Is there a difference between store-bought tomato seeds, and seeds left over from eating grocery tomatoes?

I've managed to grow some fairly large tomato plants (3-4 ft. tall) from seeds left over from the chopping board, but they have yet to produce any tomatoes (though they did flower briefly). However, some of my colleagues have already gotten tomatoes despiet their tomato plants being much smaller (they used tomato seeds bought in packets). One of my friends told me this is because grocery tomatoes have been bred to make commercially viable tomatoes, but are not necessarily good for growing tomato plants from. Is this true?

Is there a difference between store-bought tomato seeds, and seeds left over from eating grocery tomatoes?
there is no difference except the ones at the store are tested for a germination success rate if it is not a good rate they arent good.





tomato seeds from your tomatoes will grow, but not as many will germinate, unless you are lucky
Reply:Tomatoes produced from hybrid seeds has a tendency to be infertile, so it is best to purchase the seeds from packets since they are the F1 hybrid generation, meaning they are the superb product of the cross of the parents, the seeds that this F1 hybrid tomatoes will produce are inferior since they are inbred, thereby increasing the chance of abnormalities.


However if your tomatoes were produced from open pollinated varieties, then the seeds harvested from the fruit would do as well as the parent plants
Reply:store bought tomatoes are hybrids which means the seeds will not come back true to type (like the parent) but the seeds will be fertile (as you found out, your seeds sprouted and grew).





All tomatoes are self pollinators but can be crossed to make a hybrid.





the seeds in packets are bred to be true to type





Your tomatoes not making fruit is most likely a cultural problem-not enough sun, too hot, needs fertilizing, etc., and not a breeding problem.
Reply:Left over seeds are equally good, but some tomatoes like cherry tomatoes can self pollinate while i think the larger tomatoes need tomatoes hormone and lots of sun light to produce fruits. I have 5 types of tomatoes growing in door only the bull tomatoes are only producing flowers but not fruits, if your plant is flowering try tapping on the stem every morning around 8am create vibration to help it pollinate.
Reply:I thought so, I had left some pear and cherry tomatoes in the ground one fall, and they came up the next year,but no fruit


on the other hand, my mother in law had the same thing happen and she had an abundant amount of cherry tomatoes...


so I would say if you really want some plants , go buy some already started, or seeds, and plant them
Reply:yes, they are unfertile.