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:
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

Steve wrote:
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:

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


Excellent------This is the kind of info I am looking for.
Thanks for the response------Bill

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

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.

FarmerDill wrote:
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


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. Watkin.

"Bill Bolle" wrote in message
...
FarmerDill wrote:
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


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

R M. Watkin wrote:
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. Watkin.

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