old seed challenge 2025

[Paulf]

Yes, Martin was quite a guy. Very opinionated in how he gardened but would do anything for any one. His posts were a joy to read. The abbreviation of Mennonite to Menon threw me until rdback figured it out. So far no germination but still there is hope. On my old seed list only Kosovo has sprouted. There is still plenty of time.

[colcol2]

"Heidi C
Sat Mar 29, 2025 7:05 am
I just had a Spike's Red Belly Button pop up today! 2015 seeds from Gary. 11 days after planting. "

Heidi C -- that's good to know. I also received this one from Gary's MMMM swap and am going to try it. I looked for info on it, but didn't find anything. Anyone know what kind it is? I'm guessing cherry by the name Anyway, I hope to get a sprout and find out this summer.

I'm also planting Honey & Sugar 2018; Mom's Heart 2017; Snowball 2019; and Zorica's Sebastian Bull's Eye 2019.

[Tormato]

"Heidi C
Sat Mar 29, 2025 7:05 am
I just had a Spike's Red Belly Button pop up today! 2015 seeds from Gary. 11 days after planting. "

Heidi C -- that's good to know. I also received this one from Gary's MMMM swap and am going to try it. I looked for info on it, but didn't find anything. Anyone know what kind it is? I'm guessing cherry by the name Anyway, I hope to get a sprout and find out this summer.

I'm also planting Honey & Sugar 2018; Mom's Heart 2017; Snowball 2019; and Zorica's Sebastian Bull's Eye 2019.

Well, my memory isn't shot, yet, other than my present fog, where it is hard to remember only the previous day.

Spike's Red Belly Button seeds were sent to me by Patty Brown from Ohio. Her username at T'ville was something like PattyWV. I haven't been in contact with her for several years. While not absolutely positive, I do believe SRBB may be a large red beefsteak, with an "innie" belly button blossom end. I could be wrong. She did send me several large reds over the years, that I had previously never heard of. She also enjoyed growing just about every cherry she could get her hands on, every West Virginia heirloom (her mom was from WV, and I think Patty was born there), and her specialty was gold/orange (but not yellow) tomatoes.

For close to two decades, I basically don't write anything down about tomato descriptions or their history, it's all from memory. I'll likely never start writing this stuff down. And, I don't know if the memory will fail.

[colcol2]

Oh I do hope I get one to sprout and that Spike's Red Belly Button turns out to be a large red beefsteak! If it grows, I hope to take pictures of that innie belly button blossom end.
Man with growing lots and lots of tomatoes I don't see how anyone can write much down!
May the fog you deal with disappear with the summer sun

[svalli]

There are still seeds sprouting on my seed starting tray. 2004 Green Zebra has now 4/6 sprouted.

Since the results are so promising I sowed four seeds of 2007 purchased Kosovo, which I have not yet grown at all.

[rxkeith]

aunt ginnys purple and crnkovic yugoslavian have made an appearance.
still waiting for the others to wake up.


keith

[Heidi C]

Re Spike's Red Belly Button - From what I have gathered from old forums -
Potato leaf, mid/early indeterminate, somewhat flattened and slightly ribbed deep red fruit with a little belly button on the blossom end of all, 2.5-3” diameter
Originated with Larry W, Pennsylvania circa 2009 from what was supposed to be a packet of Akers West Virginia.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Tormato]

Oh I do hope I get one to sprout and that Spike's Red Belly Button turns out to be a large red beefsteak! If it grows, I hope to take pictures of that innie belly button blossom end.
Man with growing lots and lots of tomatoes I don't see how anyone can write much down!
May the fog you deal with disappear with the summer sun

It's my speculation about the innie belly button blossom end, and it being a large beefsteak, as there was no description of the variety when it was sent to me. I do believe that it is a red, as I've never known Patty to confuse reds (yellow skin) with pinks (clear skin).

For a reference, try to find pictures of the blossom end of Cherokee Purple. My experience, and from what I've also seen in online pics, is that CP often produces innie belly button blossom end tomatoes.

[rxkeith]

black from tula, and soldacki are in the process of coming up.
still waiting on heatherington pink, and kolb pink.


keith

[MissS]

black from tula, and soldacki are in the process of coming up.
still waiting on heatherington pink, and kolb pink.


keith

If you fail to get any Heatherington Pink to germinate. I have some seed that I would be more than happy to share with you.

