Author Topic: Best Places people on this forum have found to buy Seeds or Perennials? (Read 12484 times)

norma427 · « **Reply #40 on:** July 10, 2010, 09:06:02 AM »

Quote from: Randy on July 10, 2010, 09:02:59 AM

Thanks Norma, great link. I will try them next year.

Randy

Randy,

Your welcome, anytime. Those other tomatoes that the "Tomato Barn" sells are also very good. I have one plant of the Sunbrite planted, but that plant doesn't have any tomatoes that are ripe at this time. When they ripen, I will post a picture of what they look like.

Norma

Randy · « **Reply #41 on:** July 10, 2010, 01:08:16 PM »

There site was down this morning but I have them bookmarked for next year. Neat place.

Randy

norma427 · « **Reply #42 on:** July 10, 2010, 01:22:22 PM »

Randy,

Tonight and next Saturday, Washington Boro holds their annual Tomato Festival. I guess this page was from another year, but if you look on the left you can see how to grow tomatoes, growing tips, planting and other helpful information. That place gets packed and the star of the Festival is the Tomatoes. If you look down in this link, you can see how great the tomatoes look. They grow them in river dirt and in my opinion that makes them better. We used to take our concession trailer to that event. It kept us hopping. Washington Boro is famous for its tomatoes. They make the best tomato sandwiches. They are just bread, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomatoes with added salt and pepper. Each year I used to each about 5 tomato sandwiches.

http://www.everything-tomatoes.net/washingtonborotomato.html

Norma

Randy · « **Reply #43 on:** July 10, 2010, 08:52:27 PM »

If I can get the plants next year I sure will give them a try. There are so many variates out there, it gets hard to choose. Always good to get a good recommendation and with pictures.

Randy

apizza · « **Reply #44 on:** July 12, 2010, 11:38:49 AM »

Quote from: norma427 on July 09, 2010, 04:36:27 PM

apizza,

Thanks for sharing this site. It looks like this site has loads of different kinds of Heirloom seeds to buy. There are so many kinds of tomato seeds to purchase. I never saw so many varieties before I really like old world kinds of seeds or plants. I am also interested in the Wild Zaatar Oregano. I have been trying to find a different kind of Oregano and this might be what I am looking for. It is a little to late to start from seed in my area, but I will definitely keep this site in mind for next year. I also look forward to purchasing some seeds for next year. I just bought an Oregano plant at Home Depot that does taste different and am going plant that to see what happens.

Thanks for posting this. I appreciate your help,

Norma

Norma, stuck my head in the door at Comstock Ferre today. They are starting to stock seeds. Over 200 varieties of tomatoes so far. Wow! I also saw the Wild Zaatar oregano you mentioned. The packet says it probably grew wild in ancient Israel and Jordan.
Work is going on around the compound. Old floors are being exposed, etc. They do have a web site here http://www.comstockferre.com/
I'll try to post how it all turns out this fall. I think I'll have quite a selection of seeds available next spring.

Ronzo · « **Reply #45 on:** July 12, 2010, 11:50:09 AM »

Just saw this thread. I purchased my fall garden seeds from Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org

They offer non-GMO non-hybrid seeds and many certified organic seeds. I have a few friends who deal with them exclusively and they come highly recommended. They also offer many transplants, but you have to put in your order in early for those.

While they offer memberships, like a co-op, you don't have to be a member to buy from them

norma427 · « **Reply #46 on:** July 12, 2010, 12:11:08 PM »

apizza,

Wow, your are lucky to live near Comstock Ferre.

Over two hundred varieties of tomatoes is really a lot. I had looked at the website you had referenced before and I saw some of the different kinds of tomato seeds they have or might have until next year. Their stores sounds great. I like anything old and also like to try and do things the old-fashioned way the best I can. After I looked at that Wild Zaatar oregano, I also thought how old of a strain it might be. I appreciate you helping me find old or heirloom seeds or for anyone else that might be searching for something different. Please post again, when you find out more.

Thanks,

Norma

Randy,

This picture is for you to see what real Washington Boro tomatoes look like. I purchased some for a Caprese Salad. These are the real thing and they are Jet Star. They are so flavorful and juicy.

Norma

Ronzo,

I looked at part of their catalog and they also have so many different kind of seeds.

I see they have the Greek oregano I might be looking for. It looks bushy and fuzzy. I also see they have many varieties for tomatoes. I am going to have fun next year from choosing from this site, also. This coming spring I will map out my strategy, and hopefully the seeds will grow.

