What are the benefits collecting and growing open pollinated near species hybrid seeds?
chuckp
It’s interesting seeing how the varying characteristics sort out. You may (or may not) find something with greater hardiness and/or health. It’s fun.
Kim is 100%.
For example, selections from any given species can have a range of black spot resistance(s). Selecting out of open pollinations could result in being able to select from the useful extreme of the bell curve.
More practically, many species rust and get downy REALLY BAD. Selections from OP variance would be a simple solution to selecting out of this nasty pitfall.
I experiment quite a bit with op hips. It provides me with info about that plant as a mother - germination %, variation, repeat flowering, etc.
Stephen