ALERT; MY 2010 Seed Offer

[carolyn137]

I know from experience that if I post this in the thread in the Seeds Trade subforum where the thread for my 2010 seed offer is, that the corrections I need to make, as well as other comments, won't be seen by those who received my seeds so that's why I'm posting it here.

1)First, I misspelled two varieties on my list:

Kazachstan should be Kazachka

Pohzar should be Pozhar

I tried correcting thos spellings on the coin envelopes but I'm not sure I got them all corrected since I always had your request notes next to me when I labelled the coin envelopes so I can't be sure. So please check and change those names if needed.

2)The seed offer is permanently closed now. I'll get to making that announcement on the first page of the seed offer sometime, but I wanted to say so today. I still have lots of seeds but the SSE Yearbook will be here soon and I have to reorganize my seeds, etc.

3) Some SASE's are still sitting in somones home somewhere. Last year I didn't set a deadline for when they had to be returned and was getting some through the summer into the Fall and I forgot to set a deadline this year, so will now. I'm sorry but I won't be able to honor any SASE's postmarked LATER than Monday, Feb 8th. Thanks.

4)I had few seeds for Burning Spear and Maria Amazillitie's Giant Red b'c as I noted in the seed offer I wasn't listing those in the Yearbook, so they went pretty quickly. I had to make substitutions for those but I think everyone else got their first choices.

5)Some statistics. There were about 80 responses including the ones from other countries that were e-mailed to me as I offered that as an option and said I'd pay the postage. I put an obscene amount of postage on some of those b/c the USPS did away with their standard rate for Europe and the UK and I found out too late that the USPS site had a drop down list with postages for each country, so that's why some of you will laugh when you see the number of stamps I used.

I had said that each person could submit up to 5 choices and asked that each person list some backup varieties. About 98% of you took me at my word and asked for 5, but there were a couple of 4's and 3's, and one person asked for ONE variety with no backup. Bless the person, he knows who he is, who asked ME to make the choices if anything HE requested was out and I did, and said, playfully, I ______you, b'c I know him.

6)Sowing Seed. Please look again at the number of seeds I said to sow above each category of seeds in the offer. I know from experience that one person getting 5 seeds for say Medovaya Kaplya will have 100 % germination of those 2009 seeds and yet there will be someone with the same seeds who will get no germination of seeds. All seeds sent out were padded so crushed seeds will not be the problem.

Many of you requested older seeds and I was delighted you did so. When I wrote on a pack DOUBLE SOW, it means if you want two plants sow at LEAST double that amount and for the 2003 and 2004 seeds and some 2005 seeds I sent you lots and if I were you I'd sow 6-8 seeds to get two plants for sure. And I said for the 2007, 08 and 09 seeds to sow them all just to be sure you get plants so you can save your own seeds and hopefully reoffer them here next year, to others.

7)Letting me know you received your seeds. I appreciate that very much and would ask that you do that in the original seed offer thread. Some have PMed me but I'd prefer you didn't b'c I'm a real slacker when it comes to deleting ANY of my PM's and well, they do build up.

9)Seed Germination. It would be very helpful if you posted that in THIS thread so that folks can compare germination data and so that I also can get a rough idea of seed viability, especially of the older seeds.

10) Questions about variety traits. if you have any please post them in THIS thread.

11)Wrong varieties. if there are any please post them in THIS thread. last year just one person got one plant that was not correct but the other plants from that variety were fine. It was no doubt due to a cross pollinated seed. I did say that some seeds were from bagged blossoms and some not and did say that I could not guarantee absolute seed purity b'c of that. In no case would it be a stray seed, I don't think, b'c when I'm packing seeds I have only one envelope on the table at a time. And my nails are cut short so that no seeds get stuck under fingernails, which has happened to others, that I know.

12)Seeds wanted back. Some of you have asked me about that.Yes, there are some I would like, Indian Stripe and Wes come to mind but there are some others and I'll post them in THIS thread later in the season. I simply have no room for plants for renewing stock, so fresh seeds back is a big help in that regard.

13)Thanks to those of you who sent extra stamps for me to use as well as some of the personal comments you made to me; I appreciate it.

14)As I said in my seed offer I only grow varieties that are new to all or most and in the past a few of those usually appeared when the SASE's appeared. One was sent but I have to check that one out with the sender. So if any of you do have access to heirloom tomatoes the seeds for which have NOT been distributed, I'd love to receive them, offer seeds back and almost always list them in the SSE YEarbook and if they're really great send them for trial to a few seed places I know and trust.

15)I'll bump up this thread when I feel it might help, as the season progresses.

