Topic: Interesting observation

[Jeannine]

 I always grow tomatoes in a greenhouse. This year I found a couple of  F2 Sungold volunteers in a left over pot from last year. Curious to know what they would produce but not wanting to give them precious greenhouse space I planted them outside in the same  potting soil that I use inside. I also found a Sungold fruit and sowed the seeds to get two more plants which joined the two outside ones. All four are together and almost the same size.

Inside the greenhouse all my tomatoes are 5+feet tall with fruit on including some proper F1 Sungolds. but the outside F2 Sungolds are only about 18 inches..is this because of the lesser warm, maybe a tad less light or something in their heritage.

I feel like digging one up and transferring it to the greenhouse.

Ideas anyone.

[kippers garden]

If the seed was from an F1 then the seed won't come 'true to type' and it is a gamble what you will get.  However the cold, damp conditions will make outdoor tomatoe plants smaller at the moment than your indoor plants that are lovely and snug inside your greenhouse (my outdoor toms are half the size of my greenhouse ones).

If it was me I would just let them grow now and see what happens, as it would be fun to see the outcome.....and let us know on here.  If the plants produce wonderful tomatoes then save the seed for next year if they don't then don't save the seeds

[Jeannine]

Yes I am aware of the complexities of saving seeds from hybrids,,but my post was concerned with such a tremendous difference in the plant size, it seem such a tremendous difference,18 inches to 5 1/2 feet

[galina]

Jeannine, I am not aware of any dwarf heritage in Sungolds or any dwarfing tendency in any of the OP Sungolds.  I think the biggest problem is the colour in OPs.  The red will always try and come through.  I had a superior golden plum shaped F2 at one stage, but try as I might, this did not come through in future generations.  In the end all the seed from the plums was used up and further lines never had the same.  I can get red plums with a pointy end and good flavour, but unfortunately fairly low yield.  A seed friend who tried to de-hybridise Sungolds ended up with yummy red cherries, a little smaller than Sungold fruit. Plants from her seeds are a bit slow to grow to size.  But I don't find Sungold F1 very rampant either.

I guess the outdoor ones just need a bit of time to grow as large as the greenhouse ones for other reasons.  Wish you luck with this fun project. 

[Jayb]

All the Sungold F2's I'm growing look to be progressing normally towards regular cordon types, though they are younger plants and can't really be compared as yet to my earlier sowings. I don't think small plants would be from Sungold's heritage as they are such strong growers.

Here I wouldn't expect outdoor reared tom plants to be anywhere on a par with greenhouse plants, especially early summer. How has your season been so far for growing conditions?

Have any of your outdoor plants got that distinct smell about them?