Has this been an F1 year or Heritage year?

[Snadger]

Because of the strange weather we've had this year I just wonder whether F1's have outgunned the heritage varieties?
I try to grow heritage varieties whenever possible so I can save seed but I still grow a few F1's which seem to have fared well this year?
The few F1 tomatoes and brassicas have outgunned the heritage plants!
I know F1's are supposed to be a betterment but usually they aren't for me, this year because of the weather conditions seems to be an exception!

[scared55]

I don't know about tomatoes, but with the whole McLaren/Ferrari thing it's the best F1 year I can remember!

[momol]

I don't grow much of the F1 type ( only : patio tomatoes, korean squash, oriental summer pak soy ), but I must say they are much better performer than their heirloom brother at this weather.

Momol

[Cutecumber]

Interesting thought. Let me think about my stuff...

Tomatoes: good things happening in both camps, but the early cherry toms have been the best so far. It's a bit early to judge some of the others.

Berry F1, Tumber F1, Sungold F1 - all early and very productive. No real problems.
Ferline F1 - resisted blight and is still cropping.
Big Boy F1 - blight affected, but cropping. Fruits not very big.
Rosada F1 - first ones only just ripe, but plant healthy.

Brandywine - hit early by blight so I've only had two fruit.
Garden Peach - absolutely refuse to ripen.
German Red Strawberry - I broke the stem accidentally, so it's not fair to judge!
Gardeners' delight - doing its normal thing, nothing amazing, nothing bad.
San Marzano - still going despite blight. Not a pretty sight, though, as plants go.

It's not a fair comparison, really, as the majority of my F1's are small-fruited and early, so they've had more growing time before disease hit. Also, the large ones are in the ground and my soil is pretty lightweight in comparison to what I can provide the cherry toms in a container.

[Alison]

Hmmm interesting one, I have a bit of a mismatch of stuff being grown and now I think about it the F1 stuff does seem to have been more reliable this year. Perhaps it copes better with the bizarre fluctuations that we have had in the weather this year. Mind you, just been outside and summer is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[veg4681]

After checking my seed packets, F1 variety are Courgette (Zucchini), Pak Choi (Riko) , Chinese leaves (Richi), Cabbage (Surprise). The Chinese leaves and Cabbage are long way off from eating so can't really comment.

The Pak Choi was so so, with premature bolting so I allowed them to grow into giants. Now courgette has been a great success story in my living memory. I have limited space so I have only one courgette plant but I've had easily over 20 courgettes and no sign of stopping.

Interestingly enough, on the courgette seed packet, it says
F1 hybrid seed is expensive to produce and should be handled with care - hehehe.

[scarey55]

Wish I had thought of only planting 1 courgette plant

[sewer rat]

Snadger
All my toms were hit by blight but I think I caught it in time and denuded every plant. They have now all been stopped too and the results are easy to see due to the lack of foliage.
My conclusion - no difference between non F1 and F1 varities as far as blight is concerned - though nor too fair a comparison as I have 2 x F1 varieties 10 non F1 varieties.
Yield can't really be judged as different varieties etc - San Marzano, Jersey Devil - large fruits but not so many, Sun Cherry and Gardeners Delight - masses of toms, Yellow Pear - dripping with pear shaped fruit, all the others performing admirably now, though a week or fortnight ago, the whole lot were looking dubious - just shows whata couple of days of sun can do.

[pigletwillie]

Our F1 red cabbage has done very well as has the F1 bulb fennel but all of my onions, peas and beans that are non F1 have been fabulous.

Tomato wise, the heritage bloody butcher has matched F1 shirley, he gardeners delight the sungold although the F1 berry has been great.

All in all we have done ok this year and neither heritage or F1 have surged ahead.