What Would be the Ideal Micro?

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by akgardengirl

What lines are they from? It would be great to get that size on some of the lines I am growing out but right now it is just cherry sized.
Sue

These are from some new crosses I just made last spring. Everything I had up until these included a single cross with a large fruited indeterminate and a micro cherry. I only found one line that showed anything larger than what I call XL Cherry. Last spring, I crossed some of the unstable micros from those original crosses back to other large fruited multicolored indeterminates. I grew out the F2s last summer. These are among the first F3s I’ve grown from those crosses. I’m sure that second injection of larger fruited genes is what makes the difference.

The mama to the fine leaf one is from the 33X line I sent you. I’d be happy to send you some F2 seeds from some of these second-generation crosses if you want – but you’d have to micro-hunt.

[akgardengirl]

Thanks for the offer but I will be pretty much out of room soon since I started my main season tomatoes Sunday. I love the looks of the 33x line but they are not early at all for me. I'm finding that the 53, 13 and the 63 lines are the earliest so far. I am growing a few of the 53 and 13 for the greenhouse this summer.
Sue

[dfollett]

I’m resurrecting this thread to learn if there is anyone who is still growing offspring of any of the crosses I have sent out. Are there any out there worth growing? If so, what are they like? What generation are they? How’s the productivity and flavor? Either way, thanks for your involvement.

I have several lines I am working with that are approaching stability. My plan is to have some of those ready to ask people to trial next spring. Stay tuned!

In the meantime…….. I’m starting a new micro thread hoping to find a BLT worthy micro. Hopefully, there will be folks interested in helping with that search.

[BettyC-5]

I have been rather slow reporting on the micros I grew this year. I grew 33X F5, 51X F5 and 53X F5. None of them were very impressive. Either too tall, not multifloral, or bland taste. I only kept seeds from 51X, will be F6. It wasn't multi but was OK for taste: tangy, not overly sweet, slightly tough skin. I have two plants growing now for late winter use.
One thing I noticed was the little ones take longer to get ripe than regular tomatoes, at least for me. Threw in a couple pictures of them.

[Idahowoman]

Will have reports soon
Susan

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by BettyC-5

I have been rather slow reporting on the micros I grew this year. I grew 33X F5, 51X F5 and 53X F5. None of them were very impressive. Either too tall, not multifloral, or bland taste. I only kept seeds from 51X, will be F6. It wasn't multi but was OK for taste: tangy, not overly sweet, slightly tough skin. I have two plants growing now for late winter use.
One thing I noticed was the little ones take longer to get ripe than regular tomatoes, at least for me. Threw in a couple pictures of them.

Thanks for the info. Wish they had been (hope they are) better tasting. That's what we're really looking for.

[hl2601]

I have been working on several micros. Below are pics so you can compare their fruits.

Seeds were started Jan 7 and I finally pulled them Oct 7. All just kept pumping out fruit which continually surprised me and the neighbors I gave them to. That's a real plus in my book . I also really like that they are so accessible in small pots on the patio. The flavor may not be as deep or sweet as a mid season regular sized favorite but I still like the flavor. I also like having tomatoes all year/ so I guess there are gives and takes. On the whole mine were more tangy than sweet, but all, with the exception of one are keepers for me.

33xF6- love the carrot leaf. Not MF, red fruit with a nipple. Earliest producer.This has been stable for me over several generations now.
51xF4 red- Not MF. The only one where the flavor was bland and I found the skin tough. I am not taking it forward.
51xF5yellow- This is a great little plant. Not MF. Yellow tomatoes with cute nipples, good production. Probably my favorite flavor wise. Neighbors liked this best too!
70xF4 red/yellow stripes- I like this one quite a lot. Great looking. Not MF. Fruits are similar in size and color to Sunrise Bumblebee. The smallest plant of all my micros-about 11" Similar in size to Hardin's Miniature for me.
70xF4 purple- MF and the largest fruit of any of the micros I grew. Great color. A taller plant closer to 18-20" (so technically not a micro?) but still manageable in my veg trug on the deck.
17xF2-red- sowed 125 seedlings, narrowed down to 7 searching for micros. Kept and grew 3 smallest. All had red tomatoes. 2 of the 3 were MF. All 3 were dwarves. 2.5-3 ft. I guess I will go back to the F2s and try again. A genetics question here, is the micro trait fixed for further generations if you find it in the F2's? If my F2's were dwarves and I grow their seeds will all be dwarves going further-ie no micro could pop up?

Heide

[Nan_PA_6b]

Micros should be stable. The dwarfs could throw micros in the future.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Micros should be stable. The dwarfs could throw micros in the future.

My understanding also. Everything from dwarfs will be dwarf or smaller - nothing larger.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by hl2601

..... A taller plant closer to 18-20" (so technically not a micro?) but still manageable in my veg trug on the deck.

17xF2-red- sowed 125 seedlings, narrowed down to 7 searching for micros. Kept and grew 3 smallest. All had red tomatoes. 2 of the 3 were MF. All 3 were dwarves. 2.5-3 ft. I guess I will go back to the F2s and try again. A genetics question here, is the micro trait fixed for further generations if you find it in the F2's? If my F2's were dwarves and I grow their seeds will all be dwarves going further-ie no micro could pop up?

Heide

Nice photos, thanks. I'm glad to see you're enjoying them.

You said '18-20" (so technically not a micro?)'. I'm not aware of a rigid definition of a 'micro'. That's one of the reasons I started this thread years ago. I still don't know what defines a micro. After growing hundreds of them, I prefer those that stay under 12". They're easier to manage and you can fit more of them on a shelf.....

It is not the same with micros as with dwarfs. A dwarf is a dwarf because it is homozygous for the specific dwarf gene. As seedlings, it is easy to tell a dwarf from an regular indeterminate plant - literally from germination. They show their colors, so to speak, early and hold true to type. It also has rugose leaves and a stocky trunk and a few other specific characteristics.

Not so much with micros. Some that appear to be micro (by staying smaller than everything around them) throughout the seedling stage and through potting up and final planting, end up growing well past what is considered micro - Like your 17X F2s. For what it is worth, I grew out one large batch of 17X F2 (300+ seeds) and didn't end up with any either - something about that cross.

[dfollett]

Thanks Mischka and everyone who has worked over the years to make Tomatoville a pleasant place to learn (with a special thanks to Carolyn).

I have learned a tremendous amount at Tomatoville and have enjoyed the willingness of members to share – information – seeds – whatever. One of the main things I have learned is how much I still don’t know.

I would appreciate it if anyone who is still growing any of the crosses I sent out would contact me at danbfollett@gmail.com if you find anything you feel worth pursuing. I would like to see what has been found and stabilized. I would also be happy to send seeds to others interested in trying to find unique or interesting micros (and maybe a dwarf or two).

[bower]

Dan, I've really enjoyed reading about your projects. Best of luck in future and hope to see you around somewhere out there in the ether. If not I'll shoot you an email some time.