Dona F1 seeds

cwavec · February 13, 2017

Again this year I am giving small lots of Dona F1 seeds to those
who request them and will meet a small request of mine.

For those unfamiliar with this variety, it is known as a French
market growers tomato and is very popular in France. It is my
personal favorite among red tomatoes.

Each individual requesting these can get 5 seeds. They cost a lot
to bring them from France and it is a lot of trouble. However, I
have just received a fresh lot a couple of weeks ago and have
enough to fill some requests.

I ask if you want these that you send me a stamped and self- addressed
envelope (standard letter postage). Either standard letter size
is OK (6-1/2" or 10"). Send me a private message through Tomatoville
and I will respond with a mailing address that you can use.

rnewste · February 13, 2017

Thank you for your very generous offer. Dona F1 seeds are indeed very difficult to get.

regards,

Raybo

cwavec · February 13, 2017

xxxxxxx

dustdevil · February 13, 2017

Hi. PM sent. Dust

heirloomtomaguy · February 13, 2017

Pm sent

JohnJones · February 14, 2017

PM Sent.

Thanks!

Sun City Linda · February 14, 2017

PM sent thanks.

NarnianGarden · February 14, 2017

What's so special about this French variety? Flavor? (not hoping to try it, already got too many varieties)..
It's nice to know that they have succesfully bred something that's so highly sought after. Cretainly never heard of it before.

NarnianGarden · February 14, 2017

OK, so a quick Google search revealed good resistance to various diseases, round regular fruits that keep long. Sounds lovely

"Cette variété, de type ronde rouge, est très productive et résistante à l'éclatement et aux maladies. Elle donne des tomates de petit calibre, fermes et réguliers.."

gdaddybill · February 14, 2017

Thanks for the seeds--five up already. Here's a photo from the 90's

BigVanVader · February 14, 2017

Sounds like a good market variety, very nice to offer here. I also have plenty of varieties and dont like reds much but I'd be interested to hear others reviews of it after growing.

cwavec · February 14, 2017

@gdaddybill:

Oh yes, the 90's. Love the photo. Seeds for those must have
come from Shepherd's Seeds (Renee Shepherd). That's who was
importing them then, up until 2007 when they were discontinued for
a while.

Wouldn't it be nice if a similar seed company were to pick them up
again, now that they are back in production (2009). Heh, only two
years. They didn't get away with it!

cwavec · February 14, 2017

For those few interested, these came from:

Graineterie A Ducrettet
14, rue Rene Cassin
Parc de la Chatelaine
FR-74240 Gaillard

(ducrettet.com)

They are a supplier of relatively large quantities of seed for French
market gardeners who probably don't want to run around and
locate a bunch of smaller packets. They apparently do a fair
amount of international trade as the site is now available in English
although they do not have ready-made packets. They will pack
whatever quantity you order in increments of 100 or 1000.

Also, for anyone who feels concern over the phyto-sanitary
situation (and you should), these are phyto certified by the French
Ministry of Agriculture. I have ordered from this company twice
and each time they automatically added phyto to the order.
Seems they know what they are doing.

**carolyn137** · February 15, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwavec

@gdaddybill:

Oh yes, the 90's. Love the photo. Seeds for those must have
come from Shepherd's Seeds (Renee Shepherd). That's who was
importing them then, up until 2007 when they were discontinued for
a while.

Wouldn't it be nice if a similar seed company were to pick them up
again, now that they are back in production (2009). Heh, only two
years. They didn't get away with it!

Absolutely correct. She was offering this one as well as another French one called Carmello F1, couldn't get any more seeds and this link from Tania I think explains what came from where.

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Dona

I grew the F1's of both Dona and Carmello which I got from her then seed site and,well, wasn't impressed at all , considering the options I had as to medium sized reds, whether F1 or OP

Break O Day is a great OP that more folks should grow IMO

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Break_O%27Day

But I do appreciate the offer for true Dona F1 that is being made,especially for those who didn't know it even existed.

Carolyn

cwavec · February 15, 2017

Hi Carolyn, glad to see your opinion.

Yes, I understand that some people are not as impressed as I am
as well as some others. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

On the other hand, I've found out after all this time that Dona F1
does require some heat to develop it's characteristic subtlety. A
few weeks of cloudless 85 degree days makes a big difference.

