ATS Garden Seed Exchange?

reply to post by antar


I do, indeed, have pics of my gardens and sub-irrigated containers.

Nope, not certified or licensed. Nor are any of the people I've been trading with for years. Backyard gardeners are not required to be certiified or licensed (yet!) and the trading of seeds is essential to keep heirlooms alive and tolerant to different zones.

All my tomato seeds are fermented, as they should be to prevent disease transfer. I've never had an insect transfer with seeds, nor mold, nor a plant-related illness. All the trades I've done on the gardening site I participate in are with people interested in open-pollinated heirloom seeds and the latin species names are something I offer in all my trades; I require it of herb seed trading because so many herbs are easily confused. All envelopes are marked with "Contains: Seeds" on the outside per mailing regulations in some states and the US Virgin Islands. I'm just feeling out the interest here on ATS.

It's wonderful to be suspicious about your food, but most long-time gardeners are aware of how to collect and treat seed to prevent pest and disease transfer and those who are starting out should be given the opportunity to access these fantastic seeds heirlooms or they will die out when we do.

As for corn... For mass-produced corn you are absolutely correct. So I grow my own in suburbia nowhere near industrial corn growers. I'd urge you to look into heirloom corn from backyard gardeners, or not grow corn at all to ease your concerns.

Thank you for the warnings, though, there may be some who are not aware of the things you mentioned.

reply to post by haven123


Precisely! Damn the man, trade the seeds!

reply to post by infoseeker26754


Seeds that can be collected and regrown to produce the same specimen are not GMO seeds. It's not hard to ferret them out. None of my seeds are GMOs. It's actually more difficult for the home gardener to acquire GMO seeds than it is to avoid them because GMOs were created for industrialized agriculture. Still, many specialized farms and seed exchanges exist to continue open-pollination practices and heirloom strains of seed.

Thanks for the thread. I'm interested & I think this is exciting.
I have a small patio area for me garden & I also use containers for
certain plants. Also there are tomato plants that just come up &
return on their own & I also plant a few.
I don''t have room for corn...I had cucumbers & melons growing under the fence
line so they could climb.

I mostly had Tomato, cucumbers, mustard, butternut & acorn squash, cantaloupes,
beets, broccoli, spinach, arugula, basil, rosemary, thyme, lavender,
beans,& sweat peas. Only 1 to 2 plants of each as I'm solo.

Cheers
Ektar

reply to post by Halekoch


Okay, just asking since what is the said shelf Live for said Seed"s?

Found a Mega Box of 20 different seeds 2006; so will they still be good in their packets?

Since the BOX has been found, are they still good?

Peace

reply to post by infoseeker26754


Ah, I understand your question better now.

Some of the seeds will be good, but it depends heavily on the type of seed. There are some really good charts of different sorts of seeds and their viability dates out there on the interwebs. Try a search for "Seed viability chart".

Now I do live next to a Great GMO person, wheat, corn, millo, maybe soybean too!

What are the grains worth growing if something to happen? Have 250 tobackoo seeds, 15 different Bean seeds, what are the Pro and Cons for seeds?

Peace

reply to post by Ektar


Great, ektar! Sounds like you have a good selection - it'll be great to have you in this exchange.

I trellis on my fence, too. It's so much neater than all those sprawling vines everywhere. I have no real data to back it up, but I never seem to have a problem with cucumber vine borers on my vertical vines when my neighbor does with his on the ground.

Halekoch
reply to post by infoseeker26754

 

Ah, I understand your question better now.

Some of the seeds will be good, but it depends heavily on the type of seed. There are some really good charts of different sorts of seeds and their viability dates out there on the interwebs. Try a search for "Seed viability chart".

Funny though, just found them on a shelf at work today! Sat each packet has 20 seeds, at least 5 should grow If you tend to them. Top shelf, dark and cool with 1/4 dust upon them!

?????

