I am sorry for your mishap.
I am also planing to grow an Estler's ML next season. I am sure there are seeds available in some internet stores. Also there are GW members who are growing it and may be willing to trade.

Sue I just checked Tania's page for it and there are no commercial sources for it for 2014.

For SSE members from the Yearbook, yes, but otherwise no.

You could ask in the seeds wanted Fourm here, but I think the most direct way of getting some seeds is to e-mail me at cmale@aol.com and give me your home address since I offered it in Jan in my seed offer elsewhere.

Please, this offer for Sue only. Thank you,

I also have recently received some Pm's from here asking specific questions,but unless it's something special,like offering me a new not yet shared family heirloom, I stopped answering questions via PM /e-mail many years ago.An old lady can do just so much before it becomes overwhelming. Thanks in advance for understanding.

Carolyn, and Sue, you may have to wait a bit b'c my seeds have been put away now, and lots more on my plate these days as well.

Sue,

I have a couple of Estlers growing this year from seed I acquired from a swap last year. If Carolyn is unable to help you, send me an email and I can get you some seeds.

George in Colorado

George, I have the seeds and will be able to help Sue, I was just saying it won't be ASAP but seed won't be sown until next year. Just waiting for her e-mail. But I'm glad you posted to kindof cover my back, as it were.

Carolyn, slurping those CO western slope Rocky Ford melons you sent. LOL

Thank you both, so much!

I did a quick google search for "Estler's Mortgage Lifter Seeds" without the quotes.

One of the first results had them for sale here:

http://www.heritageharvestseed.com/tomatoesef.html

Angie

Angie, Heritage Harvest seeds is in Canada and does not ship seeds to the US.

Please see the link below.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: No seeds to the US

Sue, I got your e-mail with your address but can't respond to you since the return addy is to garden web.

All to say that the stamp is on me,i'll just have to decrease my dark chocolate budget by that amount.:LOL

Carolyn

I am going to switch to Estlers ML.
But I just wonder, if it is suprior ton RC ML, how come it is not popular ? But I will try it anyway.

As I understan the name "ML" does not represent a variety and Estlers and Radiator Charlie's are two different tomatoes.

Am growing Estler's this year. Mine is just getting ripe, another few days, my friend just ate hers and states she might not grow anything else again.... yeah, right ... but still.
Oh, yeah, I got mine from Heritage to US due to very convoluted help of GW friend!!!

As I understan the name "ML" does not represent a variety and Estlers and Radiator Charlie's are two different tomatoes.
&&&&

Mortgage Lifter does represent a specific tomato variety but If you look at Tania's listing for any one of them, there are lots of others as well.

Someone would grow MP and attach their own name to it and then SSE list it with that name.

Right now I just looked in my 2014 SSE YEarbook and there are seven ML's listed.

There are very few differences between the various ML's, there are those who have grown out many in the same season. But many of us prefer the Estler one for great yield, smooth fruits and excellent taste.

It's not as well known as the others but there are LOTS of varieties that aren't well known. And I do think lack of knowledge about some specific varieties depends on two things, how many seed sources are there for a variety, which gets back to how well known, and which message sites does one participate at?

Carolyn

Angie, Heritage Harvest seeds is in Canada and does not ship seeds to the US.
Please see the link below.

Carolyn
&&&&&&&&

Oh . . . Sorry!

Angie

My son is growing our "seed source" this year from seed given to me by my Aunt from the last planting my Uncle Bob Estler did the year before he passed away. Hopefully next year we will be able, between the 2 of us, to get enough plants to grow enough the next year to start offering seeds. At least, that's the plan. Mother Nature, as we all know, tends to laugh at our plans. My MLs this year are pitiful. And it's my fault; I should know better than to try to grow things in containers. It never works for me. Sigh. Nobody else in the family gardens and my Aunt is not physically able to grow them commercially any more. What's really sad is that she could not get any of the greenhouses around the Huntington WV area to do the growing for her. :^( Dar Jones from Selected Plants told me this spring he was going to try to grow some specifically to send to Seed Savers. I haven't heard from him yet this summer to see if he succeeded. I surely hope so!
And yes, in our family the saying is "we have the better tomato, Byles just had better PR!"
Edie

You crack me up Edie.

Darrel is not a member of SSE atleast a listed member, and sending seed directlyto SSE is the kiss of death, that I know from being an SSE member since 1989.

In the 2014 SSE Yearbook there are two persons who list it and one of them is a seed producer for me for new varieties and it's he who sent me some estler seeds that I offered in myJan seed offer.

Listing in the Yearbook is one thing, but which varieties are listed in the Public SSE website/catelog is an entirely different issue.

Since you are already "Estlerized" so to speak,if you want to take me up on the offer I madeto Sue.above, my e-mail address is in that post. Just e-mail me and give me your home address.

We can't have an Estler relative without an Estler. (smile)

Carolyn

As I understand the name "ML" does not represent a variety and Estlers and Radiator Charlie's are two different tomatoes.

$$$$$$$

Yes, I should clarify that.

The many ML's listed in the SSE Yearbooks and at Tania's site are strains by name of grower, of the Charlie Byles, radiator Charlie one.

Estler's is a family heirloom parents are not known and was named Mortgage Lifter, as were several other kinds of varieties/crops back then in the 20's. There's a thread here about that somewhere.

And if you look at the link below you'll see inTania's list a Pesta one, that's a gold/red bicolor and some other ones that are bicolor, due to natural xing and stabiliztion..

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: ML, Estler

That is just what I meant. Naming, suffixing, prefixing a tomato with "Mortgage Lifter" does not creates a genetic relationship. It is similar to "Beef Steak". It is just the layman's naming.

Carolyn, thank you very much for the offer. We are going to visit our son next month and will see how his seed-saving goes. If he is not successful, you betcha you will be hearing from me LOL! I really do appreciate it.
Edie