Armenia - any special varieties?

[ScottinAtlanta]

Folks, I am in Armenia this week. I am looking for seeds - does anyone suggest any special varieties that I should be looking for?

[Wi-sunflower]

I just checked TomatoBase and there aren't any varieties listed as coming from Armenia. That doesn't mean there aren't any, just that Tania doesn't have any listed.

Most people don't even know where Armenia is. It's between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. South of Georgia and north of Iran.

So I would think there should be some good dark pink or black varieties there. farmers markets might be a good source IF they have anything at this time of the year.

Good luck in your trip,
Carol

[nativeplanter]

You lucky fellow! I've wanted to go to Armenia for a long time, but haven't been yet. It's on my bucket list!

I've seen a variety of tomato called 'Armenia'. The only other vegetables I think I've seen are the melon 'Tigger' and of course Armenian cucumber. But I bet if you ask people, you are bound to find local varieties.

[chancethegardener]

Scott, I would suggest you to look for melon seeds but the season is not right. Still, if you come across someone who can provide you with seeds, you should definitely ask for melons.

[Zana]

Scott,
Are you in Yerevan? I'll try emailing cousins in Yerevan,Gyumri and Krasnadar to see if they can hunt up an answer for you. If I hear back I'll post the varieties here.
Zana




Scott - How do you get them home? Are there restrictions on bringing seeds back into the States by air?

I've sent email requests out to the cousins. Now to sit back and wait for answers.
Zana

[ScottinAtlanta]

Folks, Thanks for all ideas. I went to a seed shop yesterday, but they had only 24 seed varieties across all vegetables, and 100% were imported hybrids from Germany and the US. So I am looking now for a local gardening shop. I went to a grocery store and found some interesting peppers locally grown, and I might just get a few and dry some seeds. I will be back here in March, and might have more luck then.

I always get my seeds into the US legally. Enough said about that!

[ddsack]

Zana - you mentioned Krasnador or I wouldn't have remembered - There is a variety called Krasnador Titans in Tania's dbase. They are supposed to be good canners of medium to large size. I believe they are one of Carolyn's introductions.

Mine were much smaller, so probably not correct seed.

[Doug9345]

Originally Posted by Zana

Scott,

Scott - How do you get them home? Are there restrictions on bringing seeds back into the States by air?

Zana

Here's the information for importing small lots of seed into the US.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_exp...ots_seed.shtml

[Zana]

Thanks Dee,

I've added that to another email to the cousins. Asking for seeds of those or others like them.

Zana

[Zana]

Originally Posted by Doug9345

Here's the information for importing small lots of seed into the US.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_exp...ots_seed.shtml

Thanks Doug.

Zana

[ContainerTed]

The tomato "Krasnador Titans" is easily available here in the U.S. It is sold commercially and there are several folks who listed it at SSE.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Folks, I scored some seeds for the Anahit tomato today in the Yerevan open market. The nice lady pictured below sold me a pack of about 300 seeds for about $1. The Anahit is not in Tania's database, but a Google search found one reference to it - an old Armenian variety from the 1930s (see excerpt below from Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction or Folklore?). She described the tomato as large, juicy, and tasty. Will be offering this one when I get home.

(At http://books.google.am/books?id=0oXY...tomato&f=false)

[Redbaron]

Oh goodie! A juice tomato!

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by ddsack

Zana - you mentioned Krasnador or I wouldn't have remembered - There is a variety called Krasnador Titans in Tania's dbase. They are supposed to be good canners of medium to large size. I believe they are one of Carolyn's introductions.

Mine were much smaller, so probably not correct seed.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki...b=General_Info

No, I didn't introduce it although Tania did get seeds from me. Perhaps I did SSE list it, I can't remember, but I wasn't too fond of it as I recall.

In the history you'll see the name Belfer and she was the one who made a huge seed offer for it in a gardening magazine and charged more money for it than I ever would have. Right now I can actually see in my minds eye which row it was in at Charlie's farm where I grew it. And I remember the leaves were very coarse and I remember asking Charlie if any of his sprays he used elsewhere on his farm might have been the cause of that, but no others being grown there of mine had that problem.

