Most will say that the risk of cross-pollination is only 5% or less. Maybe so, but make some simple little bags and change that to 0%.

Many of us have limited space in which to grow our toms. I am VERY limited. In order to get the purest seed, I have elected to "bag" a couple of blossom stems from each variety I grow. This will prevent pollinating critters (like bees) from "doing their thing" on the bagged blossoms. Tomatoes, being self polinating, will still set the fruit and then the bag can be removed. A small piece of colored yarn can mark the fruit stem for identity at harvest time. Put the bag in place just before any of the blooms have fully opened. Selection of a bloom-stem is one of those personal things, but I recommend one early in the season, one at mid season, and another late - if possible. Also, if you have more than one plant of the same variety, then collect seed from each plant to enhance the diversity.

The bags are easy to make. Walmart here has a fabric department and they have several colors of sheer fabric (kinda like for sheer curtains) on sale for $1.50/yard. A remnant shop is another good source. Rough-cut out a rectangle that is about 2.5" by 5". This dimension can vary from variety to variety. It should be large enough to cover the entire bloom stem easily and gently. Some hand or machine stitching will make a bag and some colored yarn threaded thru some small cuts will be a drawstring to gently snug the bag closed around the base of the bloom-stem and tie it in place.

Remember, you can bag and then later change your mind, but not the other way around and still get 0% cross guaranteed.

One other thing, if you get to a good bloom stem candidate and the first one is already open and exposed to the critters, then simply bag the rest or bag it all and exclude the one fruit at seed harvest time.

Ted

This year I am hoping to grow several different kinds of tomatoes and I wondered about spacing them. I wanted to save seeds and wondered about doing that and using the name of the variety if it has been cross pollinated with other tomatoes.
Is there a safe distance to plant them or does it matter?

*****

gg, if you go to the top of this frist page and click on the FAQ link you'll find an excellent article about how to prevent cross pollination which I think will answer many of your questions.

Some folks bag blossoms, many don't, and info about that is in that FAQ article.

Carolyn

In addition to the FAQ Carolyn already pointed out for you, consider whether you will be saving seed just for your own use or do you plan to package it and sell or trade with others?

Most of us save our own seed and don't worry about cross pollination - it is minimal since tomato blooms are self-fertile. Even most home garden seed traders don't care about the possibility of cross-pollination.

Professional growers who sell seed MUST be concerned with it of course so distance or bagging blooms is their only options. The minimal recommended distance is 1/2 mile or more (as far as a bee can fly or the wind can blow :^) so simply isn't realistic for home gardening.

Dave

PS: if the FAQ here doesn't answer all your questions, just search 'cross-pollination' in this forum's search box for many additional discussions about this.

Thanks for the replies. I should have thought about the FAQs....sorry. I certainly don't have the 1/2 mile to separate the plants, but I guess if the rate of cross pollination is so low, I really don't have to worry too much. If I plan to trade (I DO :)) then I will probably take the time to protect a few blossoms. It sure seems easy and won't take much time or effort.
thanks again for taking the time to answer.
gg

I attempted to bag blossoms this year, but I had a lot of problems with blossom drop on the bagged blossoms. I had to keep retrying on new bunches of blossoms until I could get some to take (as well as shaking the plants and flicking the blossoms). For a few varieties I could never get blossoms that were bagged to pollinated, and I ended up harvesting seed from unbagged blossoms. For what its worth, I used organza "party favor" bags from the bridal dept.