seeds A better way to label seeds how long they take?

I think seed companies tend to label in a very misleading way.  I know what they mean when they say 90 days to maturity.  They mean 90 days after you transplant outdoors, they start to put on flowers / become sexually mature.  But talking to folk new to growing a garden, they seem to think 90 days to maturity means that 90 days after germination they will have fruit.

Maybe a better / more honest approach would be an estimate from germination till first fruit.  The way I see it, there are many varieties that require more time growing than some have frost free days.  While the package does suggest starting indoors long before the last frost, they do not tend to stress that if you do not then you will fail completely.

Kind of misleading... yes?

Thoughts?

I think things are the way they are is due to the growers growing conditions.
 
An example is I have 2+ of the same plant.
1 is outside,the same age.
Inside I get a totally covered plant with buds and pods.
Outside the same aged plant has a few buds,no pods.
Same soil etc.
 
Seed germination etc. depends totally on sprouting,growing conditions.
 
All a pack says is generalities that fit almost all generally favorable growing conditions once the plant goes outside.
 
Most people put stuff out according to their growing conditions.
 
Not when any specific plant could pod out except if they want a head start for long season stuff in a short season garden.
It usually depends on the growers Skill in judging the proper start time and ability to keep said starts happy until they go outside.
 
They sprout seeds that fit their growing conditions for whatever variety or species does well where their garden is at.
 
The seed packs give you info so all growers can get an idea as to what it will take time wise from whenever it goes outside or whatever.
 
Too much variation in different places to do what you want.
Just soil conditions and ferts. change things big time.
You are asking for plants to grow the same in ANY conditions.
Impossible to do.
That is why Monsanto etc. do their gene stuff and hybrids.
They still can't say what any plant will do at any given time anywhere in the mass of different growing conditions through out the world.

I think it's all about managing expectation. I understand you, as a vendor, Would like to supply correct information.. But it's all about the growing conditions.

i.e. I have to start my plant indoors in Oct - Jan where someone southern Florida can start in March..

I think it would drop the days to maturity as main info and provide info like "early harvest", "late harvest", "prolific producer with a long season" etc. Mention the days, but add a brief explanation how it should be interpreted and how liquid it is.

I agree with all said thus far.  In a heated tray, I have had sprouts in three days.  That is very uncommon, but it has happened. Without that heat, I let things go a month because sometimes they really do take that long.  I get it, but please consider this.

Puckerbutt lists Carolina Reapers at 70 days.

Now then, is anyone in here willing to say that from sprout to fruit, in perfect conditions, it only takes 70 days?  Lettuce, OK I can pull that off.  But a pepper?  Any pepper?  No way.

What I -think- they are saying is 70 days (min) from putting outside to sexual maturity / the onset of flowers.  I am thinking that a figure that gives day till first fruit would be a better way to go.

Note: Not picking on Puckerbutt.  All seed companies do it that way, so of course they do.  Saying an industry standard of days till fruit would be much better than days to sexual maturity.

It's definitely not # days from putting an already started plant outside, till onset of flowers.  I know a lot of people say it is but that makes the # of days claimed all wrong.  I practically never have anything take over 30 days from time of transplant outside to get the first few blooms, unless it was a really cold and cloudy spring.