I think I got my seeds for it from Belfer but it was when I was a participant in a website called Garden Writers of America, or somthing like that. And there was an intermediary, I can't remember his name now, who was the person who got Belfer to make that seed offer.

Now I'm annoyed b'c I can't remember the name of that gardening magazine, not Organic Gardening, but based in CA and one of the former staff at ORganic Gardening was the editor.

Aha, it was Mother Earth magazine.

If I wait long enough I can usually, but not always, come up with a right answer.

Carolyn

[ScottinAtlanta]

I went to the Yerevan open market Gum today and found a seed seller. Here is what I have now - the pictures below are of the seed packs. Most are from Armenia, and the names are translated into English. Some are from Ukraine, and I do not read Ukrainian. If anyone can translate the Ukrainian names, that would be appreciated.

I don't know how many seeds are in the packets, so I don't know if I will make a general offer for these seeds. If you have a burning desire or special reason to try some of them, PM me and I will try to send a few. I do have plenty of Anahit, the 1930s variety of juice tomato.

Armenia Tomatoes (none in Tania's database under these names):
Anahit -- see http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...hlight=armenia

Nver - A 2008 report from Armenia Min of Ag says "Two varieties of tomato “Gandzak” and “Nver” created through distant hybridization with wild species have been released."

Lia - Seems to have been improved in the 1990s in Armenia.

Zurab

Yerevany Kangun 447

Hayastany Hrashq 476 -- reported as early maturity

Gandzak - A 2008 report from Armenia Min of Ag says "Two varieties of tomato “Gandzak” and “Nver” created through distant hybridization with wild species have been released." The Scientific Center of Vegetables and Industrial Crops (SCVIC) under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture released 35 varieties from the period of 2000–2004. The released varieties of tomato (‘Lusaber’, ‘Ranny Nush’, ‘Sofi’, ‘Gandzak’, ‘Mush’, ‘Arakel’, ‘Noi’,
‘Norakert’, ‘Donik’, ‘Berdavani-401’, ‘Novy Anait-351’ and ‘Novy Anait-361’)

Araqel -- The Scientific Center of Vegetables and Industrial Crops (SCVIC) under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture.has released 35 varieties from the period of 2000–2004. The released varieties of tomato (‘Lusaber’, ‘Ranny Nush’, ‘Sofi’, ‘Gandzak’, ‘Mush’, ‘Arakel’, ‘Noi’,
‘Norakert’, ‘Donik’, ‘Berdavani-401’, ‘Novy Anait-351’ and ‘Novy Anait-361’)

Getapnya -- Reported as "Getapnya is becoming best among late ripe cultivars, and totally, among all 16 cultivars of tomato." at http://www.agrscience.ge/abstract3_2.htm

Armenia Peppers
Arajnek - Hot pepper.
Unknown - enormous red pepper I have pictured below. I bought one in the market to save the seeds. Thick walled. Used for stuffing. Wow, just ate some of it for lunch. Definitely got a zing to it - not sweet. But slightly hot. I got about 50 seeds out of it, and am anxious to see how it goes in Atlanta.
Zmrukht - seems to be a yellow elongated sweet pepper
Nush - 55 - A green sweet pepper, like a pointed bell

Armenia Eggplants
Tavush - a white one. Released in 2000–2004 by SCVIC.
Karine -- Released in 2000–2004 by SCVIC.
Avand
Armavir - Released in 2000–2004 by SCVIC.

Armenia melons
Arpy or Arpi - a yellow rind, white flesh melon. Released in 2000–2004 by SCVIC.

Govakan - a larger green melon. "The melon Govakan, selected in Armenia among a local population from the Oktemberyan region, has a thin rind with white, sweet, juicy flesh that is only slightly fibrous."

And then the various Ukrainian varieties pictured below.