Topic: F1 seeds

[Common_Clay]

Last year I grew some Defender F1 courgettes and towards the end of the season, when the fruits had gone over and gone mushy, some were left as they seemed to disintegrate on the ground. I've just found a clump of 15 little courgette seedlings sprouting up! I've potted them up but I wonder if I'll get any fruit on them? I'm not sure what it will mean growing F1 seeds from last year's crop, presumably they won't be true, hence the price of them in the first place... but do you think I'll get anything from them at all?

  Thanks for any advice.

[Trevor_D]

There's one way to find out!

I've never saved courgette seed, but my only effort with winter squash was a total disaster as they cross-pollinated! On the other hand I've saved Gypsy peppers with great success for years. They are just the same as commercial F1s, but ripened to red much earlier. I remember reading somewhere that if you save F1 seed, one of the parents predominates while the other dies out. So I guess it's luck of the draw. (My saved F1 lilac petunias had huge blossoms, but were more or less off-white!)

[cleo]

squashes are randier than rabbits on viagra-you might get a crop ,you might get something special-you might get a complete disaster

[Common_Clay]

Ok, thanks. I'll just have to see!