Seed Exchange?

R

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
I posted a list of seeds that I am offering up for trade in the larder barter. I have many others in limited quantity, so if you have something special, let's talk ; )

It's almost spring!!!

 
Have you had any luck with heirloom tomatoes, Richard? I didn't last

year, but it was very wet. Is it worth the effort of trying again?

 
Re: Heirloom Tomatoes. Last week, I attended a very interesting seminar, "Growing Small Farms",

that addressed the opportunities for small family farms to succeed financially. It covered organic production, hydroponics, and marketing fresh local produce directly to consumers. The seminar was held in the Florida Panhandle, where soils and weather permit a small farmer to grow produce 12 months of the year. A University of Florida Vegetable Extension Agent discussed the specialty fruits and vegetables that the consumer wants to purchase, and when his Power Point presentation got to Heirloom Tomatoes, he said that they are very difficult to grow, because they do not have the disease resistance of the newer varieties. He also noted that some Heirlooms have a great taste, but others don't. His opinion was "find something better to grow". I don't know where the Heirlooms that I see in the store are grown, or how they can be produced successfully, but maybe this is why yours didn't do well, Dawn. Anyone else have any info on Heirlooms?

 
I grow Heirlooms. They are consistent if not plentiful, each plant giving me abou

8 fruits. But our gardening season is getting so screwed up, that I can't ever be sure what is going to work...when. The garden is becoming so disappointing. It's just a little space and I can remember summers when I'd pick, from abou 16 plants, a platter jammed full of tomoatoes every day for weeks.

Had no troubles with diseases. I use only our own compost, plus cow poo and sphagnum moss. My biggest problem has been getting the pool boy not to toss the chemicals so broadly that they land on my garden. The tomatoes are the first to suffer from far-flung chemicals.

I used to sow seeds on April 7. Now, I jump right to mini plants because the season is becoming so late.

Oh well. At least it will be warmer than it is now. ................... I hope.

 
I've had mixed results

They aren't hybrids, so yeah, they aren't always pretty. But that's the joy of it. I don't want a plastic hybrid that's pretty with no taste. They're ugly, they crack, the plants are all over the place, sparse fruiting, etc. But when I slice into that purple cherokee and take a bite, I say oh yeah, THIS is a tomato.

Some don't do very well, but you grow and learn. Keep the seeds of the ones that do grow and try again.

 
I make a habit of keeping seeds of the really outstanding plants. I had one crop of the very best cu

cukes ever. Ever ever. Planted them and got a crop one year following but that's all they were willing to give me.

I don't consider anything in my garden to be pretty. I'm just thrilled at nature and what it can do.

My rose garden...pretty thrives there.

Oh, where is Spring???????

 
I planted some heirlooms last year and liked one of them but not the other.

My favorite tomato to grow is a yellow one called Jubilee. It is not an heirloom, but it is delicious and hardy. I usually grow it along with a red one. I had good luck with a Pink Brandywine too. I have had really good luck with Grape Tomatoes and Cherry Tomatoes. The one that I have tried a few different times is a Yellow Pear, but they tend to split a lot and the meat is mushy. I also grew one last year called Zebra, I think, and I was not very impressed with it at all.
Last year was a weird growing season here too. It was cold here and they just didn't get a good start. Hopefully, this year will be warmer. I am afraid we will get a late frost and all the fruit trees will blossom early and then get zapped.

 
I've had fabulous results with Heirlooms. They do need a bit more attention, but not so much

that it would deter me from growing them. They aren't as "pretty" as their, er, cousins, but the wider variety of flavors and textures more than makes up for that.

To me, there is no comparison in the flavor department.

I will be adding some seeds to the Larder Barter as soon as I receive my order and get mine started.

I will caveat my comments by stating that I live in Southern California, so our growing season is very lengthy. If I wanted, I could likely have tomatoes year round. Here is some good info about choosing the right variety for your area:



***
Oops, I didn't read the responses before I typed this - my sentiments echo Richard's. smileys/smile.gif

http://tomclothier.hort.net/page35.html

 
And now, of course, we get commercial heirlooms in the stores, which somehow manage to be just as

tasteless as the perfect round red tomatoes.

 
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