Tomato seed

[wilde]

I am looking for a supply of a tomato called French Cross. I have seen it mentioned but no supplier.
Regards.

[Marge]

I had a look on google for you but had no luck

[alan refail]

I can find references to French Cross but no hint of suppliers.

Why do you want this variety? If it has particular characteristics, let the forum know and suggestions for alternatives will come I'm sure. All I can find is this

http://garden-centre.org/Tomato%20outdoor.htm

which I'm sure you've seen. So I now it's a bush variety with large(r) fruits.

Best of luck

Alan

[Tigger]

Same here - I can find plenty of references to it but no UK suppliers.
Maybe it's time for a quick shopping expedition to France!

[wilde]

Many thanks for trying.
David.

[alan refail]

But why do you want this variety?
I'm sure you will get plenty of suggestions for alternatives

Alan

[cevenol jardin]

Had a quick look for you here in France but the main french seed companies Vilmorin, Ferme de Sainte Marthe and Gondian don't carry it - by that name at any rate. The name French Cross would suggest that it was named by English or American rather than French.

[Colin Miles]

I tried to find this variety a couple of years ago, but with no luck. It was originally introduced by Suttons in the late 60's. It was a very heavy cropping outdoor F1 bush variety - I managed 122lbs of ripe tomatoes from 6 plants under cloches one year. Quite early and fruit medium to large, flavour also very good and I think it was far better than any outdoor bush varieties currently on the market. When asked Suttons couldn't help.

[Colin Miles]

Just an additional comment. Although I said it was a outdoor bush tomato it was probably best described as semi-determinate and I know a number of people who grew it successfully in the greenhouse. I would certainly try it again if anyone can find seed.

[alan refail]

In case the topic is still of interest.

The following cropped up in the Spring 2007 issue of Seed News from HRDA/Garden Organic Heritage Seed Library:-

"...request for tomato 'French Cross'. It appears that Suttons originally supplied seed of this variety. The 'French' part of the name refers to the plants produced being of the Marmande/bush type; the 'Cross' part indicates that they were an F1 hybrid and, therefore, of little use to seed savers."

Alan

[Johnboy]

I Would suggest that as Colin has said that it was an F1 seed of the late 1960's that the seed is lost.
It would mean that the people who carried out the hybridization no longer do so. Sad but realistic.
JB.

[Fruitscape]

A long time since the original poster When I got my first allotment in 1991, the tomato that I grew outdoors, with suceess, was Sutton's French Cross.
A change in job and home left me without an allotment. When I did get one I could not source the Sutton's French Cross.
I wrote to Suttons and found out that French Cross was their won selection of Marmande and new EU rules ment that they could not label it as a different variety.
Certainly true that Marmande is very similar.

[oldherbaceous]

That's very interesting Fruitscape, and a warm welcome to the forum too.

[John S]

Hello to you all from this new member. Browsing through the site I found this query about French Cross tomato seeds. I used to grow this variety during the 70s and found it to be a heavy-cropper but then I discovered a similar variety called Sigma Bush and found it much better than French Cross so I started growing these instead. I have not seen either for a number of years but would be interested in trying either again. The best current variety I have found for outdoor reliability is Arctic Sub Plenty but would be pleased to hear other people's ideas. I always grow Alicante at home but this year I tried three Elegance grafted tomatos from Suttons on the allotment, just out of curiosity and had a huge crop. I am wondering whether this was just luck or if other people have found grafted tomatos to be good croppers although they are quite expensive to buy.

[Westi]

John S - I still have one tomato left from my grafted tomatoes! But have made so much pasta etc it is well worth the price to me but keeping a very close eye on the DIY grafting feed on here. (After all I am a nurse & it is a bit like bandaging!) When confident enough I will graft my own which is probably going to be this year!

Westi
PS even got wonderful peppers from my bought grafted plants & will also try the DIY on them. (As first attempt will also have back up bought plants )