Why not grow hybrids instead of heirlooms?

[Worth1]

It's the oddballs that survived the flue and plague epidemics not the status quo.
I'm one of those oddballs I was born naturally immune to smallpox.
The doctor hit me three different times and the bump never came up on my arm.
My sister got one the size of a quarter.
Worth

[b54red]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Cool

I've read so much about Sungold and how so many like them. I have three flowers on one plant - it's just a matter of time before I get to sample them. I can't help but wonder, "What if Sungold turns out to be a spitter for us"? I never have liked sweet tomatoes. But I'm still hoping they taste as good as others have written.

I really messed up with Sungold my first year growing it and have not grown it since. I planted 3 of them and they thrived producing huge quantities of exceptionally tasty sweet cherries. The trouble was I ate so many of them that I actually can't stand the thought of eating them anymore. Maybe someday I will be able to enjoy them again.
I doubt you will have any spitters unless you pick them too green so be forewarned not to overdo eating them.

Bill

[Worth1]

Take some sungolds and poke toothpicks in them and dip them in melted dark chocolate.
Put on wax paper and let harden in the fridge.
You won't be sorry.

[AlittleSalt]

Bill, I will eat them in moderation and remember your post when I want to over-eat them

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by bughunter99

Diversity is critical to species success. Monoculture is one disease epidemic away from extinction.

I love exploring the different traits of different vegetables. Yellow carrots, purple potatoes, white cucumbers, blue tomatoes, brown peppers, purple broccoli, rare parsleys and celery...they all have the slightly different traits than the most common variety of their species. But different does NOT mean inferior. In many cases different is superior in all ways except for popular opinion or perhaps shelf life. I don't grow based on either of these things. Hybrids are fine for some but far too narrow of a niche for many of us.

But by that viewpoint, wouldnt it be the Hybrid which expressed the greater genetic diversity?

[Cole_Robbie]

I only eat the tomatoes that don't sell. I hardly ate any cherry tomatoes last summer, especially Sungold, because I always sold out. I ended up eating mostly my larger heirloom tomatoes that were too ugly to sell. They tasted good, though.

That's my quality standard for everything I sell - if it doesn't sell, I have to eat it. That keeps me from growing commercial hybrids, because I can't stand eating them.

I guess I learned that from my grandparents. They have been market vendors for 30 years. I remember as a kid we would pick everything on Friday, market was Saturday morning, and then on the weekend grandma would can and freeze whatever was left over.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by mouka_f_slouka

Believe it or not, I did collect some random seeds from a community garden in my town and their seedlings are growing like crazy. The heirloom seeds I purchased are struggling to stay alive and none of them is really thriving. I wonder why?
Do you have any idea as to why these nameless varieties are growing big and are thriving while the heirlooms I purchased are struggling to stay alive?

Locally adapted?

[snugglekitten]

Originally Posted by Worth1

It's the oddballs that survived the flue and plague epidemics not the status quo.
I'm one of those oddballs I was born naturally immune to smallpox.
The doctor hit me three different times and the bump never came up on my arm.
My sister got one the size of a quarter.
Worth

They would have burned you for that in the 14th century.

Lucky you.

[snugglekitten]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

But by that viewpoint, wouldnt it be the Hybrid which expressed the greater genetic diversity?

Yes, the opinion that hybrids are bad or unnatural doesn't bode well to logic.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by snugglekitten

They would have burned you for that in the 14th century.

Lucky you.

Yeah I know, they did it to the Jews because they were cleaner and didn't come down with as much stuff.
Therefor it must have been them that was causing the plague by poisoning the water.
How very very sad.

I would have been a witch or possessed by the devil causing all of this on everyone else.


Worth

[snugglekitten]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Yeah I know, they did it to the Jews because they were cleaner and didn't come down with as much stuff.
Therefor it must have been them that was causing the plague by poisoning the water.
How very very sad.

I would have been a witch or possessed by the devil causing all of this on everyone else.


Worth

I think they burned just about everyone back then, not least of all botanists and herbalists.

[cecilsgarden1958]

I grow mostly hybrids. Heirlooms do very poor for me. I prefer the flavor of hybrids on sandwiches, although I prefer heirlooms for eating a tomato like an apple.

[parah]

Originally Posted by PA_Julia

I spend copious amounts of time each day of the growing season inspecting leaves and the overall health of the plant in order to catch any disease as early as possible..

Well said!

When the Girlfriend asks why I spend more time in the garden staring at plants than listening to her.... now I have an answer.

[zero244]

I don’t have a problem with hybrids, except that you are dependant on the producers of the seed to supply you with seed. At least with OP tomatoes you can save the seed.
Like last year I am growing one hybrid Grandaddy. I prefer the taste of OP varieties overall.
If you want to grow a disease resistant tomato try Mountain Gold the original. I grew it last summer and it looked as good in October as it did in July. Absolutely not diseased at all and produced huge numbers of med to large fruit early.
Now it is not the best tasting tomato you have eaten but pretty good. I plan on growing it every year.
I also grew Monsanto's Tye Dye and it was a huge flop and the packet of seeds was $4.50 for 30 seeds.

[joseph]

Originally Posted by zero244

I don’t have a problem with hybrids, except that you are dependant on the producers of the seed to supply you with seed. At least with OP tomatoes you can save the seed.

I routinely save seeds from hybrid tomatoes. They grow great. Offspring tend to resemble their parents and grandparents. If the ancestors were marvelous, then the descendants are likely to be marvelous.