CLOSED: Come join us! 3rd Annual Tomato & Pepper Seed Exchange

That is strange. Please let us know what you find out.

Can Medusa Pepper seeds be used in the trade? They are ornamental but edible, just wondering because these are seeds I saved myself and I'm sure they didn't cross because they are the only peppers that I have in the house ATM. They are viable I just started some.
Lisa

Lisa,

It is my understanding that Medusa is a hybrid. (somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but everything I've reasearched says they are a hybrid).

I wouldn't send in seeds you have collected from a hybrid plant (as per exchange guidelines), as the plant may not grow true to the original. We are only accepting f1 hybrid seeds that are commercially purchased in this exchange, as the recipient can be sure they are going to get what they're supposed to.

Hope this helps. Thanks....Heather

If its a hybrid I won't send it of course it was my understanding it is O/P. That's how its listed but I will make sure.
Thanks!

Please add me!

I'm a beginner, but it sounds like I may swap commerical packets for more interesting varieties. I realize these are less desirable, so in return, I can take 'leftovers'.

I have a variety of different mesh wire cloth screens or seives, if anyone needs that. And I can get just about any mesh or opening size made.

Thanks very much for taking this on, Heather!

Rick Corey

Rick I'm sending mostly commercial varieties because I'm too disorganized to save seed, and I'm not a beginner. I'm sure you commercial seeds will be fine

Heather-DG plantfiles has Medusa as O/P but I have plenty others to send so I won't bother with it.

Rick, welcome aboard. Commercial varieties are always welcome. Because we have people participating from around the globe, what might be common in one part of the country, is probably less common somewhere else. It's a great way to expand your collection. I'll send you a private d-mail shortly with more info.

Thanks, guys!

I would be happy to trade several packets for one, and collect some cherry tomatoes, especially cool-summer tomatoes if there is such a thing. We have a long frost-free season in western Washington, but the warm part of the summer can be very short and not very hot.

I found some oddities from "Botanical Interests". They're odd to me, anyway.)
All but the "Ornamental Pepper on a Stick" are "heirlooms".

Tomato Bush "Green Zebra" BI # 0106
Tomato Bush "Silvery Fir Tree BI # 3104
Tomato Pole "Aunt Ruby's German Green" BI # 3003
Tomato Pole "Black Krim" BI # 3118
Tomato Pole "Speckled Roman" BI # 3090
Tomato Pole "Brandywine Red & Yellow" BI # 3130

Pepper Sweet "California Wonder: BI # 3032
Pepper Sweet "Yolo Wonder" BI # 0057

Ornamental Pepper "Pepper on a Stick" BI # 2020 hybrid?

Heather, thanks for organizing this. I would like to be included. I have mostly commercial varieties to trade and some open poll but I don't think I can save the seed from them because I planted so many varieties too close together. So, I will just trade the commercial ones.

Patty

We're up to 78 participants....so far.

Don't be shy....if you've been sitting on the sidelines debating whether or not to join in.....just dive in. This exchange is open to everyone from around the world. There will be lots of great varieties.

We have a few newbies joining us this year as well and I'm really looking forward to introducing them to some great varieties and getting them "hooked" on this obsession we have !!!

Thanks so much for organizing this seed swap, love grape tomatoes and sweet unusual peppers, so I'll be purchasing my seeds to share from the commercial sources. Tomato sandwiches with Hellman's mayo on home made onion dill bread were just SUPERB this year.

I'd like to be included too, Heather. I'll send heirlooms and a few F1 hybrids, all from commercial sources, since I plant my 'maters too close to each other to be absolutely sure about the seeds.

We're up to 85 participants. Come join in the fun if you haven't signed up already.

Today I received seeds from:

* Carminator1
* NF2932

These envelopes could have arrived anytime within the last week, but I had my mail held by the post office while I was away on business.

Thanks...Heather

Lisa and Patti ~ My seed trader never got back with me on the OSU Blue. I am saving some seeds from the healthiest plant which is extremely prolific. I am thinking of crossing it with a purple tomato as it is red inside, it just has a "blue" suntan, making the skin appear purple...LOL!!

