2015 Mostly Mystery 'Mater Mailing

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Starlight

Tormato, would it make it an easier on you if we started sending seeds in earlier than swap time for you to organize? More work or easier on you?

Like when? After an early harvest down south? Or now?

If people know exactly what they are sending in, seeds can be sent early. Most wait until wish lists are posted so they can match some of the requests. The most important thing is to wait until seeds are fully dry before sending them.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by Kazedwards

Have you ever thought about a favorites category? It would be for people's very favorite that they grow.
Zach

I assumed it was more or less the same as Knock Your Socks Off...

...which is usually the same category as Tomatoes I Do Not Share.
(Seeds yes, tomatoes no. Generally these are the ones that don't produce a whole lot, so unless someone has graduated to the level where they can tell one homegrown tomato from another, they get all the others. I have on occasion shared some of the very special ones with some people, and as a rule, they just cannot tell the difference between a great tomato and a truly spectactular one. My partner has become annoyed at people who manhandle tomatoes, or throw them around, and has suggested that we not share any more tomatoes with people who have not passed the Tomato Handling Test.)

[Labradors2]

They are the ones that I hide behind the toaster oven .

Those who cannot appreciate "knock your socks off taste" don't get ANY .

Linda

[Gerardo]

Those are called my preciouses, gobbled quickly, all the while mindful of predators. Very few fall into that category, and it can be season/month dependent.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

I assumed it was more or less the same as Knock Your Socks Off...

...which is usually the same category as Tomatoes I Do Not Share.
(Seeds yes, tomatoes no. Generally these are the ones that don't produce a whole lot, so unless someone has graduated to the level where they can tell one homegrown tomato from another, they get all the others. I have on occasion shared some of the very special ones with some people, and as a rule, they just cannot tell the difference between a great tomato and a truly spectactular one. My partner has become annoyed at people who manhandle tomatoes, or throw them around, and has suggested that we not share any more tomatoes with people who have not passed the Tomato Handling Test.)

It's not the same as KYSO or Tomatoes I Do Not Share. This category is for THE ONE AND ONLY tomato (not tomatoes; plural) variety that you do not share (THE ONE AND ONLY that you may even hide from your partner).

KYSO is the category just below this one.

[Labradors2]

If it's better than KYSO, I think this new category needs a killer name. Any suggestions?

Linda

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

If it's better than KYSO, I think this new category needs a killer name. Any suggestions?

Linda

Post #405.

[Labradors2]

Got it!

However, if stranded on a desert island, people want might want something productive or dependable rather than something that is so darned tasty that they refuse to share .

Linda

[Tormato]

I'm not going to worry about hypothetical desert islands. What I'll worry about is whether this category will have enough different varieties that people haven't tried. There could be a "lemmings to the sea" outcome if many participants send in the same few varieties, or have already trialed and have seeds for the ones they would get back in this category.

On a side note, many years ago this was how I chose what to plant in the garden. I would only choose varieties that at least 2 people said was their all-time favorite tomato. It saved me a lot time in deciding what to plant, and the vast majority of varieties turned out to be excellent.

[Father'sDaughter]

Well, I guess I'm a safe participant for this category.

I grew Cherokee Purple once and didn't think it was anything special. I've never grown anything named Brandywine. And every other heavily "hyped" tomato I've tried wasn't invited back.

As for my "Desert Island" tomato, it'll have to stay a mystery. 😈

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Like when? After an early harvest down south? Or now?

If people know exactly what they are sending in, seeds can be sent early. Most wait until wish lists are posted so they can match some of the requests. The most important thing is to wait until seeds are fully dry before sending them.

Definitely not now. I don't even have tomatoes yet. Lots of blossoms coming on though.

With it being my first time this last swap, I think I was a bit late getting seed in and was ill during that time and couldn't read the forums to see what folks wanted. After you sent out most of the packages, then I found where I had put my seed. I just don't want to be late this year or miss sending in seed for something somebody especially wants.

[Rosedude]

There are a lot of categories that overlap already. My suggestion for a single tomato better than KYSO is a MUST (My Ultimate Super Tomato).

Originally Posted by Rosedude

There are a lot of categories that overlap already. My suggestion for a single tomato better than KYSO is a MUST (My Ultimate Super Tomato).

Clever, I love it!

[coolbythecoast]

Originally Posted by Tormato

I'm posting an outline of categories for the next swap. Comments are welcome.


Beefsteak

Black - could use more varieties than the fairly common ones usually sent in

Blue - same comment as Black

Cherry/Grape/Currant

Determinate/Dwarf (mostly Dwarf Project)/Micro-Dwarf

Eastern European

Experimental - (non-commercial) F1's, F2's, etc...

Giant - 3 lb+ potential, there may not be very many varieties sent in

Green - same comment as Black

Heart

Hot Weather

Italian - same comment as Black, or this may have to combined with the Paste/Canner category

Knock-Your-Socks-Off

Oldies But Goodies - older varieties that are rarely seen/talked about anymore

Paste/Canner

Pink

Red

Striped

Very Early - 55 DTM or less

Yellow/Gold/Orange/Bi-color/Tri-color/White

and

*Cool Weather - maybe not enough demand for a category

*Novelty - maybe not enough varieties or demand for a category

It's hard for me to know just which varieties are commonly sent in, as a proxy for this knowledge I am going to avoid sending in varieties that are available in the 'tomato only' seed catalogs. Any other hints as to which varieties to avoid?

[Tormato]

I'll post a list of very common varieties, along with varieties that have been donated in bulk in the past two years. I'll do it on one of those rainy days when I can't get anything done in the garden.