Kitchen Garden Forum

It was mentioned in an earlier post re the peas that seed saving helps keeping a line going, this got me thinking

Me Granddad and Father both saved seeds. I've always been undecided about the purity of strain due to cross pollination.
I'm not up on the science of pollination but my simple logic suggests that 2 varieties in close proximity would not remain true to form.

Is this the case or do some plants run remain true to form

Sandyback wrote:I'm not up on the science of pollination but my simple logic suggests that 2 varieties in close proximity would not remain true to form.

You're quite right, when it comes to peas. But not all vegetables are promiscuous. It takes some effort to cross-pollinate lettuce, whose flowers can self-pollinate before they have even opened. It's the same for tomatoes, too, but they need a bit of help from insects to agitate their blossoms to effect pollination. It's a fair rule of thumb that if a crop needs pollination to set a crop, then cross-pollination is a possibility.

Judging by the mixed packets I've had in recent years commercial pea strains aren't very pure. Worst is when ordinary peas turn up in mangetout, we are using up some Sugar Snaps for pea shoots for that reason.

Slightly off topic but I wonder why you can no longer buy tins of small processed peas.

http://images2.mysupermarket.co.uk/Prod ... 82.jpg?v=2

Any good?

I know ive mentioned it on another post , I orderd 2 lots of tall peas from the real seed catalogue they provided with the seeds a page telling how to save seeds for the coming years also you get a rundown on where each type of seed was found as most where thought to be extinct

No Diane, they are marrowfat.

Nope they ain't processed:(