Heirloom?

[Jeremy brua]

I planted three types of heirlooms this year, hillbilly, belgium giants, yellow pear. I wanted to keep seeds for next year but I wasnt sure if they would cross.

[gixxerific]

I use organza (sp) bags, I think that is waht they are called. The little mesh bags they use at weddings sometimes to hold mints, candy. I found them at a craft store for very cheap. They are great because the have drawstring ends so you just put them over the new truss of buds and pul the string keeping out bugs that may inadvaertantly cross your seed.

If you keep the sepereated like that you should have clean seed next year.

Hope this helps.

[Jeremy brua]

So if I grow the seeds from this years tomatos they will be some crazy cross?

[digitS']

Not necessarily. Tomato flowers are "perfect" . . . & "closed" . . . or, somewhat so. (Not all varieties, I've been told.)

My dad's youngest brother gave me seeds to my grandmother's tomato about 20 years ago. I didn't even think about them crossing for the first 10 years I grew that tomato - in with a number of other varieties.

I really should be more careful with that one but, as best as I can tell, it still has exactly the same fruit on exactly the same plants as when Uncle Marv gave them to me back in the '80's. I do have saved seed from multiple years, multiple plants.

This year, I've got something over 20 varieties in my tomato patch. With the unusual ones, it may be only 1 or 2 plants. I save seed from the heirlooms. I figure what's the worst that can happen? But, my experience has been that welcoming back the same ones is almost a given.

Steve

[mattie g]

So if I grow the seeds from this years tomatos they will be some crazy cross?

Just wait for a new truss to form, then bag it and shake it occasionally to pollinate. Use the tomatoes from that truss for seed - those seeds will be true to the parent and not crossed.

[PaulF]

I agree with what has been written. If you want to be 100% sure of the seeds by all means bag them. Bagged blossoms and the seeds resulting are generally for those who like to trade or sell seeds. For the typical home gardener bagging is not really necessary. I have been saving seeds for more than 15 years and have not had a problem so far.

Most reliable growers and seed savers indicate non-bagged tomatoes will give about a 95% true seed in the next generation. For personal use that is plenty good enough for me. If you happen to trade or give away seeds to someone who really cares it would be appropriate to tell them whether you are sending non-bagged or bagged seeds. Most people I deal with don't care, they just want a nice tomato.

digitS' has it right about the tomato flower. It's construction helps that one tomato self pollinate restricting cross-pollination.

To answer your question: You will not have a crazy cross if you grow the seeds out next year ... at least a 90-95% chance. And then you probably wouldn't even notice. And if you do get a crazy one, it may become your newest favorite tomato.

[Jeremy brua]

Thanks guys I will give them a try. Even a small cross wouldnt be a bad thing seeing the hillbilly and the belgium giants are both large tomatos. I could end up with an odd color.

[digitS']

There you go, Jeremy.

And . . . it could become your own family heirloom.

Now, I'll go hide under my computer desk because the true tomato afficionados may come gunning for me . . !

Steve