Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 17:10

Title: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 17:10
Ok so I have new plants ready to go in the PT but I went to do a quick weed and realised that toms are already growing from dropped toms last year. Safe to leave or not. Shall I just pull them, they look great and a good size too.
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: DD. on April 12, 2014, 17:12
Depends how many plants you want!

They're probably not where you want them. You can pot them up and put them where you want later.

Wouldn't bother if they're from F1's though, unless it' to keep a couple out of curiosity.
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 18:10
Not sure what they are, one is in exactly the right location as if we planted it, so that can stay. The others I may pot on
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 18:42
Would F1's produce any fruit or not. I cant be sure whether they are F1s or not  ??? Sorry can you tell my brain works in bits. The first thought, then the second. I may well be back again for more advice, sorry peeps blame the sun burn I got today  :lol:
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: snowdrops on April 12, 2014, 18:58
I can't see why it won't produce fruit but it definitely won't be the same as the plant it came from,it will be the same as one of its parents.
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: sunshineband on April 12, 2014, 19:06
I find volunteers in outside beds sometimes --usually from our compost. If they are in a reasonable place I leave them, and get a crop from them

In the polytunnel you have a better chance too  :D
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 19:07
I dont really understand the whole F1 thing so I would still get toms not weird fruit. Sorry I am being dense, dont answer that  :wub:
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: DD. on April 12, 2014, 19:16
I can't see why it won't produce fruit but it definitely won't be the same as the plant it came from,it will be the same as one of its parents.

Which might be something undesirable.

Or not!
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 19:35
I can't see why it won't produce fruit but it definitely won't be the same as the plant it came from,it will be the same as one of its parents.

Which might be something undesirable.

Or not!

But it would be a tomato. I bet every serious tom grower is holding his or her head in their hands. I dont eat them but to me a tom is a tom end of story. Ok shoot me now  :ohmy:
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Yorkie on April 12, 2014, 19:43
An F1 is a hybrid with a mixture of genes (or whatever they're called) from 2 specific parents.  So, let's say its parents are AA and BB varieties; therefore its genes will be one from each parent and thus AB.

For the next year's plants, if you mix two of those F1 plants of AB, when you take one gene from each, you have a range of possible outcomes: AA, AB, BA, BB.  So, you can see that you are not guaranteed that your new plant will have the same characteristics.

It will still be a tomato but not necessarily what you'd aim to grow.

A much-simplified example just to illustrate the theory!
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: gobs on April 12, 2014, 19:50
My gh is full of them.  :lol:

They might come sour/bitter/sweet/roundish/misshapen etc. Not true to parent simply this means.
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: A Reyt Tayty on April 12, 2014, 20:02
Think yourself blessed, volunteers are better than the deserters I'e got on my hands.  :(
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 20:53
Thank you I think I get it. Goodness me I sound like a right numpty LOL  :wub: not thick really
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: GrannieAnnie on April 12, 2014, 21:10
 Some years ago I bought some floridity seeds that the catalogue neglected to mention they were F1.  So I saved some seeds and sowed them the following year.  The resulting fruits were the same shape as the originals only larger.  Another year they were smaller and a slightly different shape.

I still save some every year, and they still taste good, so give them a go BQ.  you may like them and develop your own strain of tomato!  ;)
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 21:20
Okay going to let them be. I wont be eating them but hubby will soon let me know if they are rubbish.
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: GrannieAnnie on April 12, 2014, 21:23
Don't you like tomatoes then BQ?
Title: Re: Volunteer toms
Post by: Beetroot Queen on April 12, 2014, 21:40
Don't you like tomatoes then BQ?

I have a real issue with toms. Hubby calls it tom ocd. I just cant eat them.  :blush: they actually give me nightmares, I dont know why but they freak me out. I love growing and picking them but I couldnt actually eat one.