Author Topic: Dwarf tomatoes and other littlies. (Read 4017 times)

Jeannine · « **on:** June 14, 2011, 18:06:38 »

Is anyone growing Dwarf tomatoes . Also is anyone growing other small growing plants that are not classified technically as dwarfs.

I am very fond of them and have quite a few growing.

I know JayB is interested, is there anyone else out there who got seeds for the newly released Dwarf project tomatoes. There were 9. They came and went so fast but I managed to get most commercially and the rest via a couple of swaps.

For those of you who donèt know the programme, very briefly it is this.

An International set up between growers in the US and growers in OZ. They have taken original dwarf tomatoes (there are only a few ) and crossed them with tomatoes that are big on taste and size. The idea is to breed a new series of dwarf tomatoes with full size great tasting fruit on them,. This is a big benefit for folks who have to grow in pots etc and donèt have much space.

The project has been going on for a few years . The original crosses of course were hybrid so it has taken several years to grow and regrow the various generations to finally end up with some stable varieties. They did and these were the ones that were released for the first time this year..nine varieties. There should be more released next year.

The full story is on the net. http://nctomatoman.weebly.com Then scroll down to the Dwarf project intro

I am growing all 9 of the first released ones.

Wild Fred
Rosella Purple
Summertime Green
Summertime Gold
Tasmanian Chocolate
Beryl Beauty
Mr Snow
Emerald Giant
Jade Beauty

Is anyone else growing them in the UK.

Second part of my post....

Is anyone growing any other true dwarfs or any of the very small plants that I call littlies.

I would love to connect with folks who are interested in them, they are truly fascinating.

We could compare notes, swap seeds etc. Or pop in if you are just interested in finding out more.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

XX Jeannine

pigeonseed · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2011, 22:24:49 »

I'm growing something called 'minibel' is that the sort you mean? And an HSL one called 'nova' which is also fairly small.

Minibel is really mini though, about 10cm high - looks all curled up and stunted. But has had little tomatoes on it for a while now. Still green as grass though!

saddad · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2011, 22:28:36 »

Whippersnapper is a true dwarf,.... was commercially available but is now HSL... I have some of course if you'd like them... :)

Jeannine · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2011, 00:40:32 »

Hi Pigeonseed, yes Minibel is a true dwarf, a mini dwarf actually. The curled up foliage is indicative of dwarfs, it is called rugosa foliage, without that type of foliage the plant is not a true dwarf.

Nova is not a dwarf, it is determinate and not very tall but does not have the rugosa foliage.

Saddad, you gave me seeds of Whippersnapper some years ago, it wiped Tumbler off my grow list and I grow it every year. I love it but it isn't a true dwarf., The foliage is not rugosa. One of my favourites and I thank you once again for it. I think I remember you have Lime Green salad though if my memory serves me right and that is a true dwarf.

A true dwarf has the following characteristics,

Stout central stem,upright growth habit,very little branching near the bottom of the plant,very dark green crinkly foliage (rugosa) wether regular leaf or potato leaf.They fruit all season long as opposed to shorter growing determinates which fruit over a shorter time.

There are not too many of them compared to tomatoes generally which is why the Dwarf project is so exciting.

A few you may know are.

Budai Torpe
Dwarf Champion
Extreme Bush
Lime Green salad
Mohamed
Kootena
iMicro Tom
Patio King
New Big Dwarf

There are more.

Then there are the smaller plants like Nova and the short wide growing ones like Whippersnapper that I like too just as small plants.

I am interested in them all.

I know from PMs I have from folks in the UK that some of the very small ones are being grown over there. I thought this thread might be good as a staring point for comparison etc.

The whole group of these types of tomatoes can be very confusing. They don't always have small fruit as some folks think and the name doesn't always help.

One dwarf actually grows to 6 feet but that is unusual.

Anyway, dwarfs or just small growing plants, I would love to hear from you.They are truly fascinating

XX Jeannine
.

goodlife · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2011, 06:34:19 »

My plants are mainly those mini drawf type..I suppose in UK majority of us are growing those...like minibel, 'tumblers' and other type of 'basket' tomatoes.
I know there is whole 'new world' of draws to grow..but I think generally, certainly for me, if it is grown in relatively small containers and they stay short..that's 'drawf'... ;D
But yes..I do recognize few of the names that you've listed there Jeannine...I've got lime green salad, micro tom, new big dwarf at least...
For long time all drawfs were sort of novelty crop for me..bit of fun. Until couple of years ago it really dawned to me how useful they really are. Now I cannot get enough of them. For such a small space they take, when you grow them in quantity you really start cropping..far from novelty. By starting early you can grow few plants on window sill for really early toms..just a tasters for things to come..and carry on with later sowings as long as light allows them to crop. From window sill..to GH..and back to window. Not with same plants, but with repeated sowings... ;D
My list of 'littlies' that I'm growing this year...Lime green salad, micro tom, minibel, red & yellow pygmy, losetto, patio, dok hodny, tiny tim, tumbling tom red & yellow, early girl (not really sure if really a dwarf, but seem to be doing ok in pot) , siberian, vilma, maskotka.
I LOVE 'DWARFS'.. ;D...there, its out in the open now.. ;D...may shopping for more dwarfs begin.. ;D (I've cheated, I've already started :-X)

saddad · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2011, 07:42:42 »

I sit corrected Jeannine... :-[

I don't have Lime Green Salad.... hint.. hint.. ::)

goodlife · « **Reply #6 on:** June 15, 2011, 11:39:04 »

Hint received Saddad.. ;D Once I got some fresh seed I shall bag some up for you.. ;) Won't be long..

