Adaptive Seeds

[fortyonenorth]

I had never heard of Adaptive Seeds until I came upon their website (http://www.adaptiveseeds.com/) a few days ago while looking for Umpqua broccoli. They don't have a huge selection, but what they do have is unique. Many of the tomato varieties I haven't seen elsewhere.

[shlacm]

Some interesting 'maters listed... I wonder what the experts will say...

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by fortyonenorth

I had never heard of Adaptive Seeds until I came upon their website (http://www.adaptiveseeds.com/) a few days ago while looking for Umpqua broccoli. They don't have a huge selection, but what they do have is unique. Many of the tomato varieties I haven't seen elsewhere.

I've looked at this website before.

The reason that you don't recognize many of the tomato varities is b' if you look at the blurbs many of them are from Gerhard Bohl in Germany. If you look at the thread titles in this Forum you'll see one about him.

I also have problems with the term "adaptive" varieties, aka varieties being adapted to the PNW.

I also feel a bit uneasy about the direct solicitation to send them seeds, but maybe that's b'c from time to time I get sent catalogs with notes attached saying "they" would welcome any seeds I might send them.

I dunno, the website just doesn't strike me the right way today, as it didn't the last time I looked. The index shows that there should be 65 tomato varieties but that's not even close to what's shown.

Maybe I'll feel differently tomorrow about the site?

[DanishGardener]

Maybe you should have another look tomorrow Carolyn, I can count
exactly 65 diffrent tomato varieties on the site

I know that they have been trading seeds with/donating seeds to the
Danish Seedsavers (Frøsamlerne). And I can see that Adaptive Seeds got some varieties from them.

[kygreg]

I have purchased tomato seeds from Adaptive. No problems with delivery, germination, or seeds not being the variety they should be.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by DanishGardener

Maybe you should have another look tomorrow Carolyn, I can count
exactly 65 diffrent tomato varieties on the site

I know that they have been trading seeds with/donating seeds to the
Danish Seedsavers (Frøsamlerne). And I can see that Adaptive Seeds got some varieties from them.

Yes, if I have time tomorowr I could go back and count, but once I opened the link I knew I'd been there before so kinda scanned quickly.

My problem isn't with the number of varieties presented, my problem is knowing what they mean by adapted to the PNW which is a claim that not even Territoria or Victory Seed or others in the PNW make and is very hard to prove and also wondering about some of the varieties I saw there that as I remember had long DTM's, which isn't what most folks in the PNW grow.

I think the emphasis with the tomatoes was to offer many varieties that aren't well known here in the US. Since there';s no opportunity for feedback on most of them I think if it were me I'd look at the nice lists that Tania and Jeff Casey have at their websites on varieties they recommend for short season growing areas. Just my opinion, but I recognize the goal of many sites to offer the unusual, the rare varieties, and I have no time to see how many of them already are listed in the SSE YEarbook and/or presented at Tania's site.



Of course the PNW is a large area and growing zones vary, but......

[fortyonenorth]

I received my seeds today - good, fast service. VERY informative seed packets, including detailed history of each variety, planting and seed saving instructions.

If you dig deeper in the seed descriptions and such, it's obvious that these folks are doing some good work. I don't know...but, to me, it's refreshing to see this when so many other seed sellers are basically just retailing the same bulk seeds that everyone sells.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by fortyonenorth

I received my seeds today - good, fast service. VERY informative seed packets, including detailed history of each variety, planting and seed saving instructions.

If you dig deeper in the seed descriptions and such, it's obvious that these folks are doing some good work. I don't know...but, to me, it's refreshing to see this when so many other seed sellers are basically just retailing the same bulk seeds that everyone sells.

Glad to hear that.

Perhaps I'm being too concerned about the adaptive part of this equation/

In the long run if someone is pleased with what they get that's what matters.

But I'm not too sure I agree with your comment about so many other seed sellers just retailing the same bulk seeds when I think of other companies that also produce a lot of what they sell, but I really don't want to start making comparisons and all that.

As I said, if a person is pleased with a particular company, that's all that really matters.

[fortyonenorth]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

But I'm not too sure I agree with your comment about so many other seed sellers just retailing the same bulk seeds when I think of other companies that also produce a lot of what they sell, but I really don't want to start making comparisons and all that.
.

No, you're right, my comment was unnecessary and wasn't intended to minimize the work of the many very, very good seed sellers out there. I've been ordering seeds for twenty years without a single bad experience. Lucky? Maybe, but I can't say that about many other industries I've dealt with.

[johno]

I just spent some time perusing their selections, several of which are "diverse genepool mixes." To me, this seems to be the basis for the word "adaptive." Diverse genepool mixes grown in different locales will adapt specifically to those locales over a few generations through natural selection.

[333.okh]

The only thing that concerns me here is that they actually give names to some varieties because they were found at a market and the retailer did not know the names of the fruit. At that point they gave it a name, but it might have already had one and was not new to the garden community. Maybe I am wrong, but that was what I got fro some of the descriptions. No matter they do have some I am very interested in for next year.

[ShowmeDseeds]

I ordered some seeds for the variety Katja last winter,
http://www.adaptiveseeds.com/node/107 .

The service was fine, and I was very satisfied with the quality of the seeds. The Katja tomatoes/plants fit the catalog description and produced some very good 3 to 5 ounce tomatoes for me growing in five gallon containers.

Next year I will try growing them in containers as well as in my garden beds.

Stuart

[dice]

I grew Ararat Flamed from a different vendor last year, and
the plant did not quite match the description at Adaptive Seeds.

The tomatoes ripened kind of late and were quite round, like
a Bloody Butcher or Russian Red fruit. Nothing oblate or
"mini-beefsteak" about them at all. I would put it at about 75
DTM, very productive of small round saladette fruit with good,
balanced flavor (not noticeably sweet or tart, not bland).
Figure that production would start about the same time as
Box Car Willie and continue on until frost.

[Ispahan]

I am new to Tomatoville and this is my first post here...yay! :-)

I can definitely vouch for the quality of Adaptive Seeds. Their delivery is lightening fast and they have been thoughtfully responsive to any questions I have sent them. Their seeds, packaging and instructions are excellent. They offer landraces for several species which intrigues me. I like the idea of working with a landrace and adapting it by selecting for my growing conditions/needs. The only other companies or organizations I know of that routinely offer landraces are Wild Garden Seed and Peace Seeds, which I think are also truly first class seed/plant breeding outfits.

I look forward to trying the 'Katja' and 'Sibiriche Orange' tomatoes from Adaptive this season.

[fortyonenorth]

Welcome to Tomatoville. Stop by the Tomatoville Town Hall and introduce yourself. There are a lot of great folks here who are very willing to share their knowledge.

I also have Katja and Sibiriche Orange on my short list this year. I haven't made the final selections yet, but I hope to include them in my garden.

Rich (from the tip of Lake Michigan)