Thread for posting assessment of the new Dwarf Project varieties

[tivia]

Hi Dee,

Yes, one of the major reasons for trying the Dwarf varieties this season was to avoid the jungle that I've gotten after planting "regular" varieties. All of them have been very well "behaved" in that aspect-- even the Summertime Gold!

I have much less variability in the sizes of the four plants that I'm growing in 5 gallon pots. They are all around 30-36 inches tall, and all have about the same density of leaves/branches. A good example is Sleeping Lady (below):

Sleeping Lady
Sleeping Lady cropped.jpg

So far, four of the eight varieties have had tomatoes ripe enough to sample:
Boronia (ground)
Wherokowhai (ground)
Blazing Beauty (ground)
Perth Pride (pot)

For my palate, Perth Pride was far and away my favorite-- intense and complex, one of the best I've grown. Blazing Beauty has a nice citrusy taste, as does Wherokowhai. Boronia seemed to have almost a grassy flavor to me. Of course, other people might have different results. I've found that the flavor of a particular variety can change throughout the season, so I'll reserve my final judgment until later.

Wherokowhai definitely wins the beauty contest! What a gorgeous tomato! I need to get a picture to share.

Marie

[nctomatoman]

The other thing to ponder - yes, the Dwarf characteristic is more defined by the stout central stalk and crinkly, dark blue green foliage. But even in the case of the taller ones - Mr. Snow, Sweet, Sue, etc - in comparison to the sprawling indeterminates, they tend to grow upward at half the rate of indeterminates.

I just added a few more tasting notes - the only ones I've not tasted so far of the released varieties are Wherokowhai (that comes tomorrow!) and Rosella Purple (the big ones were shipped to Storey for photography - more on the way, though).

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

The other thing to ponder - yes, the Dwarf characteristic is more defined by the stout central stalk and crinkly, dark blue green foliage. But even in the case of the taller ones - Mr. Snow, Sweet, Sue, etc - in comparison to the sprawling indeterminates, they tend to grow upward at half the rate of indeterminates.

I just added a few more tasting notes - the only ones I've not tasted so far of the released varieties are Wherokowhai (that comes tomorrow!) and Rosella Purple (the big ones were shipped to Storey for photography - more on the way, though).

Hello Tomatoman

I just wanted to tell you "thank you" for letting me grow your dwarf Tomatoes. I don't know where to post information about the Warath Dwarf Tomatoes. I have pictures to post. The plants grew over 21/2 feet producing many deep red tomatoes.
the yield was good for a small plants. The small plants had to be trellis because of the 6 oz tomatoes. I will be sending you the seeds of both Varieties

Framer, Joyce Beggs

[BlackBear]

Hi ,
with all the observation and assessment of these newly developed dwarf Tomatoes

What are your opinions of the varieties ..(including 2015 releases) in regards

to tolerance of smaller than 5 gallon containers

4 gallons-3 gallons ...

I know bigger containers are best ...but tolerance to a smaller container is also a

quality.

what would be your best guess ?

I think Yukon Quest ...would work .....what do you think ?

[nctomatoman]

Interesting question, BlackBear. I've used nothing but 5 gallon before this year - with two plants to a straw bale, I will get to see the equivalent of each release in an approx 20 gallon container - so my expectation are pretty high.

But sub-5? My thoughts would be the grumpy line - Yukon Quest, Arctic Rose, Iditarod Red, Bundaberg Rumball - as well as Sarandipity out of the Streaky line - due to earlier fruiting and smaller fruit size, they may work OK. Others I would put on the list - Beryl Beauty, Jade Beauty and Kelly Green (out of Sneezy), and Sleeping Lady.

The key will certainly be regular (and sufficient) watering and feeding - the plants will still get pretty large for sub-5 containers. Fill us in if you go this route.

[BlackBear]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

Interesting question, BlackBear. I've used nothing but 5 gallon before this year - with two plants to a straw bale, I will get to see the equivalent of each release in an approx 20 gallon container - so my expectation are pretty high.

But sub-5? My thoughts would be the grumpy line - Yukon Quest, Arctic Rose, Iditarod Red, Bundaberg Rumball - as well as Sarandipity out of the Streaky line - due to earlier fruiting and smaller fruit size, they may work OK. Others I would put on the list - Beryl Beauty, Jade Beauty and Kelly Green (out of Sneezy), and Sleeping Lady.

The key will certainly be regular (and sufficient) watering and feeding - the plants will still get pretty large for sub-5 containers. Fill us in if you go this route.

Hey thanks for the opinion great stuff ! that is what is all about from others experience....,


ha ha ha

I have tried Iditarod Red, Yukon Quest and Sleeping lady .........

The best overall for my results was Yukon Quest ( I admit a bias as I had expected Iditarod Red to work a bit better for my conditions...but it did not turn out that way )

I got fruit and seeds from all ...

sleeping lady last year was bit sleepy for me I will re try next year .....

Best results "for me" would be Yukon Quest .......

I plan to next year try Boronia, Dwarf Purple heart and Dwarf Golden heart , and Arctic rose

along with the previous 3 tried .

