Any NPR Science Friday listeners? I'll be on this coming Friday. Link to the episode up

[NewHendoLib]

Last edited Fri Jun 2, 2023, 10:49 AM - Edit history (2)

Leading off the second hour. Just finished the interview - Ira Flatow is a fun guy, great interviewer. Topic - my Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project (an example of open source, citizen science).

The episode will be on the website below at 2 eastern on Friday.

https://www.sciencefriday.com/

You can find the topic at the link. Interview posts at 2, I'm on at 3, eastern

[dweller]

1. I'm confused

Dwarf plant or dwarf fruit ?
🤔



✌🏻

[NewHendoLib]

6. Dwarf plants, 150 different varieties released of all colors,

Shapes and sizes!

They are all listed here - https://victoryseeds.com/collections/dwarf-tomato-project

[Hekate]

9. Thanks for the link. They all look mouth-watering delicious.

I’m passing on link to gardening friends.

[shanti]

36. Nice!

I've been looking for good seed companies and appreciate the link.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

41. wow... congrats on the media exposure

[MissB]

44. I absolutely love the dwarf speckled heart!

It’s a fantastic tomato.

[2naSalit]

3. Cool!

I listen sometimes, I'll be sure to catch it this week!

[hunter]

4. I'll be listening!

[IcyPeas]

5. that's exciting. I'll see if I can find it.

[CaptainTruth]

7. Cool!!!

[Hekate]

8. Congratulations!

[R Merm]

10. Congrats Craig, I miss getting my tomato plants from you and just having you nearby.

Hope you all are doing well

[Easterncedar]

11. I'll look forward to that!

Very cool.

[Hortensis]

12. What fun, and impressive work by your group.

I just set an alert. A bunch of varieties are sold out on Victory Seeds!

[NewHendoLib]

13. I can be a seed source!

[Hortensis]

15. Ah! Extravagance of choices. I just read about this on your site.

Impressive isn't the half of this project's contributions, including the open source seed initiative.

Looking forward to Friday. And thanks!

[markie]

14. always listen...

see ya then

[nebby70]

16. big fan of Science Friday --- big fan of heirloom tomatoes ....

...and I'm going to listen with sharper interest than usual since it's a DU family member to be interviewed this week...
...it's so satisfying to grow your own from seed, if you haven't tried that, do...
...it's a little fussy at first until they get their first set of true leaves but then tomatoes grow like weeds...
...now that I'm an old broad, I usually manage to 'wrangle' only a dozen plants --- but they're worth it...

[BlackSkimmer]

17. Excellent! Thanks for the tip! I love Science Friday.

While I've got you here...I planted a cherry tomato plant without paying much attention to the name.

It's growing like crazy and bursting with fruit, but they're a deep purple, almost black. Of course I didn't save the little name tag it came with, but googling seems to show something called Midnight Snack?

Will they turn red? Get more purple? How will I know when they're ripe? Very disorganized with my planting this year, so I don't even remember when I planted them.

They're very pretty, so I hope they're tasty too.

[electric_blue68]

28. Oooo. They're in that class of purple tomatoes. Almost positive they'll stay that color...

Been buying heirloom tomatoes off & on for 20+ years.
Green Market & Specialty store.

The ones I've gotten of that type were Black Russian, and Purple Cherokee.

To me they have a slightly tangy, smokey taste.
I love em! (Plus the slightly blushish red ? Brandywine)

I've read heirlooms tend to be a bit more delicate, eo handle carefully. You're going have to guess re ripeness.
Start w when one slightly gives - then go from there.

Good luck, and Happy eating!

[BlackSkimmer]

30. Thanks!

Funny thing is, I just bought the cherry tomato plant because my chickens love them.

But now I can't wait to taste them!

[electric_blue68]

32. Double the fun. Please tell me what you think after you've tried some. 👍

[BlackSkimmer]

33. Hey, I'll do that.

Going out to check on them now.

[electric_blue68]

34. Cool!

[barbtries]

18. i'm putting it on my calendar!

[highplainsdem]

19. Thanks for the heads-up! I'll be listening.

[Canoe52]

20. Thanks for posting, I'll make a point of listening in.

[NewHendoLib]

21. Kick

[allegorical oracle]

22. Love that show. Will be tuning in. Flatow's been around a long time...good guy. nt

[Ms. Toad]

23. Thanks!

Unfortunately, I'll be representing a former student trying to become a lawyer at that exact time. But if it's available later I'll try to catch it!

[NewHendoLib]

25. They will post the episode on Fri 2 eastern at the link

In my op.

[Ms. Toad]

26. Great!

I look forward to listening to it. I've been looking for a dwarf for my deck tomato.

My others are indeterminate and got to 10-12' last summer. I'm looking for one that is smaller and reliably produces a lot of smaller (or larger) tomatoes for the lulls between the others . . . some of which can be attributed to chipmunks eating a bite or six out of the others.

[diva77]

24. K&R Congrats!!

[electric_blue68]

27. It's a Two Hour Show?! We get one. Cool & congrats! I'll check it out.

[burrowowl]

29. K&R!

[Prairie_Seagull]

31. Will definately tune in NewHendoLib. nt.

[panader0]

35. Cool,I'll listen in.

[Patterson]

37. I won't be impressed until you win an Ig Nobel Prize.

No, I’m impressed. I’ll be listening for sure.

[NewHendoLib]

38. Kick

[H2O Man]

39. Recommended.

[Marcus Pullarius]

40. Great interview

Long time fan of SciFri and the open-source movement as well.
Good interview and ending on a pun was perfect.

[NewHendoLib]

42. thanks so much - it was fun!

the opportunity for the pun was there - had to grab it!

[hunter]

43. Excellent!

[NewHendoLib]

46. thanks!

I've still not listened - my wife did and said it went OK. I just have problems listening to or watching myself!

[LeftInTX]

45. Congrats!

[NewHendoLib]

47. thanks!

[Brother Buzz]

48. Outstanding, and a question

At the end Ira Flatow asked about when to pick tomatoes. My question is, does picking tomatoes half-ripe and finishing them on the counter, like you described, have any impact on the quality of the seeds harvested for next year?

[NewHendoLib]

49. Nope! You can actually pick full sized tomatoes completely green

Ripen them indoors and seeds will be completely viable!

[Brother Buzz]

50. Cool, and one last question

What is a reasonable shelf life for banked tomato seeds stored at room temperature?

[NewHendoLib]

51. 10-12, up to 15, but lower germ at 10, drops off a cliff at 15