In answer to your question regarding F1 hybrids.
Crossing specific parent plants produces a hybrid seed (plant) by means of controlled pollination. To produce consistent F1 hybrids, the original cross must be repeated each season. As in the original cross, in plants this is usually done through controlled hand-pollination, and explains why F1-seeds are so expensive.
It also means that if you save the seed you have no control of what plant will develop. So they only grow true to the variety you have bought the one time - as the parent plants have to be cross pollinated by hand each year!
Clear as a whistle!
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I will be sending you some!
Thanks honey - stamps will be forthcoming.
ReplyDeleteIf you want me to save some of my Cherokee bean seeds for you let me know and I will add you to the list.
AL, I have a question about the Cherokee seeds. I'm going to let some go to seed now so that I have some more for next year. They have produced really well and out-cropped all the french beans in huge quantities. They are planted in the same row as the other french beans, borlotties and runners. Will the saved seed be okay, or will they have cross pollinated with the other beans?
ReplyDeleteIt all depends - did they any of the others flower at the same time? If so they probably would have cross pollinated, but you will be able to tell from the seed. The Cherokee are very small and very dark seeds.
ReplyDeleteEven if they have, it doesn't mean to say that the seed will no be viable - you will just get a hybrid. Might be fun to plant a few anyway.
I have my cherokee's on their own. I will be happy to save some for you and let you have them at the end of the season.
I'll have to let them ripen, the pods are a reddish colour rather than green like the french beans so that might be a good sign. I'll plant them next year and see what I get, thanks AL
ReplyDeleteMy Cherokkee pods vary from green through to green with purple markings right through to all purple pods.
ReplyDeleteI saved as many 'purple' podded bean seeds and got a couple of plants that produced deep purple pods which look spectacular when cooked.
So will let some of those get big for seeds - but they might revert to green anyway.