Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

General information and discussion about cultivating tomatillos.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old July 7, 2017   #1
HudsonValley
Tomatovillian™
 
HudsonValley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a
Posts: 626
Default Dwarf tomatillo?

One of my 8 tomatillos makes me wonder if it's a dwarf. All 8 are the same age and were planted out the same day (June 1).

The wee plant on the right in the foreground is loaded with blossoms, but it's smaller in every way -- stem, stalks, leaves, blossoms. The little one is about 3 1/2' tall, while the other 7 are in the 5-5 1/2' range (the raised bed is terraced to accommodate the property's slope). I didn't notice anything different at the seedling stage. Has anyone seen something like this before? Can tomatillos be dwarfs?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Tomatillo bed 7-7-17.JPG (156.7 KB, 56 views)
HudsonValley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7, 2017   #2
Redbaron
Tomatovillian™
 
Redbaron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
Default

I had 2 big ones and 2 little ones this year. One of the little ones died, the other is covered with fruit.
__________________
Scott

AKA The Redbaron

"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system."
Bill Mollison
co-founder of permaculture
Redbaron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 7, 2017   #3
mjc
Tomatovillian™
 
mjc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: WV
Posts: 603
Default

I've found tomatillios to be more variable than tomatoes...
mjc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 9, 2017   #4
HudsonValley
Tomatovillian™
 
HudsonValley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a
Posts: 626
Default

OK; it's not just me then! It is strange, though, because these were grown from saved seed, and last year's plants were all tall. Maybe I'll save seeds from the little one and see what I get next year...
HudsonValley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 10, 2017   #5
Darren Abbey
Tomatovillian™
 
Darren Abbey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 586
Default

Tomatilloes are strongly outbreeding, while tomatoes are strongly inbreeding. The consequence is that it will take a lot more time (and numbers of plants each year) to stabilize a new variety.

If the stature is genetic, you are still likely to not get all short plants next year from seed saved from shorty. However, every normal-sized plant will be a carrier for the short trait. Saving seeds from short plants each year will eventually filter out the tall trait.

In tomatoes, the dwarf and micro seedlings germinate a little bit slower than the normal sized plants. If you grow enough seedlings, you might notice the same pattern with your tomatilloes.

I say go for it. One of my projects is trying to stabilize a tomatillo line with inky-black fruit. Not sure how long it will take, but I've got the time.
__________________
http://the-biologist-is-in.blogspot.com
Darren Abbey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 10, 2017   #6
HudsonValley
Tomatovillian™
 
HudsonValley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a
Posts: 626
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darren Abbey View Post
Tomatilloes are strongly outbreeding, while tomatoes are strongly inbreeding. The consequence is that it will take a lot more time (and numbers of plants each year) to stabilize a new variety.

If the stature is genetic, you are still likely to not get all short plants next year from seed saved from shorty. However, every normal-sized plant will be a carrier for the short trait. Saving seeds from short plants each year will eventually filter out the tall trait.

In tomatoes, the dwarf and micro seedlings germinate a little bit slower than the normal sized plants. If you grow enough seedlings, you might notice the same pattern with your tomatilloes.

I say go for it. One of my projects is trying to stabilize a tomatillo line with inky-black fruit. Not sure how long it will take, but I've got the time.
Thanks for that! I'll definitely save seed, and see what future growouts will bring. I've noticed that dwarf tomatoes germinate more slowly, too, so delayed development will be something I watch for. The little tomatillo started to blossom later than the others... but profusely. It reminds me of a determinate tomato -- it seemed to produce a lot of blossoms all at once (and I wonder if they'll open all at once); the tall tomatillos seem to produce and open their blossoms over time.
HudsonValley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 10, 2017   #7
Redbaron
Tomatovillian™
 
Redbaron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by HudsonValley View Post
Thanks for that! I'll definitely save seed, and see what future growouts will bring. I've noticed that dwarf tomatoes germinate more slowly, too, so delayed development will be something I watch for. The little tomatillo started to blossom later than the others... but profusely. It reminds me of a determinate tomato -- it seemed to produce a lot of blossoms all at once (and I wonder if they'll open all at once); the tall tomatillos seem to produce and open their blossoms over time.
If it's like mine, then the little one produces all the fruit and the big ones do all the pollinating, but little to no fruit.
__________________
Scott

AKA The Redbaron

"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system."
Bill Mollison
co-founder of permaculture
Redbaron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 10, 2017   #8
HudsonValley
Tomatovillian™
 
HudsonValley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a
Posts: 626
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbaron View Post
If it's like mine, then the little one produces all the fruit and the big ones do all the pollinating, but little to no fruit.
It's still early, but I think mine might be different -- the big ones started to blossom two weeks ago and already have some swollen husks, but the little one only has a few blossoms open and tons of buds. It's weird...
HudsonValley is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:03 PM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★