Heirloom seeds and plants.

[anniefish]

Hi all,
As the weather slowly warms up I am getting seeds ready for the warm season. I just thought I'd post the two companies I get my seeds from as some of you might not have heard of them. One is Diggers Seeds, they are in Dromana and Blackwood, great to deal with. They have a terrific range of seeds and also have plants and trees for sale, become a member and you will receive catalogues and discounts. The other company is Eden Seeds in Lower Beechmont. They have a great range of seeds and have a supply of organic seeds as well.
Contacts are Eden seeds - www.edenseeds.com.au (http://www.edenseeds.com.au) phone (07) 55331108
The Diggers Club - www.diggers.com.au (03) 9587 1877
Hope this helps, happy aquagardening!!
Anniefish:D

[Murray]

If you want to see a complete list of Tomato varieties, here is a link to a site that has an interesting and informative list.
http://greenfingers.com.au/services/digging_deeper/tomatoes_want_to_grow/4.htm

[Laurie]

Hi.
At last I have finally got into this group, thanks to Murray.
Last year I grew 8 varieties of tomatoes & the year befor, 9 varieties.

I grow mainly hydroponically, but I do have an aquaponic set-up, but feeding NFT channels.
I my 30 plus years of growing, I have found the best source for seeds are, www.newgipps.com.au and www.kingsseeds.com.au Both of these seed suppliers I recommend.
I am the President of the Geelong Hydroponic Gardeners Inc. & none of our members will use Diggers.

[Murray]

Hi Laurie, welcome to the forum.
It was good to meet with you the other day. I do hope your good lady is feeling better.
I have moved your post to here in PLANTS.
The two links you have provided are excellent.
I have a compulsion to buy fish and Tomato seeds and you have fueled my bad habits to further lengths. I just can't help it, I will be ordering tomato seeds in the morning.

Also, I have always wanted to know what is meant when a Tomato variety is termed "Indeterminate"
So I just Googled the term and found this definition.

Definition: Indeterminate tomatoes are actually vines that continue growing in length throughout the growing season. Also referred to as “vining” tomatoes, indeterminate tomato varieties will also continue to set and ripen fruit until killed off by frost. Tomato growers seldom allow tomato plants to actually vine. Indeterminate tomato plants will require substantial staking or caging to support what can become a large (6-10') heavy plant. However, tomato plants can easily be grown as a hanging vine. This eliminates the need for support, keeps the fruit up off the ground and permits the plant to grow in an open manner, allowing sunlight to reach throughout the plant.
The majority of tomato varieties are indeterminate including most heirlooms and most cherry types. Other indeterminate tomatoes include: Beafsteak, Big Boy, Brandywine and Early Girl.

The URL for further info is http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/g/Indeterminate.htm


Most of you possibly already know that kind of stuff, but for those who don't know and were afraid to ask.

Muzza

[Murray]

Thanks Laurie for the Tomato seeds and the great magazine.
There are some varieties of tomato I have not heard of before, so I am keen to get them planted out and grown out to maturity.

For the interest of others the varieties are as follows.

Valiant. Lycopersicon esculentum Pix #1
Will reach maturity in 66 days. Foliage is green and fruit is very red, round and smooth. Can handle many climates as long as the growing season isn't too short. Use seaweed fertiliser and don't forget to mulch in colder climates.

Blue Sash. The only info I can find is "Award winning heirloom tomato."

Lana: Unable to find this one listed anywhere.

Perhaps someone can shed some light on these two varieties.

[Murray]

Here is another interesting Tomato variety.

Yellow Perfection
This heirloom variety is characterized by its deep golden yellow skin and flesh. The fruit are small-medium sized, juicy and round while the plants are indeterminate indicative of having a long productive season. Best grown on a trellis during the warmer parts of the year avoiding cold weather conditions. Prone to cracking in wet weather. Days to maturity – 75.

I have obtained a quantity of these seeds and I am happy to share a few with forum members. Email me with your postal address and I will send you some.
These seeds are from Israel and has certificate as an Organic Variety. email (http://www.aquaponics.net.au/contactus.html)

Here is a further description re this variety.
These Indeterminate tomatoes are those ‘vining type’ tomatoes that grow best up a trellis. If allowed plants can reach up to 1.8m but ideally this is too tall for outdoor production and should be kept to 1-1.2m. For pest control, use Dipel (Bacillius thuringiensis) for chewing pests such as caterpillars and white oil for sucking psets such as mites, whitefly and aphids. This remedy should be compliant with organics. Flowers should be plentiful and fruit will ripen roughly about the same time.

[Jonty]

Hi,
This may be of interest to members. I am using Pestguard bags from www.greenharvest.com.au. I put the bags over the tomato bunches and it stops fruit fly and tomato grubs. They are $10 for ten or $39.50 for fifty.

They also have a exclusion sampler pack for $29.50 that has ten of the bags included.

Regards
Jonty

[GaryD]

Hi Jonty,

Thanks for this post. I can see this product being very useful given the speed with which the tomato moths find my fruit.

