Broccoli Seed-Saving Question

Hieron · Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:15 am

Hey All - I'm trying to decide which variety of broccoli to grow this year and had a question. I'm currently going between Waltham 29, an heirloom variety available at Meijer (Burpee brand) for only $1.19, and Packman, a hybrid variety suggested by my local extension that I'd have to pay a bit more for to get online.

Packman is supposed to be bigger, earlier, and otherwise better, but I could potentially save the seeds for next year with Waltham 29. But I think I read somewhere that for some crops, broccoli included, you have to grow like 20 plants or the seed will become inferior. I don't have that much plot-space yet so if that's true saving broccoli seed is out for me.

So can anyone corroborate that dim memory? Should I forget saving seed until I expand my garden quite a bit? If yes my plan is to go with the Packman despite the extra cost, but if anyone thinks I should still choose the heirloom anyway please feel free to lmk! Thanks.

Bobberman · Sat Feb 02, 2013 3:05 am

I have never read that about more than one plant! Saving the hybrid seeds may get you different type plants since it reverts back to the parent plants. You may have rea thata hybrid cross has to be grown wih a array of plants! I have had seeds on only one plant and they were fine!

rainbowgardener · Sat Feb 02, 2013 4:59 am

I have never saved broccoli seed - in order to do that you have to not eat your broccoli! I have a small garden and never have enough broccoli that I want to sacrifice any for seed. I suppose you could harvest the main head and then just let some of the side shoots flower and seed ... hmmm...

I do save seeds of a lot of other things and let some things just naturally go to seed and self seed themselves.

I have grown the broccoli Packman and had good success with it. If you save the seeds from it, it won't be "Packman" any more, but it is not likely to be very different.

Hieron · Sat Feb 02, 2013 5:26 am

rainbowgardener wrote:I have grown the broccoli Packman and had good success with it.

Hey rainbow - thanks for the info! It's great to know it went well for you, especially since you're also in OH.

Yeah I think I'll just try it; one packet will be enough seeds for 2 - 3 years for me anyway. I might experiment with some of the seed and see if I can find one that breeds close to true, just for fun, but most likely I'll be too busy with actual gardening for experimentation lol.

rainbowgardener · Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:18 pm

I'm not only also in Ohio, I am also in Cincinnati -- North Avondale

Howdy, neighbor!

Hieron · Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:23 pm

rainbowgardener wrote:I'm not only also in Ohio, I am also in Cincinnati -- North Avondale

Howdy, neighbor!

Ha nice! I'm in Forest Park so your recommendation really holds weight then! Now if they don't grow I'll know it's just me and not my area.

Lucius_Junius · Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:48 pm

I also planted Packman last spring... and saved seeds! If I can remember, I'll make a post on here about the results of sowing them, and maybe that will give you a head's up concerning whether it's even worth it.

rainbowgardener · Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:18 pm

Hieron, your profile says student. UC? XU?

Hieron · Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:29 pm

@Lucius - Yeah that definitely sounds interesting! I'd definitely be up for checking it out.

@rainbow - Yup; I just started Xavier's PsyD program this past Fall. xD

rainbowgardener · Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:33 am

Now that is small world! Check out my profile. I have a PsyD from Wright State. I have been a guest lecturer occasionally at XU PsyD classes when that program was new. PM me if you want to talk more...

Hieron · Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:22 am

Wow no joke that is crazy...

Anyway thanks for the tips everyone! I ordered some Packman a few days ago and hopefully it'll arrive tomorrow so I can get some transplants goin. xD

jal_ut · Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:34 am

You won't be disappointed with Packman. It is a great F1 Hybrid.

Waltham Broccoli is an open pollinated variety. An old standby.

As noted if you save seed from an F1 hybrid, the seed won't produce the same uniform crop the F1 generation did, but you will get broccoli. What happens is that you may get some individuals like each of the parents of the cross, and some that will be like the Packman (F1 generation). Just depends on how the genes fall in the fertilization process.

At any rate, if you let just one plant's prime head go to bloom and make seed, then save and thresh all that seed, you will have enough seed for ten+ years. Yes, seed will stay viable for several years, but the germination rate drops off each year.

It does take some work to save and clean up seed, and for what a packet costs and considering a packet will likely last us several years, is it really worth going to the trouble of saving seed, especially when we could have eaten that head before it bloomed? I guess one could eat the prime head and let the side shoots bloom? You won't get as much seed from them though.

If you want to try growing seed though, go for it. Don't let me discourage you.

Hieron · Sat Feb 09, 2013 1:54 pm

Thanks for the info Jal. I actually had a little Waltham seed left from a few years ago and just tested them earlier this week - most of them sprouted no prob! I wasn't expecting that so I might do a little of both so I can compare just for fun.

I think you might be right in that it's more trouble than it's worth to save seed on things like this...I might give it a try, but knowing myself I'll probably stick to easier things like tomatoes and peppers (where I can also eat the fruit and still save the seed

).

Thanks again for all the thoughts everyone!