Micro-tomato crosses

[ddsack]

Looking at the rolled leaves, I thought of the rolled leaves of the pictures of the heavily pruned plant that produced the world record 8 lb tomato from Ely, MN last year. I had thought that perhaps those rolled leaves were related to being heavily force fed a wide spectrum of growth products. Could it be that some dwarf varieties have a different tolerance for nutrient levels, or maybe there is some connection between a small plant being self stressed when genetically programmed to produce large tomatoes? Just pondering on this, since I don't know what size fruit is expected on these plants.

[Darren Abbey]

Originally Posted by ddsack

Looking at the rolled leaves, I thought of the rolled leaves of the pictures of the heavily pruned plant that produced the world record 8 lb tomato from Ely, MN last year. I had thought that perhaps those rolled leaves were related to being heavily force fed a wide spectrum of growth products. Could it be that some dwarf varieties have a different tolerance for nutrient levels, or maybe there is some connection between a small plant being self stressed when genetically programmed to produce large tomatoes? Just pondering on this, since I don't know what size fruit is expected on these plants.

Other micro-tomato lines don't show the leaf-rolled trait, so it isn't something intrinsic about a plant being that small. It is easily possible that this variety is reacting to some nutrient level that would cause most plants no concerns. Further experimentation would be required.

[jmsieglaff]

I'm looking forward to some taste test results from these plants!

[ChrisK]

Hardin's Miniature (the mother) grows like this all the time. It is not an indication of any kind of stress or disease. The male was Choc. Cherry, not a large fruit. Further evidence that it is a genetic trait is that Kay has some that roll and some that don't.

Originally Posted by ddsack

Looking at the rolled leaves, I thought of the rolled leaves of the pictures of the heavily pruned plant that produced the world record 8 lb tomato from Ely, MN last year. I had thought that perhaps those rolled leaves were related to being heavily force fed a wide spectrum of growth products. Could it be that some dwarf varieties have a different tolerance for nutrient levels, or maybe there is some connection between a small plant being self stressed when genetically programmed to produce large tomatoes? Just pondering on this, since I don't know what size fruit is expected on these plants.

[ChrisK]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

I'm looking forward to some taste test results from these plants!

[dfollett]

I'm finally starting to get some fruit changing color. The first photo shows the size range and color of the fruit. i have picked ripe fruit from eight of the ten plants. I have not tasted any so far. I'm going to wait and taste them all at the same time (maybe I'm afraid to taste them for fear it will spoil how much I like them).

They now range in height from 13" to 21". Five of the ten are 20"-21" and the others range from 13" to 18". Most of the taller ones are taller because they have a side shoot which has outgrown the main stem. The side shoots don't seem to have quite the flower density as the main stem - they have lots of flowers compared to anything normal, but not as heavy as the main stem.

The 13" plant is the most impressive so far. Unfortunately, it is also one of the only two which has not ripened anything yet. Photo #2 shows that plant. I took the time to try to count fruit on it. There are something over 150 fruit set right now (actual fruit, pea-size or larger). I have also attempted to make at least 20 crosses on that plant (20 where I successfully emasculated the flower - I have no idea how many I tried but failed to emasculate). With each cross attempt, I removed at least 6-10 other blossoms (all others in that same group of blossoms) in order to encourage the plant to set that particular flower. That means, in addition to the 150 fruit that have set on the plant, I removed another 120-200 blossoms that did not get a chance to set.

How much fertilizer should I be giving these things? They still look very healthy, but it just feels like I ought to be feeding them more. Which is worse for something that produces extremely heavily, too much or too little fertilizer?

[KarenO]

The very first true leaves were rolled "at birth". See album.
KO

[ddsack]

Hardin's Miniature (the mother) grows like this all the time. It is not an indication of any kind of stress or disease. The male was Choc. Cherry, not a large fruit. Further evidence that it is a genetic trait is that Kay has some that roll and some that don't.

Interesting, that shoots my theory that the plant's "pre-knowledge" of overly large fruit relative to it's final stature may be genetically tied to leaf roll.
Looking at it from the opposite angle -- if leaf roll is the normal condition, then I wonder what kind of artificial stimulus inducement, chemical, mechanical or electrical one could try to flatten the leaves temporarily. Not planning any plant torture - just trying to understand the underlying physics.

[kayrobbins]

Your project is getting lots of notice in Jacksonville. Since I have over 200 peppers and tomatoes under my lights I had to share some the plants with friends. They all talk about how cute they are and how happy it makes them to have the smell of a tomato plant in their house. Several of them have named them.

I gave one to a friend that owns an herb farm. She give a lot of talks to garden clubs and she took hers to a recent talk. Everyone wanted to know the name and where they could get one. She told them it was HMCC #23 and it did not have a name. When I shared the plant I gave them numbers so I could track how they did for others.

[KarenO]

WOW. dfollett that little plant is LOADED!! gorgeous
KarenO

[ChrisK]

Micros gone viral!

That will be a lot of data to compile and report. Looking forward to tasting notes and other observations.

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

Your project is getting lots of notice in Jacksonville. Since I have over 200 peppers and tomatoes under my lights I had to share some the plants with friends. They all talk about how cute they are and how happy it makes them to have the smell of a tomato plant in their house. Several of them have named them.

I gave one to a friend that owns an herb farm. She give a lot of talks to garden clubs and she took hers to a recent talk. Everyone wanted to know the name and where they could get one. She told them it was HMCC #23 and it did not have a name. When I shared the plant I gave them numbers so I could track how they did for others.

[heirloomtomaguy]

Here is a pic of the micros you sent me. Only 2 of the plants seem to be super small. They are the two all the way to the left in the tray. Potting them up tomorrow!

[ChrisK]

Clearly not all micros! In fact, most of those don't look like dwarfs. I'd save seed of only the smallest plants.

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

Here is a pic of the micros you sent me. Only 2 of the plants seem to be super small. They are the two all the way to the left in the tray. Potting them up tomorrow!

[heirloomtomaguy]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Clearly not all micros! In fact, most of those don't look like dwarfs. I'd save seed of only the smallest plants.

That's what i was thinking i will still grow a few of the larger ones to see if anything interesting comes of them. Guess i will start some more seed.

[ChrisK]

I looked back in my notes on that line and I saw the same thing. I cant explain why off the top of my head. The F3 was a really pretty small dwarf plant with bright orange cherry toms.

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

That's what i was thinking i will still grow a few of the larger ones to see if anything interesting comes of them. Guess i will start some more seed.