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

So glad your seeds arrived safe and sound Nancy. That was much faster than I expected.

Wow! Very impressive timing. Obviously the bird flies faster south than north!

I am pathetically checking the mailbox evertime I go out. Completely defying time and logic...H-e-l-l-o...it's SUNDAY!!!

Very exiting, Heather. And to think, I almost passed this up!

Today, I mailed seeds to:

* RickCorey_WA

Thanks....Heather

Congrats, Corey!

Thanks Heather. Oh, I'm so excited! I can't wait until they arrive. I'm not dreaming of sugar plums dancing in my head. I'm dreaming of tomatoes and peppers dancing in my head!

Sequee, don't plant your onions at this time of the year. Next spring, they really won't grow much and will immediately go to seed. But, you should plant your garlic in the fall. I think New York climate is like Wisconsin. Garlic does much better here if planted in the fall. Can you still get it in the ground? Our ground is frozen solid. Good luck.

What is the lastest you can still plant garlic in the fall? Anytime before the ground freezes? Does it have to grow a little before becoming dormant for the winter?

Thank you, Heather! It is exciting. The anticipation has been long a-building.

Corey

Now I'm confused--I live in the next town over from Sequee (Hi neighbor!) and I've always been told to put my garlic AND ornamental onions in the ground now, in fall....or am I a dope and we're talkin' 'bout them eatin' onions instead?

Kerry

Garlic should be planted before the ground freezes. Around here, we can start buying them to plant in early September. I don't think the top has to grow, but it is good for the roots to start growing .

I was talking about edible onions. Ornamental onions should be planted in fall.

I just found out about eating the bloom stalks of garlic. I think they call them skates or something like that. They say it will make the bulb grow bigger which stands to reason and which explains why mine were so small. I have tons of seeds but little bitty garlic bulbs. I'd rather have bigger bulbs and just let a couple plants go to seed. Ahh, live and learn. It's what makes the world go round.

My garlic and onions in the spring.

Today, I mailed seeds back to:

* carminator1

Thanks.....Heather

I'd like to know what everybody received. Would anybody else be interested? If so maybe we can srart another thread or just post it here?

I will be glad to let you know what I get as soon as I get it. I just went through my seeds starting with the tomato and peppers. I had no idea I had so many. Many I will not be able to use now because of downsizing and I will put them in a thread to trade for other things.

Cajun-Great! I would love to know what everybody received but my life may never be the same if you post more seeds for trade. lol

I am going to think long and hard about what I can realistically use in my new SFG life and try to make some trades. I may start a thread just for the tomatoes to begin with. I have quite a few. Most I got in trades.

I have a question for the person doing the swap - is there a list I can get on for the next one? lol.

CajunKy, I've planted hard necked garlic for the second season and learned last year to make sure and snip off the scapes when they start to curl. You can then cut them up and use them is salads fresh or sautee them and sprinkle on veggies or salad. Removing them causes the bulbs to grow bigger. I planted them in October (was told Columbus Day was a good way to remember in my climate zone) and plan to harvest in July.

I like the idea of maybe starting another thread for those who wish to list what they got and do a further swap. I could see it getting a little complicated here as Heather tries to communicate with us when she sends out new packages each day and wants our response about receiving them!

Like Cajun I have a huge stack of tomato seeds as well and while I tried to reduce a lot by sending them along for this swap there will be plenty left!! And then there will be the new additions! Wow!

Thank you so much Heather, can't wait to see what I got. I definitely will be interested in posting what I have, probably more seeds than I can ever plant in a lifetime that is for sure, LOL.

Thank you guys for the info on garlic I am thinking on planting some as well, last year I did onions but I love garlic and use it in everything. Have any of you grown the elephant garlic, is it milder in taste? and does it produce the scapes?

Here are two links on how to grow garlic since there are so many questions above. Their growing instructions indicate you have to cool them for three weeks to six before planting in warmer climes. It really helps if you get your garlic "seed" locally (not the grocery store since that is Chinese!) That way you get the best type for your climate. For mine the hardneck is best whereas those of you in warmer climes might do better with the Softneck about which I know nothing! That may apply to you Carminator1! Hope this helps a little!

http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm
http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_vegetable_type_garlic.htm

Tonight, I mailed seeds to:

* czimmerman00
* 1lisac

Thanks....Heather

Thank you, I can hardly wait!

Today, I mailed seeds to:

* allwild
* donshirer
* mittsy

Thanks...Heather

wow... it's December already!

thank you Heather. Thank you for all of your hard work putting this swap together again!

I'll let you know when my package of goodies arrives!! ^_^

Thank you gardadore, I am off to check those articles you posted.

Here is a link to a Beginning Gardening Forum thread dealing with planting store bought garlic. Horseshoe has some interesting info on planting garlic in warmer climates. I posted the other two links there as well. Probably a good idea to move this discussion to a more appropriate site so that Heather has the necessary space here! LOL

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1140643/

Today, I mailed seeds for:

* kygreg2000

Thanks....Heather

Thanks Heather; will make a great Christmas surprise for me;

Gary

Today, I mailed seeds back to:

* mooiemoestuin

Thanks....Heather

Thanks Heather, I received my seeds today. Exciting!
Where did people want to post the seeds they received?
blue

Also wanted to say that you did a good job Heather at putting this all together!

This message was edited Dec 4, 2010 1:56 PM

Can hardley wait to read what you got. Should we start a new thread?

Today, I mailed seeds to:

* evelyn_inthegarden

Thanks...Heather

Thanks, Heather!

Whopee!!

Evelyn

hi Heather -

Your package arrived yesterday, and I'm glad mine finally made it there. Thank you so much for your generosity. I can't wait to get started!

Lee (sanpedro)

Still haven't gotten my seeds. I'm thinking a carrier pigeon could have made a better job of it than the postal service is doing. LOL

Its probably customs and not the postal service. IMO

Got to work this morning and was delighted to find a special package in my In Box! YIPPPPPEEEEE!

Thanks a bunch, Heather! Truly stellar job of organizing!

I need/want to know what everybody got. Pout

I still have about 20 or so envelopes to work through. My apologies for the delay in getting them all out. Had to start later than anticipated because some of the envelopes were about a week or more late on arrival.

I'm putting in long hours at work this week because I'm running workshops, so will do the best I can. Will likely take the rest of this week to get the remainder of the envelopes packed and mailed.

Just wanted to give you a quick update.

Thanks....Heather

This message was edited Dec 7, 2010 10:17 AM

Its definitely worth the wait! I rec'd my packet yesterday---WOW! is all I can say!! So many neat varieties Im excited to try. I was up late last night in bed with seed packs scattered everywhere and all my catalogs out looking up the new varieties I got. My husband walked in and said, "Oh great, now we have to sleep with these *&E$%&* seeds too?"

Thanks SO SO SO much to everyone for pulling this swap off--it was my first time participating in any group-related swap and it was a great experience! And special thanks to Heather for the patience and fortitude to make all of this happen--Ill definitely sign up for the next one, and the next, and next, and..... :)

Kerry
BossMareNy6a

PS...pic is of heirloom "Pineapple" from summer 2010

Boss ~ hubby or seeds??