Peace

I'm interested. I have a collection of the heirlooms that I bought as well and have not planted. I planted some a couple years ago but due to uncontrollable circumstances (human induced) did not get the results. There are some of those I would like to replace if possible. Mine are still in the original packets. One supply is in a coffee can type and still sealed.

reply to post by infoseeker26754


They just might still be good, depends on the storage conditions to a large extent. If you want to test viability, take a few, say 10, of the seeds and put them in a dampened paper towel. Put the towel inside a plastic bag and place it on top of the fridge. Check it often, every few days, to see how many of the seeds sprout to get your average viability rate. If you have a good rate with one set of seeds you will still need to try the others because they're all different.
I found a packet of peas I'd saved that was ten years old during spring cleaning last year. They had fallen behind a filing cabinet---nah, I don't move that large furniture every year ---when planted I got about 90% germination rate, about the same as the ones I had saved from the year before!

Great thread, great thought, great way for beginners to get started. Most of us long-time gardeners have piles of seed we can share. Mine isn't "proven" or "certified" in any way. I don't use commercial fertilizers or pesticides/herbicides, just do the way my grandparents did---recycle the wastes back into the soil.

ETA: Be sure to keep the paper towel damp while waiting for the seeds to sprout!

reply to post by TXTriker


Count me in.

I am looking for seeds for the OX Heart Tomato. Very old type of tomato I never see at seed stores.

Let me know when it gets up and running.

Very good idea.

reply to post by Halekoch


Well I could be wrong but it seems when I have the vines of any plants
growing up a trellis or fence that there is a huge reduction in bugs. I don't
spray me plants. I tried Neems but it's so so. When I started using the ground cloth
on top of the soil it did away with the bug problems. I then heard a blurb on NPR
a week later saying the weed cloth really cuts down on the bugs.
I mean it really cut them to almost nothing.
I do grow several tomato plants since I love them plus I love fresh salsa
Red & I make me own Grilled Green Tomato Salsa if over abundant or especially
at the end of fall before frost comes.
I'm excited about your thread & where we end up.

Cheers
Ektar

reply to post by infoseeker26754


What sort of grain is worth growing if something happens is a subject open to debate, probably a whole different thread.

It is my opinion that if something happens the ability to garden will be the most valuable tool and, much like medicine, it's just practice. I've been gardening on my own for more than a decade and before that I gardened with my grandfather for two decades, but every year there is something different to deal with. Starting seeds can pose multiple problems, transplanting seedlings has its own set of problems, fertilization and watering take practice to get right and require a little knowledge of the weather, when to harvest, how much to leave for seed production, how to clean and store seeds, how to store the fruits of your labor are all challenges gardeners learn and it all requires practice.

As for those seeds you found, try to start them. There's nothing wrong with that. It may be too early in your area to start them now, but a little dirt, a little water, some little containers - even homemade from stuff around your house, and warmth are all it takes to see if they'll grow.

reply to post by diggindirt


Great advice you gave, diggindirt.

Glad to have you and your seed stockpile in the thread! Sounds like you have gardening methods similar to my own.

reply to post by dizziedame


Thanks, dizziedame, I've added you to the list of participants I'm making.

I have Oxheart (Cue di Bue) Tomato seeds for you.

reply to post by diggindirt


My fingers are good at growing yet more info is always needed.

So does Shelf Life for seeds really mean anything? Heard many stories;

Any one have any Strawberry seeds from the 60's? Taste does Matter.

Does the frig really matter? Hell thought down, dark and in the basement was good enough.

Peace

reply to post by Ektar


I also use the geotextile, but mostly to reduce weeds. Nice to know it may also be helping me avoid bugs!

I grew 17 different sorts of tomatoes this year (I overdid it). We love salsa and garlic tomato soup and marinara sauce at our house!

reply to post by infoseeker26754


I know a few people who get discouraged if they have a low germination rate with seeds and that would make viability dates matter, but otherwise seeds might grow at any point in time and some small percentage will grow after long storage - it's what they're designed to do.

reply to post by Halekoch

Last year me sister sent me organic non GMO Heirloom Black Krum tomatoes.
It was first time growing & tasting. Bloody great & HUGE! The deep purle-black
color is amazing. One plant produced more than enough for one person & gave
me enough to make salsa for friends. It is good as a green tomato too as I used
it for my Grilled Green Tomato Salsa.

I am so with you on Garlic & Tomatoes, Marinara & everything tomato!
I don't have access to a stove at the moment so I grill everything. My sister
cans so she made me some Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce, brucheta & other
goodies.

When I'm down to just juice from salsa I drink it, use it in another dish, or
use as Bloody Mary Mix (the best).

Cheers
Ektar