Gardening question
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Gardening question
Last year my Aunt gave me some tomato plants that grew great tomatoes. I have no idea what variety they were (nor does she) so I have no idea whether they were hybrid or heirloom.
I saved a bunch of seeds at the end of the season and planted some this year. The plants are growing well and are just waiting for warm weather and some digging to put them outside.
My question is, if these plants were a hybrid variety, would the plants grow at all? I'm afraid of going through a lot of effort only to have plants that won't bear fruit...and worse, not having any home grown tamaters this year.
I've heard opinions both ways - that hybrid variety seeds will grow plants with no fruit and I have also heard that they won't even germinate.
Can anybody tell me for certain what is the case? Thanks.
I saved a bunch of seeds at the end of the season and planted some this year. The plants are growing well and are just waiting for warm weather and some digging to put them outside.
My question is, if these plants were a hybrid variety, would the plants grow at all? I'm afraid of going through a lot of effort only to have plants that won't bear fruit...and worse, not having any home grown tamaters this year.
I've heard opinions both ways - that hybrid variety seeds will grow plants with no fruit and I have also heard that they won't even germinate.
Can anybody tell me for certain what is the case? Thanks.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Northern Massachusetts
Hogwash! they will produce fruits!! hybrids are made by controlling the pollination process, for example to make a hybrid two plants with desirable charactoristics will be chosen, say early ripening variety with a known disease resistant variety, to make a hybrid the pollination process must be controll, via hand pollination and protection from stray bee or wind blown pollen, so if the pollinition was not controlled then you no longer have a hybrid, heirlooms are basically open pollinated plants from seed that is no longer commercially avaible and some 40-50 years old, however there is no real definition.
will the plants bear fruit? of course they will! will they be exactly the same as what you planted last year, well, they could be? or they may have picked up some stray pollen from other plants.
will the plants bear fruit? of course they will! will they be exactly the same as what you planted last year, well, they could be? or they may have picked up some stray pollen from other plants.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
Alright, I'm taking your word for it and planting a whole bunch of the baby plants this weekend. When they come in this summer, I'll send a bunch up to the Merrimack Valley for you.
Last year I had so many tomatoes I couldn't give them away anymore. Some days I was picking them and tossing them directly into the compost heap. Hopefully I will do as well this year.
Thanks for the info.
Ray
Last year I had so many tomatoes I couldn't give them away anymore. Some days I was picking them and tossing them directly into the compost heap. Hopefully I will do as well this year.
Thanks for the info.
Ray
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Mexifornia
Hybrids from two different sub-species will not reproduce (bear fruit), but tomatoes, corn, etc. are most likely the same species thus should bear fruit. A prime example is the mule,(made from two different species close enough though to make an offspring) which are sterile. Hybrid cars won't reproduce either.
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Postmaster
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From: North of Boston MA
Originally Posted by bczolone
Hybrid cars won't reproduce either.
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