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Would you rather find an old apple tree or old vegetable seeds?

 
gardener
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If you like the "Would You Rather" game, check out this index of other questions. https://permies.com/t/238000/Permaculture-Edition

Would you rather find a 100 year old apple tree in the woods on your property or 100 year old vegetable seeds in an abandoned basement?
 
Matt McSpadden
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I think I would rather stumble upon an old apple tree. Though, it would be cool to try a veggie variety from 100 years ago.
 
Steward of piddlers
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Ohh man, I think I would appreciate stumbling onto some seeds.

I can then choose the spot to plant them if they somehow germinate!
 
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I want the 100-year-old apple tree because I live in cedar country where apple trees have cedar rust.  A 100-year-old tree has survived!

100-year-old vegetable seeds might all be duds ...
 
pollinator
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apple tree is the easy answer.  The seed might not germinate at all and I am not looking for any veggies that old anyway.  Plus I have a forest suddenly on my barren ground?  That would be amazing.
 
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Old apple tree …much more fun.
 
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Apple tree! Old seeds may or may not germinate, but even if an old apple tree died, you still get firewood and fun wood to work, with it.
 
Matt McSpadden
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Just for the record, MI Gardener from Youtube has successfully sprouted and grown some 87 year old veggie seeds. So 100 years isn't so completely out of the question. Just in case there are any veggie lovers answering this question :)
 
C. Letellier
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Matt McSpadden wrote:Just for the record, MI Gardener from Youtube has successfully sprouted and grown some 87 year old veggie seeds. So 100 years isn't so completely out of the question. Just in case there are any veggie lovers answering this question :)



Yes but what varieties from that far back would you be looking for seed for?  Everything I consider of interest is newer.  That would be older than the wave of open pollinated tomato varieties from the late 30's and early 40's which a bunch of are considered lost varieties and some of the descriptions are of interest and I haven't read about anything else that sounded interesting that far back.
 
pollinator
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I think happening on a 100-year old apple tree would be a rare treasure, indeed.
I'd like to see that.
Plus all the potential uses if it dies, like Carla said.
 
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Matt McSpadden wrote:If you like the "Would You Rather" game, check out this index of other questions. https://permies.com/t/238000/Permaculture-Edition

Would you rather find a 100 year old apple tree in the woods on your property or 100 year old vegetable seeds in an abandoned basement?


the seeds. some would still sprout!

sandy
 
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An old apple tree seeds, they have stood up to time and still continue to produce.
 
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