If I plant different varieties of tomato eg plum, cherry etc next to each other would there be cross pollination?
Grateful for your comments
Bal
Cross polination Tomato
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alan refail
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Hi Bal
The good news is: almost certainly they would not cross-pollinate. Here are the seed saving tips from Real Seeds.
Tomatoes
Most modern varieties of tomato are self pollinating, and will not cross. The anthers on tomato flowers (which make the pollen) are fused together to make a tight cone that insects cannot enter. Usually the stigma (the receptive surface for receiving pollen) is very short, and so is located deep inside this cone of anthers. No insects can get to it and the only pollen that can fertilise it comes from the surrounding cone of anthers.
In a few varieties however, the stigma is much longer, sticking out beyond the cone of anthers. In this case, insects can get to it, and there is the chance of cross-pollination. Varieties with longer stigmas include potato leaved tomatoes and currant tomatoes. To avoid crossing only grow one variety with exposed stigmas. The double flowers which are sometimes formed first by many beefsteak tomatoes also often have exposed stigmas, but later single flowers will be normal.
To collect the seed, allow your tomatoes to ripen fully. Then collect a few of each variety that you want to save seed from. Slice them in half across the middle of the fruit, and squeeze the seeds and juice into a jar. You then need to ferment this mixture for a few days - this removes the jelly-like coating on each seed, and also kills off many diseases that can be carried on the seeds. To do this put the jar of seeds and juice in a reasonably warm place for 3 days, stirring the mixture twice a day. It should develop a coating of mould, and start to smell really nasty!
After 3 days, add plenty of water to the jar, and stir well. The good seeds should sink to the bottom of the jar. Gently pour off the top layer of mould and any seeds that float. Then empty the good seeds into a sieve and wash them thoroughly under running water. Shake off as much water as possible, and tip the sieve out onto a china or glass plate (the seeds tend to stick to anything else). Dry somewhere warm but not too hot, and out of direct sunlight. Once they are completely dry, rub them off the plate and store in a cool dry place, where they should keep well for at least 4 years.
The good news is: almost certainly they would not cross-pollinate. Here are the seed saving tips from Real Seeds.
Tomatoes
Most modern varieties of tomato are self pollinating, and will not cross. The anthers on tomato flowers (which make the pollen) are fused together to make a tight cone that insects cannot enter. Usually the stigma (the receptive surface for receiving pollen) is very short, and so is located deep inside this cone of anthers. No insects can get to it and the only pollen that can fertilise it comes from the surrounding cone of anthers.
In a few varieties however, the stigma is much longer, sticking out beyond the cone of anthers. In this case, insects can get to it, and there is the chance of cross-pollination. Varieties with longer stigmas include potato leaved tomatoes and currant tomatoes. To avoid crossing only grow one variety with exposed stigmas. The double flowers which are sometimes formed first by many beefsteak tomatoes also often have exposed stigmas, but later single flowers will be normal.
To collect the seed, allow your tomatoes to ripen fully. Then collect a few of each variety that you want to save seed from. Slice them in half across the middle of the fruit, and squeeze the seeds and juice into a jar. You then need to ferment this mixture for a few days - this removes the jelly-like coating on each seed, and also kills off many diseases that can be carried on the seeds. To do this put the jar of seeds and juice in a reasonably warm place for 3 days, stirring the mixture twice a day. It should develop a coating of mould, and start to smell really nasty!
After 3 days, add plenty of water to the jar, and stir well. The good seeds should sink to the bottom of the jar. Gently pour off the top layer of mould and any seeds that float. Then empty the good seeds into a sieve and wash them thoroughly under running water. Shake off as much water as possible, and tip the sieve out onto a china or glass plate (the seeds tend to stick to anything else). Dry somewhere warm but not too hot, and out of direct sunlight. Once they are completely dry, rub them off the plate and store in a cool dry place, where they should keep well for at least 4 years.
Hi Alan,
From Real Seeds. Your quote;
Most modern varieties of tomato are self pollinating, and will not cross.
