though.
I usually sow at least 25% more than I need and it always seems excessive because I typically get 90-100% germ rate. But with these plattfoot, I'm glad I do the extra sowing because it came in to play.

[Ricky Shaw]

Save seeds if you can get one to maturity Josephine and we'll know more. Send me some in the Fall to germinate, I grow seedlings year round. It would be interesting to see if the trait carries, and I've wanted to try this variety anyway. And, I've got a few varieties you may like too, happy to trade seed.

[JosephineRose]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Save seeds if you can get one to maturity Josephine and we'll know more. Send me some in the Fall to germinate, I grow seedlings year round. It would be interesting to see if the trait carries, and I've wanted to try this variety anyway. And, I've got a few varieties you may like too, happy to trade seed.

Will do. This one is going in an earthbox, though it will be near other plants. I'll try to bag blossoms for seed if I can, but last year I had a heck of a time trying to get bagged blossoms to produce fruit. They just wouldn't. I think the temps were too high and the blossoms just dropped.

I was only able to save seed last year from the very last plant to produce! I'll try to make sure that is this one this season!