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Growing Tomatoes

Preventing cross pollination

16 years ago

I have an open pollinated tomatoe that I want to keep seeds from. How far apart from other varieties do I have to plant it to prevent cross pollination? I was told that I can plant it together with any Hybrid and it will not be pollinated by the hybrids. I don't understand how that could be correct, since I'm sure that someone developed these heirloom varieties by crossing different types of tomatoes. Unless hybrid tomatoes don't produce viable pollen? Can someone please explain? I really would like to keep these plants growing true from saved seeds. Also I have neighbors about 150' away that grow various types of tomatoes. Will their plants likely cross with mine?

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Comments (5)

digdirt2
16 years ago
Hi garbird - we have a great FAQ here about cross-pollination that should answer all your questions. I have linked it below for you.

If after reading it you still have questions, please let us know.

Enjoy your tomatoes. ;)

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ: Cross Pollination in Tomatoes
garbird
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, Dave. How did I not notice the FAQ before. I've been here for a while, I usually just do a search before I post, and if I don't find the answer I'll ask.
That was great.
Thanks again,
garbird
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I think the little plastic bags might cause humidity problems/clumped pollen, but then again if you can glue a bud shut to induce self pollination (low success rate though) the bags may work to some extent. I had poor results bagging individual buds with the little mesh wedding rice sachets (your 25% sounds about right), but very high pollination rate bagging the whole plant or large branches. I think the weight of the little bag and/or manipulation putting it on may cause damage and promote blossom drop. When half of a plant was bagged it had comparable fruitset to the unbagged half. I was surprised and very pleased with the results, especially when I ended up with dozens and dozens of little pea sized cumari fruits each having only a handfull of seeds. Roadkill, You can pollinate with self-pollen by hand and then bag the same way you do when creating hybrids but you either have to open a mature bud or get to the newly open blossom before a bee does. There is a good chance that fiddling with the blossoms will cause them to abort so its just a lot easier to bag buds.
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Ok so I have a question.. I have seen postings that you can hand pollinate with a paint brush, however the above indicates they can pollinate on their own no problem, or am I mis-reading and Smokemaster means they have what it takes, they just need a little help. So the pepper pushes off the glue and the glue prevents cross-pollination? I've been curious about cross pollination and went on the FAQ however that chart was seriously greek to me. Ok, then John, if precautions aren't taken with bags and glue and such.. it's not like everything you're growing will cross. Correct? In theory Mile High could use her seeds and be ok next year? I know these may sound like rookie questions but I know someone out there is thinking, yeah that chart in the FAQ was greek thank goodness someone is falling on the rookie sword! Thanks everyone! Erin
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digdirt2
16 years ago
NP - so did it answer all your questions?

Dave
wvtomatoman
16 years ago
I just wanted to address one of your questions not specifically addressed in the FAQ.

"Unless hybrid tomatoes don't produce viable pollen?"
Hybrid plants do produce viable pollen or they wouldn't be able to produce fruit. The fruit has seeds and those seeds are viable if saved and stored properly. Therefore, it is possible, but not probable*, that a hybrid planted in close proximity to an open polinated/heirloom variety could cross.

*Note: My experience agrees with the 2%-5% figure used in the FAQ.

Good luck.

Randy
garbird
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks guys. I've learned a lot about tomatoes in the past couple of days. I am going to try to bag some of the flowers so I can save the seeds only from those. I hope it works these seeds were a gift from a man whose family is from Russia, and it was the only variety that they ever grew. My cousin had some a few years ago and let them cross with something else, and the seeds he saved did'nt come back with the original characteristics of the heirloom plant.
Thanks, Garland

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