I think if one starts with good media in the pots with one's own special additive recipes of kelp meal/ fishbone meal etc. etc. one can do fairly well .....and as I have learned this year
Not Full intense sun..some shade ...will enhance the container Tomatoes.

[SharonRossy]

I'm growing out two from the Kiwi line, Crimson Streak, and they're in 15 gallon grow bags, one per bag. Last year I tried putting two in a twenty gallon, and it didn't work well for me. I had issues with white flies and some fungal diseases so I'm keeping them separate and in larger containers. I don't want to be continuously watering. Keep us posted on the progress.

[BlackBear]

I think to be fair I will try with between 7- 10 gallon containers (size)

But I double stack the containers so the under container is a source of water reserve (and soil ) for some root expansion and then I do not have to be as quite as careful with watering as I can water the top of the bottom container and it wicks up to the top container .

I like to see what can happen with a regular size container then next time try and dial back the size of container a bit to see if it can fit in smaller size with out getting stressed out.

[Sodak]

My first yr for dwarfs,
Chocolate Champion and Rosella Crimson , both in 25 gallon SmartPots.

[BlackBear]

Question :

Which of the Dwarf Project varieties have you had the least incidence of

disease of any kind ???????

This is not a disciplined scientific study ...just anecdotal...Growers observations .

I know this might be a bit of a wide open ...wing ding ...unscientific question .
Really I am just asking .... I do not want to offend or start a Tomato war here ...
so Just anecdotal observation and personal opinion :

My Yukon Quest seems do be still doing very well for me here with the sub 5 gallon pursuit.....

I want to grow about 8 varieties of the project next year .

[nctomatoman]

Hey BlackBear, I will have a good answer for that after this season. Having grown them all since the beginning, I've noted varying incidence of disease, based upon the season, where they are planted, and the density of planting - which really has made any sort of generalities by variety challenging.

Some give me disease issues each time I grow them - Sweet Adelaide, Tasmanian Chocolate, Rosella Crimson, Dwarf Wild Fred, Dwarf Purple Heart have - possibly - given me the most issues with disease over the years. The Sneezy line (of which there are many releases) and Grumpy line the least.

But take these with a grain of salt - they are my observations growing them in 5 gallon containers in Raleigh, with very intense heat and humidity. Up until recently, I've also squeezed too many in close together, leading to spread of fungal disease. I am sure others who grow them will have differing experiences - but pulling all experiences of each variety into a general picture would be very interesting.

This year, at this point, all 36 look great, but they are in straw bales that give them the equivalence of a 20 gallon container each and are well separated.

[SharonRossy]

Tasmanian Chocolate was a problem for me, disease-wise. Not growing it this year. Growing Crimson Streak this year, but next year would like to grow Chocolate Lightning.

[BlackBear]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

Hey BlackBear, I will have a good answer for that after this season. Having grown them all since the beginning, I've noted varying incidence of disease, based upon the season, where they are planted, and the density of planting - which really has made any sort of generalities by variety challenging.

Some give me disease issues each time I grow them - Sweet Adelaide, Tasmanian Chocolate, Rosella Crimson, Dwarf Wild Fred, Dwarf Purple Heart have - possibly - given me the most issues with disease over the years. The Sneezy line (of which there are many releases) and Grumpy line the least.

But take these with a grain of salt - they are my observations growing them in 5 gallon containers in Raleigh, with very intense heat and humidity. Up until recently, I've also squeezed too many in close together, leading to spread of fungal disease. I am sure others who grow them will have differing experiences - but pulling all experiences of each variety into a general picture would be very interesting.

This year, at this point, all 36 look great, but they are in straw bales that give them the equivalence of a 20 gallon container each and are well separated.

Holy doodles ! that is the sort of anecdotal stuff I would like to hear about .....

you are awesome ...with this info !


I am very much aware ......."Results will vary " for all kinds of reasons

and some reasons we sometimes can not identify Why the variance .......(right away at least ).

I would expect the experienced grower with best conditions can get great results with all of the dwarf project developments ....



but what about the grower who is not so vigilant in the conditions and the plants experience variance of moderate stresses ???


Any way very interesting observations to take into consideration / awareness ...

ha ha ha ...I still want to try Wild Fred and Dwarf Purple Heart .


Most interesting in regards to the Sneezy and Grumpy lines .

to say again I am most happy with Yukon Quest.....it I believe happens to be a Grumpy descendent ??

[NarnianGarden]

Wow. I'm sobered to see some negative feedback on Tasmanian Chocolate, it seems to have such glowing reports everywhere (taste etc)... Still glad I am trying it this year, on two locations.
Good thing we don't have such diseases that are common in more hot & humid climate conditions, but one never knows. The weathercock may 'throw a dice' and turn to unexpected direction more than once during the growing season ...

[nctomatoman]

Narnian, don't forget the factor of individual, specific taste preferences. And how well a particular variety is adapted to particular climate and weather.

This is exactly why I am excited about doing a complete comparison of the full set - to be able to taste side by side, measure yields, weight fruit, and also see where the varieties are (how stable, uniform) vs what we hoped for with each.

The project is just endless in its fascination (to me, anyway!).

I can't wait to do my weekly update tomorrow - always interesting to compare where they all are in height, relative growth rates, success in fruit set, etc