Heirloom tomatoes - Ask Extension
My garden is 10 ft x 30 ft. I planted 12 Better Boy hybrid tomato plants, 4 German Johnson Heirloomtomato plants, and 4 Cherokee Purple Heirloom tom...
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Heirloom tomatoes #835801
Asked June 15, 2023, 1:15 PM EDT
My garden is 10 ft x 30 ft. I planted 12 Better Boy hybrid tomato plants, 4 German Johnson Heirloomtomato plants, and 4 Cherokee Purple Heirloom tomato plants. How can I keep the plants from cross-polinating so as to retain the variety characteristics in the seed that I intend to keep for planting next year?
Wake County North Carolina
Expert Response
Tomatoes are considered to be self-pollinating for the most part. It is possible, however, for them to be cross-pollinated by insects. As a result, for your heirlooms it is recommended that the varieties to be separated by at least 10 feet if you plan on collecting the seed. Unfortunately, this does not hold true for hybrid plants such as your Better Boy. Hybrid seed results from plant crosses. In successive generations the plants produced will not come true to the first generation such as the plants you grew this year.
Heirloom Vegetables | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu)
Heirloom Tomatoes - The Real Dirt Blog - ANR Blogs (ucanr.edu)
Heirloom Vegetables | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu)
Heirloom Tomatoes - The Real Dirt Blog - ANR Blogs (ucanr.edu)
