Mistakes Were Made

[AlittleSalt]

Years ago, I joined a tomato growing site. I got really into it. I took so many pictures along the way for years. I built a garden that displayed my skills without spending much money at all. I was proud of it. Along the way, there were problems with RKN and other things, and yet, I didn't want to give up.

I sent tomato seeds to people around the world during this time. Have you ever had a conversation with a postal worker asking them if it is okay to send tomato seeds to someone in Romania? I guess in the Pandemic era things are way different?

Seeds that I sent out are probably crossed. I tried the Pokémon theme - gotta grow um all. If I could do it all over again, I would have never shared a seed - is how I should feel, but others sent me unintentional F1s that were absolutely wonderful.

We are gardeners. I have learned along the way, but I'm stubborn too and I'm not ashamed of that.

[Shule]

The two of yours I've grown so far (from a trade) did not seem to be crosses. No one should blame you if they were, either. Crosses happen sometimes.

[pondgardener]

[mention]AlittleSalt[/mention] With home growers growing many different varieties, to try new types, the likelihood of a cross increases. But it shouldn't deter you from sharing seeds...as long as the people you share with are aware that they were OP and not bagged. My first attempt with sharing seeds of my aunt's tomato resulted in some people getting cherry sized tomatoes instead of a blunt heart, due to a cross that I wasn't aware of. In subsequent years I made sure that they were isolated from other varieties to reduce the risk of a cross, but strange things can still happen.

And yes, we should learn from our mistakes and being stubborn helps too, especially when trying to find alternative methods of growing plants with RKN infected soil.

So, keep at it...

[Rockoe10]

Those are the chances we all take when we accept seeds from hobbyists. It comes with the territory. Nothing to feel guilty about. I personally respect it when someone states that the seeds were bagged and goes that extra mile to ensure the seeds are as stated, but it's never expected to be.

[MissS]

Crossed seeds happen. It is nature's way. I have sent out crossed seed and I have gotten crossed seeds from some of the best sources. Even with purchased seeds, I seem to have about 1 out of 10 being a wrong variety or cross. Yes, it's disappointing and perhaps embarrassing, but hey, you were trying to help others and that's what really matters when it comes down to it.

[PhilaGardener]

Chance crosses can be the source of all sorts of interesting things, too! I'm always on the lookout for something different popping up in a row.

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you everyone. There is some humility (To me) for sending out seeds that might be crossed, but if I had not gotten a Valentines heart shaped cherry tomato cross - my interest might not have been the same. It didn't grow true, but I tried and tried again. I don't remember the variety it was supposed to be and there's no way to guess what variety crossed with it in someone else's garden.

Peppers are actually a lot worse with cross pollination, and I grew a lot of those. I didn't share seeds - and yet, I wish I would have. Some of those seeds came from 2007. I gave up on tomatoes and peppers in 2020. Yeah, I gave up. I let those cages and buckets full of pro mix sit out there for months. Eventually, I dumped out the pro mix and pulled up the T posts holding down the cages, but I was giving up, and it felt wrong.

I ordered some seeds. Sungold, Sunpeach. Porter, and Mucho Nacho Jalepeno. The next thing is growing them from seed which means buying some seed starter mix - Jiffy most likely. And then grow them in MG with flavor pellets. I messed up with pro mix and liquid Canadian/Alaskan greenhouse food.

[MGinerie]

One of the best tomatoes I ever grew from a trade were clearly not the variety I expected. None of it’s progeny were as good. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize it was possible to grow and select for the traits desired from the cross. But I didn’t have the room for that anyway.

[LindyAdele]

[mention]AlittleSalt[/mention] It's hard to look back on our gardening history with the knowledge we have now and not wish we would have done things differently!!! I would have moved beds to the place in my yard with full sun years ago, or bagged seed from this one amazing tomato plant I grew that never grew true again (it was different from what someone told me it was, and the seeds didn't grow true to type so likely it was not a stable variety?). I'm truly sorry for anyone who has received seeds from me that didn't grow true. But I never once felt any resentment whatsoever to seed that didn't grow as I expected. Every year is an adventure! And I've had COMMERCIAL seeds that didn't grow true!
It's important to be gentle with ourselves. I've been learning that.

What are you most excited for this year? What are your gardening goals? What are you growing now?