The seedling was very vigorous, as was the plant. It grew and produced a huge crop of yellow cherry tomatoes that developed an excellent flavor when ripened to a slightly yellow-orange color, blushed red if in the sun. The one plant produced as many tomatoes as two or three ordinary cherry tomato plants, with the vine reaching 8-10 feet.

I saved seeds from these yellow cherries. I dubbed them "Louis D'Or" after the old gold coin and my first name.

My question:

The plant was surrounded by others, so i cannot deny cross-pollination. I have no chance of growing enough offspring over enough years to determine if it is a stable variety, but it was so good that I don't want it abandoned. Would it be useful to offer others here seeds to try? How should I do it?

Thanks,

Lew

Cross pollination is very low probability in tomatoes. Actually, to my observation, bees show very little interest to visit tomato flowers. PLUS, the probability is high that when the bees come to visit, the flower has already been self pollinated.

I would save seeds from the fruits from different clusters and plant one from each in 2015. The next year , you can prevent crossing, by covering a truss with tulle before blooming and until the fruits are set. Then tag it and save seeds from those.

I saw bumble bees going from flower to flower in the garden, so that's why I felt there would be cross pollination. I could grow maybe 2 or three trial plants, but I want different varieties and don't have much room. Your suggestion on preventing cross-pollination sounds like just the thing if one of the trial plants shows the desired characteristics. Although I have been growing backyard tomatoes for decades, I am really new at seed saving and have no experience whatsoever in developing a variety.

I have easily 100 surplus seeds, so I could farm them out if people here feel they would like a few to help the endeavor.