I buy it from Harris seeds.

Determinate, Firm, and crack resistant but has a tendency to green shoulder.

It was the cats meow in the mid 80's.

If you want something similar but better I would say Mt. Fresh.

Try Ed Hume seeds. Pik Red is his favorite. All the local Fred Meyers here in the PNW have all the seeds for half price. I could get you some.If your interested PM me.
Jim

Harris is discontinuing Pik Red. I know Totally Tomatoes still has it, but you'd best get it this year somewhere as it could be the end.

Harris sent me a 500ct no problem this year.

They even gave me a 10% overpack due to supposed poor germ. Could be some leftover stuff they are doing away with?

Answer to Jim:

Thank you for your offer to get me some Pik Red seeds. I went ahead and ordered a couple packs from Ed Hume Seeds. This way I will probably get periodic adverts from him, and since the W. PA climate although colder in winter that you experience is just about as short a growing season as Washington state. All Hume's vegetable selections should be ideal for me here for that reason.

By the way, Pittsburgh and Seattle vie for the distinction of having the most overcast days per year of any cities in the USA. Look it up if you find this hard to believe.

Pittsburgh is the first large metro area South East of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie being the closest, that lies at the Western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains (they start about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh). The mountains act as a roadblock for weather froths coming through. Low hanging overcast weather fronts that come rolling in off the great lakes in a traditionallly South East direction are blocked by the Appalachian mountains and jam up over us here, giving us our abundance of cloudy days. Then as these moisture laden weather fronts are pushed by the wind from the North West, they must gain altitude to pass over the mountains. As they do they grow colder and are then forced to release their mositure as rain/snow.

This is the reason so many people around here are cranky and iritable all the time. Few sunny days to lift up the spirits.

Rootman thanks you again, for your kind offer.

timmy1, can you please tell me why the seed packet says not to use seed for food because it reads DANGER treated with thiram 42s. I ordered seeds for the first time this year and received one packet that had that on it. surely they wouln't sell seed thats dangerous to eat the fruit from. I would appreciate any help. darlene

surely they wouln't sell seed thats dangerous to eat the fruit from. I would appreciate any help. darlene

Darlene it just means that the seeds are treated to kill bacterial disease on the seed. Many seed vendors sell treated seeds - especially when you buy in bulk - and they come in several different colors.

So you don't want to eat the seed itself from the packet - as if anyone would ;). It has nothing to do with the fruit produced by the plants grown from the treated seed.

Dave

I would think if the seed is treated with the chemical than wouldn't the fruit produced from the seed also have the chemical in it. sorry for all the questions, but that kinda worries me. that is why im growing my own vegetable, to get away from all the chemicals on the food.just like to know what im eating :)

I would think if the seed is treated with the chemical than wouldn't the fruit produced from the seed also have the chemical in it.

Uhh, no. No more so than things you put in your garden dirt or are found in your air would be in the fruit. It is just a warning required by laws that assume people are so silly as to eat the seeds in the package.

First it is just a coating. An 'antibiotic' to kill any seed borne diseases on the outside of the seed. The coating dissolves when the seeds are planted. The seed then "hatches" and the seed shell that was coated dissolves. The plant embryo was inside the seed. The plant grows, absorbs nutrients from the soil and air, and makes fruit.

Those of us who save our own seed use a dilute Chlorox bath to accomplish the same thing so that our crops don't get wiped out by bringing in outside diseases. We don't live in a sterile world but there are only so many things you can control. ;)

But if it worries you then just don't by treated seed. They use the colors (green, red, pink) to denote treated seeds so they are easy to recognize and are labeled as such.

Dave

Darlene it just means that the seeds are treated to kill bacterial disease on the seed. Many seed vendors sell treated seeds - especially when you buy in bulk - and they come in several different colors.

*****

Actually Thiram is an anti-fungal. Germination of seed is most hindered by various fungi, especially for those who direct seed in cold soils, and the Thiram does help. Same for seeds I've been sent for squash, melons and cukes.

Darlene, they put poisonous on the package to cover themselves. The only way it could be a problem is if someone actually eats tomato or summer squash or melon seeds.

And when and if my dark bittersweet chocolate runs out there's lots of things I'd eat before noshing on those seeds. LOL

Carolyn

ok, I now understand what it about now, thanks so much for informing me about this. I know I can't control everything, but I like to try:) thank so much!! now I'm not so worried.

thanks

darlene

willhiteseed.com in texas also has pik-red seeds, good bulk prices.