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Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.

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Old November 12, 2020   #1
Greatgardens
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Default Are there any sweet micro dwarfs?

I've never found one. Maybe it is just not possible?

Occasionally, I'll find a few cherries that are a little sweeter than others (and many sweeter than regular large tomatoes). Patio Choice F1 is probably the sweetest that I've found, but it is a cocktail size, and not really a cherry tomato. It is a larger plant than a micro. Maybe the best "sweetish" micro to me is Aztek.

The same is true for the Dwarf Project cherry tomatoes that I've tried. I've found none that are as sweet as Husky Cherry Red. Maybe the sweetest that I've found is Dwarf Velvet Night.
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Old December 30, 2020   #2
greenthumbomaha
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My micro grow out of years past was taken down by spider mites so I can't answer from personal tasting. I have several growing this year, and fingers crossed for their survival. I just took out a saved agastache plant full of webs and threw it into the snow (sad).

I have two groups of seeds from Dan's experimental series and he had told me they were not sweet. I'm currently germinating Orange Hat from Baker Creek, and all the reviewers said they were sweet. Renaissancefarms.com and I think Ted on here sells micros. I have a few of these varieties growing now from trades and earlier MMMM. Several of the descriptions from these sellers are reporting sweet micros so there is hope. Suggest you check these out for opinions as well as here.

I going to monitor carefully for spider mites with my new glasses lol. I've been misting the leaves.
I hope to play a bit with mixing when they get a bit more mature. When there is enough to see I'll start a new thread !

- Lisa
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Old December 30, 2020   #3
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I'd like to know the answer to that too. I have tried several of the "mini" varieties and found many of them to be so tart that they weren't worth the bother. The best I found was Red Robin which tastes pretty good and grows about 18" tall, but will fit in a pot on the windowsill at least.

Linda
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Old December 30, 2020   #4
KarenO
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Standard varieties are much better outdoors than in from my experience but overall I’ve never had any that were better than “ Ok”.
I have some good ones coming now at F5 and 6 that have what I consider to be good to even great flavour. My thread here about my “short and sweet” project has lots of photos and descriptions.
Mine are not tiny micro plants, mine up to about 16-18 “ determinate dwarfs and several of them have fruit larger than cherry size. I have some gwr and yellow striped that are particularly sweet at this stage of selection.
I think there needs to be an adequate foliage to fruit proportion in order for the plant to produce sufficient sugars and other volatile compounds that make tomatoes taste good. I am selecting specifically for flavour which frankly I think was forsaken in much breeding work in order to fit within a “ micro” definition with smallest plants being the goal with little to no concern for flavour. Watery sour meh little fruit are the result.
The generally pretty homemade artificial conditions indoors make it possible to grow the plants but it’s hard to coax flavour out of them without sunlight, warmth and good soil.
Seed sellers are selling seeds. Always remember that when reading descriptions on a seed catalog
Nobody would buy it if they said they make a few handfuls of watery sour cherries.

Mine won’t be super great in those poor indoor conditions either I don’t think but they are fantastic in pots for patio or gh which is what I’m working on.
KarenO
There is also a bigger album on my Northern Gardener FB page if interested. F5 and 6 will be started in Feb.
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Old December 31, 2020   #5
Greatgardens
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Sounds very promising!
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Old December 31, 2020   #6
hl2601
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I have one of Dan's that I am working on that is at F5 stage. It is larger than a cherry and is the first micro I have tried that had true outdoor full tomato flavor. It has been grown both inside and outside with good results so far. I agree with Karen though that there just isn't any mimicking of true outdoor conditions. In the end however- i
t's pretty nice to have better cherry tomatoes in the winter than the gross grocery store ones!
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Old December 31, 2020   #7
T0mat0stevek
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Short and sweet 2020 thread
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Old January 1, 2021   #8
greenthumbomaha
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Living in the upper midwest without access to a greenhouse, I'd be okay with something that resembled a tomato during the winter. After all you eat with your eyes lol. Not something as "tasty" as a grocery store winter tomato but small enough to hide in a salad with tons of dressing would be a good use of time and space and see something green during the winter doldrums.

I always enjoy enjoy the tours of your greenhouse, Karen. Quite different growing conditions from the other side of Canada, particularly in winter You are so fortunate to have been able to carry out these wonderful breeding projects in a perfect setting, as are we for sharing your journey with us!

- Lisa

I did want to mention what appears to be an ongoing issue with spider mites, likely caused bymy stubbornness in bring in a plant or two from outside to overwinter, or collect seeds from. I only have one
large sunny southern exposure window. I rotate my seedlings from lights to the window on sunny days. Somehow the smaller seedlings seem not to be attractive to the seedlings. When I grew the micros out a few years back, they were overtaken when they reached the lights on the large two bottom shelves. I hope I'm right and I can at least grow smaller plants to the fruiting stage.

Last edited by greenthumbomaha; January 1, 2021 at 06:28 PM. Reason: Additional Comment
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