Interested in Growing a Multiflora Dwarf?

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by tryno12

Seems this 73x - F2 fuzzy is a micro?? It has Blossomed out in 10 weeks and measures 10" Tall by 12" across - seems like a micro??
Pete

Time will tell. Sometimes they keep growing..... Sometimes they don't

Originally Posted by tryno12

I have a hard time telling the difference between #73Xn- F2 Fuzzy and # 13X F2 Sweet Baby Girl

It is often easy to confuse a 7 and a 1 - maybe your 73 and 13 are the same.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by dfollett

It will be interesting to watch. Keep us posted. The interesting variety and differentiation I referred to only really shows up when you start lots of seed and see the one-offs that appear 1 of 64 or more. There are more of those hiding in the genes than you'd think.

As you mentioned before, I've gotten true micro dwarf from 19x in previous years, but most of mine I'd consider to be more like small dwarf or very large micro dwarf at this stage. Not a big deal, I've got more seed to start and these plants will still give me tomatoes 4-6 weeks before anything else this year!

The interesting leaf shaped plant continues, the leaf shape isn't as unique as it was when it was young and I'd consider this more a dwarf (it is the tallest of my 10 plants). The leaf scent is unique--quite dank. The plant is flowering. We shall see what it brings, I'm intrigued.

I'll get back to more proper micro dwarf hunting after I see what these guys bring!

[oakley]

Originally Posted by dfollett

Time will tell. Sometimes they keep growing..... Sometimes they don't

This time last year, after sowing a full 1010 36 cells tray, 3 seeds per cell, good
germination....and culling, I potted up about 36 plants in 4" pots. At least 1/3rd of
those shot up above 15".

I went ahead and potted up a half dozen of those and grew them out for early Spring
toms. In 1 gallon grow bags. I placed them on a deck bench in a heap and just let them
cascade. Lots of early fruit, them tossed them when I needed the real estate for a
dwarf project hunt.

This season I have I think I have 18 left that are under 8inches.

ps, thanks for the Fuzzy seeds Dan. Starting a full 1010 tray today!

pic is last Springs early May micro 'heap'.

[hl2601]

WOWIE!!!

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

As you mentioned before, I've gotten true micro dwarf from 19x in previous years, but most of mine I'd consider to be more like small dwarf or very large micro dwarf at this stage.

That helps reaffirm to me what I've been saying for a while - that there is no 'micro' gene like there is a 'dwarf' gene. There is definitely a recessive dwarf gene. In a cross with a regular indeterminate, you will see 25% dwarfs very consistently. It doesn't seem to work that way with the micros. I'm convinced there are numerous different genes that combine to make the micro - when combined with the dwarf gene. The micros really do show a continuum from tiny through dwarf - I think depending on how many of those other genes they carry. Some crosses - 19X in particular, seem to show very few micros. With some crosses, the micros are plentiful and easy to find.

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

...
The interesting leaf shaped plant continues, the leaf shape isn't as unique as it was when it was young and I'd consider this more a dwarf (it is the tallest of my 10 plants). The leaf scent is unique--quite dank. The plant is flowering. We shall see what it brings, I'm intrigued....

Me too. Keep us posted.

[jmsieglaff]

A related question Dan, have you gotten micro from F3 seed that was only a dwarf at F2 or only micros at the F2?

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

A related question Dan, have you gotten micro from F3 seed that was only a dwarf at F2 or only micros at the F2?

I have. Not growing any F3s from those that were too tall in the F2 was a mistake I regularly made until I took an online genetics class last year and learned a little more about how to do what we are trying to do. It was very enlightening. It is amazing how much I still don't know. If a plant has most of what you want except for the height in the F2 it is worth growing out the F3s to see.

The potential for a micro is there in a significant percentage of the F2 dwarfs. A certain small percentage will not carry the potential, but a majority will. Even if there is just a single 'micro' gene, most of the F2s that don't manifest it will be heterozygous and still carry that gene which could express in the F3s and later. The more different genes there are that contribute to the 'smallness' the more likely it is that some or many of those 'smallness' genes will still be lurking in the F2 dwarf and come out in later generations.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by dfollett

I have. Not growing any F3s from those that were too tall in the F2 was a mistake I regularly made until I took an online genetics class last year and learned a little more about how to do what we are trying to do. It was very enlightening. It is amazing how much I still don't know. If a plant has most of what you want except for the height in the F2 it is worth growing out the F3s to see.

The potential for a micro is there in a significant percentage of the F2 dwarfs. A certain small percentage will not carry the potential, but a majority will. Even if there is just a single 'micro' gene, most of the F2s that don't manifest it will be heterozygous and still carry that gene which could express in the F3s and later. The more different genes there are that contribute to the 'smallness' the more likely it is that some or many of those 'smallness' genes will still be lurking in the F2 dwarf and come out in later generations.

Thanks for the info--very valuable! I'll be sure to keep this in mind when these plants start ripening fruit (in terms of seed saving).

[tryno12]

'#33X-F4-1-4.jpgHere is the #33X -F4 -1-4 with blossoms and looking like a micro........
my 13X-F5 - 1 -2 looks like iit is a Dwarf and has multifloral blossoms starting

[Al@NC]

180 degrees

[maxjohnson]

Originally Posted by Al@NC

I'd say! I didn't know you could grow SFT as a hanging plant... Interesting..

Al

It works for me. Next to one of dfollet's micro.

[Al@NC]

That's pretty cool!

[tryno12]

Hey Al, how did you flip my pic's, and what is SFT you see growing in max's hanging basket?
Thanks
Pete

[Al@NC]

You can use any photo editing software such as Irfanview. Here's the link to the software and the youtube video showing you how to do it:

https://www.irfanview.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfTtb9V-uss

SFT is Silvery Fir Tree, it has the carrot-life foliage that's been mentioned on T-ville in several threads. Even though it doesn't have the "cascading" foliage that Cole mentioned earlier, it's such a small plant that if you let it sprawl you get the same effect as a basket variety such as Tumbling Tom, etc..



Al