Gardener's Delight Tomato Seed Germination and Growing Thread

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by JWK, Mar 29, 2018.

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  1. Ezzie

    Ezzie Gardener

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    I hope everybody has had a good Easter break. I have just returned from mine and the first thing I did on getting home was to check the propagator.

    I am pleased to report that I have 13 Gardener’s Delight growing merrily away. It should be noted however that these are from my ‘insurance’ packet - a part used packet, packed year ending 30/6/06, sow by 6/2008. No special treatment was given to these seeds when sown last week so I am pretty happy at this result so early. Will start to work on the older packet tomorrow.
     
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    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

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      One of my packeted 2005 seeds sown on Friday has germinated! :hapydancsmil::yahoo::yay::hapfeet:


      I rushed to my growbox upstairs to check as soon as I read of above 2006 germination.
       
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      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        21 out of 25 seeds from my previously unopened 2005 packet have now germinated.

        Nothing showing yet from my previously opened packet of 2007 seeds. Nearly all my 2012 seeds have germinated (another previously unopened packet).

        2005 and 2012 pots now out of propagator and 2007 back in.

        GD seedlings.jpg


        GD pkt.jpg
         
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        • Scrungee

          Scrungee Well known for it

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          I noticed the wider variation in size between fruits many years ago.

          It would be interesting to know the last year they produced seed.
           
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          • Fern4

            Fern4 Total Gardener

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            @Scrungee ....the seeds you kindly sent have arrived. I'll start soaking them in MG this afternoon. :blue thumb:
             
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            • Scrungee

              Scrungee Well known for it

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              I got 21 out of 25 germinate from my non soaked batch of 2005 seeds and 13 out of 15 from the non soaked 2012 seeds, so soaking shouldnt be necessary with those, but worth trying with the 2007 seeds which appear as if they're going to be difficult to germinate.

              P.S. The germination rate on those 13 year old cheapo seeds from Wilkos is far better than the expensive in date T&M F1 seeds packed in 2016, sow by 2018 I've been sowing this year. (When I say expensive, I mean 50p/pkt from Wyevale seed sale.

              P.P.S. My 2012 soaked seeds have shown through this morning, slightly under 4 days after sowing. If the soaked 2005 seeds germinate as successfully as the non soaked, I'm going to have a couple of dozen plants going spare.
               
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                Last edited: Apr 4, 2018
              • JWK

                JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                So far all that has germinated for me are the 2012 seed. It's been just over a week and no sign of anything happening with the 2005 & 2007 seed, so have started another batch using the damp kitchen roll in poly bag method:
                WP_20180407_11_19_35_Pro.jpg

                I'm doing something wrong, mine are in a dark room - I assume you guys are doing the same - e.g. airing cupboard?

                Also what temperatures are you using to get germination?
                 
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                • silu

                  silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                  My batch from Scrungee got lost in the post @JWK :cry3:so whatever you achieve it'll be better than me:smile:
                   
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                  • Redwing

                    Redwing Wild Gardener

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                    From the Tomato Growing thread, my comment on 29 March:

                    In the bottom of my seed box, which is stored in a dark cupboard, I found a pack of opened Suttons GD dated packed 2002 and sow by 2004! Well I sowed them yesterday and will update with results. Fingers crossed.

                    Well its been 11 days since I sowed them and nothing has come up. I think it's unlikely that anything will come up now so I'll be bowing out of the experiment. Good luck to others though and hope you get some tasty Gardener's Delights!
                     
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                    • Scrungee

                      Scrungee Well known for it

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                      In a heated propagator within a grow box, temp 70 - 75 deg F, T5 lights on above for 12 hrs a day (I always do nasty low temps in C and lovely warm higher ones in F)

                      I've just got back from a couple of nights away on Exmoor and now some of my 2007 seeds have finally germinated - full house!
                       
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                      • silu

                        silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                        My seeds have turned up. Will sow today, God knows where they have been on their travels to here. Black mark the PO! Don't expect many early results from me:)
                         
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                        • Pushkin

                          Pushkin Super Gardener

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                          I've sowed some 2003 B&Q Value seeds.
                          33p back then.
                          But, like others have said, nothing is showing as yet.
                           
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                          • Scrungee

                            Scrungee Well known for it

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                            Together with those of mine which have germinated, we now have seedlings from 2005, 2006 and 2007 seeds.

                            It'll be intetesting to see how they compare. Might be usefull to coordinate on how some are grown (open ground, outdoors pot, greenhouse/polytunnel border soil, greenhouse/polytunnel pot) for an accurate comparison).

                            I'll compare the pH and Brix of each (pH meter and refractometer) to check whether growing location/medium affects flavour.
                             
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                              Last edited: Apr 16, 2018
                            • JWK

                              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                              I have not done very well getting the old seed to germinate, so far just a single seedling of Scrungee's 2007, started in a plastic bag on kitchen roll:
                              P4130159 cropped.jpg

                              after transferring it to seed compost it took a couple of days to emerge, but the seed casing was stuck to the cotyledons:
                              P4160168.JPG

                              It took best part of a day with a bit of spit and gentle prodding with a tooth pick to release it:
                              P4160171.JPG

                              I have never put so much effort into getting a single flipping tomato seed, I've been checking it every 30 minutes !
                               
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                              • silu

                                silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                                I've got all this to look forward to hopefully @JWK. Sowed some of the seeds today in my heated propagator. Having got lost in the post for days who knows what results I'll get!
                                 
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