I don't know the answer to you question, but I can tell you that I also bought Ramapo seeds last year from NJAES via Rutger's University.

I successfully germinated 18 plants from 18 seeds last year, and 4 plants from my 6 remaining seeds this year. Maybe you got a dud packet?

could possibly be glue on the seed coat? When you received them last year what was your germination rate.

George

I didn't do any last year.
Total germination rate is 17% on a sample of six seeds
but then I only ever had 12.

Dud packet? Well, I guess I wouldn't rule it out,
considering your report of 100% but then, if I suggested
that to NJAES, I wonder what kind of an answer I would
get.

Then again, the question is in what way would it be a dud?
Glue? Where would that come from?

Also, I have been using NJAES as a pseudonym for Rutgers
Univ., which is the return address on the envelope. I got
mine at the same place.

I also had fairly poor germination from my Rutgers Ramapo - I ordered them last fall but planted in March and I only had 6 out of 10 germinate. And all of those took 3-5 more days to germinate than types from Victory or Johnny's. I think earlier this year there was a thread about padded envelops - my Ramapo did not come in a padded envelope and I think from that previous thread I surmised they may have been damaged in mail processing?

My brother ordered both Ramapo F1 and Moreton Hybrid from Rutgers late last Fall and had close to 100% germination with both of them this Spring. He didn't make any comment about anything on the seeds and since both of us were raised on a farm and both of us have been up close and personal with many kinds of seeds for a long time if there were something different about the seeds I know he would have e-mailed me.

Sneezer, I don't remember suggesting doing a taste test between Dona F1 and Ramapo F1, but if I did, I did, but for me it's no contest that Ramapo F1 has much better taste.

Carolyn

Carolyn,
So far I don't agree with you about the taste but admittedly
I haven't much basis for that. It's why I'm eager to try
Ramapo. But I can't do that if they won't grow. The mystery
continues. Of course, you would have no reason to look
closely at the seeds if you were getting nearly 100%. I
looked because I'm not and still have no idea whether what
I saw has anything to do with it. I've had germination
problems in the past but consistently associated with
one or another particular supplier. This year I was OK
except for Ramapo.

Sigh.

Of course, you would have no reason to look
closely at the seeds if you were getting nearly 100%. I

*****

Sneezer, it was my brother in NC who bought the seeds and got close to 100% germination for both of them and nope, I didn't see the seeds b'c he moved from here 5 yo and is in NC. ( smile)

Carolyn

I got Ramapo Seeds from Rutgers 2 years ago. I have had many problems with germinating the seeds. I planted 10 seeds and 3 germinated. 2 of which I had to help shed the seed coat of those 2 only one survived.

Last year I only had 1 sucessful plant from 10 seeds. I received an OP version this year and look forward to trying this version next year.

Andrea

This single, lone one that germinated was a "helmet-head"
too but I successfully got it off today.