Do remember that most Heirloom varieties will cross pollinate and it is really the most modern varieties that do not cross pollinate.
There are some fairly old varieties that are still in the current catalogues.
I would suggest that because of those that do not cross pollinate is the reason that leads to the high cost of modern F1 seeds.
JB.
From Real Seeds. Your quote;
Most modern varieties of tomato are self pollinating, and will not cross.
Do remember that most Heirloom varieties will cross pollinate and it is really the most modern varieties that do not cross pollinate.
There are some fairly old varieties that are still in the current catalogues.
I would suggest that because of those that do not cross pollinate is the reason that leads to the high cost of modern F1 seeds.
JB.
i grow 3 or 4 varieties in one tunnel every year , often save the seed and have not noticed any cross pollination.
this year there is a yellow one which ive been saving for years and cant remember what its supposed to be. tigerella from saved seeds , rio grande and harbinger from new seed.
previously ive grown and saved money maker, allicante, gardeners delight and marmande with no obvious probs.
plum type i normally grow outside and only one variety, this year its san maranzo, and ive put a few in the corner of the tunnel.
this year there is a yellow one which ive been saving for years and cant remember what its supposed to be. tigerella from saved seeds , rio grande and harbinger from new seed.
previously ive grown and saved money maker, allicante, gardeners delight and marmande with no obvious probs.
plum type i normally grow outside and only one variety, this year its san maranzo, and ive put a few in the corner of the tunnel.
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PLUMPUDDING
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The Real Seeds information is excellent.
I would say that I've been growing Heirloom varieties for years now and saving the seeds and they have never cross pollinated. I'm not saying that they can't, just that they don't in my experience.
I grow two of each variety next to each other and have them spaced about 2 ft apart all round the greenhouse. I'm growing 12 different varieties this year of all different types.
The only point about f1 s is that if you save the seeds from them you won't get the same next year as they will be like one or other of the varieties they were bred from. They may still be nice tomatoes, and I've raised a very good cherry one from a seedling from a Sungold and saved seeds from it for three years. It is a red one (not like the sungold) but is very sweet and the seeds from it come true each year.
I would say that I've been growing Heirloom varieties for years now and saving the seeds and they have never cross pollinated. I'm not saying that they can't, just that they don't in my experience.
I grow two of each variety next to each other and have them spaced about 2 ft apart all round the greenhouse. I'm growing 12 different varieties this year of all different types.
The only point about f1 s is that if you save the seeds from them you won't get the same next year as they will be like one or other of the varieties they were bred from. They may still be nice tomatoes, and I've raised a very good cherry one from a seedling from a Sungold and saved seeds from it for three years. It is a red one (not like the sungold) but is very sweet and the seeds from it come true each year.
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alan refail
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Hi Johnboy
The key quote from Real Seeds is
In a few varieties however, the stigma is much longer, sticking out beyond the cone of anthers. In this case, insects can get to it, and there is the chance of cross-pollination.
If the stigma does not protrude beyond the anthers I have founnd there is no real chance of cross-pollination, irrespective of the modernity or otherwise of the variety. It's the best guide there is: look at the flower.
The key quote from Real Seeds is
In a few varieties however, the stigma is much longer, sticking out beyond the cone of anthers. In this case, insects can get to it, and there is the chance of cross-pollination.
If the stigma does not protrude beyond the anthers I have founnd there is no real chance of cross-pollination, irrespective of the modernity or otherwise of the variety. It's the best guide there is: look at the flower.
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Primrose
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I've been growing different varieties of tomatoes next to each other outdoors for years. The only comment I would make is that I'm sure that when I first started growing Gardeners Delight years ago I seem to remember them being very small cherry tomatoes whereas now I get the impression that they are somewhat bigger. Perhaps it's a case of memories growing dimmer with age!
