Interested in Growing a Multiflora Dwarf?

[Barb_FL]

Just wanted to quickly update. Still growing the 21X - I don't know what F# I'm up to since I've been growing it for seasons now.

I have 3 plants, all grown in their own 5 gallon Root Pouch (upgraded from 2 gallon, 3 gallon, etc from years past). Terrible storm early last week followed by very cold weather for days (30s for lows). One of the plants always made it to the garage at night so looks great. Will start heavy pruning on the others tomorrow.

Tonight we should be in the 50s.

[jmsieglaff]

A quick update, I decided not to save any seed from the 19xF2 plants I grew out last year. Some very tasty cherries, but I'm looking for out of this world and maybe a color other than red. I'll grow another round of the 19xF2s this year.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

A quick update, I decided not to save any seed from the 19xF2 plants I grew out last year. Some very tasty cherries, but I'm looking for out of this world and maybe a color other than red. I'll grow another round of the 19xF2s this year.

If you'd like to try something other than the Ambrosia Orange cross, let me know. I have F2 seed from crosses with some interesting stripes that I didn't have available last year you could try if you want.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by dfollett

If you'd like to try something other than the Ambrosia Orange cross, let me know. I have F2 seed from crosses with some interesting stripes that I didn't have available last year you could try if you want.

Thanks Dan! For now I'll stick with 19xF2. I've only grown out 7 plants for the course of 2 years and do think there is the possibility of getting something extraordinary or at least different colored than red. At the very least the tomatoes are numerous and delicious. I did save some seed of 19xF2 from my 2016/17 winter grow out--but didn't this past year because the results were rather similar.

[Cole_Robbie]

Sorry for the late report. I am just now finding my seeds.

One of the seed packs you sent me, Dan, was multi-flora. I have it labelled as #37. I believe the full name was 37x-F3-1. It made pink cherries that were delicious. I saved a lot of seed if you or anyone else want some.

[hl2601]

Dan, Just read this thread-what an odyssey! Fun to see all the varieties that have been produced so far.

Is it still possible to get some seeds to try for a micro multi flora? The other I think is interesting is moving forward with that dwarf multiflora "11X-F3-5 that showed real promise that Oakley referred to already.
Plant #1 or plant 2?
Or maybe there's something else you think should be persued?
Thanks!
Heide

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by hl2601

Dan, Just read this thread-what an odyssey! Fun to see all the varieties that have been produced so far.

Is it still possible to get some seeds to try for a micro multi flora? The other I think is interesting is moving forward with that dwarf multiflora "11X-F3-5 that showed real promise that Oakley referred to already.
Plant #1 or plant 2?
Or maybe there's something else you think should be persued?
Thanks!
Heide

It’s never too late. I’d be happy to send you some seed. There are a lot of options, depending on what you want to grow and how much time, room and patience you have. Send me a PM and give me an idea of where in the selection process you would like to start and how many different varieties you’d like to play with.

I can send you seed that is most likely ‘fixed’ for micro and you can look for something unique. I could even send you F2 seed and you can hunt for dwarf/micro/multiflora from scratch. That means starting LOTS of seed and eventually culling out 99% or more to find just what you want. (I got carried away and made far more crosses than I can follow up on.)

I have a few crosses with some very interesting dwarfs. The F2s will all be dwarf and smaller, so finding a multiflora dwarf would be relatively easy. One in four should be multiflora. You can start plenty a little earlier than normal and leave them in cups until they show blossoms. That way, if you want to grow multifloras, you won’t waste garden space growing non-multifloras. Finding micros is more difficult – micro multifloras are even more so.

Also, feel free to reach out to Oakley and ask her for seed from those she’s growing. Hopefully, someone will find and stabilize something worth naming…..

Let me know.

[tryno12]

Thanks again Dan for the seeds, I am on this new adventure trying to find a suitable for indoor winter growth - but maybe summer pots also??....... attached are what has started already.... wonder what i will do with them all this time of year in Central IN I'll figure it out

13X's are a bit latter to germinate > 7 days others were around 4 days

Thanks again Dan

Pete

[Idahowoman]

This is my report for 2017 on the micro-dwarf tomatoes I have been growing .
I have enjoyed growing these tomatoes and will continue in 2018.
I grew several plants of vial 11/12X F4.
I had 2 plants that had good cherry tomatoes on them. These were not multiflora.
I grew out lots of plants from 13X F4 -Baby family
The best one I had was a striped one. It wasn’t multiflora. I also had a good one from Plant A
I grew out lots of plants from these next 5 selections.
These were at F2 and I planted literally hundreds of seeds per Dan’s advice.
I culled and culled until I got the shortest plants. I will select for even smaller plants in 2018.
I grew these out and here are the results.