Where the sun does not reach, it is red. Now did that come out right? Whoops! Sorry!! ROFLOL!!!

I was planning to just put commercial packets of seed whole, then realized some people might prefer smaller quantities but more variety

It would be easy for me to split each packet I send in half, and label each ziplock separately.

Would that be more convenient, or does it just make a mess?
Whole packets only have 150 mg each.

Corey

Corey, could you open the pack and divide by making as many packs as possible with the required 10 seeds in each? Any over the five of one type of one variety that we are allowed to send would just be extras to distribute among the participants.

Hi Corey,

I agree with Mittsy's suggestion above. You'll get more bang for your buck by splitting the commercial packs into smaller packets/ziplock baggies. You can send up to 5 of the same type of seed. some of those commercial packets could easily break into 5 smaller seed packets. My goal is not not send any duplicates back to any one person, so the more you are able to send in, the more variety you will get in return.

Subdividing sounds good to me. Variety is good. In some cases I got 2 commerical pkts, so I might have 300 mg of some types. i'll just split those into 5 ziplocks, and there will be more than 10 seeds each.

I will try to capture as much text as I can from each seed pkt that describes unique features of that variety, but I won't include any advice that just applies to all tomatoes (or peppers) in general. I figure you guys know all that!

These Botanical Interests seed pkts fill the entire inside of the pkt with text.

I may have to go to a font size smaller than "10". If I decide to fold the label to fit into the ziplock, I might use 2x2" ziplocks instead of 2x3.

And I'll include the "product number" and vendor in each ziplock so recipients can look them up online and see a picture.

Corey

Corey,
Are you trying to make the reast of us look bad? LOL

Tee hee. As if. If only!

If ANYthing I plant survives the rains, cold weather, mold, slugs, cats, heavy clay, squirrels and my clumsiness and lack of time, THEN I may try to show off. Check back with me in the year 2025.

Until then, my Ziplocks will be tidy and verbosely labelled. Besides, I can do that sitting down, at night, and during heavy rain. And the printer at work means you won't have to try to read my handwriting.

I was delighted to learn that I could send commercial seed. My own seed-saver technique is just barely up to Zinnias, Bok Choy, Petunias and Morning Glories.

Some day ...

Corey

Lets face it all seeds are a commercial varitiety even if we saved the seeds this time. I trust the seed companies much more so then I trust myself.
Lisa

Has anyone had luck with using ground or sprayed hot peppers or cayenne pepper to repel squirrels or slugs or cats?

I'm about to plant some bulbs, but any time I turn and rake the soil, it looks like a catbox within a day, dug full of holes. I think this is squirrels rather than cats (but we have lots of both, and armies of slugs).

Any suggestion for types of peppers or application methods?
This year I'll buy a big bag of Szechuan or Mexican hot peppers, but next year might try to grow my own crop.

Would I need to re-apply pepper dust or spray every time it rains (almost every day)?

I also just bought 50' of chicken wire (hex netting). I just hope they have enough other food sources that they won't chew through the wire netting. If it's netting plus hot pepper, maybe they will harass my neighbors first.

I've heard good things about Liquid Fence, but re-applying that every time it rains will get expensive.

Corey

I have my labels mostly formatted to fit in 2"x3" Ziplocks, double-sided with extracts from the text on the OUTSIDE of the packets.

Samples:


------------------------------------------------------------------
Green Zebra Tomato
Bush Determinate
75 days
Very flavorful. Sweet yet zingy.
Well-balanced – not too acidic.
Essentially crack free
tennis ball size: 3”, 3 oz
rich, golden green with
forest green stripes
old Heirloom,
unique color
RickCorey_WA
Botanical Interests 2010

---------------------------
Silvery Fir Tree Tomato
Determinate
58 days

compact - 24” tall
silvery, ferny,
carrot-like foliage
pretty in containers

slightly tart classic Tomato flavor
Heirloom
RickCorey_WA
Botanical Interests 2010

----------------------------
Sweet Bell Pepper (red)
“Yolo Wonder”
75 days high yielding

green bell pepper sweetens
& turns red on the vine
large, thick-skinned
tasty
can be roasted or
stuffed & baked or
salads or snacks
can be container grown
& picked green or red
Heirloom
RickCorey_WA
Botanical Interests 2010

I'll try to send mine off by the first of the week, I'll have around 20-30 varieties a mix of peppers and tomatoes. I lean heavily towards the blacks and purples but will have some reds and pinks as well.

