Non-pepper Growdown Throwdown?
- Thread starter Edmick
- Start date
I'm in..
some suggestions:
Okra
Egg plant
Tomato
Strawberries
some suggestions:
Okra
Egg plant
Tomato
Strawberries
What I would like to see is a gdtd done with cuttings (aka clones). That way genetically everyone is on the same playing field. Thus the outcome will truly come down to grower skill without any doubts. Even landrace strains have a certain amount of pheno variation. GDTD done with seed have always sounded fun to me yet possibly inaccurate due to pheno variation.
Great suggestions. I would like to choose somewhat unique variations of those varieties though to make sure its not something that can just be purchased at a grocery store. It's an honor system but nonetheless, I think it'll make the participants a little more comfortable if it were an "off" variety that can't be purchased.Grass Snake said:
The clone idea is great but just not sure how it would work. Would cost a fortune to ship that many clones out to everyone. But yea, I get what you're saying. It really is the only way to ensure a genetically equal playing field.hogleg said:
hogleg said:
Still have to take account for the different growing regions. Starting from seed allows the plant to grow and adapt to each ones environment giving them the best chance of success... so I would think. Can there ever really be a level playing field in these GD's?
Living in a much different year round climate, certain things grow during certain times. But sounds like fun.
hogleg said:
More often than not, good growing conditions are mistaken for grower skill.
What requires skill in one part of the world, will be effortless for the conditions present in another.
We could make it fair, and have everyone do their growing in a place that requires actual skill. I vote for Florida.
Grass Snake said:
This is tricky. The out-of-phase growing seasons make this hard for mass participation. I plant tomatoes out in September and February, for instance. I'm just about done by the time most people get going. (and they don't do well after June) Plus, I have no indoor accommodation anymore for hydro.
Eggplant sounds like a good one, though. Okra, too.
I'm in if it happens.
If you decide on okra I have 16 varieties of okra seeds from a swap last year, let me know. We swapped only 20 seeds so I need to get them planted to get more seed for next year. Here's what I have.
Baby Bubba Okra
Bowling Red
Bush Cowhorn
Clemson Spineless
Eagle Pass Okra
Emerald Okra
Fife Creek Cowhorn
Indian 9 Ridge
Long Green Pod
Orange Jing Okra
Philippine Lady Finger
Red velvet Okra
Silvar Queen
Stelley Okra
Stewart's Zeebest Okra
Valona Okra
If you decide on okra I have 16 varieties of okra seeds from a swap last year, let me know. We swapped only 20 seeds so I need to get them planted to get more seed for next year. Here's what I have.
Baby Bubba Okra
Bowling Red
Bush Cowhorn
Clemson Spineless
Eagle Pass Okra
Emerald Okra
Fife Creek Cowhorn
Indian 9 Ridge
Long Green Pod
Orange Jing Okra
Philippine Lady Finger
Red velvet Okra
Silvar Queen
Stelley Okra
Stewart's Zeebest Okra
Valona Okra
I watched a Mark Weins video and had to look up an eggplant from Ghana they used in soups/stews. I found seeds and I'm pretty sure you can't find these in a market.
https://trueloveseeds.com/collections/vegetables/products/white-garden-egg-eggplant
Just throwing suggestions out there, I'm good with anything.
https://trueloveseeds.com/collections/vegetables/products/white-garden-egg-eggplant
Just throwing suggestions out there, I'm good with anything.
"The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of West African, Ethiopian, and South Asian origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world"
"Eggplant prefers hot weather, and when grown in cold climates or in areas with low humidity, the plants languish or fail to set and produce mature fruit."
From watching and participating in several growing contests it's obvious that climate plays a huge role. Northern growers don't have a hope to grow monster outdoor plants like peppers or other nightshades like the Southern growers can. Even as someone in the only 8A/B zone in Canada it's a short season with colder weather and slower growth. I have to start my pepper plants indoors during November and plant them in April to even get a good harvest off of them. If the contest starts in January then I don't think I have a snowballs chance in hell of getting any semi tropical/ hot house plant to be competitive. I guess that's just the way it goes though?
Things I can grow in abundance are berry plants and fruit trees but those are hardly a good choice for a growing contest as they take several years to mature.
Something to try might be a strain of Garlic, plant X number of cloves and weigh in once the plants are harvested and cured?
"Eggplant prefers hot weather, and when grown in cold climates or in areas with low humidity, the plants languish or fail to set and produce mature fruit."
From watching and participating in several growing contests it's obvious that climate plays a huge role. Northern growers don't have a hope to grow monster outdoor plants like peppers or other nightshades like the Southern growers can. Even as someone in the only 8A/B zone in Canada it's a short season with colder weather and slower growth. I have to start my pepper plants indoors during November and plant them in April to even get a good harvest off of them. If the contest starts in January then I don't think I have a snowballs chance in hell of getting any semi tropical/ hot house plant to be competitive. I guess that's just the way it goes though?
Things I can grow in abundance are berry plants and fruit trees but those are hardly a good choice for a growing contest as they take several years to mature.
Something to try might be a strain of Garlic, plant X number of cloves and weigh in once the plants are harvested and cured?
Winegums said:
Garlic doesn't do well in the south. Especially hardneck varieties.
.
I have to say, I think that you'll find that higher altitude northern growers - given a long enough season - often kick our southern asses, when it comes to nightshade plants, in general. Yes, they may be from a certain place, but that just means they will survive in the harsher of the 2 environments. It certainly doesn't mean that they won't thrive, given changes in climate.
.
It's been my general, overall experience - having lived in both the North and the South - that Northern growers will thoroughly rinse me, in a 4 month growing cycle. My only redemption, is that I can keep it going longer.
.
I lived in zone 5, and grew eggplants like I've never even seen down here.
Why can't I get my Jing orange to germinate? I have had no problems with spineless Clemson and 16" Louisiana long pod but have tried for months with different Jing orange seeds to no avail...Rajun Gardener said:
Love all your different varieties would love to try em all! And dig the idea of a GDTD with okra!
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