[barney rubble]

They are all terms I've been seeing , but not all lumped together like this tho. I'm trying to get mt head around asparagus (again) at the moment, but guess this would be very helpful for me and anybody else who's not in the know for any type of fruit or veg....

can anybody point me in the right direction for a simple (fools) guide to all these types of classification, what they actually mean in laypersons terms please? Its got to be simple and not too technical, with enough explanation to give a halfwit like me a basic working knowledge of what I'm reading or potentially looking at and doing with me plants and planning. Many thanks

[zazen999]

Wiki can be your friend

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

Try googling F1 Hybrid and have a read around.

[Casey76]

Ok, here we go...

Hybrid = A cross between two "pedigree" organisms
F1 = First generation hybrid (if the seeds of this plant are allowed to germinate it will not be "true to type" you will get a mixture of F1's plus plants like either of the "parents" used to create the F1
F2 = second generation hybrid
Male (flowers) = can be identified as they are grown on a stalk
Female (flowers) = can be identified as they have a fruitlet behind them.

As with humans pollen from male flowers is needed to fertilize/pollinate the female flowers to allow the fruitlet to develop.

Self polination occurs when flowers (like tomatoes) contain both male and female "bits" (stigma and stamen) and pollen disturbed within the flower will pollinate it and allow the fruit to develop.

(cor! this is pushing my biology and genetics a bit here ;0))

I hope this is what you were after, and I'm not trying to teach my grannie to suck eggs - else this little ramble could be embarrassing  

[barney rubble]

Many thanks - Casey aren't you a brainbox! PM me if you don't want to ramble on open channel - this is just the basic level a halfwit like me needs - didn't study any sciences and certainly not genetics, so this is all wonderful new learning for me - don't mind sucking eggs inbetween the bits I don't know:D

[Casey76]

you are not a halfwit    If you didn't learn it in the first place how are you meant to know it  :shakes head:

It's been a while since I did any plant biology, but just give me a shout if you would like any other info and I'll try to oblige

Of course I'll bow to superior knowledge of those gardeners who have been "doing it" for the past x years, while my knowledge is just book learning form years ago!

[barney rubble]

Thank you!
Probably could do with a good refernce book that gives you more than just the plant characteristics and basic pests and diseases now I'm really getting into it.