Interested in Growing a Multiflora Dwarf?

[clkingtx]

Here are a few pictures of my babies:

Everybody seems to be doing well, so I am holding off on splitting them up. Probably will in another week or so.

Carrie

[Barb_FL]

They look really good.

I split mine up a couple of days ago but I'm racing against hot weather. I ended up putting one of each in a 4" pot and the others in their own cell to see if they make it. A couple in the cell were/are really tiny. I will post pics once I see some growth and hopefully everyone makes it.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

I'm not sure yet. If I find one big enough that I like Ill do that otherwise I'll do two smaller ones. I'd welcome suggestions since you've grown these specific micro dwarves.

I have mostly used one-gallon pots and they seem to do fine. I've grown some to maturity in 4" red cups that have produced 20-30 fruits. However, they definitely do better in the larger pots. Perhaps they would be better off in even larger pots. That's one thing I hope we learn as people try different things and report back.

I know they do need some horizontal space. These are not stable and will not all come the same. They will need support of some sort and could easily take 12" -15" of horizontal space. If you crowd them in too tight a space they will grow together and stifle air flow.

Whatever you do, good luck and report back.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by dfollett

I have mostly used one-gallon pots and they seem to do fine. I've grown some to maturity in 4" red cups that have produced 20-30 fruits. However, they definitely do better in the larger pots. Perhaps they would be better off in even larger pots. That's one thing I hope we learn as people try different things and report back.

I know they do need some horizontal space. These are not stable and will not all come the same. They will need support of some sort and could easily take 12" -15" of horizontal space. If you crowd them in too tight a space they will grow together and stifle air flow.

Whatever you do, good luck and report back.

Do you have any pictures of them with fruit in the gallon or 4" red cups?

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Do you have any pictures of them with fruit in the gallon or 4" red cups?

Not sure I have any photos of the small cups, but here are a few in one-gallon (or smaller) pots. These were grown indoors in a sun room where there was obviously no wind. They would certainly need to be supported outside.

First two photos are the same plant a month apart. I had already picked 75+ fruits before the last photo was taken. I've never seen so many blossoms on one plant before.

The last three photos are the same plant - that one stayed small.

[dfollett]

A few mote photos. Again, first two photos are the same plant - second two photos are also the same plant.

It will be interesting to see how they do in a real garden. The most interesting thing about this project has been how different they come from the same batch of seeds - not just different fruit, but plant size, growth habit, leaf shape and size and everything else about them is dramatically different from one to another.

[ddsack]

Dan, those are gorgeous plants!

Just started 6 seeds of each of the 6 selections you sent, can't wait to see what comes up. If I have room in the greenhouse after I seed my main batches of indets, I'll drop additional seeds of your F3's. Lots of room for gallon pots outside this summer.

[heirloomtomaguy]

I never get sick of seeing micros. Very nice Dan very nice.

[Barb_FL]

Thank you for posting the pictures. I'm so impressed. You should be getting all the volunteers you need.

Because it was so late in the season, I only planted 2 varieties but will be sure to grow them all out starting in August.

They look so healthy and productive. What are you feeding them? I want to do the same.

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

They look so healthy and productive. What are you feeding them? I want to do the same.

I do nothing fancy. I mix a full capfull of Osmocote 14-14-14, some mixed into the bottom and the rest around the top of the pot a couple of inches below the surface. Once they start fruiting heavily I add TTF every couple of weeks. I learned that the hard way. I had several deteriorate and have fruit quality fall off rapidly before I realized they probably need more fertilizer than normal plants. Since I've used the extra fertilizer later, they have held up much better.

I'm sure there are other fertilizing regimens that will work as good or better. That's part of what I hope we learn with these trials. Use your normal regimen, just realize that they will probably need extra if they set fruit like I hope they will.

Three weeks from sowing 12 seeds of each, and here are how many have grown:

12X-F3-7 12 plants 100%

13X-F3-1 7 plants
13X-F3-2 7 plants
13X-F3-6 4 plants

21X-F2-1 10 plants

37X-F2-1 7 plants

[MarinaRussian]

70 babies started. Keeping my fingers X'ed for these X's

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by disneynut1977

I will be waiting by the mailbox too. There is not much choice for micros or small enough to easily grow indoors now. It would be great to open up those choices fo those that want to grow indoors almost year round.

Dan I do have another question, on average what was the dtm you were getting on your f2's?

I looked back through this thread and realized I missed answering the question about days to maturity. Unfortunately, I don't have a good answer. I don't know know the DTM for them. I assume they will vary. I have been growing them indoors continuously since August. I have churned through many 100's of plants and had them at every stage of maturity at any given time. Unfortunately, I haven't kept track of dates at all.

[clkingtx]

I was wondering what the 11/12X means. I think the 11X, or 13X, or 14- means those particular crosses, but what does the two numbers together mean?

I am really curious about the family trees for these plants, it is really fun to try to guess what is going to come of them!

Carrie

[dfollett]

Originally Posted by clkingtx

I was wondering what the 11/12X means. I think the 11X, or 13X, or 14- means those particular crosses, but what does the two numbers together mean?

I am really curious about the family trees for these plants, it is really fun to try to guess what is going to come of them!

Carrie

I'm happy to share any information I have about any of them. It was a sorta kinda screwup.

11X was a cross of the micro multi-flora X (Brandywine X Margaret Curtain F1).
12X was a cross of the micro multi-flora X (Pink Pioneer X Margaret Curtain F1).

Last summer while I was gathering fruit from the F1s to save seed, I accidentally mixed fruit from those two crosses. Brandywine and Pink Pioneer are very similar - indeterminate - PL - Pink - large fruited - great tasting. Both were crossed with MC. The F1s were nearly identical. I decided to save seed from that batch of fruit anyway. I kept that batch separate from the other batches of those two crosses.

Those labeled 11/12X are from that batch of seeds.