What Would be the Ideal Micro?

[KarenO]

Check this out:
4 plants, all sown the same day. F4 (december 2)
Showing a lot of difference in size. Two virtually just like identical twins, looking exactly the same, one noticeably taller and larger. And then there's little brother...getting its second set of leaves at just over an inch tall. Not just slow, not just short but miniature in every way. So interested in these!
KarenO

[KarenO]

And a closeup of little brother.
Planted in the same pot, same day, same seed packet from Dan. It's so tiny but getting second set of leaves.
KO

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by KarenO

Check this out:
4 plants, all sown the same day. F4 (december 2)
Showing a lot of difference in size. Two virtually just like identical twins, looking exactly the same, one noticeably taller and larger. And then there's little brother...getting its second set of leaves at just over an inch tall. Not just slow, not just short but miniature in every way. So interested in these!
KarenO

That's fascinating. I'm glad you asked the questions you did about the stragglers. I have always completely ignored and tossed them after I potted up the early ones.

They'll be fun to watch. That one is a couple of weeks ahead of those I have. Mine are sister lines from the same initial cross but came from much larger F3s than yours did.

[KarenO]

The same group a week later. Buds forming in the three larger. Baby brother growing, remains micro miniature. For reference those are 6 inch and 4 inch at the rim pots.

KarenO

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by KarenO

The same group a week later. Buds forming in the three larger. Baby brother growing, remains micro miniature. For reference those are 6 inch and 4 inch at the rim pots.

KarenO

It will sure be fun to watch if baby brother actually has some babies......

[oakley]

Every time i think i see a bud set it is a new leaf set. I have an army of 26 your size. Some larger and some smaller. Nice sturdy compact plants.

[BettaPonic]

I have had great success with Red Robin as a dwarf. I am on my fifth generation and some cool stuff has shown up.

[Nan_PA_6b]

I'm certain that indoor micro tomato plants, laden with just-blushing red cherries, would sell like hotcakes at Christmas time, Valentine's Day, Easter, and even Mother's Day, here in the north where we only see a homegrown tomato from July to October.

I wish I'd seen this thread earlier; my grow lights are only growing an orchid and a lily right now. But they will be inundated from March to May with this year's seedlings. Dfolett, I'll get back to you in a generation; this coming fall I'd love to grow out some micros.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

I'm certain that indoor micro tomato plants, laden with just-blushing red cherries, would sell like hotcakes at Christmas time, Valentine's Day, Easter, and even Mother's Day, here in the north where we only see a homegrown tomato from July to October.

I wish I'd seen this thread earlier; my grow lights are only growing an orchid and a lily right now. But they will be inundated from March to May with this year's seedlings. Dfolett, I'll get back to you in a generation; this coming fall I'd love to grow out some micros.

I don't sell, but it sure seems to me you are right. Folks are always looking for something novel as a gift. They would certainly be an interesting gift that keeps on giving.

And, the person receiving the gift would not need access to any special lighting for the tomatoes to finish ripening. From my experience, once they have set fruit, the plant will carry that fruit to maturity even if they don't get anything more than window light during the short winter days. They need the day extended with artificial light to set the fruit, but not to ripen it. They may not set additional fruit, but they would ripen those already set.

There may be a whole untapped market for these little things....

[KarenO]

Buds on the 3 larger ones. The largest should have open buds in a day or two. Buds in clusters of about 10 (not multiflora) these 3 plants are healthy doing well.
Baby brother still growing slowly in miniature. Just over two inches tall from the soil up. The plant is shown in its entirety including cotolydons as it grew from the seed. I sure am interested to see if it blooms. I can't see why it wouldn't, aside from size it is growing in a very normal form.

Regarding the saleability of micros as a novelty, I agree plants that already have ripening fruit would sell.
I also think that any tomato starved gardener would enjoy a few on a windowsill not so much for the fruit as for the scent of the foliage and the fun of it. Fruits are a bonus to me .
KarenO

[Hatgirl]

I give micros to friends who live in apartments, so I think there's probably be a market for them at a city market

[dfollett]

KarenO - I watched that bunch of stragglers I told you about. Most either pushed up to normal height or just didn't thrive. The were five, however that appear healthy and normal, except they are tiny and very slow growing like yours. All of the plants in this photo were planted and potted up at the same time.

They will be fun to watch.

[Gardeneer]

Now that I see this thread, I will re grow Hahms Gelbe Topftomate. It stands around 12-14" at maturity. All I need is a gallon pot for it.Fruits set is so low that touche to top of soil.

[KarenO]

That is very interesting Dan, I'm away from home at the moment but i will post a pic again on Thursday. It's growing still. The form and shape the same as the bigger ones.
I have seen other really short micros but they look squat and deformed but with normal sized leaves. This one is like the others only miniature. The foliage is small and in proportion to the plant. Still very interested to see if it will bloom. It should I think. Time will tell
KarenO

[oakley]

I brought a few up over the weekend for some rare Southern sun. Snowing now.
Out of the 26 i think i counted, and just three are upped into gallon pots, the smaller ones are staying squat. Anxious for some bloom. Soon i think.

One is a RedRobin. A few others downstairs are dwarfs and much taller and blooming now. I grew the others for a growing reference.

Nice sturdy plants, these dfolletts. Fun to grow... so compact and sturdy.