Gary

[josh]

I have sent an email on the form for a sample of the Yellow Perfection tomatoes . Thanks Murray
I have not heard of that variety before. It will be very interesting to see how they go. My Dad grew yellow tomatoes. He claimed they were acid free. Maybe these are they. I hope so.
Josh

[fishfood]

I have sent an email on the form for a sample of the Yellow Perfection tomatoes . Thanks Murray
I have not heard of that variety before. It will be very interesting to see how they go. My Dad grew yellow tomatoes. He claimed they were acid free. Maybe these are they. I hope so.
Josh
bunnings down here have a large range in at the moment black russian ect

[anniefish]

Hi all,
If you pop into your local friendly nursery and ask, they should order in varieties that are available at wholesalers, that they (the nursery) may not get in as they aren't the regular varieties. If more people did this there would be a better range of plants. I have just ordered Stevia plants, as well as chocolate capsicums, can't wait for them to come. Just planted thirty odd tomatoes (roma, black russian and san marzano) and six capsicums as well as leaf lettuces. Will plant Kipfler potatoes, gourds, luffas and giant russian cucumbers soon.
Happy gardening,
Anniefish

[Murray]

Hi FishFood, AnnieFish,
I regularly trawl through the 'B" shop here at Browns Plains near where I live. They have a pretty good seed section, but not too many Heirloom Tomatoes.....
Since the level 5 water restrictions the seedling section is a bit sad, but I am trying not to buy seedlings anymore, although I could not resist a punnet of celery seedlings the other day.
Good variety of veggies you are planning on there AnnieF.
Thirty tomato bushes !!! You will be able to supply the local supermarkets !!!
Murray

[Miki]

Wow Anniefish, you must do heaps of conserving with the tomatoes with so many! do you have any tips on the conserving on such a large scale?
I've just googled Luffas because I didn't have a clue what they were, sounds very interesting - do you grow them instead of zucchini's because they don't get mildew?

[anniefish]

Hi Miki and Murray,
Yes I know it sounds a lot but I have a big family. If I have a glut of tomatoes and no time to preserve (sauce, pickles etc.) I just cut the tomatoes in quarters, skin on and freeze them. They are great for cooking. I grow the luffas for back scratchers and sponges in the bath/shower and I've heard they are good for doing the washing up as well. I've never cookded them but might try it this year.
Cheers Anniefish

[doug.a]

well well well you learn something every day i honestly thought that they were a sponge i must give them a go. Thanks anniefish i am amazed

Doug

The only silly question is the one not asked. :)

[anniefish]

Hi Miki and Murray,
I know it sounds a lot but I have a big family and the kids eat tomatoes like apples, then again they eat turnips fresh out of the ground too, and cucumbers and capsicums and parsley and...
I grew a double row of peas 15 feet long one year and only got one lot (a couple of kilos) of peas in the freezer!! the rest where picked by the little darlings.
When I have a glut of tomatoes and no time to make sauce or pickles, I just cut them in four and freeze them, great for cooking and don't come from China or Taiwan in a tin.
There is a very handy gadget you can buy for juicing tomatoes. It looks like a meat mincer but has a long cone in front with a tray under. You just put the toms in the top turn the handle, the juice runs into the tray and into your dish and the seeds and skins come out the end of the cone. Very handy.
I haven't dried toms but want to try it this year. You know when I have nothing else to do!!
Cheers, Anniefish

[Laurie]

Hi, Anniefish.
We have one of those machines, the name on the box is: Passatutto Master. It attatches on a bench with a suction cup and it will do 50 kg of tomatoes an hour. The best part about them, you save the seeds that comes out, dry them, & you have seeds for your next planting. I had 26 tomato plants in last season of which I had 8 varieties. This year, I will try a few different ones & there is a new hydroponic variety released for this year. The change every 2 years, so I keep the seeds from year to year.
I grow most of my veggies hydroponically, but I do have a Aquaponic set-up for my herbs.

Laurie.

[Murray]

Laurie,

Do you grow your tomatoes using the Auto-pots ?

I have Googled "Passatutto Master" cannot find anywhere in Australia that sells such a device. Do you know where details/photo/prices might be obtained.

[fishfood]

Laurie,

Do you grow your tomatoes using the Auto-pots ?

I have gooled "Passatutto Master" cannot find anywhere in Australia that sells such a device. Do you know where details/photo/prices might be obtained.
Murray about $50.00 at all the italion wine and cooking shops do you have a market there in brizzy

[Laurie]

Murray.

I grow most of my veggies in Autopots, eg, Twin pots, Window boxes & Hanging pots.
The NFT on the wall is operating off my aquaponics, Tomatoes in twin pots, cucumbers in window box. See the pics of some of it. The cucumbers are a variety that only produces female flowers, which means, every flower is a cucumber.

Laurie.

[Murray]

Great way to grow cucumbers Laurie. What variety of cucumber are they?

[fishfood]

Murray.

I grow most of my veggies in Autopots, eg, Twin pots, Window boxes & Hanging pots.
The NFT on the wall is operating off my aquaponics, Tomatoes in twin pots, cucumbers in window box. See the pics of some of it. The cucumbers are a variety that only produces female flowers, which means, every flower is a cucumber.

Laurie.hi laurie love your setup i am keen to try autopots[leopold is that ballarat] if so i get up there quite often is there chance for a visit!

[Laurie]

Hi.
Tow part question. Leopold is 11km outside of Geelong, towards Queenscliff.

There are 2 types of cucumbers (Glasshouse type )

Diana Hybrid (Continental )

Jasper Hybrid (Lebanese )

They are available from www.newgipps.com.au Mail order. 5 seeds per packet.
Laurie.

[fishfood]

Hi.
Tow part question. Leopold is 11km outside of Geelong, towards Queenscliff.

There are 2 types of cucumbers (Glasshouse type )

Diana Hybrid (Continental )

Jasper Hybrid (Lebanese )

They are available from www.newgipps.com.au Mail order. 5 seeds per packet.
Laurie.thanks laurie yea when i think ok thats cool any chance for a visit

[Murray]

Thanks Laurie,
I will order some of those cucumbers.

Murray