Finally, thank heavens some of you are saying now, I'd like to say that each year I dither back and forth as to whether I WANT to do another seed offer. Sitting in the back room and packing close to 400 coin envelopes is not the most pleasant of tasks even though I've got the music playing. But I continue for a couple of reeasons. First. I do have a lot of older seeds and I hate to see them go to waste. Second, I do list almost all the new varieties that I'm also listing in a given year in the SSE Yearbook so that non-SSE members have at least some access to some varieties. And I do encourage any of you who share the mission of SSE in terms of preservation of OP varieties to consider an SSE membership. Even if you don't become a listed SSE member your membership monies do help.

And yes, I love my tomatoes and just want to share with others.

And again, I encourage all of you to buy at least some of your seeds from the many small family owned seed sites to help support them. yes, I know that quite a few of you are dedicated seed traders, but the larger issue for me is that you support those small companies b'c they're the ones who are going to keep making OP varieties available to the public as well as the SSE Yearbook for members.

Thanks.

[carolyn137]

Just bringing this thread back near the top so that hopefully those who participated in my seed offer see the corrections, that those who have not yet sent in their SASE's see the deadline that I've set and that soon I'll see some germination results.

[Wi-sunflower]

Carolyn,

I have some Wes seed now and should have more next fall. I should also have Indian Stripe this fall. I'll be more than happy to send you some. Just let me know when you would like them.

I'll keep an eye out for anything else that you need that I may be growing too.

Carol

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Wi-sunflower

Carolyn,

I have some Wes seed now and should have more next fall. I should also have Indian Stripe this fall. I'll be more than happy to send you some. Just let me know when you would like them.

I'll keep an eye out for anything else that you need that I may be growing too.

Carol

Good to know Carol. I won't know exactly which ones I'd like to have until I go through my seeds to see what I'm low on. Ever since I fell and have to use this walker I can't grow the hundreds of varieties I used to each year and that means that I don't really have room now to plant for new seed stock.

There are some in my book that I like to have around and quite a few I've grown since then that have become faves and I like to have some of them around as well.

Maybe I'll work on a list and post it in early summer.

[barkeater]

Carolyn,

I am also planning on growing Wes this year. I have only 3 seeds left from your original offer a few years back (2005?), and it is the only heart I've really liked so far. So I hope they germinate and I'll bag and save as many seeds as I can. I don't see many sources for this fine, huge tomato. It is really unique.

[Wi-sunflower]

I have not quite an ounce of Wes right now. I plan on doing more plants of it this summer so I should be able to get quite a bit of seed if things don't go totally wrong.

I got Indian stripe from 3 different trades this winter, so I should be able to get a good amount of seed from that too.

I'm in a fairly unique spot as T'villians go. I have as much room to grow as many tomato plants as I want. So what's an extra dozen or so plants here and more there, when you have acres and acres of land available to you ???!!!!

Carolyn has been such a help to all of us here that I'm more than willing to return the favors she has given to us. Just let me know what and it's yours.

Carol

[carolyn137]

I wanted to bump this to near the top b'c it was about to go to the next page.

And I did so b'c I'd gotten back two reports on germination with Big Sungold Select (2009 seeds) and both got 100% germination.

So I'm hoping that others of you will also post germination results here, And be sure to state the seed age, I wrote it on every pack I sent out, as well as my suggestions for double sowing and/or how many seeds to sow.

So it might look like this:

Green Zebra Cherry ( 2009), 5 s sowed, 100% germination
Indian Stripe (2003), 8 s sowed, 50% germination.

Well, you get the picture.

The reason I'd like to know germination percentages is b'c I've got a lot of seed for some of the pre-2007 varieties and what you post helps me determine if they can also be listed in my seed offer next year.

In addition there were many who got the same variety and I used the same seed batch for everyone so it might help others to know what others got for that variety, and ditto for all the other varieties.

And of course I'm interested in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 varieties as well.

Thanks so much.

[Bama mater]

Thanks Carolyn,

Big Sungold Select (2009) 4s sown 100% sown 1/31/10
Green Doctors (2009) 4s sown 100% sown 2/7/10

Burning Spear (2009) 6s sown 50% sown 2/7/10

Note that Burning Spear has only been dirty 7 days, in fact those 3 came up today, so I look for that to change.

I will update accordingly, as I have many more to start over the next 6 weeks.

[rutabagaboy]

February 15, 2010

I received seeds of the following varieties - thank you. I planted two seeds of each on January 31 or February 1 in Jiffy pellets with no supplementary heat or light. Plants are kept outdoors in full sun as much as possible.

Aunt Gertie's Gold (2003), planted two (January 31), one up in nine days, one in 11 (100%).
Chapman (2004), planted two (January 31), one up in eight days, one in nine (100%).
Green Doctors Frosted (2009), planted two (February 1), one up in eight days (50%).
Indian Stripe (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%).
Neves Azorean Red (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%).

Overall 50% germination. Two seeds each of Indian Stripe and Neves Azorean Red were replanted on February 14. I'll post the results of those plantings in a couple of weeks.

