Propagation: Saving Tomato seeds - What was your experience?, 3 by

wrote:
I was taught that open pollinated seeds (OP) means the seeds are from bees pollinating the flower, thus does not come true if the plant is a hybrid to begin with. This is how hybrids are made that gives us beautiful new irises and daylilies. On the other hand, I hybridize daylily and irises fro named cultivars and from the seeds the seedlings will be completely different, which is what I want.

On the other hand, if the plant is a natural plant variety and not a hybrid, seeds grown on such plant will come true if hand pollinated with its own pollen under strict conditions, and protected from bees. Seeds from that plant will come true from seeds.

I used to grow an early tomato called Bonnie Best during the 80's. Even in zone 4 I got tomatoes in July. That tomato have been replaced I think with Early Girl but there is no comparison. I have grown Early Girls also. As far as I am concerned, there is no true tomato variety anymore due to the many generations of pollination to produce that "perfect" tomato, whatever that is.

I Googled BB and came across one website that claimed to sell it but could not promise 100% that it was true to name.

Commercial seeds are your best bet in flowers or vegetable because they will come true from seeds. The seeds have been produced under strict conditions whether hybrid or not. They have to come true or the company that produce the seeds and sells them to seed companies for resale would quickly go out of business. Parks Seeds import many of their seeds from Europe. I have purchased seeds from them for many years and never had a problem.

Below is an iris seedling (first photo) that I produced by crossing parents SAMURAI WARRIOR x DARCY'S CHOICE. Both irises are hybrids as is the seedling, which is under evaluation to be registered .