19X F2 Brosie

I found three plants that had good tasting tomatoes.
These were all regular leaf plants.
Plant C was a multiflora ,which had red tomato that were quite small and tasty.
Plant 13 had small oval tomatoes.
Plant D had small good tasting tomatoes.

20X F2 Maggy
I had 4 plants that I saved seed from.
20X F2 plants A, B and G were regular leaf plants that had good tasting tomatoes that were small
These was not multiflora.

Plant D from 20X f2 Maggy was a tall plant with striped red cherries.
Plant C was not micro was a dwarf with multi flora habit and pink cherries that tasted good.
40X F2 Limey
I had one plant from 40X F2 Limey that I saved seeds from.
It was plant I. It was regular leaf and produced tomatoes in the 1.9 oz range that were beefsteak shaped.

60X F2 Tiger

I saved seeds from two selections. These wer.e 60XF2 Tiger plants B and D.
Plant D had pink tomatoes, one of which weighed 1.3 oz.
Plant B had orange tomatoes with a red blush they were yummy.

64 X Finchy
I planted 22 plants out in my garden bed.
These are the best ones.

Orange tomatoes
64X F2 C, F and Y.
One plant was Potato leaf, one Regular leaf and Y was not noted.
Plant C had cherry sized tomatoes on a small plant. Plant F had orange tomatoes that weighed 1.1-1.6 oz.
Plant Y topped those weights with a 2.3and 2.6 oz. tomato.

Red tomatoes
I had three good potato leaf reds from 64XF2 plants 14,4 and 5.
Plant 14 is less than 2 ft tall.
Plant 4 has small cherries with a good taste.
Plant 5 had an extra large red tomato weighing in at 4.8 oz!
Other cherries from the plant weighed 1.5,1.3 and 1 oz.


Pink tomatoes
64X plant D was a regular leaf plant that had three pink tomatoes.
The weights were in the 1.4,1.9 and 2.9 range.
Susan

[Idahowoman]

Here are pictures of 64XF2 Finchy.
Susan

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Thanks Dan! For now I'll stick with 19xF2. I've only grown out 7 plants for the course of 2 years and do think there is the possibility of getting something extraordinary or at least different colored than red. At the very least the tomatoes are numerous and delicious. I did save some seed of 19xF2 from my 2016/17 winter grow out--but didn't this past year because the results were rather similar.

Just wanted to throw an update out, partly for those curious and mainly for myself because I do kinda use some of these long-term threads as informal record keeping.

I have only grown out 5 19xF2 plants to date, not 7. All 5 have been red. Given red is dominate, I'm not too discouraged I've yet to get something other than red. I'm hopeful to find 4 micros this year and hopefully at least one throws something other than red.

[tryno12]

Hi Idaho, I am getting ready to up pot some of Dan's plants. I see I have a 13X-F2 (mmfX Sweet Baby Girl F4)and 13X-F5-1-2 (dwarf-RL-MF Red/Yellow Stripe). I was wondering what size they get to before I up Pot? I also have others. List and Photo attached.

This is all new to me - I wanted something to grow in the Winter - late start but I have next winter ( plus time to learn )and maybe put these outside with my other regulars?

Any info / knowledge welcomed.

Thank you
Pete

[Idahowoman]

I usually let the plants stay in the flats for about a month.
For your f2 seed you will have a mix of taller plants and smaller ones.
You probably know this already but you will want to keep the smallest plants .
I thin them out and at the end you can pot up into 6-8 inch or 1 gallon pots .
Last season I grew my micros outside in the summer.
I will be starting mine soon.
They are fun to grow.
Susan

[tryno12]

Thanks Susan for the info, I am not well versed in these little guys. I grew about 100 or more Dwarfs, Indeterminate s, and Determinate s last year. Too many

As you can see from the picture I sent you (if it made it) I have the 73X and the 13X

f2's - both mmf.. How tall did yours grow?

I also have a 13X F5 - 1-2 what is the -1-2 stand for ??

Thank You
Pete

[Idahowoman]

I grew the F1 out 2 years ago. I planted 200-300 seeds of the F2 last season and grew out about 20 of the smallest f2's .
You just need to pot up the smallest ones they will be the micros. The f4 and F5 should all be micros.
Of those 20 the tallest was about 18 inches the shortest about 10.
The numbers are probably from the plant or plants the seeds came from.
Susan