Question
Could you please explain the difference between hybrid and heirloom tomato seeds.  I grew both last year and saved seeds from them in hopes of starting my garden from last years seeds, but have been told that a hybird seed will not germinate into a plant.  This this true?

Answer
Dave, a hybrid is a cross between two different varieties of the same species to produce a plant with specific characteristics such as a desired color, growing habit, or disease resistance. A non-hybrid, or heirloom, is propagated from one plant in an attempt to replicate the exact same characteristics of the parent plant.


When propagating from seed, it is important to understand that hybrids will not produce offspring plants with the same characteristics as the parent parent plant. The colors will be either a variation from one of the original plants or will take on the pigment from both, resulting in a totally different color. The same is true for their growth habit and disease resistance.


It is always best to purchase hybrid seed from professional breeders or reputable seed catalogs. Although some gardeners like to experiment by propagating with seeds from hybrid plants, the results are extremely inconsistent. If you are interested in propagating from seed, I highly recommend using seed from heirlooms (otherwise referred to as open-pollinated). If you do want to propagate hybrids at home, use cuttings. Cuttings always produce an exact replicate of the parent, regardless of whether the parent is a hybrid or heirloom.


I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.


Regards,


Mike