Saving seed from hybridized plants

This topic may have been covered here before, but I sure learned a lesson when I naively thought I might get some good plants from seeds saved from hybridized salpiglossis (Bolero). The result of about 2 dozen plants was ZERO for the same colour, and mostly huge-leaved pants with tiny blooms.

I saw a documentary many years ago (I think it was on The Victory Garden on PBS) explaining the hybridization of a cauliflower variety. Two awful plants were cross-pollinated to produce a fabulous result, which itself could not reproduce.

Lesson learned.

You can save seed on some things with little difference in the offspring...but as you found out...sometimes it doesn't work at all.

The little grape tomatoes that you get at the supermarket will grow 95% true with seed saved from them..so there are exceptions....you just can't count on them.

I just found out that you can save seed from zinnia profusion and most of the seedlings will be the same as the parent plant. There is an explanation for this in the "Annuals" forum. If anyone is interested I will try to remember which thread it is.

Caitlinsgarden ~ please track down that thread and link it? Thanks pod