mgb245
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 5:35 am
Location: West Virginia

My First Time With Heirlooms

I have just retired and I have gardened for years, although not real seriously. Now that I have the the time and space (10 acres) I want to grow several heirloom tomatoes and see which is best for our area. My concern is--will these tomatoes crosspollinate and will I end up with a Frankentomato hybrid? I plan on separating each variety by several feet with other garden plants as spacers.
Thanks

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

You may be interested in this thread:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=142269

Although he hasn't posted lately, DV gardens in Virginia so the climate will be relatively compatible with yours.

This thread is great source for tomato pollination:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=148867#148867

TZ -OH6
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2097
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:27 pm
Location: Mid Ohio

A few feet doesn't make a difference to the bees since they visit every tomato flower in the immediate area. If you can walk to it they can fly to it much faster, but cross pollination is only a concern if you plan to save seeds.

How many plants are you planning on growing? A few for home use or many for small scale farming?

West Virginia is in the heart of heirloom tomato country, so pretty much everything has the potential to do well there.



Return to “TOMATO FORUM”