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Old August 13, 2020   #1
dregae
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Default Seed saving problem

I’m Relatively new to saving my own seeds and I am following instructions I have seen in books and online. I am bagging the flowers with organza bags and out of half of the ones I’ve done only a few set fruit. The others actually completely aborted the flowers. I’m sure it’s something I’m doing wrong and I am hoping you all might have some advice.

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Grace E.
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Old August 13, 2020   #2
kath
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Hi, Grace! I've used those bags lots of times and it takes patience. It seems that some varieties are especially reluctant to set inside the bags, especially if the weather is already hot and humid. I had more consistent luck early and later in the season, although you obviously need enough time for the fruit to ripen. Maybe providing a bit of shade over the plant where the bags are might help, waiting for a cool spell, using an electric toothbrush to vibrate the blossoms or at least the stem of the bagged blossoms might speed things up. It's hard to lose the fruits of the bagged blossoms that don't make it, that's for sure.

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Old August 14, 2020   #3
dregae
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Thank you! It has been very humid here.
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Old August 14, 2020   #4
zeuspaul
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Bagging is the best way to guard against cross pollination. However I have never bagged my tomato blossoms and my tomatoes have always been true as best I can tell.
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Old August 14, 2020   #5
slugworth
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I never bag and have a hard enough time with lack of bees.
My sweet millions planted in june still has no red tomatoes..
I had it under a mesh that keeps deer and bees out.
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Old August 14, 2020   #6
KathyDC
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I don't bag my flowers. There's always a risk of cross-pollenation but to me it's not worth all of that effort, especially if it would give me problems with fruit set. I'm not selling for market, or selling seed, just a backyard gardener that trades seeds on occasion. I think most people here who trade seed accept that there may be a sport or stray seed in received bags so I don't give it much thought.

In fact, one of my best tomatoes ended up being a stray seed from a trade! It bugs me that I don't know the variety, but not enough to not grow it.

Last edited by KathyDC; August 14, 2020 at 09:52 AM.
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Old August 14, 2020   #7
dregae
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Thank you for all your advice. I grow plants to sell and I was wanting to cut my costs down and ensure I had the right tomato plants. I’ve gotten so many mislabeled tomato seeds I was hoping to avoid giving my customers the wrong plants. It’s been very humid here and rather warm so hopefully as cooler weather sets in I’ll have some success!!
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Old August 14, 2020   #8
Patihum
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slugworth View Post
I never bag and have a hard enough time with lack of bees.
My sweet millions planted in june still has no red tomatoes..
I had it under a mesh that keeps deer and bees out.

You do know that you don't need bees to pollinate tomatoes don't you? They're self-pollinating.
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Old August 14, 2020   #9
slugworth
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I heard that one before.
Tell that to the tomato plants in the house during winter.
Shaken not stirred tomato plants come out a fraction of their normal size.
Nothing like bees to do the job.
I would never bag a blossom unless the plant is something exotic.
I save seeds every year and never had a dud.
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Old August 15, 2020   #10
bitterwort
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dregae, I also sell transplants to fund my gardening efforts, and I don't like to give my customers an off-type if I can avoid it. I try to bag blossoms to save seed costs when I can, and I agree with kath that early in the season before it gets too hot works best.



I also find that the organza tie bags seem to retain heat more than bags I make from tulle. I've had better results getting fruit to set in light-colored tulle bags that are large enough to allow the fruit to develop inside if necessary (give the blossoms plenty of room). A twist-tie wrapped carefully around the bunched up tulle at the open end generally remains secure and not too tight for the developing stem. If I remember to collect them before the squirrels snip the stem and carry off the entire bag, it works great.
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Old August 15, 2020   #11
dregae
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Thank you that just helped huge. I had been looking at my organza bags and wondering if they were acting like a greenhouse and holding heat. I will make some tulle ones!!
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