Getting started saving seed

[tam91]

I had been planning to try starting from seed this year (husband has been told I want shelves and shop lights for Christmas), and then try saving some seed next year.

With my current tomatoes, I am a little leery of saving seed this year, as I have plants from nurseries who won't say where the seeds came from. While I think Black Cherry, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, and Red Brandywine are who they are supposed to be, I thought I'd wait until next year when I know where the seed came from. Although I love the Black Cherry, guess it must be an OP.

Pineapple is from Burpee, so I guess I could try him.

Nyagous I got from some nice non-commercial lady, no clue as to the seed source. And I seem to have two slightly different plants - one makes slightly larger and different shaped tomatoes than the other, who is smaller and elongated - and one has some sort of crud. So again, I was thinking I should start with some purchased/reliable seed for next year.

Oh, and Red Pear is consistant - that is an OP right? Or can there be different ones (again from the lady who won't say grr).

Also, do most of the people who save seed here bag blossoms? Or is it not usually a problem? Especially if I was to eventually trade some seed, I would feel terrible if things were crossed.

So should I try bagging some blossoms (if it isn't too late) with any of: Pineapple, Black Cherry, Red Pear, maybe Black Krim? Or not worry about bagging? Or just purchase seeds, and try next year?

[coloken]

Others may feel different but I do not bag flowers for my own use. If I receive a wrong seed from a friend, I do not feel bad. I think that is just part of living. What is a little mistake between friends? Now when I pay money to some one in the business, I expect perfection. If they can't keep them straight, they shouldn't be in the business. You can tell I have received some wrong ones from name brand seed supplier.
Saving seed is half the fun.

[pinakbet]

Same here. If I got the seeds for free and the output is different as expected, I wouldn't feel bad. But if I spent for it, its i different story.

[dice]

Usually F1s from accidental crosses are bland. They may
produce unexpectedly many or unexpectedly few tomatoes.

Once in awhile, though, one is outstanding. I got a yellow-red
bicolor cherry from someone's (unbagged) Red Barn seeds
one year, and it was delicious, ripened first fruit in late
August (that would be "early-mid" to "mid-season" in places
with warmer summer weather). I guessed that it had crossed
with some early yellow cherry. (It was earlier than Red Barn
itself by a good two weeks.)

Carolyn estimated that accidental crosses in unbagged flowers
averaged around 5% of the saved seeds for her. For me, that
is a small enough percentage not to sweat the occasional odd
duck plant, which is usually a dud but can be an unexpected
treasure. Even the duds can still be used in sauce, soups, stews,
etc, dishes with enough other flavors and seasoning not to
notice that the tomatoes are bland.