Partial list below

Mule Team
Mortgage Lifter
Sioux
Nyagous
Neves Azorean Red
Chapman
Black
Abraham Lincoln
Paul Robeson
Royal Hillbilly
Bounty Hybrid (pepper)
Habanero Brown (pepper)
Wisconsin 55
Cherokee Purple
Black Krim
Box Car Willie
Biant Belgium
Southern Nights
Aker's West Virgina
BFT
Satsuma (pepper)

These are all commercial seeds as I don't save my own, most come from either TGS, Bakers Creek or TF.

Corey,

You were asking for an opinion on the application of hot pepper spray or powder to repel cats and squirrels. I personally don't believe in using this method because what a lot of people don't realize is that this can be very harmful to animals. If a cat or squirrel gets this on their paws and then into their eyes (part of regular cleaning ritual), they can and will literally scratch their eyes out trying to get rid of the burn.

Have you tried mothballs around the perimeter (I know it's not the most environmentally friendly), or bloodmeal (keeps squirrels out, but doubt it would deter cats).

Food for thought. Thanks...Heather

Corey,
I second Heather's idea. If you use mothballs you can put them in a used plastic soda/water bottle with some holes poked in it and put the top back on. You can even hang the bottle up. By doing this the critters never come in contact with the mothballs.

Pepper spray can be alot of prep work with min. results.
Also, can u keep ur extreme organizational skills to yourself? (teasing)
I'm going to keep how I'm doing mine all to myself. hehe

Thanks Heather. That never occured to me. I had heard it suggested so many times I assumed it was safe - just maybe not effective.

1lisac,
Everyone (including my bosses) tells me that I'm too detail-oriented and want to give too much information. But it seems to me that the ENTIRE rest of the world is wrong and I'm right. EVERONE should be fascinated and delighted by minutia. Sigh (also teasing).

This principle of of illogic was a gift to me during an argument I had with someone about religion. Silly me, I pointed out how almost everyone also used her argument, but came to different conclusions.

Her reply was a real gift, and I want to share it with everyone who is as stubburn as I am, because it's a great comfort:

"What you have to remember is ... they're all wrong!!

Q.E.D. and :-)

Corey

^-^

I just went to the fruit stand one block from my house. A lot of their fruit comes up from Mexico, and they have LOTs of hot peppers at this time of year.

I got a half pound of smallish but long dark red dried Szechuan-looking peppers. They can't be VERY hot because I chewed a small amount of the flesh and it only hurt a little. I plan to flake them with a coffee grinder and distribute it liberally as flakes (not dust), under chicken netting where only actively invading squirrels can get at it.

I also got two ounces of Guajillo Chile powder. They had three kinds of chile powder, I tried to guess which was hottest and stinkiest through the cellophane. I later found it did have a heavy, musky, ominous odor. I would think twice before burrowing into something that smelled that way from a foot away!

When I brought it to the register, looking all gringo-and-whitebread, he asked if I was using that for cooking, ... and seemed relieved when I said "no, for scaring squirrels. Which of those three chile powders do you think would be best?"

Immediate nod. "That one!"

At this time of year in western WA, it will be easy to sprinkle it only on wet soil, under the wire.

I bought a few very pretty little orange Habanero peppers, if I have escalate past Guajillo Chile powder. I'm drying those innocent-looking babies just in case. If I have to put down flakes of that, I'll find more ways to secure the chicken wire, both to keep squirrels out and keep the Habaneros in. I half-expected to see a bio-hazard label.