This also looks like a great site for me or other members to buy seeds or transplants.

Thanks for taking the time to post this site,

Norma

Bob1 · « **Reply #47 on:** July 12, 2010, 01:19:00 PM »

Norma,
I have the Za'atar. It is more of a cross between oregano and thyme. I was watching the Primal Grill and I heard that there is a restaraunt in Israel that serves Za'atar pita bread with wood smoked egg pate, and it is very good. I tried smoking some eggs this weekend but the wood burned up a little quick and they only had a slight flavor. The TV recipe called for pita Za'ater, but the bread recipe called for Marjoram, oregano, and thyme. I can only assume the TV cook did not want to specify Za'atar and changed the ingredient to what people have. The guy on TV oiled the pita, then herbed, and then grilled. I saw recipes on the net that call for adding the Za'atar to the bread before baking. He then dipped the bread in the pate. You may want to do a search for some recipes. I plan on trying it when my Za'atar matures.

Bob

Ronzo · « **Reply #48 on:** July 12, 2010, 01:44:25 PM »

Norma,

Your salad... is making my mouth water... I bet it tastes better than it looks.

Seed Savers Exchange has a boatload of tomato varieties. Check out their pepper varieties too. I bought some chocolate bell peppers and I can't wait to plant those suckers and taste the fruit. I also bought the Speckled Roman and the Austin's Pear tomatoes. Looking forward to harvesting these puppies.

norma427 · « **Reply #49 on:** July 12, 2010, 04:51:26 PM »

Bob,

That good to hear the Zaatar is a cross between a oregano and thyme. I do like thyme, so maybe that would be interesting. The Za’atar pita bread also sounds great and grilling would make it better in my opinion. I will search for some recipes next year when I can buy some of that oregano. I don’t have access to any now.

Thanks for your information,

Norma

Ronzo,

The salad was only spinach, seedless cucumbers, Jet Star Tomatoes, and mozzarella. I forgot to add the basil, but the spinach tasted good. It only took about 10 minutes to cut up. I usually use Chef Tim’s Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette on the salad. He has a stand at market and I really like his vinaigrette. http://www.cheftimfoods.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6&vmcchk=1&Itemid=6 http://www.cheftimfoods.com/ This is a little about him. He is a funny, crazy guy. You can buy it online if you want to try it. Some of his recipes.

http://www.cheftimfoods.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=3&Itemid=5

Chef Tim is a graduate of Pennsylvania Institute Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh, PA. He has worked and served his unique Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe during his positions as Chef at the Pentagon in Washington, DC; at the Wyndam Gardens Setac Hotel in Seattle; Highmark Blue Shield in Camp Hill, at the Nationwide corporate offices café in Harrisburg, and at the GlaxoSmithKline complex café in Marietta, PA. Chef Tim learned ethnic cooking as a specialty cook at a Jewish fraternity house at the University of Maryland, and working at a wonderful Tratteria.
After numerous customer comments that his customers would love to buy his dressing if it were bottled, Chef Tim decided not to dismiss the plethora of requests and started Chef Tim Foods in November, 2008. Tim’s has received People’s Choice Awards for his “Burning Desires” chili at the Pennsylvania Chili Cook-Off. In 2000 won 1st Place in the Pennsylvania Salsa Contest and was asked to represent his state in Reno, NV at the National Salsa Cook-off.
Tim is working on bottling more products. In the works are: Honey Mustard dressing, Oriental Sesame/Pineapple dressing, Burgundy Wine Marinade & Glaze, and a Fish seasoning.

I will check out the peppers for next year. I wonder how those chocolate peppers are going to taste. Sounds interesting. Let us know what they taste like. I only planted one pepper plant this year, but might try more next year. I also would like to see what the Speckled Roman and the Austin's Pear tomatoes look like how you would describe their taste.

Thanks again,

Norma

norma427 · « **Reply #50 on:** July 19, 2010, 11:37:24 AM »

These are some pictures of how my tomato plants are growing. The first picture is of the Amish Paste. The next 3 pictures are of different kinds of San Marzano tomatoes. The last pictures is of the grape tomatoes. I have many other tomato plants and will post pictures when the tomatoes are about ready. The rest are heirloom tomatoes, so I am anxious to also try them.

Norma

norma427 · « **Reply #51 on:** July 19, 2010, 11:38:33 AM »

last of pictures

Norma

Randy · « **Reply #52 on:** July 19, 2010, 12:32:51 PM »

Norma, you both a red and a green thumb.

