2023/2024 arrivals and departures

[Tormato]

I am currently storing my seeds in a dark storage room but maybe they should go in the freezer? Does it make a difference?

I keep all my seed in the freezer. I know tomato seeds last a very long time not being frozen but because I don't have room to plant all varieties each year, and a lot I've been given don't have years on them, plus I trade a lot, I like to keep the viability rate high. Maybe I should only freeze ones more than 4-5 years old and leave the others out but I don't like the thought of them scattered around. I'd rather have them all in one thing in case I wanted to grab it all in a rush to get out of the house.

As for paper lists, it's a mess. I have like 3 pages double sided of what I have. Beside the name I have the year (if stated) and who gave it to me or where I bought it. Then I have a ton of extra pages sorting by their color. One page for Red, one page for Pink...Yellow...so forth. Beside the name on the list I put what type: indeterminate or determinate or dwarf. Then on the other side I put either Beefsteak, round, oxheart or cherry. Also if I have the info I'll put country of the varieties origin. Also I have an extra page for dwarfs.
Messy, ain't it?

Just the thought makes me nervous. I am nearly to 1500 varieties. I NEED my spreadsheet!!

You HAVE nearly 1500 varieties???

What are you going to do with all of them???

It doesn't sound like you could grow all of them in only a few years. So, my humble suggestion is to finish your spreadsheet, post it at T'Junction, and let MMMM participants choose varieties (that you're willing to give up) for part of their wish lists.

[karstopography]

How do we ever choose? Would be interested to hear of everyone's selection process. I try to start a paste tomato variety, cherries in a couple of different colors, and slicers in all the colors I have: red, bi-color or orange, striped, yellow, pink, and a dark variety. How do all of you use your tomatoes?

I read reviews and descriptions about the various tomatoes and try to get a feel for them before I decide I want to grow them.

Saladettes and early season types are automatically out, just not my thing. Big, mid and late season beefsteak types are. So are a couple of small paste or large cherry tomatoes for dehydration.

I end up growing a few past favorites and work in a few new to me types. Of the 15 tomatoes I’m growing in 2024, five are new to me and are from seeds from the 2023 MMMM swap or one from a different swap. Five are tomatoes I grew in past years. The remainder are commercial seed company sourced seeds. None are hybrids, a first for me.

[Tormato]

My package of seeds arrived, and I'm in Seed Heaven! What a selection of tomato seeds - unbelievable! Also included are zinnia seeds and a paper envelope stuffed with perennial and annual flower seeds that took a lot of time to put together. Thank you so much to whomever contributed those and another special thank you to Gary, who despite not feeling his best, came through for us once again. Thank you to everyone who provided such special varieties of tomatoes. It never ceases to amaze me just how many there are. How do we ever choose? Would be interested to hear of everyone's selection process. I try to start a paste tomato variety, cherries in a couple of different colors, and slicers in all the colors I have: red, bi-color or orange, striped, yellow, pink, and a dark variety. How do all of you use your tomatoes? I have a gadget that clamps to my countertop. All I have to do is feed chunks of tomatoes in it, turn the handle, and the seeds and skin go out the chute while the juice goes into a bowl. It's very quick and works great. I then freeze it to use whenever I need it. I also put some in my freeze dryer once and stored in mylar bags to last for 25 years.

How do we ever choose? By far, what has worked for me is where at least two people have said a certain variety is their all time favorite tomato. Often, it is either a pink beefsteak or a heart.

That is a limiting factor. So, when types of tomatoes are mentioned; blacks, cherries, hearts, pinks, reds, golds, striped, etc...when at least two people say that a certain variety is their favorite for that type, I listen.

I'm unsure if I've ever read where two people agree on their favorite determinate tomato. That says something.

And then, with the latest greatest releases, I wait for a second year of very positive reviews, before trialing those varieties.

[mamadisalvo]

Thank you, Tormato! My package arrived safe and sound! I appreciate the wonderful selection based on my wish list. Soooo many tomatoes to catalog and try, plus the one bean seed I've been searching for.

Your hard work organizing the swap is appreciated!

