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Old December 3, 2017   #1
murihikukid
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Default Buying Hybrid seeds

Hi...I recently purchased Rapunzel seeds from a reputable company involved in Gardening products especially Tomatoes....Now Rapunzel is a Hybrid and I wonder how they got the seeds cause I have only got one to germinate ..and now I find another source advertised on Trademe ...(NZ version of Ebay) I presume they have got their seeds by growing the fruit....Its all micky mouse to me ...
Can somebody explain to me how seeds for a Hybrid plant come about if you get what I mean...Thanks Ron
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Old December 4, 2017   #2
sirtanon
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Well, there are multiple ways a seed source could get their seed.

1 - They actually breed the hybrid themselves. This is generally only true of the larger seed suppliers, such as Burpee, etc.. Unless the hybrid is a 'boutique' type.. such as the F1 seeds that have come about through the dwarf breeding project initiated by Craig and Patrina

2 - They buy seeds from the breeder and then resell in quantity. Places like HPS, Totally Tomato, Tomato Growers Supply, etc.. would fall in this category

3 - They buy seeds in bulk from a reseller (i.e. option 2 above), and then resell them in smaller quantities at a mark-up on places like Amazon, Ebay, etc.. I myself have done this in the past for various high-volume hybrids, like Big Beef, SunGold, etc.. For example, I was able to buy 1/8 oz. Big Beef for about $10, and then repack these seeds into 25 seed packets, and sell those packets on Amazon for $2.50 each.

4 - They buy a small pack of seed for the hybrid, grow some plants, and then save a ton of seeds from the fruits from those plants, then sell the seeds as if they were the hybrid seeds. Heck, they might even keep some of those saved (F2) seeds and just keep growing,saving, and selling.. getting farther and farther from the original hybrid.

5 - They buy a big bulk order of some inexpensive OP or Hybrid seed, and then repackage the seeds and label them as some expensive hybrid.


In my humble opinion, options 1 through 3, above are all totally legit and acceptable ways to get the right kind of seeds. 4 is, at best, the result of ignorance, and at worst, bald-faced dishonesty. 5 is plain old crooked.

I have seen option 4, above, tons of times on Amazon, etc.. in the form of "Campari seeds" and "Kumato seeds" etc.. which couldn't possibly the the proper hybrid seeds.


As far as what happened with your Rapunzel seeds not germinating well, that could very easily just be because of:

A - Seeds initially coming from overseas, and getting irradiated or crushed during transit. I, myself, have had this happen from seed sources I KNEW to be trustworthy. Even if the supplier is relatively local to you, they may have purchased their supply from somewhere overseas...

B - Seeds being stored in a non-ideal environment - Too hot, too damp, etc..

C - Bad seed-starting media or methods. I believe, in another of your threads, the subject was brought up that your peat moss might be contaminated. This can certainly cause poor germination, as can having the media too wet, too dry, too hard packed, burying the seed too deep, etc..
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Old December 4, 2017   #3
maxjohnson
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For buying hybrid seeds, I am very skeptical of buying from Amazon or eBay, because you may not get first generation (F1) seeds, which is closest to the original characteristics. So I only buy F1 from a reputable company.

I have Rapunzel seeds but I haven't grown it because I haven't seen many people replicated those long trusses seen in the marketing photos. The ones I seen so far from normal people growing I can get the same trusses from other cherry varieties.

Last edited by maxjohnson; December 4, 2017 at 03:46 AM.
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Old December 4, 2017   #4
zipcode
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If you buy from somewhere that is not extremely shady (like aliexpress in china) you probably get f1 seed that is produced by the breeding company (or some contractor, certainly not the seller, the 'formula' for that specific f1 is highly secret). If seeds are old Because they didn't sell, it's the seller's fault, and they will germinate poorly.
Getting long trusses is largely dependant of pruning to 1-2 stems. Most cherry/grape hybrids can get them. Try Sakura F1 for 1m+ long trusses. Tomatoberry can get very long trusses also (60-70cm).
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Old December 4, 2017   #5
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Another one for very long trusses is Rubinka, and it's OP, not an F1 hybrid.

