The first year I dedicated to saving seed from heirlooms was a mouse's fantasy meeting fruition. Easy to do, minimal investment of time or money. Fun and and enjoyable.


Store your seeds where varmints don't feast! And your kitchen counter s far from off limits. They leave calling cards of sorts. I think it's intentional. Yep.

Oh dear. Well I am a long way from thinking of saving seeds. I will just buy some and know they are correct.

Well, I thought about it for a long time. And I just ordered the seeds. I went with the San Marsano Retorta and the Pantano. I figgured that was enough for me. Oh also basil seeds that are certified fusarium free.

I tried once to grow basil from seed but want to try again.

My SM Redorta plants (started from seed) started out rather puny compared to my other plants, but have caught up quite nicely since being planted outside... I'm hoping to love them!!

Rita, did you have problems with disease in your basil?

Weedwhacker said:My SM Redorta plants (started from seed) started out rather puny compared to my other plants, but have caught up quite nicely since being planted outside... I'm hoping to love them!!

Rita, did you have problems with disease in your basil?

Hopefully your SMR tomatoes catch up quickly.

Of course this year I only have the regular San Mazanos but the plants are looking really good. Loaded with tomatoes but nothing getting ripe yet.

No disease in my basil. At least not that I know of. But the plants looked ratty for quite a long time. They are looking better now.

Newyorkrita said:

No disease in my basil. At least not that I know of. But the plants looked ratty for quite a long time. They are looking better now.

Oh, good! I was wondering about the reference to "fusarium free"

Well I read somewhere that if buying basil seeds one should get seeds certified fusarium free. But really I just liked what they said about the flavor of this strain of basil And I was ordering anyway.

We have got @Newyorkrita on board now if she just ordered tomato seeds for next year in July!!

Claudia said:We have got @Newyorkrita on board now if she just ordered tomato seeds for next year in July!!

I really want to grow the San Marzano Retorta. No other way to get them except from seed. I did look this spring but all they had were the San Marezanos.

My seeds from Italy arrived in today's mail. That seemed fast to me. I must say the packages are pretty with glossy pictures!

Weedwhacker said:

Rita, did you have problems with disease in your basil?

The basil seems to have grown out of looking raggy like it did early this year. But now it wants to bloom and I keep having to cut off the tops.


I wonder of it is too late to start basil seeds? I am trying some of those ones from Italy.

Rita, I just planted basil seeds last week, so I think you would have plenty of time to grow more! (I start mine late because otherwise I end up with a ton of basil way before my tomatoes are ready, and I really mostly want it to use with the 'maters !! )

Just noticed today that my "Azoychka" plant has some pretty sizeable green tomatoes on it! I wasn't really expecting that one to be so early...

Weedwhacker said:Rita, I just planted basil seeds last week, so I think you would have plenty of time to grow more! (I start mine late because otherwise I end up with a ton of basil way before my tomatoes are ready, and I really mostly want it to use with the 'maters !! )

Well in the spring I simply bought Basil plants. But I have that seed from Italy of their own famous strain and I really want to have some of that.

Mine sprouted in about 4 days... I think you'll be fine!

Weedwhacker said:Mine sprouted in about 4 days... I think you'll be fine!

Also I took a few cuttings of my current basil to root in water. This is my first time trying this but apparently Basil is easy to root so we will see. It is really just an experiment for me.

I have picked a small bowlful Super Sweet 100's!

Claudia said:I have picked a small bowlful Super Sweet 100's!

Hurray! That means the tomato harvest is soon coming.


The little Tomatoes are the first to start ripening here also. My Juliets are starting, have been eating afew. Now the Early Girls have some almost ripe ones and two I ate already.,

Weedwhacker said:Mine sprouted in about 4 days... I think you'll be fine!

They sprouted. Teeny, tiny Basil seedlings coming up.

Here are some of the Mexico Midgets from the Whitinger seed Co. children. They are so delicious, so versatile, and even grow in North Western Oregon!