I have ten packets of sunflower seeds: three are F1 hybrids and the remaining seven are open-pollinated (OP). I'm curious if the genes from the F1s will affect the OPs to the point that the OPs produce inferior seeds, or if the OPs will maintain enough genetic diversity to be okay. Should I just avoid using the F1s altogether?
1 Answer
From my experience, sunflowers will set seeds regardless of what other varieties are around them. I sometimes notice that my next year's flowers have more red hues, especially when I mix colorful varieties. So, even if you plant F1s, they shouldn’t ruin your OPs as long as you have a decent mix!
Got it, thanks for sharing! Any favorite sunflower varieties you'd recommend?