Does anybody have any FIRST HAND experiences with growing hybrid corn from the seed of hybrid corn saved from the previous season? I am aware of all the cautions in all of the garden books but I'm looking for information from gardeners who have actually tried doing this. Some of my garden this year will be devoted to growing some of the hybrid seed from veggies grown last year just to see what I get. Any info will be greatly appreciated------Bill
I have done that. Three years ago I grew Seneca Horizon corn. It's a very good early corn but my family prefers the super sweet (sh2) hybrids. A few ears of Seneca Horizon went unpicked as we moved on to the later varieties. I found them when I was cleaning up the gardens. Since this one was grown in my smaller garden over in the corner of the yard, I knew there was no crossing with the other corn. I saved a jar of seeds and sealed them up with a dry packet of silica gel. I grew some of that seed last summer and the year before. The corn was very good. It was actually pretty uniform, as opposed to what I expected. I have a feeling the plants were smaller than the original hybrid but that could have just been the weather condition those years. I wish I had grown some of the original Seneca Horizon along with it to compare. I still have the saved seed and I could probably get some of it to grow a 3rd year. I'll only do that if I happen to buy some fresh Seneca Horizon to grow next to it.
Steve
Bill Bolle wrote:
Excellent------This is the kind of info I am looking for. Thanks for the response------Bill
Most of the modern hybrids show a minimum of variation in the F2 generation. I frequently save seed from Silver Queen and use it to finish out rows or to spot replant when I don't get a good stand. Older hybrids like Bantam Evergreen will revert to parents more readily. Also true with tomatoes, Second generation Fantastics seem as good as the first, but Big Boy will give you some pink beefsteaks.
Good to hear you are doing this! I'll be trying the saved seed from the "Big Beef" and "Jolly" tomatoes this year along with both corn and melons. Thanks for the info----Bill
Hi All, I did try saving mellon seeds off an F1 hybrid and it was a total disaster, the mellons that it produced were usless. I do not know if this is of any use to you.
Richard M. Watk> >>Does anybody have any FIRST HAND experiences with growing hybrid corn > >
Any first hand experiences with this subject, whether good or bad, is valuable to me. I will be trying melons this year. Thanks for the response----Bill
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