Interested in Growing a Multiflora Dwarf?

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by korney19

Are you saying your crosses weren't homozygous and you are crossing heteros F4 x F1? Why didn't you start with something easier? I probably would have stabilized one or both first to cut down the variables.

You say that as if you think I plan things ahead of time…..

I was playing with my first crosses last year and also growing out the micro multiflora for ChrisK. I decided I wanted to see if I could come up with a larger fruited micro multiflora. I made crosses with the only large-fruited varieties I had available – the F1s. That was the origin of all of the crosses I’ve sent out as part of this thread.

I have since made numerous other crosses with the F5, F6 & F7 of the micro multiflora with many other varieties – full-size, dwarf and micro – some stable and some unstable. I have F1s of most of those different crosses growing this summer. I’d love to get more of them or their F2 seed into other growers hands and have them see what is there to be found in the dwarf – micro multiflora realm. That is the purpose of this thread.

In the meantime, I considered what possibilities are available given what I have so far. I decided to see if I could find a multiflora indeterminate variety with larger fruit and good flavor. That’s why I am growing out the full-sized F2s from that cross I referenced a few posts ago.

You tweaked my interest with your post about internodes and multiflora. This might give us an opportunity to learn something and maybe give the ‘experts’ something to ponder on and study further.

Besides, if you’re not looking for something specific, the instability makes it more interesting. It is absolutely mind-boggling to see the variety that comes from some of these crosses.

The most vigorous and wild-growing tomato plant I have ever grown is an F1 of a cross of the micro multiflora F6 (which is nearing stability) with Silvery Fir Tree. I assumed it would be something small because the mama in less than 16” in height and SFT has never grown much over 24” for me. Obviously, whatever gene keeps the micro small has nothing in common with the genes that keep SFT small since the F1 is goes completely nuts. I have never grown anything that grows faster and wilder that it did. And you should see the variety of leaf shapes on the F2s from that cross that I recently potted up.

I'll shut up. I'm rambling.....