Topic: F1 Tomato

[Bun]

I bought some seed for some F1 Tomatoes, Buffalo. Only 9 seeds in a pack @ £3.15!
I just read in the other tomato thread about Gardeners Delight not being F1 so they could use the seeds from their fruit for next year.
I bought these F1 seeds thinking that I could use the new seeds the next year. Why can't I?

[aquilegia]

F1 are hybrids, so they've been specially crossed between two parents. The seeds you collect from the fruit will be throw backs to either of these parents. (As far as I understand it anyway!) You can still grow tomatoes from them, they will just not be the same as the F1.

[Bun]

Does that mean that I will get a beefsteak tom, just not the same one?

[philcooper]

Probably, and each one will be slightly different - you might find a new super variety - then again ....... ;)

Phil

[Bun]

Thanks. :)

[Apple Dumpling]

I saved some seed from a crown prince squash, and planted them last year, without realising that it was F1. The results were completely unexpected. I only had room for two plants, and each plant only produced two fruit, but strangely the two fruit on each plant were different types.  The first plant produced a Turk's Turban and a Crown Prince, and the second plant had a Turk's Turban and something that looked like a honeydew melon, but was completely full of seeds with no flesh. Weird!!

[cleo]

Bun-you could save the seeds but I would suggest not.

Next year if you want large toms with real flavour try Caspian Pink or Brandywine-both non hybrids and come true.

Stephan

[ruud]

Really large tomatoes are delicious,mexico,goliath and elbe.They are all heirloom tomatoes and they can be saved by collecting seeds.

[Bun]

OK Thanks!  ;D

[philcooper]

AD,

All the curcubit family cross pollinate frantically, so the fact that you had an F1 probably makes no difference.

If you want to save seed from open pollinated curcubits that will breed true you need to isolate the female flowers and hand polinate them

Phil

[Apple Dumpling]

Phil

Cross-pollination was my first theory, before I realised Crown Prince was F1.

Apple