I love the new dwarfs!

[livinonfaith]

Next year, if I don't have any super standouts in my regular sized plants, I may start switching to more dwarf plants, as well. They really are great little plants and so much easier than the large indeterminates!

It was a huge chore trying to mix all of the soil for the huge (10 &15 gallon) root pouches this year. They take up so much room and then so much time trying to keep them tied up or caged. In comparison, those little five gallon bags were a breeze to fill and the dwarf plants are relatively easy to keep staked up.

Switching to almost all dwarf plants would be so much simpler! Here's hoping one of the Tasmanian Pinks I'm growing out will be good enough to make the grade to move on to bigger trials!

[parah]

Perth Pride and Iditarod are my favorites of the 9 dwarfs I have tried.
Iditarod makes tomatoes very fast.
50 days after planting the seed I was eating tomatoes, about 8 hours of sun daily.

Perth Pride was the most resistant to foliage disease of all the dwarfs I tried.
I like the flavor and texture much better than Iditarod.
I think Perth Pride has earned a permanent place in my garden.

[SharonRossy]

I can only answer a couple of questions. I believe the advantage is that they are great for container planting. I ordered seeds from Tatiana's Tomatobase, from Victory Seeds, Gary Ibsen Heirloom tomatoes and Heirloom Tomato Seeds. I believe they are indeterminate. At least the ones I have are.
Hope that helps. As seedlings they are shorter and stockier and leafier.
Sharon

[ddsack]

Wow, Parah! It's great to hear praise for the dwarf project tomatoes from Thailand! So glad you like them.

[tlintx]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Good threat, but isn't the word "dwarves", as in "I love the new dwarves?"

Dwarves have beards and carry large axes and don't get along with elves. Dwarfs are the miniature version of a usually large thing.

I had to google it because I didn't know.

I am also seriously considering growing more dwarfs. With all the varieties available now, and my MIL growing primarily in smallish containers, I think it just makes sense.

They're just so tidy.


Tl

[nctomatoman]

The way I think of Dwarf varieties are as extremely slowly vertically growing indeterminates - so they have a large ratio of leaves to fruit (meaning high flavor potential, unlike the vast majority of determinates, which are very heavy yielding but therefore less foliage in ratio), fruit until frost (or disease of course) does them in....so if by the end of a season an indeterminate reaches 8 feet, a dwarf will reach 4 feet, making them attractive to space-challenged growers, those who wish to focus on containers, or are relegated to patios or decks....

[lakelady]

I love them as well, and have tried many of the released varieties. I really loved Dwarf Wild Fred and Yukon Quest last year, they kept producing fruit all season into Fall. Nice neat compact habit makes it easy to manage them, no falling over as long as they are supported (I used small cages). Easy to grow in ground or pots . I'm growing Fred again, 12 new project plants, as well as putting Tasmanian Chocolate in ground this year to see if there is a better yield that way.

[COMPOSTER]

Its really cool that so many folks love these tomato plants. I think there is nothing better than to walk out onto my deck and pick a couple ripe fruits for a snack or meal. But, it was tough to keep the deck in spouse pleasing shape with sprawling indeterminate plants in pots. To my eye the dwarfs are very attractive plants to keep on a deck and that has got to be considered a big plus.

[Tracydr]

Perth Pride and Iditarod Red are looking good. So are Dwarf Mr Snow and Yukon Quest. I can't wait to try my first GWR!

[COMPOSTER]

nctomatoman, My dwarf plants are still quite small. In light of your description of "extremely slowly vertically growing indeterminates" would this merit starting seeds earlier than non dwarf indeterminates?

Glenn

[tlintx]

My Rosella Purple seedlings grew comparably to most of my other seedlings, if that helps. Not as fast as the Boar Farms types, faster than the hearts.

So excited to get them out today!


Tl

[akgardengirl]

Iditarod Red was the first to put on a fruit out of the other dwarves that I am growing...Yukon Quest, Loxton Lass, Uluru Orche. It also has the pointy end that seems to be elusive for others.

Sue B.

[Heritage]

Judging by the email feedback I've been getting, members of the Dwarf Project have good reason to be proud of their children!

@Sue - I also have some pointies on IR - I'll try to pay more attention to determine if it is plant or weather specific. (or other)

Steve

[akgardengirl]

Thanks for letting me know about the points Steve. Last year Ted finally got to see what I was talking about. I actually selected for those points and taste of course! I thought for awhile that Loxton Lass would beat them all since it was the first to have buds/flowers but it has stalled!
Sue

[ddsack]

nctomatoman, My dwarf plants are still quite small. In light of your description of "extremely slowly vertically growing indeterminates" would this merit starting seeds earlier than non dwarf indeterminates?

Glenn

I'm not Craig, but I think he meant that the green matter of the plant itself grows upward more slowly - (my theory being that more energy is spent growing "sideways" on the thicker stems and rugose chubby leaves) but the fruit set takes about the same time as other tomatoes, since the plant itself is just proportionately shorter. So no, you don't have to start them any earlier, but if you're going to be growing them in pots that you can put under cover during the early cooler nights, you sure would have an advantage in starting early. Like other indets, some dwarf varieties have earlier maturity dates, but most are mid-season from my experience here in the northern part of the country.