What does it mean if seeds say “F1” on the packet?

So you’re shopping for seeds. Exciting!

You can’t wait to grow succulent tomatoes, crisp green beans, and exotic new varieties of your favorite veggies and fruits! ….but some of the seed varieties have an “F” next to their name. What’s that about?

The F means that this seed variety is a hybrid. Two genetically distinct plants have been intentionally cross-pollinated to create this variety of plant!

1. Why create hybrids?
   Two great parent plants could sometimes mix to create a REALLY great child plant with the characteristics of both! Combining the strengths of both parent plants can mean child plants that are disease resistant, taste better, are easier to grow, etc.
   

2. Does hybridizing seed mean it’s “GMO?”
   Yes and no. In species that reproduce sexually (like humans and many plants), half of the DNA is provided by one parent, half by the other. This is important to create healthy people: ending up with DNA without very much variation is called inbreeding, and the result (let’s just talk about mammals here) is birth defects, ill health, etc. More variety in your DNA means a broader set of biological capacities. And in nature, diversity is strength. Allowing plants to cross-pollinate freely like they do in nature is called open pollination. You could say that humans are an open-pollinated species!
   
   All pollination between different plant varieties is technically genetic modification—and that’s often a good thing. In nature, plants that are strong enough to survive and flower are the ones whose pollen is out there fueling reproduction; it’s more than just survival of the fittest, the strongest plants combine genetic forces to make the next generation even STRONGER genetically. Hybridization is simply doing this on purpose, and leaving nothing to chance. Plants are grown separately, then deliberately used to pollinate only one another. The result is that the child plant is really predictable (we know exactly who mom and dad are!), and features the best qualities of both.
   
   This kind of hybridization is not the same as what people mean by “GMO.” GMO means that the genome of the plant was developed in a laboratory—and the main problem with this is that humans don’t really know what all the genes are there for. When we step outside of what nature does on its own and begin splicing the genes ourselves, we risk making unknowing changes that affect the healthfulness of the resulting food.
   

3. What does F1 mean vs. F2 or F3?
   F1 hybrids are the first baby plant from two intentionally chosen parents. So F1 is the cockapoo. Its parents are a purebred cocker spaniel and a purebred poodle, and their little cockapoo puppy is the F1 hybrid. The F2 hybrid is THAT puppy’s puppies. And, you guessed it—F3 is the third generation. Each of these generations will be less predictable and more of a “mutt.” Here’s a good video to explain.
   

4. Can I save seed from a hybrid plant and grow it again next year?
   Yes and no. It’s not that it won’t grow (it probably will!), but it won’t “breed true.” You won’t get a purebred cockapoo by any other means than combining a poodle and a cocker spaniel. Combining two cockapoos will get you an unpredictable expression of those genes. The results you get from an F1 hybrid plant won’t be replicated if you save seed and grow those seeds next year. If you want the same results, you’ll have to buy more F1 seed from the breeder.
   

5. So…should I avoid hybrid seed?
   Probably not — depends on your goals. If your goal is to reliably produce very uniform plants with little risk, hybrid is probably the way to go! If you’re gardening for sale, this reliability is important for you.
   
   If you’re gardening for fun or learning, this reliability may be less important. Open pollinated seed won’t produce completely uniform results, but may be more resilient. As I said, in nature, diversity is strength. If all of your plants are genetically identical, one disease or pest may wipe ALL of them out. If your garden features genetic diversity, some plants may die but others may be able to fend off the disease or pest. If you were a subsistence farmer, open pollination would be important to you! I wouldn’t avoid hybrid seed, but I’d make sure I had a diversified portfolio of different kinds of seeds and plants.