I first found out about it from Vladimir.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...umbert&page=15

Above says Humbert but Rubinka featured.

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Old December 4, 2017   #6
Fred Hempel
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Fabulous post.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sirtanon View Post
Well, there are multiple ways a seed source could get their seed.

1 - They actually breed the hybrid themselves. This is generally only true of the larger seed suppliers, such as Burpee, etc.. Unless the hybrid is a 'boutique' type.. such as the F1 seeds that have come about through the dwarf breeding project initiated by Craig and Patrina

2 - They buy seeds from the breeder and then resell in quantity. Places like HPS, Totally Tomato, Tomato Growers Supply, etc.. would fall in this category

3 - They buy seeds in bulk from a reseller (i.e. option 2 above), and then resell them in smaller quantities at a mark-up on places like Amazon, Ebay, etc.. I myself have done this in the past for various high-volume hybrids, like Big Beef, SunGold, etc.. For example, I was able to buy 1/8 oz. Big Beef for about $10, and then repack these seeds into 25 seed packets, and sell those packets on Amazon for $2.50 each.

4 - They buy a small pack of seed for the hybrid, grow some plants, and then save a ton of seeds from the fruits from those plants, then sell the seeds as if they were the hybrid seeds. Heck, they might even keep some of those saved (F2) seeds and just keep growing,saving, and selling.. getting farther and farther from the original hybrid.

5 - They buy a big bulk order of some inexpensive OP or Hybrid seed, and then repackage the seeds and label them as some expensive hybrid.


In my humble opinion, options 1 through 3, above are all totally legit and acceptable ways to get the right kind of seeds. 4 is, at best, the result of ignorance, and at worst, bald-faced dishonesty. 5 is plain old crooked.

I have seen option 4, above, tons of times on Amazon, etc.. in the form of "Campari seeds" and "Kumato seeds" etc.. which couldn't possibly the the proper hybrid seeds.


As far as what happened with your Rapunzel seeds not germinating well, that could very easily just be because of:

A - Seeds initially coming from overseas, and getting irradiated or crushed during transit. I, myself, have had this happen from seed sources I KNEW to be trustworthy. Even if the supplier is relatively local to you, they may have purchased their supply from somewhere overseas...

B - Seeds being stored in a non-ideal environment - Too hot, too damp, etc..

C - Bad seed-starting media or methods. I believe, in another of your threads, the subject was brought up that your peat moss might be contaminated. This can certainly cause poor germination, as can having the media too wet, too dry, too hard packed, burying the seed too deep, etc..
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Old December 5, 2017   #7
murihikukid
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Hi..I love your cat and I love the information you have given me .....That is very enlightening for me ....of course as I see it my country is all full of bluster when it comes to matters relating to Agriculture but people are getting away with anything ....unless your a Korean lady who came through customs with some Tomato seeds and held in a "special room" and put on the next plane out ...These people in the main are oblivious to the rules and I feel sorry for them..Seeds are a problem here ..I know very little about saving seeds apart from what I read as the correct method to use...I bought seeds from a seller and after inspecting with a headband magnifier I would think they were not washed properly and subsequently most failed to germinate on damp paper ....Apparantly seeds are able to sustain themselves for a period of time ...some seeds I buy are so small and flat they would be incapable of sustaining themselves for an hour let alone a week or two...
The Tomato seeds that are available on auction here always make me wonder because i am aware of all the documentation etc required from the country they come from etc and suddenly they are for sale here....Never mind My Mature Tasty Toms are ready for pickup even though they now have a completely different name ....??? I wonder what that is all about...

Of course hopefully next season I will have my own seeds from this years fruit....Regards Ron
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