What I've learned about tomato breeding this year (*SIGH*)

crmauch · July 21, 2015

2014 was (mostly) a slam-dunk in terms of breeding success for me.

2015 - not so much. I only have one definite cross when I was aiming for 9. It was overly dry, then overly wet, and now overly hot. So it's an overly year

Here's what I believe I've learned:

6) 3 foot between rows and 2 between plants gets very tight late in the season.

5) Dwarf tomato as female parents are a pain in the #&#*@. The foliage is tight, the blossoms seem more delicate or have less 'stem' to play with, and seem very brittle. I've broken way too many pistils.

4) Plant out earlier -- risk a chance of frost is better that being delayed (after a year where my plants get killed by frost I'll probably retract this

)

3) Last year I had two of every breeding parent, this year to squeeze all my tomatoes in (57) I only have one of each parent. Stick with two (particularly on the female side to give me more choices of blossom).

2) Even if I'd prefer breeding in one direction, I should probably try breeding in both directions (both parents as female and male), to increase my odds of a cross.

1) My breeding methods are not perfection themselves [i.e. I still have much to learn.]

July 21, 2015	#1
crmauch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Honey Brook, PA Zone 6b Posts: 399	*What I've learned about tomato breeding this year (SIGH)* 2014 was (mostly) a slam-dunk in terms of breeding success for me. 2015 - not so much. I only have one definite cross when I was aiming for 9. It was overly dry, then overly wet, and now overly hot. So it's an overly year Here's what I believe I've learned: 6) 3 foot between rows and 2 between plants gets very tight late in the season. 5) Dwarf tomato as female parents are a pain in the #&#*@. The foliage is tight, the blossoms seem more delicate or have less 'stem' to play with, and seem very brittle. I've broken way too many pistils. 4) Plant out earlier -- risk a chance of frost is better that being delayed (after a year where my plants get killed by frost I'll probably retract this ) 3) Last year I had two of every breeding parent, this year to squeeze all my tomatoes in (57) I only have one of each parent. Stick with two (particularly on the female side to give me more choices of blossom). 2) Even if I'd prefer breeding in one direction, I should probably try breeding in both directions (both parents as female and male), to increase my odds of a cross. 1) My breeding methods are not perfection themselves [i.e. I still have much to learn.]