Tomato seed saver.

[beeman]

I am looking for someone who saves their own Tomato seeds and is willing to share some heirloom types.

[Runningtrails]

I have a few. I saved "Ailsa Craig' and 'San Marzano'. They are open pollinated.
What have you got to trade? I'd live something unusual. I am fond of profuselly flowering annuals, but not the common garden stuff.

-You can see my trade list at:
http://members.gardenweb.com/members/ex ... yl_ontario

Maybe there are a few more things I can send you while I am sending. Might as well make it worth the postage.
Have a great day!

-Sheryl Gallant
http://www.artbysheryl.com
[url]Providence-acres.blogspot.com[/url]

[beeman]

Hi Sheryl,
Sorry, open pollinated is the reason for my currant round of problems. I was hoping for a 'true' variety so that I can determine where my problems come from.
I bought F1s this year and each plant was different, with different fruit and growing habit.
Regards beeman.

[klr650teach]

Open polinating are your TRUE types and when making seed from OP varieties you will again get the same thing next year that you grew this year. It is with hybrids that this is not the case. If you try to make seed from a hybrid you will not get what you grew, you will get one or the other of the two varieties it was crossed with and they will not be very viable and that is only IF they germinate at all!

I hope I have not missunderstood your post as it sounds like you got the two (hybrids & open pollinating) mixed up and backwards as all heritage varieties are open pollinating not hybrids.

[bluelacedredhead]

Beeman,
You said that you "bought" F1 hybrids this year, and they all had different growth habits.

I think that the vendor may have been the problem.
Were the plants incorrectly marked? Labels switched?
Did you buy from a large Commercial source such as Walmart or Home Depot, or perhaps a small grower just starting out? Mistakes do happen, no matter what size the operation or experience level. But I too have had "mystery" plants from a backyard grower who somehow got their labels mixed up. The fruits ranged from yellow cherry types to black slicers. Made for interesting growing.

BTW, Hybrid varieties are usually more prolific producers that heirloom varieties, but lack the intense flavour of an OP heirloom. We grow an F4 version of a hybrid as a main crop to ensure that I have tomatoes for canning and freezing. However, when it comes to variety for fresh eating, and colour in sauces, I raise a rainbow of coloured tomatoes.

Now, I see Sheryl has offered you some seeds.
Are you still interested in trying other Heirloom varieties? Any preference as to type (paste, canner, beefsteak, cherry, saladette)?
Colour (yellow, red, pink, black, green)?

Let me know.

[B_BQ]

I too grow a few heirloom/heritage tomatoes. Last year was not very good because of tomato blight, but I have a fair number of seeds saved from previous years.
These are some of the varieties I grow:

Green Zebra
Black Zebra
D(r)utzba
Bonnie Best
San Marzano
Inge's generic Roma, (organic)
Yellow Pear

I've also saved seeds from tomatoes I bought from an organic tomato grower in Prince Edward County this year, but I really don't have enough to share this year. I'll be growing some of the varieties and if they do well will be saving seeds from them.

I'll sort out and let you know the various varieties if you're interested.

~BBQ