[anti]

Right, as you're all aware I am new to this stuff, I've been reading up and planning and we move in soon so will be time to start digging, one question that's been on the tip of my tongue though is about F1 seeds, I gather they are some sort of hybrid seeds?  Is it forced hybrid, or what?  What's general consensus?

[DD.]

It's not a consensus, which is based on opinion, it's a matter of fact!

Rather than try and explain and do a lot of typing, have a look at this!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_hybrid

[mikem]

It's not a consensus, which is based on opinion, it's a matter of fact!

Rather than try and explain and do a lot of typing, have a look at this!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_hybrid

Having looked at the above as it says "F1 stands for Filial 1, the first filial generation seeds/plants or animal offspring resulting from a cross mating of distinctly different parental types. "

Are my son and daughter F1 hybrids as my wife is distinctly different to myself!    

[richyrich7]

It's not a consensus, which is based on opinion, it's a matter of fact!

Rather than try and explain and do a lot of typing, have a look at this!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_hybrid

Having looked at the above as it says "F1 stands for Filial 1, the first filial generation seeds/plants or animal offspring resulting from a cross mating of distinctly different parental types. "

Are my son and daughter F1 hybrids as my wife is distinctly different to myself!    

  yep

[AndyRVTR]

LOL      

[anti]

Sorry, what I mean is what's the general consensus on F1 seeds?  I am inclined to be weary of them, as some sort of mutation, but then I suppose really /all/ varieties are mutated to grow better and taste better etc.  I presume none of it is done in a lab and all over years of work?

Edit: By inclined to be weary, I mean in my complete uneducated, daft worldview.  

[richyrich7]

Ahh what you want to know is are these hybrids done ethically or by some mad scientist with a test tube    

which is a good question,  most I believe are done by good old selective breeding whether by artificial or natural pollination is another matter.

[DD.]

There's no gene fiddling, just pollination. This could randomly happen in nature, but with a far lesser chance.

[mikem]

It's not a consensus, which is based on opinion, it's a matter of fact!

Rather than try and explain and do a lot of typing, have a look at this!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F1_hybrid

Having looked at the above as it says "F1 stands for Filial 1, the first filial generation seeds/plants or animal offspring resulting from a cross mating of distinctly different parental types. "

Are my son and daughter F1 hybrids as my wife is distinctly different to myself!    

Having just looked at another post about "cross polination in a greenhouse" my mind is running wild!  Pity we have got snow here as I might go for a walk with my wife down to the allotment just to check that it is all OK!    

[anti]

Ahh what you want to know is are these hybrids done ethically or by some mad scientist with a test tube    

which is a good question,  most I believe are done by good old selective breeding whether by artificial or natural pollination is another matter.

I see I see, what do people here use?  From all the things I've read people seem to say older varieties are better tasting than the newer / hybrids?

Thanks for all your info, certainly helping me figure all this stuff out.

[GrannieAnnie]

I think the hybrids were formed to make the fruit or veg, larger, tastier, more disease resistant, and in many cases or all I'm not sure, so that for the commercial farmers, they all ripen at the same time!

[Salmo]

F1 hybrids are very uniform, which suits the commercial grower well because they can send in a team to cut every cabbage in a field on the same day. Many vegetables in supermarkets are F1. They can also have unique qualities such as disease resistance. Nothing wrong with them for your plot. Many are excellent.

The other point about F1 plants is that they do not breed true and nobody can save seed. Better than having a patent as far as the seed breeder is concerned.

Some of the crosses are very complex involving several strains crossed to produce each parent. Quite an expensive operation, hence they are usually expensive

[Yorkie]

If you want to use heritage varieties, or want to save your own seed from year to year, then F1 varieties are not for you.

I am happy to use F1 varieties as they have been bred for certain specified characteristics which I want, as Grannie Annie says.

It's just a matter of personal choice really, imho.

[Trillium]

I personally prefer the old fashioned open-pollinated varieties myself. Some of the old varieties had loads of flavour which often got sacrificed with hybridization. Plus, I prefer to save my own seeds which saves a lot of money in the long run.

[mikem]

This is a serious question as I can't get my mind round the topic.  

Having looked at the wiki entry it shows that crossing specific parent plants produces hybrid plants by means of controlled pollination.  Presumably they let these plants go to seed and they then sell the seed to us which produces a nice F1 variety.  

I know that they are right in that keeping seeds from this plant will not produce a similar F1 plant but what I can't understand is why not.  Can anyone explain, in simple terms, as to why they do not come true to their parent?  :?