Is there any downside to keping seeds year after year?

I was talking to someone yesterday who reckons he has grown broad beans
every year since about 1965 by keeping the seeds for the following year.
Won't the seeds revert to basic broad bean as opposed to any particular
variety? Do veg seeds come in F1 hybrids etc?

And what other crops would you consider suitable for this strategy?

Steve

As long as they are not F1 crosses, (or F2 etc) they will breed true
from seed as long as they can't be crossed with plants in nearby
gardens. With nearby gardens growing the same crops you do run the risk
of crosses with that variety, which may or may not be a bad thing.
Any crop that is not F1 hybrid etc. should remain true. Many F1s are,
in fact, sterile so will never produce viable seed.

In article ,
(shazzbat) wrote:

Won't the seeds revert to basic broad bean as opposed to any
particular variety? Do veg seeds come in F1 hybrids etc?

I've not noticed any Broad Beans offered as F1 hybrids. As I grow
several different varieties, I suppose any seed I harvested could be
cross-bred. Might even be interesting :-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

Steve Harris wrote:
: In article ,
: (shazzbat) wrote:

: Won't the seeds revert to basic broad bean as opposed to any
: particular variety? Do veg seeds come in F1 hybrids etc?

: I've not noticed any Broad Beans offered as F1 hybrids. As I grow
: several different varieties, I suppose any seed I harvested could be
: cross-bred. Might even be interesting :-)

Discounting the F1's etc

Tomatos are good for seed saving, because they tend to polinate themselves
and hence varieties come true. The brassica family (cabbages, broccoli,
caulis and loads of others) is a difficult one because they cross like mad
with each other over largish distances.

I regularly save tomato, marrow, parsnip seed (leaving a few for a
subsequant season to flower and seed), ditto red and white onions
(alternative seasons), some lettuces - though you do get some interesting
stuff :-), radichio. I have a "russian kale" that some one gave me the
seed of 10 years ago which I've kept going.

I also have a whole load of saladings that selfseed: land cress, chinese
mustard, rocket, miners lettuce, lambs lettuce (2 varieties).

It's not difficult - there is a good book call ed something like the Seed
Savers Handbook that is very useful.