Seed Exchange

[Sahib Punjabi]

I would like to see if anyone is interested in sharing seeds, especially those that are of an unusual, rare or specialty nature. I intend to start collecting seeds this year to share with fellow Aquapons.

[TCLynx]

Sounds like a great idea.  I must admit though that I've not been good about choosing only heirloom seeds that will be true.  I have a few favorite plants that are F1 so I always have to order new seeds for those.

 

Perhaps I'll try harder to grow some things I could save seeds from.

[CliveP]

A related question: Do seeds lose their viability if irradiated? and if so, what is the best way to send/receive them? I know that UPS will not allow you to send seeds ( at least internationally for me) but I'm not sure about Fedex or other couriers.

 

Clive

[Chi Ma]

Shhhhhhhh.

CliveP said:

A related question: Do seeds lose their viability if irradiated? and if so, what is the best way to send/receive them? I know that UPS will not allow you to send seeds ( at least internationally for me) but I'm not sure about Fedex or other couriers.

 

Clive

[CliveP]

Nuff said! ... but what about viability?

Chi Ma said:

Shhhhhhhh.

CliveP said:

A related question: Do seeds lose their viability if irradiated? and if so, what is the best way to send/receive them? I know that UPS will not allow you to send seeds ( at least internationally for me) but I'm not sure about Fedex or other couriers.

 

Clive

[TCLynx]

Just so you know, Aquaponics doesn't require special seeds or anything.  So, if trying to exchange seeds internationally is an issue, you might find local sources for seeds that will probably be better suited to your climate anyway.  There are companies that sell seeds that can sell them internationally so they may be a source if exchange won't work and you can't find what you need locally.  Echo might be an option?

 

I believe irradiation would render most types of seeds less than viable.

[Carey Ma]

Anyone coming to China? Will ya smuggle me some seed please...hehe...yeah right!

Actually I've sent and received seeds from several countries. It usually depends on the receiving country's customs regulations. The gov here want quality seeds so even though they have quarantine and testing regulations, it mainly depends on ones "relationship" with certain officials and how well those friendship tracks are greased.

 

Most of the seeds I use are heirloom because 1. it is simply the right thing to do and 2. They are more nutritious and taste so wonderful. I must admit that about 20% of the stuff I grow is hybrid but that is simply because there is on alternative. The big seed companies have already managed to wipe out 98% of China's ability to self sustain.

 

If stored properly, most seeds have a viable shelf life of between 3-10 years.

Yes radiation/ irradiation have adverse affects on seeds.

[TCLynx]

Some hybrid stuff isn't so bad but it does make saving seeds kinda pot luck.  China does have some really good options for perennial veggie plants though. 

 

Does Johnny's selected seeds ship to China?  They are ever expanding their organic and heirloom and non gmo lines.

 

Right now the only seeds I have in excess are lufa seeds.

[Carey Ma]

Thanks TC for your continuous support.

China does have a wonderful selection but unfortunately, I am too late, they are ALL hybrids, the basis of mono-cropping and factory farms. (The only places I have found that still have "local" seeds is in remote villages and isolated pockets) I am too much of a pessimist to trust these companies to guarantee their ability to supply me seed. Johnny's is rather consious as a distributor goes but if I had a choice, I choose to support smaller farms that actually grow for genetic preservation. Without them we are truly doomed.

 

To be self sustaing, I have to be able to supply mine and myself with food. Although I struggle a bit over the morality of introducing foreign genetics, (in the face of whats happening, its of little consequence), I also grow for bio diversity and  genetic preservation of these historical and geographical labors of love. 

 

In other words I do not grow for profit. I farm with one goal: to produce and reproduce the best food possible (with harm to none). It is my hope that we in this group would, if not save seed, at least support these organizations over commercial organizations. Besides, there is so much variety to choose from and due to the process one cant beat the taste (brix) and therefore the nutritional value.

[Sahib Punjabi]

:-)

Carey Ma said:

Thanks TC for your continuous support.

China does have a wonderful selection but unfortunately, I am too late, they are ALL hybrids, the basis of mono-cropping and factory farms. (The only places I have found that still have "local" seeds is in remote villages and isolated pockets) I am too much of a pessimist to trust these companies to guarantee their ability to supply me seed. Johnny's is rather consious as a distributor goes but if I had a choice, I choose to support smaller farms that actually grow for genetic preservation. Without them we are truly doomed.

 

To be self sustaing, I have to be able to supply mine and myself with food. Although I struggle a bit over the morality of introducing foreign genetics, (in the face of whats happening, its of little consequence), I also grow for bio diversity and  genetic preservation of these historical and geographical labors of love. 

 

In other words I do not grow for profit. I farm with one goal: to produce and reproduce the best food possible (with harm to none). It is my hope that we in this group would, if not save seed, at least support these organizations over commercial organizations. Besides, there is so much variety to choose from and due to the process one cant beat the taste (brix) and therefore the nutritional value.

[TCLynx]

Well, My understanding is that you can take F1 hybrids and save the seed and grow it, then choose the ones that produce favorable results and plant them the next season and so on until you have managed to grow out your own heirloom so to speak.  Can take a long time to get stable results but it actually expands the bio-diversity rather than reducing it.  Might not be the Favored way to do it but for those things you really want but can't find local heirlooms, it is an option.

 

Of course this can be really hard with some types of plants since cross pollination among things like squash and zucchini tend to produce odd hybrids unless you have the time to bag all the flowers and hand pollinate manually.

 

Now if I were heading for Asia, I'd bring you some seeds, however, I haven't gotten very far with my own seed saving, I'm still learning, and don't have much to offer.

[Carey Ma]

Thanks, you're off to a good start. I'm pretty well set for the time being. I can boast having 40 plus different types of tomato seed, colors, taste and textures galore thanks to a donation from www.tomatoefest.com. Seed Savers.org was also generous and gave a discount.

 

You are absolutely correct, manual/ mechanical pollination can be a pain but not that difficult or bothersome and well worth it. As to stabilizing a new strain: That's the beauty of true heirlooms. It's already done! all one has to do is protect a few flowers the rest, nature can play with, from there you could start collecting samples with the traits you like. Twenty generations later you have what people would call the TC Lynx tomato. Which is why I am so touchy about this subject and have dedicated my new life to avenge my family. They made me who I am today. Four generations of sweat and blood dating back almost a hundred years went into the development of our own selected corns, veggies of all sorts mainly originating from Germany and England and some Italian. Long story short, I oppose and boycott (if possible) any company that has patented seeds of any sort. I curse the day our gov decided (sold out) that it was ok to patent nature.

 

Anyway, I know I'm luckier than most of you, in that my customers will gladly accept anything I put in their boxes and doesn't have to match any stinkin picture...hehe. I'm still ramping up at present so don't have enough to share with my fellow Asians yet.

PS Dont forget they have the terminator gene so I wouldn't count on being able to grow anything once they have eliminated those few tiny "natural" seed producers.

[Sahib Punjabi]

Namaste Friends,

 

I have a number of seedlings for new Aquapons living around my area...variety of lettuce, swiss chard, pac choi, malabar spinach to name a few. They are yours so long as you come and pick them up. In order to encourage more of you to experience this wonderful way of growing food, I will let you have up to 36 seedlings when you visit. No charge. Suggest that you bring your net pots and any particular growing medium that you may desire. I have them planted in my own unique mixture of Coir, Vermiculite, Expanded Shale and worm castings. You are welcome to transplant them with this mixture.

 

God bless,