I confess that may be more detail than anyone wanted.

Corey

Planting daffodils or other "deer resistant" bulbs above the tulips will keep squirrels from
digging too many. If I use pepper, then I put it down with the bulbs since it washes away.
So does bloodmeal when it rains. Best plan is the chicken wire or some use squares of snow fencing
held down by garden staples. I tried baskets over the bulbs one year and the squirrels just dug in from the sides to the plantings. This year I am burying mothballs along with the bulbs. I am hoping this discourages
dogs also, as I have lost several nice plants because of irresponsible dog owners.
I discourage cats by placing tomato wires on their side over new plantings. Citrus rinds are supposed to discourage cats. They work for awhile while the odor of the oranges is there.

>> Planting daffodils or other "deer resistant" bulbs above the tulips will keep squirrels from
digging too many.

Good idea, but for some reason my crocuses, iris and hyacinths were delivered before my daffodils (two different companies).

>> If I use pepper, then I put it down with the bulbs

Good idea. I was also thinking of burying some landmines (hot pepper flakes, maybe even Habanero flakes). That way no animals would be exposed to them unless they were actively digging.

>> This year I am burying mothballs along with the bulbs.

I've heard that suggested several times, but I have a prejudice against aromatic hydrocarbons. Many are toxic or crcinogenic & some are persistent. Old mothballs may contain naphthalene, newer mothballs 1,4-dichlorobenzene Either may have camphor added. despite these being commonly avauilable, they seem to be quite toxic if swallowed - shouldn't the vapor alsdo be toxic?

I guess it's all a matter of degree.

Corey

Yes, aromatic hydrocarbons are toxic. But a small amount from a few garden plantings
should not be all that bad. The diesel engines in trucks probably spew a great deal more.
The naphthalene or 1,2 dichloro benzene sublime very slowly, so only a few milligrams
go into the atmosphere.

Say, is there any trick to drying peppers? I left some habanero peppers in the sun, but rotten spots are spreading and I don't see any wirnkling yet.

Here's a post in another thread on the chemistry and use of chili peppers in warfare.
Post #8139293

I agree that gardening probably pollutes 1,000,000 times less than cars and trucks or the chemical industry, but as I say, I have a prejudice against aromatic hydrocarbons, more for their carcinogenicity than toxicty. Toxic things only kill you.

When I worked in the animal room in college, I saw grad students weighing rats and their tumors. Sometimes the tumors were more than 50% of the body weight. When I worked in the chemical industry, I was as careful about carcinogens as sulfuric or nitric acid.

When the "Nutrition and Food Science" department had a picnic, all these PhDs and grad students hovered around a smoky charcoal grill reeking of lighter fluid and burnt hot dogs, discussing their research work on the toxicicity of aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrites and N-nitroso compounds were (smoke & lighter fluid = AH. Hot dogs = nitrites. Scorching nitrites with protein creates N-nitroso compounds).

Corey

Corey-I love all the info. but it makes my brain hurt.

Not as much as the peppers would make your tounge hurt!

Corey

Well I see that garlic bulbs are not attractive to deer.
Would they keep other critters away from the peonies and bulbs?

Corey, about drying peppers - I have always waited until they were ripe (full color), and then string them up with a needle and heavy thread (be sure to leave a good sized knot at the end). I find that it's easiest to leave a little bit of the stem on the pepper, and poke the needle through the thickest part of the stem, where the stem meets the pepper. Thread the peppers loosely, and hang them where they are not touching anything. It should be a dry place, and not in the sun. When I want to use a dry one for cooking, I just break off one from the bottom. I've included a picture of two strings of chiles I've dried in my kitchen. The string on the left is Long Red Cayenne and on the right is Super Chile. Maybe this is more than you wanted to know. Just thought I'd share.

Thnaks, I will "string 'em high". That gets them off the kitchen table.

I bought the red chilis "mostly dry", but the habaneros are fresh / wet. they haven't even wilted or wrinkled in several days, and they get sun through a window for several hours per day.

Corey