Odd Growing Tomato

[AlittleSalt]

I've been watching this Black Cherry tomato for a long time now. There were four transplanted into solo cups at one time. The seeds are from 2014 and look kind of small to me. Of the 4, one died (I don't remember why), one got mowed down by a cutworm, one didn't make it through the 70+ mph high winds and hail storm, and then there's this one. It's growing more like a tomato out in the wild. None of the black cherry plants looked as healthy as the vast majority of those I started from seed.

What do you think could cause it to grow like this?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I've been watching this Black Cherry tomato for a long time now. There were four transplanted into solo cups at one time. The seeds are from 2014 and look kind of small to me. Of the 4, one died (I don't remember why), one got mowed down by a cutworm, one didn't make it through the 70+ mph high winds and hail storm, and then there's this one. It's growing more like a tomato out in the wild. None of the black cherry plants looked as healthy as the vast majority of those I started from seed.

What do you think could cause it to grow like this?

70 mph winds, that's what.

Black Cherry seeds are small. When TGS first introduced it all those years ago, they did their own seed production and those of us who bought seeds had terrible germination. Linda then said it was their fault in saving seeds the way they did. But once you got your own plants up and saved your own seeds, they were excellent

Be glad it's still alive and it will grow up to be a nice plant, hopefully.

Carolyn

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you Carolyn

"But once you got your own plants up and saved your own seeds, they were excellent"

That's exactly what I needed to read.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Thank you Carolyn

"But once you got your own plants up and saved your own seeds, they were excellent"

That's exactly what I needed to read.

Salt, that comment referred ONLY to the first time TGS offered seeds for Black Cherry. After that they contracted out for seed production as they do for all of the OP varieties and all was well.

Carolyn

[AlittleSalt]

Oh okay.

I know this sounds kind of strange, but I do believe that over time, saving seeds from plants producing in your garden - and then planting those seeds the next growing season produces a better product.

This idea isn't always true though because I found with crossed okra varieties - it can produce a sickly plant that either doesn't live, doesn't produce okra, grows stunted, or has okra growing that is hard as a rock at any size. Emerald velvet/Crimson spineless cross does not work