[Paulf]

Slovenia Black since yesterday sprouted five healthy looking plants. Never grew it; looking forward to a new black.

[rxkeith]

temporarily misplaced the milkas red bulgarian seed from last year, so used some seed from 2010.
also came across uncle steve from 2010. these seeds should sprout just fine. they have been stored
in tea bags repurposed. foil lined, moisture proof. they don't know they are 15 years old. i have a plastic
bag i am filling up with opened tea bags. i stopped coffee on a daily basis due to effect on blood pressure,
and have taken up tea drinking.

patti thanks for the offer on heatherington pink seeds. one thing i do not lack is dozens of other varieties
that are waiting their turn or to be rediscovered by myself. i will keep you in mind.


keith

[Tormato]

Re Spike's Red Belly Button - From what I have gathered from old forums -
Potato leaf, mid/early indeterminate, somewhat flattened and slightly ribbed deep red fruit with a little belly button on the blossom end of all, 2.5-3” diameter
Originated with Larry W, Pennsylvania circa 2009 from what was supposed to be a packet of Akers West Virginia.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm curious as to what old forum(s) had info on SRBB.

Google's AI Overview had info only on human belly buttons.

[Heidi C]

Screenshot_20250329_111816_Chrome.jpg

Screenshot_20250329_111826_Chrome.jpg

Screenshot_20250329_111836_Chrome.jpg

[svalli]

Since the results are so promising I sowed four seeds of 2007 purchased Kosovo, which I have not yet grown at all.

One Kosovo seed has sprouted, so I will be finally growing it. I have already sown enough varieties for the coming season, but next year I have to remember to dig some of the oldest seeds in my storage and try germinate them.

[BlackKrim]

This year my old tomato seeds (defined as older than 7 years), all from swaps, are
Black Magic, 2015 5/6 and vigorous, 8 days for first one to germinate
Rose, 2016, 1/4 and slow, took 13 days. Not sure it will make it
Dixiewine, 2016, 0/4

Eggplant seeds from 2021 have all been vigorous and with good germination.

Re your variety "Rose". Is this the Rose which as far as I know came from JSS (Johnny Selected Seeds) years ago?

If so, I have some old seed. So, my question is: if seeds take a long time to germinate does that automatically mean that they will fail completely or do poorly later on? I sure hope not! I wanted to seed some "Rose" this year (I have not started my seed yet) and want them to succeed, as that is one fabulous tomato. Thanx.

[habitat-gardener]

This year my old tomato seeds (defined as older than 7 years), all from swaps, are
Black Magic, 2015 5/6 and vigorous, 8 days for first one to germinate
Rose, 2016, 1/4 and slow, took 13 days. Not sure it will make it

Re your variety "Rose". Is this the Rose which as far as I know came from JSS (Johnny Selected Seeds) years ago?

If so, I have some old seed. So, my question is: if seeds take a long time to germinate does that automatically mean that they will fail completely or do poorly later on? I sure hope not! I wanted to seed some "Rose" this year (I have not started my seed yet) and want them to succeed, as that is one fabulous tomato. Thanx.

My seed came from the mmmm swap, iirc, and Rose is an heirloom variety. Is that how Johnny’s described it? It’s not in their current catalog. I believe I grew it once and thought it was the best tomato I’d ever had that year, so I don’t know why it’s taken this long to grow it again!
My seedling looks pretty good and I expect it to do well.
I don’t have a lot of experience with old seeds but probably it depends on the seed!

[Greatgardens]

Do you find that if old seeds do germinate, they produce malformed seedlings? That generally has been my experience. Sometimes they grow out of it; sometimes not.

[BlackKrim]

@habitat-gardener

If I remember right, Johnny's described their seed "Rose" as having been obtained from a doctor who worked with the Amish in PA (I think) and they gave her some. They mentioned that it was pink and medium (though mine were pretty large) and incredibly tasty. They were certainly correct about that. Me, too, I do not remember why I stopped growing them, except probably for a lack of space and wanting to start some new varieties for a change. But as in lots of things, you go back to old things.

But here I am, going thru my collection...being encouraged by this topic on TJ.

[BlackKrim]

Do you find that if old seeds do germinate, they produce malformed seedlings? That generally has been my experience. Sometimes they grow out of it; sometimes not.

I've grown ancient tom. seeds only a few times and they turned out all right, as I remember. Maybe it depends on the variety, that some just don't age! Like some women.