[colcol2]

The funnest day of my year has arrived! What a blast! I'm in bean heaven. I must have been sent some of everything in your entire bean stock! I can't imagine the time and work to bag them all up! Where oh where to begin! I'm thinking to plant the single, and 2-3 beans per packets first, then sort out the oldest seed and plant them next. And next yr hope to return some beans to your stock with 5 seeds in a baggie and do 10 of each variety?? That way you don't have to work with a bulk bag (?)... since already bagged up (?)...save you some work(?).
And I noticed them beans are a bit heavy! I'll be sending postage compensation!
Thank you for all the tomato and pepper seeds and everything else! Thank you to those who provided them! And thank you for the note suggesting some varieties to save & send for 2024. I already have my toms and peps growing, but I think there is still time for a couple more to get on board here. Experiments are fun.
Thank you Gary for doing all this!

[Tormato]

The funnest day of my year has arrived! What a blast! I'm in bean heaven. I must have been sent some of everything in your entire bean stock! I can't imagine the time and work to bag them all up! Where oh where to begin! I'm thinking to plant the single, and 2-3 beans per packets first, then sort out the oldest seed and plant them next. And next yr hope to return some beans to your stock with 5 seeds in a baggie and do 10 of each variety?? That way you don't have to work with a bulk bag (?)... since already bagged up (?)...save you some work(?).
And I noticed them beans are a bit heavy! I'll be sending postage compensation!
Thank you for all the tomato and pepper seeds and everything else! Thank you to those who provided them! And thank you for the note suggesting some varieties to save & send for 2024. I already have my toms and peps growing, but I think there is still time for a couple more to get on board here. Experiments are fun.
Thank you Gary for doing all this!

With beans, a minimum of 5 (maybe a few more) to a pack is fine. 5 total packs of a variety is fine, too. With a large harvest, an additional bulk bag would be greatly appreciated. With peas (if I sent any) 10 to a pack is better, as they can get planted in a much smaller space.

I was overwhelmed with bulk bags of tomato seeds this year, and with my hands slowed down with cramps, I simply couldn't re-bag very much. I have most of this year to get to all of the bulk bags from this past swap.

Anything that I sent, with less than 5 in a pack (including tomatoes), means that I'm down to my last few seeds, here. Much of the oldest seed is simply unknown about whether they will germinate. With the older seeds and the packs with few seeds, I germinate indoors (unless daytime temps are warmer outside, bringing things back indoors at night), to get the best chance for success. The last seeds that I plant outside are white ones, as they generally need warmer soil than colored seed. A cool spring and I may germinate all white seeds indoors. Cool soil can at times mean zero germination with white beans.

I've had near total crop failure, with beans, the past two years due to extremely poor weather. This year, I'm going all in on beans, using much space that usually would have gone to tomatoes.

For others reading, don't worry about the suggestion cards, as it might be getting too late to start varieties.

[rxkeith]

if gary sent out any of the grandma gina/uncle steve cross beans i sent in a couple years ago,
plant whatever you have. those beans are still segregating. the more you plant, the more variety
you will get. with one exception, all the beans have a noticeable sweetness eaten raw, and cook up
fine. save the ones you like the best for seed for next year. the big fat beans have a genetic tendency
to split in the pod, an issue with grandma gina. so, save more than you think you need of those.


keith

[colcol2]

[quote=Tor
[/quote]
With beans, a minimum of 5 (maybe a few more) to a pack is fine. 5 total packs of a variety is fine, too. With a large harvest, an additional bulk bag would be greatly appreciated. With peas (if I sent any) 10 to a pack is better, as they can get planted in a much smaller space.

[/quote]

Good to know on packaging up the beans. Thank you!

[NYTomatoNewbie]

I will continue to do individual baggies and group by member wish list wherever possible to reduce the amount of subdividing and repackaging. It is definitely time consuming and a hand cramper to divide big bags from a lot of people in a short amount of time. I start in August and try to do one variety a day to make sure I don’t need to rush near deadline. I am up for doing anything that will make it easier for Gary to distribute the packages. I am glad the flower seeds are being enjoyed. Thank you Gary for all you do!

[Tormato]

I will continue to do individual baggies and group by member wish list wherever possible to reduce the amount of subdividing and repackaging. It is definitely time consuming and a hand cramper to divide big bags from a lot of people in a short amount of time. I start in August and try to do one variety a day to make sure I don’t need to rush near deadline. I am up for doing anything that will make it easier for Gary to distribute the packages. I am glad the flower seeds are being enjoyed. Thank you Gary for all you do!

If you are up to it, perhaps I can create a thread just for what you will be offering, and other participants can then select from. I highly recommend that each participant gives you both their mailing address name (via private PM) and their T'junction name, and that you label each participant's contents (for me) with both names, so that things go smoothly.

The end of August is generally when I start providing info for the next swap.

