Hi, I'm new to the list and seed swapping and I have some questions I hope someone can help me with.

My garden is organic but the seeds I bought are not.
1.Would people on this list be interested in swapping for the unused seeds anyway?
2.Would they be interested in the seeds from the organic plants grown from the non-organic seeds or are they not pure enough?
3.If the packets do not specify OP but they are not hybrid can I assume they are OP?
4.I have a tremendous list of new seeds I want for fall and next spring that I would like to either purchase or trade for (organic, op this time) and I'm wondering if people on this list get together and split pkgs or cooperate to buy somehow. Is it possible to maximize my purchase by sharing the order with someone?

Thanks so much for your help!

Heirloom seeds are much more desirable. They stay true to the parent plant, and you know what your growing. I never save seeds from hybrids. When saving seed from peppers or tomatoes, I always let them get overripe on the vine, the seed quality is much better.

Hi Dirtdaddy,

When you prepare your tomato and pepper seeds do you let them ferment after taking them out of the fruit? I've never saved tomato seeds and have been reading about the methods. Is it really necessary to go through all those steps?

I ferment seed for several thousand packs of tomato seed each year I think its worth it.

fermenting them is the best way to get than gelatiny stuff off the seeds. It's not too hard...just a few days worth of goop sitting around.

Calracci, u have to ferment tomatoe seed, just pour off the moldy pulp and add fresh water till all the gell is gone and then dry on a paper plate or napkin. The seed must be dry before u store it.
With peppers, choose the best and cut the core out and dry. With the little chiles,I save the whole pepper, dry, and just cut down the middle. I have the best germination with peppers that are overripe on the plant, the seed being more mature, I guess.
Some pepper varieties saved in the past have never germinated, while others have been absolutly fabulous.
While were talking peppers: My wish list!
I wish I had some Apache Pepper seed. It's a small bush pepper from the southwest and native american.
I also wish I had Rainbow bird pepper seed, or also called"confetti." Another small bird pepper that is red, green, and blue.

Right now I have Thai bird pepper seed , small jelly bean type, green to red.

Also have Chocolate Cherry tomatoe. A brown, productive cherry.

good harvesting,

Thanks for the info all. I will save it to my puter so I remember. So far none of my tomatoes or peppers are ripe because of the lack of summer weather here in the San Francisco area so it's a while away. I have a couple of plants getting close though.

This season I have just sweet peppers though they are the 3 color mix and some of them are a pretty dark purple eggplant color. I would like to try some of the more exotic ones next time around. Several types are on my list to buy or trade but not the hot type. I like the mild heat like anaheim or relleno or poblano though the ones you mention are really pretty. I think I saw them in Seeds of Change's catalog.

Can anyone help me with my original questions? Thanks again in advance.

Cal,
Inch into seed saving please. If you go slow and practice good record keeping--it can become addictive.

An' I at least want you hooked.

IMO it is more important that you use good gardening practice than it is to adopt a pharacees attitude of organic-ness.

Sure where you can find it, buy organic seed. When you barter for seed it can be a bargaining point.

It may not be nesisary to love what you do, but it makes more fun if'n you do.

Thanks, Tom. I'm glad to hear you say that. It would be more important to me that the seed is what it's supposed to be and of good quality than that it's history is 100% pure organic as well.

This is my second year of gardening but I can do it all year round here so I actually have had several seasons already and yet still learn something new every day as I try new things and experiment. Saving seeds is brand new to me though and all advice is very welcome as is all gardening advice. I've learned a lot just from reading the posts already.