This coming tomato season, I would like to grow out as many as possible of the ones not commercially available here, save as much seed as possible, and deposit the seeds somewhere (hopefully with the Seed Savers Network) so that they become available to a wider audience.

I'm asking for volunteers to help me in this project. It would entail:
1. Taking responsibility for growing out one variety (more if you wish) and making notes as they grow.
2. Making sure the seed is pure either by an appropriate separation distance (a couple of metres) or by bagging the blossoms.
3. Collecting and fermenting the seeds and sending them back to me.

I'd be looking to get back around 500 seeds. For most of the varieties, this won't require many tomatoes.

In order to maintain whatever genetic diversity might exist in the varieties, the ideal would be to grow 6 plants and collect fruit from all 6 for processing. However, most of us don't have that much space so just a couple of plants will do.

A note for our Tasmanian colleagues: Due to your state's quarantine regulations I will endeavour to find out how to go about getting the seeds treated.

The inventory of those not available commercially here is:
Aussie
Australian Giant Oxheart
Australred (whoever takes this one will have to grow Australian Red alongside for comparison)
Burnley Gem (already taken)
Burnley Metro (already taken)
College Abundant
College Conquest
College Cropwell
College Globe
College Red
College Regal
Concrete Red
Erica d'Australie
Ethel Watkins Best
Joe Thieneman's Australian Heart (I will take this one as I only have a few seeds)
Polish Pastel (A recent variety developed by John Smarsz)
Tasmanian Blushing Yellow
Tasmanian Yellow (Quite likely a family heirloom. The one above is a sport of this one.)

There are also some that Patrina has developed but they haven't gone through a full stabilization process yet. There are also others that I haven't got seeds for yet, but hope to have some before the season begins.

Please don't feel as if you don't have the experience to volunteer. Full instructions will be enclosed with each seed sample.

If anyone out there would like to help me out, please just send me an email. I already have 4 volunteers but I could do with more.

Thanks a lot everyone.
Raymondo *thrilled to be able to make these varieties available once more in their land of origin!*

Okay Grub, I'll mark you down for Australian Giant Oxheart.

Mantis

Concrete Red sounds like a rock.

I would love to try a College var and of course a Tas var
Had Patrina and Hubby stay last night...not a tomato did we eat despite the fact that we had 39 vars in buckets all around the house
cheers
Peter

So, here's a pic of Peter with some of his helpers outside the kitchen/back porch area on the morning we left.

PP

So sorry to hear.

Pep,
What are you sowing next? I'm thinking Kohl Rabi, carrots, silverbeet, broadbeans. some onion thing, and various lettuces/salad greens.

Grub, who has made a 20ft long timber harvesting pole with a gaff at the end to get to his chokos. We love them!

I am growing out for the Aussie cause:
Adelaide Dwarf Red
Australian Early Dwarf Red
Bush Whopper
Grosse Lisse (well, have to for comparison with the next one, eh?)
Juane Grosse Lisse (spelled as such in both Cdn and US genebanks!)
Scoresby Dwarf
Simpson Summer Palace
Tatinter
Tatura
Victorian Dwarf

100 seeds per variety (from 6 plants per) were requested but I can up the seed count if need be. There may be another one or two more varieties from downunder identified along the way.

Sound okay?

PP will be able to take pics of the transplants when she visits in June. :>) Certified organic farm, natch.

Jennifer

Wow, I just counted that there's only 54 sleeps before I catch the first flight! I'm visiting a friend in Melbourne for a couple days before heading out.

Oh boy, I have so much to do before then.... get crackin' PP!

Seems to me you're never home - flitting about the world like a Cabbage White... ;-)

This will be my first trip to visit gardening buddies!

PP

Mantis

PP

Oh, well. But I would like to go on record as saying my College Cropwell is most certainly crossed, as it's putting out a varieties of fruit shapes, and they all seems pretty gnarled and small.

Still, I will save seeds.

Over to you.

There was a crossed plant, too. Red fruit and productive. I have a few more of the original seeds and shall sow them and the saved seeds next season.

"The flowers I bagged didn't set fruit."

Don't I know that feeling. I reckon the increased humidity or heat in the bag prevents the fruitset. And this is the reason I am still waiting for Green Giant as the first few trusses didn't set fruit. Eventually, I gave up on bagging and was rewarded.

I don't think your chillies are losing heat by being in the same spot for some years.

Ray, I don't have 500 seeds of Tasmanian Blushing Yellow, as requested in your original post. I'd say there are about 200 seeds. But there's a tiny green tomato still on the bush that was bagged. So I might get seeds off this one, if it does grow a bit more and ripen up a bit before the plant dies or the first frost hits.

I've also taken cuttings and one of them is starting to flower. I should get some fruit off this one. Will put it in the greenhouse in the next few weeks.

I will be growing this tomato again next year and probably get more plants of it in the ground. I still have 3 of the original seeds (I think, would have to dig out the seeds and count them) and I'll try to germinate and grow these. Together with the saved seeds from this year.

Toutez's tommie sounds a lot like a well developed Oxheart.. Amish Paste are very similiar.. but maybe not so large..but both are rather pinkish. Wouldn't think either are "Australian".. but if they originally arrived FROM Australia that could account for it..