As for what you sent in this past swap, everything went fine, except for the rubber bands around your grouping of seeds. About half of them came partially apart during shipping. What works best for me, is small zip baggies all put into a larger zip baggie. I have an awful time with the 1" X 1" baggies if I need to open them to divide seeds. 1 1/2" X 2" or 2" X 3" (my favorite) is what I use for almost all seeds, and I put a group of them into something about 3" X 4" (all found in the craft/bead section of WalMart), or something slightly larger in the sandwich zip baggie section of the store.

I like labels inserted inside of clear baggies. What doesn't work is very thin black "permanent" markers on the outside of the baggie. They all seem to rub off, from what I've seen. I think that they are permanent on paper, just not plastic.

[Tormato]

Well, another big setback (with my back), as I attempted to start my garden several days ago. I was in pain within about two minutes, and I lasted under an hour. I'll likely plant 1/10 of the tomatoes of a normal year.

I hope that all past participants, who haven't received packages yet, are using varieties from previous swaps, as it is likely getting too late to wait on this year's packages for early sowing things like tomatoes and peppers. If you receive a "suggestion" card for growouts, I'm now listing 2024 and 2025 years for saving seed.

I hope to send out about 6 packages on Friday, with about 6 (plus) left after that.

[HL2601]

Gary -so sorry to hear about your continued pain. Even 1/10th of your regular plants will give you garden happiness. Take care of yourself!

[JayneR13]

Gary, don't worry about it. I am in fact using varieties from previous year's swaps and you're right-in my zone, it's 'way too late to start seed for outdoor sowing. I love your packages and I appreciate what you do, but having had serious back problems I know what a demon they are! In fact, the year my back went out in 2017, I planted exactly 4 small deck pots of greens. That was my garden that year! Back problems are demons and take much time to recover from. So I'll look forward to my package when it comes and grow the stuff you've asked for next year.

This year I get to learn about bacterial leaf rot! Between that and the angular leaf spot on my (commercial seed) zucchinis, I'm attributing my problems to bad media. Oh well! Garden and learn. I seem to have saved enough of my tomato plants for my own garden anyway. The food pantry garden will have to rely on garden center donations. Life can be this way.

Rest when you need to, Gary. And thank you for what you do. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that your health matters most! I for one don't want to see your labor of love turned into an odious chore.

Jayne

[Tormato]

A new one for the swap, arrival... (from a departure)

MI Or M - return to sender, after an attempted delivery to a forwarding address

It's been quite the year.

[Tormato]

departures...

CA Mu E
CO Wa J
ID Cr B
ID Pa C
NJ La L
WV Co J

[guruofgardens]

My heavy seed packet just arrived, thank you all. Lots of beans, lots of tomatoes to try next year.
Looking forward to trying to grow many of the beans.
Thank you gardeners. looks like a great year ahead, barring Mother Nature's hail.

[colcol2]

Oh boy, the hail! Last year I toted my bucket plants in and out. But this year, my energy level seems to have left the planet. I'm thinking about looking into somehow setting up with hail screen of some sorts. I just have a bad feeling about hail storms this year.

[karrr]

Hi dear Garry!
Woo hoo!! My incredible magic package full of lovely seeds arrived today safe and sound! Giant thanks for pulling it off once more despite the pain and to everyone who participated and all the amazing people who sent in my wishes! Thank you so very much!!

I never realized that so many zinnia varieties existed!! I wonder if it’s too late to plant zinnias or should I wait till next year?

[Tormato]

Hi dear Garry!
Woo hoo!! My incredible magic package full of lovely seeds arrived today safe and sound! Giant thanks for pulling it off once more despite the pain and to everyone who participated and all the amazing people who sent in my wishes! Thank you so very much!!

I never realized that so many zinnia varieties existed!! I wonder if it’s too late to plant zinnias or should I wait till next year?

In NJ, I think it's almost a bit too early to plant zinnias. They love the heat. I hear mixed results at starting indoors early, and transplanting out. Some say stunted growth and smaller flowers, others say no problems. And, I know I didn't send anywhere near the amount of varieties to cross my path over the past few years, as it's 100+ varieties (if I'm not having another senior moment).

A typical zinnia takes 65 to 75 days to bloom from sowing, some outside that range.

[Stitchingmom]

My package arrived! It's amazing!

I only had time for a cursory look-through, but I saw at least 20 varieties I don't have! So excited.

Thank you Tormato and everybody!!