February 28, 2010

Indian Stripe (2003), planted two (February 1) none germinated (0%) and two more (February 14) both germinated (100%). Overall for Indian Stripe: two of four (50%).
Neves Azorean Red (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%) and two more (February 14) none germinated (0%). Overall for Neves Azorean Red: none of four (0%). Two additional seeds planted February 28. Results in a couple of weeks.

March 13, 2010

Neves Azorean Red (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%), two more (February 14) none germinated (0%) and two more (February 28) none germinated.

May 2, 2010

Neves Azorean Red (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%), two more (February 14) none germinated (0%), two more (February 28) and the remaining 12 seeds on April 1, none germinated. (0%). Overall for Neves Azorean Red: none of 18 (0%). No seeds left.

[Bama mater]

Originally Posted by Bama mater

Thanks Carolyn,

Big Sungold Select (2009) 4s sown 100% sown 1/31/10
Green Doctors (2009) 4s sown 100% sown 2/7/10

Burning Spear (2009) 6s sown 50% sown 2/7/10

Note that Burning Spear has only been dirty 7 days, in fact those 3 came up today, so I look for that to change.

I will update accordingly, as I have many more to start over the next 6 weeks.

Update:

Burning Spear (2009) 6s sown 100%
Green Drs Frosted (2009) 3s 100%

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by rutabagaboy

February 15, 2010

I received seeds of the following varieties - thank you. I planted two seeds of each on January 31 or February 1 in Jiffy pellets with no supplementary heat or light. Plants are kept outdoors in full sun as much as possible.

Aunt Gertie's Gold (2003), planted two (January 31), one up in nine days, one in 11 (100%).
Chapman (2004), planted two (January 31), one up in eight days, one in nine (100%).
Green Doctors Frosted (2009), planted two (February 1), one up in eight days (50%).
Indian Stripe (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%).
Neves Azorean Red (2003), planted two (February 1), none germinated (0%).

Overall 50% germination. Two seeds each of Indian Stripe and Neves Azorean Red were replanted on February 14. I'll post the results of those plantings in a couple of weeks.

Fingers crossed but I did write info on each package of the older ones which suggested sowing seed for way more than you did and even wrote double sow with a minimum number suggested on the seed pack.

So I hope that if you don't get the seeds up that you want for those older ones that you sow at least 8 more seeds. I sent between 12-16 seeds, sometimes more, for the older ones.

And I do hope that others also read what I write on the pack for the older ones.

Even for the 2009 and 2008 and 2007 ones I suggested sowing ALL the seeds b'c the purpose is for each of you to grow your own plants, confrim they're correct for the variety and then save your own seed.

Besides, seeds get older every year, just as all of us do, but we don't have to think about loss of germination rate for humans, well I guess we do for some of you younger folks but I'm not going to go there.

Please do update us on what happens with your seeds.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Bama mater

Update:

Burning Spear (2009) 6s sown 100%
Green Drs Frosted (2009) 3s 100%

Good show Bama, so now you have 100% for all your varieties, I think, b'c how can I ever remember who got what? I can't since I sent the request slips back with your seeds.

[Bama mater]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Good show Bama, so now you have 100% for all your varieties, I think, b'c how can I ever remember who got what? I can't since I sent the request slips back with your seeds.

Carolyn, I have a couple more you sent, but not sure I get all of them started this year, I will keep updated though.
I've been having computer probs, so I have to go to the library a couple times a week to get my T & E- mail and check the mater sites, So I'll be in and out from time to time.

[relichound]

Carolyn thank you again for the seeds. This is their status as of today.
All seeds started on Febuary 23rd. Most germinated in 4-5 days
Couilles de Taureau- started five seeds and have had three of the five to germinate so far. Big Sungold Select - started six seeds and got six of six to germinate.Pervaya Lyubov ( First Love)- started six seeds with four out of six to germinate .Maria Amazilitei’s Giant Red-started five seeds with two of five to germinate .Green Doctors Frosted- started three seeds with two of three to germinate so far .

Jerry

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by relichound

Carolyn thank you again for the seeds. This is their status as of today.
All seeds started on Febuary 23rd. Most germinated in 4-5 days
Couilles de Taureau- started five seeds and have had three of the five to germinate so far. Big Sungold Select - started six seeds and got six of six to germinate.Pervaya Lyubov ( First Love)- started six seeds with four out of six to germinate .Maria Amazilitei’s Giant Red-started five seeds with two of five to germinate .Green Doctors Frosted- started three seeds with two of three to germinate so far .

Jerry

Looking good Jerry, thanks ever so much for the feedback and hopefully Maria will pop up a few more for you.

I hope that others of you will also chime in with your germination reports as well, especially those of you with the older seeds.

Thanks