Seeds, Seed Saver, and germplasm resources.

[mosstrooper]

I thought it might be handy to start a thread for sources of seeds, seed banks, and other web resources relevant and useful to home growers of veg an other useful plants.

My first submission to this thread is:
Plants for a Future Database
Plants For A Future: A resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants
Plants For A Future (PFAF) is a charitable company, originally set up to support the work of Ken and Addy Fern on their experimental site in Cornwall, where they carried out research and provided information on edible and otherwise useful plants suitable for growing outdoors in a temperate climate. Over time they planted 1500 species of edible plants on 'The Field' in Cornwall, which was their base since 1989. Over ten years ago, Ken began compiling a database, which currently consists of approximately 7000 species of plants.

Here also is a link directly to their links section that is a good place to start to find other seed and plant collections and collectors Links

 

[s13sr20det]

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/acc/acc_queries.html

 

[geopolitical]

I thought the ars programs would only send germplasm to other research institutes? Have you had luck with them s13?

 

[mosstrooper]

I was under the impression that if you talked to these people nicely they might help you out, if an accession doesnt get grown out the seeds can go bad, so i think some at least of the germplasm archives are open to amateurs growing plants. 500,000 accessions is after all an awful lot of variates to keep up with.

 

[mosstrooper]

Garden organics
Heritage Seed Library
UK based

 

[s13sr20det]

I thought the ars programs would only send germplasm to other research institutes? Have you had luck with them s13?

i havent actually used it before, but have a bunch of pepper varieties from there given to me by a friend

i dont think research institutes only. i think they will send to anyone as long as you evaluate your findings and return some seeds to them

 

[Corpsey]

http://rareseeds.com/petaluma-seed-bank

all organic, local northern California seeds. you can shop online as well.

 

[DocLeaf]

fritillary seed collective - seed guardians over rare, heirloom, inbred, and heritage organic seed stocks since 2005. location seedbay.

Hope this helps

 

[mosstrooper]

Germplasm Resources Unit (GRU) UK Based
The Centre is custodian of a number of key germplasm collections which serve
academic, industrial and non-industrial groups both within the UK and
internationally. They are the subject of research in their own right as well as being involved in a range of collaborative programmes and genetic resources networks. The collections housed within a purpose built facility maintained at 1.5 0C and 10%RH with some 600m3 of storage capacity.

Material from the collections is available on request to research, academic and commercial companies subject to availability. Material is also available for educational displays and demonstrations.

Again, if you talk to them nicely, and you know what your after, they are likely to help you out.

 

[Mr Celsius]

http://rareseeds.com/petaluma-seed-bank

all organic, local northern California seeds. you can shop online as well.

Good company, good people, not certified organic (matters for people trying to be certified). The seeds are not local at all, they are sourced from independent growers around the country that sell through Baker Seeds.

I am currently sprouting their wild strawberries (yellow and red), Litchi Tomatos (not a tomato), Cold hardy kiwis, coffee, red banana, gooseberries (also known as golden or Inca berries) and some other stuff I can't think of off the top of my head. I will be trying a number of their regular stock this season.

The seedbank stresses no GMO's and mostly if not all heirloom varieties. I suggest checking them out.

 

[Corpsey]

ahhh, i see now.

when i was there last summer i was looking through this book they had there of all the growers who contribute and i guess it only mentioned the california growers and i saw some were listed as organic farms. very cool place, i will be there this year to pick up some seeds for sure.

red banana and coffee? very cool man

 

[N. Accumbens]

fritillary seed collective - seed guardians over rare, heirloom, inbred, and heritage organic seed stocks since 2005. location seedbay.

What he said....

otherwise cheers to seed savers, rareseeds, seedy seeds, and all other seed preserving organizations...

Thanks fritillary for keeping the world a bit more organic!

Peace

 

[SOTF420]

www.seedsofchange.com - good people! I think they have some amazing varieties and they are all fully certified organic