2014 and 2015 here (Western PA) were cloudy and cool and Dona
did not do well. I had a few good ones and the rest were acceptable
but not wonderful. Green and yellow tomatoes in those two years
were much closer to their normally expected quality. So if I were in a
predominantly cool and overcast climate, maybe I would try something
else. 2016 - a different story.

Incidentally, there is a short list of varieties that you have circulated,
including Supersonic and it turns out that Supersonic, in fact, shares
some of the characteristics that I appreciate in Dona. Not as
pronounced but good enough that if I ever could absolutely not get
Dona anymore, I would substitute SUpersonic and be satisfied that
I had not lost too much.

February 13, 2017	#1
cwavec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: PA - 5b Posts: 92	Dona F1 seeds Again this year I am giving small lots of Dona F1 seeds to those who request them and will meet a small request of mine. For those unfamiliar with this variety, it is known as a French market growers tomato and is very popular in France. It is my personal favorite among red tomatoes. Each individual requesting these can get 5 seeds. They cost a lot to bring them from France and it is a lot of trouble. However, I have just received a fresh lot a couple of weeks ago and have enough to fill some requests. I ask if you want these that you send me a stamped and self- addressed envelope (standard letter postage). Either standard letter size is OK (6-1/2" or 10"). Send me a private message through Tomatoville and I will respond with a mailing address that you can use.

February 13, 2017	#3
cwavec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: PA - 5b Posts: 92	xxxxxxx Last edited by cwavec; February 13, 2017 at 10:54 PM. Reason: shuldn't have posted here

February 13, 2017	#5
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	Pm sent __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

February 14, 2017	#12
cwavec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: PA - 5b Posts: 92	Dona F1 @gdaddybill: Oh yes, the 90's. Love the photo. Seeds for those must have come from Shepherd's Seeds (Renee Shepherd). That's who was importing them then, up until 2007 when they were discontinued for a while. Wouldn't it be nice if a similar seed company were to pick them up again, now that they are back in production (2009). Heh, only two years. They didn't get away with it!

February 14, 2017	#13
cwavec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: PA - 5b Posts: 92	Dona F1, source and phyto For those few interested, these came from: Graineterie A Ducrettet 14, rue Rene Cassin Parc de la Chatelaine FR-74240 Gaillard (ducrettet.com) They are a supplier of relatively large quantities of seed for French market gardeners who probably don't want to run around and locate a bunch of smaller packets. They apparently do a fair amount of international trade as the site is now available in English although they do not have ready-made packets. They will pack whatever quantity you order in increments of 100 or 1000. Also, for anyone who feels concern over the phyto-sanitary situation (and you should), these are phyto certified by the French Ministry of Agriculture. I have ordered from this company twice and each time they automatically added phyto to the order. Seems they know what they are doing.

February 13, 2017	#2
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Thank you for your very generous offer. Dona F1 seeds are indeed very difficult to get. regards, Raybo

February 13, 2017	#4
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Hi. PM sent. Dust

February 14, 2017	#6
JohnJones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Mississippi Posts: 339	PM Sent. Thanks!

February 14, 2017	#7
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	PM sent thanks.

February 14, 2017	#8
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	What's so special about this French variety? Flavor? (not hoping to try it, already got too many varieties).. It's nice to know that they have succesfully bred something that's so highly sought after. Cretainly never heard of it before.

February 14, 2017	#11
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Sounds like a good market variety, very nice to offer here. I also have plenty of varieties and dont like reds much but I'd be interested to hear others reviews of it after growing.

February 15, 2017	#15
cwavec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: PA - 5b Posts: 92	Hi Carolyn, glad to see your opinion. Yes, I understand that some people are not as impressed as I am as well as some others. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. On the other hand, I've found out after all this time that Dona F1 does require some heat to develop it's characteristic subtlety. A few weeks of cloudless 85 degree days makes a big difference. 2014 and 2015 here (Western PA) were cloudy and cool and Dona did not do well. I had a few good ones and the rest were acceptable but not wonderful. Green and yellow tomatoes in those two years were much closer to their normally expected quality. So if I were in a predominantly cool and overcast climate, maybe I would try something else. 2016 - a different story. Incidentally, there is a short list of varieties that you have circulated, including Supersonic and it turns out that Supersonic, in fact, shares some of the characteristics that I appreciate in Dona. Not as pronounced but good enough that if I ever could absolutely not get Dona anymore, I would substitute SUpersonic and be satisfied that I had not lost too much.