How can it be a hybrid and an heirloom?
A hybrid heirloom tomato
- Thread starter DirtFarmer
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Oliver Buckle
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All varieties are obtained by cross breeding, heirloom means they will then breed true.
"The "Better Boy" tomato variety is a hybrid between the Teddy Jones heirloom tomato variety and an unknown red variety developed by plant breeder John Peto"
So it is a hybrid, other sources say it is an f1 hybrid, first generation, and will not breed true, so not heirloom in the sense seeds are. Maybe, because they keep the cross a secret, they regard it as an heirloom in the sense of a valuable thing passed down? A bit deceptive.
"The "Better Boy" tomato variety is a hybrid between the Teddy Jones heirloom tomato variety and an unknown red variety developed by plant breeder John Peto"
So it is a hybrid, other sources say it is an f1 hybrid, first generation, and will not breed true, so not heirloom in the sense seeds are. Maybe, because they keep the cross a secret, they regard it as an heirloom in the sense of a valuable thing passed down? A bit deceptive.
Last years packaging never claimed to be an heirloom, nor did any other previous years.
heirloom does not mean breeds true. heirloom mean a variety
that has been around more than 50 years. a variety that breeds
true is open pollenated or purebred variety.
that has been around more than 50 years. a variety that breeds
true is open pollenated or purebred variety.
Martin Mikulcik
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Well if it didn't breed true how could it be a variety?
Sheal
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The variety of the tomato is it's given name, purely for identification. I have one that is not only an heirloom but purebred too.
Better Boys were introduced in 1964 so that is 62 years ago. Didn't realize they've been around that long. Looks like they would have put 'heirloom' on the pack many years ago though.