Hi Primrose,
In fact it is the complete opposite. When Gardeners Delight first appeared there was no such thing as a Cherry Tomato and they were considerably larger than they are today. They were never very large but only had about 8 to 9 per truss whereas today they have far too many piddling little things per truss!
JB.
In fact it is the complete opposite. When Gardeners Delight first appeared there was no such thing as a Cherry Tomato and they were considerably larger than they are today. They were never very large but only had about 8 to 9 per truss whereas today they have far too many piddling little things per truss!
JB.
Re Gardeners Delight, it receved an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the RHS many years ago, and that's when we first started growing it. But I think I read last year that the RHS had withdrawn that accolade from Gardenrs Delight bcause the seed suppliers had not been sufficiently vigilant in keeping the line pure, and there was now too much variation in the seeds sold under the name. Shame...
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PLUMPUDDING
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Glad you've mentioned Gardener's Delight Johnboy. I had always remembered it as a nice medium sized tomato and was surprised they were selling it as a cherry tomato now.
Another tomato query, is Principe Borghesi determinate or not? Two sites I've checked say it is and two say it is not. The ones I'm growing look as if they will be determinate. I've not grown it before, so would be glad of comments from people who've tried it.
Another tomato query, is Principe Borghesi determinate or not? Two sites I've checked say it is and two say it is not. The ones I'm growing look as if they will be determinate. I've not grown it before, so would be glad of comments from people who've tried it.
Hi Plumpudding. Yes, I've grown Principe Borghese in the past and remember it as a very productive bush variety, growing excellent plum tomatoes. The fruit have little points at the end which always reminded my wife of 1st World War German helmets. We only stopped growing it because it was a bit late in producing, and got caught regularly by blight. However, I start my outdoor bush tomtoes earlier now - current favourite Latah - and may give PB another go.
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Colin Miles
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I first grew Gardeners Delight back in the late 60's and even had an article published in weekly Gardeners mag where I plugged them. Whatever the size of them may or may not be now, they certainly weren't medium-sized. They may be smaller now, but the flavour is certainly as good as ever. I am growing a couple of plants again this year and giving them great care and attention rather than letting them grow 'wild' as is my usual wont. Will be interesting to see the size and crop that I get.
Hi Colin,
Somewhere I have a catalogue that offers two types of Gardeners Delight.
The Original and the Cherry. Last time I grew GD they turned out to be the Cherry variety with as many as 40 per truss. You say the taste is the same but my impression was they were too sweet and had lost the wonderful original deepness to the taste. When I had a glut they were wonderful fried but not now they are quite acidic. To my way of thinking it has been a really good tomato ruined. This year I have gone back to Ailsa Craig which is what I grew before GD came about.
JB.
Somewhere I have a catalogue that offers two types of Gardeners Delight.
The Original and the Cherry. Last time I grew GD they turned out to be the Cherry variety with as many as 40 per truss. You say the taste is the same but my impression was they were too sweet and had lost the wonderful original deepness to the taste. When I had a glut they were wonderful fried but not now they are quite acidic. To my way of thinking it has been a really good tomato ruined. This year I have gone back to Ailsa Craig which is what I grew before GD came about.
JB.
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Colin Miles
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Hi Johnboy,
In the late 60's and 70's I was roped in on the PTA and to raise money used to grow lots of Tomato plants ( 400 or more ) of various varieties for sale as at that time you couldn't get much variety from the Garden centres. Gardeners Delight was one of the favourites and I have continued to grow them over the years, but have never had it at 40 to a truss. As for the taste, I am sure they haven't changed and certainly wouldn't describe them as acid. As we get older our taste buds can change so maybe that has happened?
In the late 60's and 70's I was roped in on the PTA and to raise money used to grow lots of Tomato plants ( 400 or more ) of various varieties for sale as at that time you couldn't get much variety from the Garden centres. Gardeners Delight was one of the favourites and I have continued to grow them over the years, but have never had it at 40 to a truss. As for the taste, I am sure they haven't changed and certainly wouldn't describe them as acid. As we get older our taste buds can change so maybe that has happened?