By the way, this year I bought some of my seeds at Wally world, although everything grew, there was a different difference in size and quality compared to last years crops I bought from Johnny's seed.

I don't think I would hesitate buy seeds from Wally world again if I needed something I didn't have but I will try to buy the bulk from a better source.

norma427 · « **Reply #53 on:** July 19, 2010, 12:58:41 PM »

Randy,

LOL, I just looked at both of my thumbs and they sure don’t look either red or green. Just kidding, I know what you mean.

That is also interesting to hear how your purchased some of your seeds from Wally world and they weren’t as good in size and quality compared to last years crops purchased from Johnny’s seed. I will have do some strategy for next year and also search and try different seeds from places members have said are best. Who knows, we might all get the greatest bunch of tomatoes next year.

Thanks for posting your findings,

Norma

norma427 · « **Reply #54 on:** July 24, 2010, 10:08:03 AM »

I uploaded a short video of how my tomato plants are growing. There are around 20 tomato plants planted. If you look close in this video, it can be seen there are many butterflies in our area. Some of them are much more beautiful then others. This morning there weren’t any of the more beautiful butterflies outside.

If you listen to the back round noise you can hear the dog-day cicadas. Their singing can get very loud at times. Sometimes they sound haunting and eerie. They sing to attract females. The females don’t sing. Some of these cicadas are large and scary looking. They are an interesting insects and their life cycles are really different. They can emerge from their shells in about an hour, after emerging from the ground and crawling up a trees or blades of weeds. We find many shells, in our area.

I am getting brown spots on my lawn because of white grubs of the Japanese Beetles. They feed on grass roots. This time of year in our area, there are a lot of Japanese Beetles. I will need to treat the areas that are brown. The crab grass is also rearing its ugly head. I didn’t treat my grass this spring, so I will have crab grass now, mixed with the other grass.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg0MGUGyuI4" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg0MGUGyuI4</a>

Norma

norma427 · « **Reply #55 on:** August 05, 2010, 03:36:18 PM »

A couple of weeks later and this is how my tomato plants look. I don’t have any idea what the one kind of San Marzano tomatoes are that are getting really big, but if anyone has any idea about what kind they are or how they taste, let me know. This big San Marzano’s were the ones that I didn’t think would make it, because they were so leggy. More tomatoes are really getting ripe each day. None of my heirloom tomatoes are ripe as of now.

The big San Marzano tomatoes are in the second picture.

Norma

norma427 · « **Reply #56 on:** August 05, 2010, 03:37:18 PM »

rest of pictures

Norma

norma427 · « **Reply #57 on:** August 13, 2010, 08:56:23 PM »

I am just posting this if anyone is having problems with something eating their tomatoes or their tomato plants. It has been very dry in our area the last few weeks and hot this past week. The weather changed yesterday and it is cooler here and has been raining on and off. Yesterday afternoon there was a storm in our area and I decided it was a good time to fertilize my tomato plants since the fertilizer needs to be washed into the ground around the tomatoes. I notice something had been eating off the top of my one heirloom tomato plant. It was raining hard, so I didn’t bother to investigate what could be doing that. Early this evening I decided to see if any tomatoes were ripe and also to see if I could find out why the tops of the one heirloom plant was shredded. I found the culprit. Here are two pictures to show what had been eating my heirloom tomato plant. That dirty bugger had tomato seeds all over it.

Can you guess what happened to it?

Norma

cranky · « **Reply #58 on:** August 13, 2010, 09:19:15 PM »

Quote from: norma427 on August 13, 2010, 08:56:23 PM

That dirty bugger had tomato seeds all over it. Can you guess what happened to it?

Norma

I hope he was not attending a family reunion in your tomato patch. Keep your eyes open.

Never saw one of those before. We don't have them so far.

norma427 · « **Reply #59 on:** August 13, 2010, 10:30:24 PM »

cranky,

I never saw one of these buggers before either. It was big. I will watch and see if any relatives are eating at my plants. This was the only plant that had the tops of the tomato plant eaten off. I couldn’t figure out yesterday, what was going on with that. That plant is over 6' tall. I first thought I never saw anything like that before and was wondering if some kind of bird was doing that, but know they don’t eat tomato plants.

If I see something is eating at one of my other tomato plants, at least I will now know what to look for.

Great to hear you don’t have any of those worms.

(I guess that is what it was?)

Norma