Getting seeds from a Tomato plant

[New_Bud]

Hi,
I noticed that on the new tomato plant I rescued today, there seems to be flower buds growing and this got me asking a few questions:

1) Can you get seeds for a new tomato plant from the flowers?
2) If you do is the produce of the next plant of similar quality, or much worse?
3) Can you use the seeds from the fruit?
4) repeat 2
5) Which produces the better plant?

If anybody could answer any one of these questions I'd be grateful
Thankyou!

[Demeter]

The seeds come from the fruit, not directly from the flower - so that answers (1) (2) and (5) right off

I believe that you can save seeds from the fruit, although whether the quality will come true depends on the variety - if it is an F1 variety it will definitely not come true - I expect someone more knowledgeable will be along with a proper answer soon!

[New_Bud]

Wow that was fast, thankyou! So do I need to pollinate my flowers? And do the flowers have different sexes?

[supergrass]

The seeds come from the fruit, not directly from the flower - so that answers (1) (2) and (5) right off

I believe that you can save seeds from the fruit, although whether the quality will come true depends on the variety - if it is an F1 variety it will definitely not come true - I expect someone more knowledgeable will be along with a proper answer soon!

Spot on , They self pollinate

Max.

[mcsee]

So do I need to pollinate my flowers? And do the flowers have different sexes?

No. & Yes.

[lynda66]

i had a few manky tomatoes that i saved the seeds from, and i planted them, in a tray of compost in the boiler cupboard where its nice and warm..... dunno if anythings happened yet though cos i'm not home till tomorrow, i also saved, melon, kiwi, tangerine, orange, mango, plum, and nectarine seeds, i reckon if i stick em in a pot and they grow, it's not cost me anything, even if i don't get fruit ..... i've been buying all my fruit and veg based on whether they have seeds or will grow lately lol

on the f1 variety point ...... will you still get tomatoes? just have no idea what variety they will be?? sounds like fun

[norazina]

HI New Bud,

Tomato self polinate, but it would not hurt to give them some gentle tapping, when in flower.

Here's the link from Real Seed Company, on how to save your own seed:

Seed Saving Information

If you save an OP seed(thats open polinated), this should come true to the type, unless by some divine (or insect) interference it has cross polinated with some other variety.

F1 type - you might get something horrible or something very nice, that's the tricky bit

[mcsee]

You could of course use blossom bags to stop insect pollination.

[Flummery]

Except with some of the older varieties you rarely get cross pollination. Male and female parts are on the same flower and as the 'middle' bit is enclosed and tubular, insects don't get in. Some of the older varieties - tends to be the ones with the funny shaped, ridged fruits, have the inportant bit sticking out slightly from this tube of flowers. These can potentially be cross pollinated by insects. Varieties which aren't F1 will come true from seed collected from the fruits. You are often advised to 'ferment' the seeds to remove the gel - details are on the Real Seeds website. However, I am one of those people who saves tomato seeds simply by scraping them onto kitchen towel. When they dry you can either scrape them off the towel and into an envelope or leave them on the towel and plant bits of it with the seeds in situ. Again, I scrape off.

As to F1 hybrids. The seeds don't cme true. They are the product of a first generation cross between two parent plants and will not turn out like the fruit you took the seeds from. However, it is possible to 'un-hybridise' an F1 hybrid and select a plant close to the one you want in character - selecting for fruit size, colour, flavour - whatever it was in the original F1 you liked best. I'm currently attempting to 'un-hybridise' Sungold. I want a sungold flavour but I wouldn't mind it a bit bigger, big enough to slice. I'll let you know how I get on (a year or two down the line!) Once I get a tomato I like from the selection process I can grow it on. It should come true to itself as it will only self pollinate. It will then be a new variety which I can name. (Flum's Fancy?)

Aren't tomatoes brilliant?

[greenfingers007]

I have read somewhere that you can save the seeds out of tinned tomatoes to grow? don't know how true this is does anyone know anything about tis?

[Flummery]

Tinned tomatoes are held at high temperatures during the tinning process. In fact, they are cooked. I don't think any seeds left would be viable. I have heard of people trying and failing. I haven't heard of anyone trying and succeeding. Unless someone here knows differently?

[zazen999]

Hi

Can I put my name down now for some Flum's Fancy seeds please pretty please!!!

I love toms - really really pleased with my Real Seeds toms this year, and will be seed saving in future now that alot of mine are non F1s.

[New_Bud]

Thanks for all your info! Cleared up a lot of the issues I had. I don't think its an F1 because I bought it from a garden centre... however its very probable that I'm wrong

[smallblueplanet]

Another 'hand in the air' for Flum's Fancy please!

Those blossom bags look good McSee, where did you get them from?

Here's my cheap take on the isolation problem, using 32p Morrisons teabags (emptied of tea before use! ).

[mcsee]

SBP - we get them here in the $2 Shops as they are sold as organza jewellery bags and used in weddings. They come in packets of 3,4 or 5 depending on what size you want. If you look at eBay you'll see what I mean

50 WHITE ORGANZA JEWELLERY POUCHES GIFT BAGS M 3 X 3.5" on eBay, also, Jewellery Packaging, Jewellery Boxes Supplies, Jewellery Watches (end time 23-Jun-08 17:15:00 BST)