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2011, 12:27:35 »

I've got a SUb-Arctic Plenty in a sensibly sized pot.... liek the rest of the SAP's that I've grown it's only around 10" tall and it's set a full sized tomato already.... the others aren't far behind.....

chrisc

1066 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2011, 14:21:03 »

I'm not growing any but want to follow this thread :)

Jeannine · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2011, 18:35:00 »

Oh good some interest..goodee.

Goodlife you have a couple, Lime Green Salad, Yellow Pygmy is a true dwarf and it is a potato leaf rugosa so quite unusual, I have never hrad of Red Pygmy though!! The others are are determinates but not dwarfs.

Chris, you have something really odd in your Sub Arctic Plenty, it is a determinate but should grow to 3-4 feet!! Really odd, are they home saved seeds, maybe you have hit on something new.

1066, we can`t leave you out, I will send you a few dwarfs if you want a go.

Saddad, you are welcome to Lime Green Salad if you wish.

XX Jeannine

Twoflower · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2011, 20:07:18 »

i am trying four tomatoes, mr snow, beryl beauty, lime green and ap something from the same company. Jay b got me started and i am pleased she did. Sat in the garden at dinner looking at them, really healthy sturdy plants. Didn't know if they would grow ok out side so have risked a few and so far so good.
Twoflower

Jeannine · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2011, 20:33:38 »

Oh good, super to hear from you regarding the project ones Mr Snow and Beryl Beauty. We can compare growth etc. My project ones sadly were all planted late but they are coming on.

Is the ap something by chance Alpatieva ?

Lime Green Salad is a super dwarf too.

How far are you on?

XX Jeannine

Twoflower · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2011, 20:49:32 »

Yes thats the one, but the lime green isn't a salad but a tomatoe. I sowed them back end of march begining of april and they have just set fruit outside. The ones in the green house have cherry tomato size fruit.

1066 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2011, 08:53:04 »

Thanks Jeannine, but I'm happy to read about them all at the moment. And I realise I have a packet of minbel toms somewhere, it was a freebie :)

What other veggies are there that are classed as "littlies" ?

no-lottie · « **Reply #14 on:** June 16, 2011, 22:20:09 »

I don't grow dwarf's mainly because I have access to many bigger plants with tastier fruit, but I did grow Wild Fred in the early days when grow outs were being done. I have grown Lime Green Salad, but find there are better 'compact' tomatoes that taste better, a good example is Tiny Tim, which I grow every year. New Big Dwarf has been around for years and is probably one dwarf that is best known, and produces nice size tasty fruit.

Everyone's taste is a bit different and a good tasting tomato for me may not be quite as good for you.

GodfreyRob · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2011, 08:06:39 »

I've grown MicroTom for the last 3 years. They do quite well under low light conditions so I have had toms over winter. I gave 3 plants to my mother (who only has a windowsill to grow them on) and she is over the moon with the results. Already 40 fruit from the plants and more to come.

They are really small plants (like less than 6in high) but sit happily on windowsills in side.

I am going to sow some more this weekend - hopefully to have fresh toms in the winter.

no-lottie · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2011, 11:24:14 »

Godfrey - Your Mum would love Red Robin, which are the next size up, with plants averaging 25cm. Another good one to grow in a bigger pot is Totem, a lovely little tasty fruit.

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2011, 16:06:37 »

All my SAP's are very small.... no taller than the pepper plants ATM, and less than half the hight of any other tomato except for the Garden Pearls.... they're no taller than them but the groweth habit isn't the same, more a vertical fan than the hemisphere covered in flowers adn tiny fruit that is a GP.... I'll be putting out one in the GH border adn keeping the others outside... will save seeds cos if new and stable then it's ridiculously early given when it was sown and compared to the others, though of course Black Krim has been setting for a while....

Jeannine · « **Reply #18 on:** June 17, 2011, 19:28:14 »

Twoflower, the full name of that tomato is Lime Green Salad..probably so called as it is a salad sized tomato..I will ask Tom . It does sound more like a lettuce than a tomato name so causes confusion but Salad is part of it's name. I really like it.

XX Jeannine

Jeannine · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2011, 19:34:19 »

1066 , littlies is my word for small things not otherwise classified, I wouldn';t wany anyone to think it was an official term.

Re other littlle veggies. I have cabbages, caulis, broccolli., leeks, lettuces, peppers,peas and runner beans. The peas and beans are very small plants but have normal size veggies.

Maybe we should have a post for small veggies for pots.

XX Jeannine

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Author Topic: Dwarf tomatoes and other littlies. (Read 4017 times)