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Re: Open Pollinated

I'm going to print and save this explanation, and paste it in my
garden log-jounal.  Excellent!

Mary
Zone 9

Cliff Parker wrote:

> What does this term mean??  Why are open pollinated plants of
> interest? Thanks, Judy
>
> Judy,
>
> Open pollenated plants produce offspring which are the same as, or very
> similar to, the parent plant(s) when pollenated by itself or another of the
> same variety.  Hybrid plants are created by cross pollenating different
> varieties of the same species.  They will not breed true to type when
> pollenated with another of the same variety and will sometimes even be
> sterile, depending upon the genes present in the cross.
>
> People cross pollenate plants to try to improve on the traits of the parent
> plants.  Usually, the offspring of a hybrid plant will be a throwback to one
> of the parents.  That is, it will exhibit more of the tendencies of one of
> the original parents.
>
> Hybrids which are made which do breed true are called F2 hybrids.  These can
> breed true for a generation before repeated pollenations start to exhibit
> more of the characteristics of the original parent plants.  Most of the
> hybrid seeds available commercially are F1 and are a result of repeated
> crossings of two to five or more different varieties.  Seed producing
> companies push the hybrid plants because they then control the source of the
> seed.  Open pollenated plants can be propagated by anyone who grows them in
> a climate which will allow the plant to bear to seed forming stage, and,
> therefore, the seeds for these plants cannot be completely controlled by the
> seed producers.
>
> Heirloom plants are open pollenated varieties which have been passed down
> from generation to generation, breed true to type, and have a history which
> can be traced, usually back to the original breeder.
>
> I hope this helped you, or at least did not confuse you too much.
>
> Cliff Parker
> Holden, ME
> zone 4
>
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