What do I need to know about Dwarves?

LindyAdele · December 3, 2015

I would like to try two or three dwarf varieties this summer, especially because space is limited for me. I squeeze 5 plants into a 4x8 foot bed and they are tremendous work to trellis. I have a number of 5 gallon pots and wonder if I could try dwarves in those? Or do they require more space?
Would you recommend planting them alongside large indeterminates or will they just get swallowed up?

What do I need to know about growing them?
What are your favourite varieties? (especially for shorter season?)
Are there cherry versions?

Thanks!

ContainerTed · December 3, 2015

Dwarf Arctic Rose comes immediately to mind. Very Early Determinate. Great tasting tomatoes that will grow in a 5 gallon bucket of in the ground. Small 30 inch tall plant.

There are many others.

RobinB · December 3, 2015

The first thing that comes to mind is that they still need support, especially those that produce large tomatoes. I've had pretty good luck just using one of those round tomato cages from the hardward store though. I have enjoyed Rosella Purple and Tasmanian Chocolate a great deal and plan to try some others this year.

We are working on dwarf cherries, though nothing has been released yet! I have been pursuing two that are now in F6, so it may be one more year before they are released, perhaps less. One is white, called Dwarf Desert Star and the other is gold, called Dwarf Galen's Yellow. Both are from the cross named "Plucky," which is a cross from Galina's Yellow and Golden Dwarf Champion. These plants definitely need support even though the fruit is small because of the volume of these prolific plants. They are about 4' tall and 2-3' wide when grown in ground.

Robin

Spike2 · December 3, 2015

hmmmmm?

These Dwarves:

Or These Dwarves:

OMG I am too amusing

Greatgardens · December 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindyAdele

I would like to try two or three dwarf varieties this summer, especially because space is limited for me. I squeeze 5 plants into a 4x8 foot bed and they are tremendous work to trellis. I have a number of 5 gallon pots and wonder if I could try dwarves in those? Or do they require more space?
Would you recommend planting them alongside large indeterminates or will they just get swallowed up?

What do I need to know about growing them?
What are your favourite varieties? (especially for shorter season?)
Are there cherry versions?

Thanks!

In addition to the (mostly) Dwarf Indetermnates from the Dwarf Tomato Project, there are some others. Better Bush and Husky Red come to mind. I have done several "grow-off's" in my EarthBoxes, and Better Bush is the winner for me for habit, flavor, and durability. Husky Cherry Red is likely the most popular dwarf cherry. In addition there is "Tidy Treats" -- a new compact indeterminate which I plan on growing this year. Most of these dwarfs are 4-5' tall and are "tree-type" (upright) growers that will need caging or staking to support them. A small determinate variety that is quite space-efficient is "Container Choice." Worth considering. In my experience, none of these will produce as long as a full-sized Indeterminate like Better Boy (etc.), but they do produce over a longer period than many determinate varieties, so you might consider staggering your plantings.
-GG

Worth1 · December 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike2

hmmmmm?

These Dwarves:

Or These Dwarves:

OMG I am too amusing

You beat me to it.
I was going to say that one will come to your house and you invite him in.
Then his friends show up and the next thing you know they have eaten everything in the house.

Worth

natural · December 3, 2015

5 gallon bags/pots will work for you. Here is a photo of some of my plants in 5 gallon bags. I now space them 2 feet apart but have used 18 inch spacing in the past and dealt with some crowding.

The use of a small tomato cage works well for some of the taller varieties that are not as dense. For denser varieties, I prefer to use a stake.

Bill

LindyAdele · December 4, 2015

Thanks everyone! I did mean dwarf tomato plants.

I am thinking about dwarf sweet sue and dwarf tasmanian chocolate to start off my adventure (and there is a possibility of trying something called dwarf balkan tiger, but I think its still in F5?). I have some spiral stakes that I will probably try in combination with tomato cages for support, and see how they fair on my patio!

Do they require more feeding than regular varieties, and how are they for water? For instance, I found heart and paste varieties very weak in stem and folliage, and needed far more water than some of my regular plants such as coutralee and black krim. In the same bed, I would have hearty plants take off, and my hearts were really pathetic and low producing. I am hoping for good things from dwarves?

natural · December 4, 2015

In my experience, they have the same requirements as my other tomatoes. If I do anything different, I cut back a little on the nitrogen.

Bill

Zenbaas · December 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by natural

In my experience, they have the same requirements as my other tomatoes. If I do anything different, I cut back a little on the nitrogen.

Bill

And no sucker pulling/pruning..?

Gardeneer · December 4, 2015

You have to know that not all dwarfs are created the same.
Some grow as short as 10 inched and some as tall as 5ft.

Some dwarfs are determinant some are indeterminant.

Worth1 · December 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

You have to know that not all dwarfs are created the same.
Some grow as short as 10 inched and some as tall as 5ft.

Some dwarfs are determinant some are indeterminant.

How can there be an indeterminate dwarf?
That is like Jumbo shrimp.

Or the worlds largest cherry tomato contest.

Just kidding.

Worth

Zenbaas · December 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

How can there be an indeterminate dwarf?
That is like Jumbo shrimp.

Or the worlds largest cherry tomato contest.

Just kidding.

Worth

Funny enough Worth I have always considered the "Dwarf" tomatoes to be indeterminate in the way they grow(albeit slow) and determinate tomatoes as it's own category all together.

Gardeneer · December 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

How can there be an indeterminate dwarf?
That is like Jumbo shrimp.

Or the worlds largest cherry tomato contest.

Just kidding.

Worth

Determinate and indeterminate refers to specific growth habit , not necessarily the size .

Example : Dwarf Purple Heart :
I grew it this year (First year of its introduction) and IT IS INDETERMINANT. I checked Tania's site. Also listed as Indet.
It was a vigorous plant, over 5 ft.

Gardeneer

nancyruhl · December 5, 2015

How about Dwarf Arctic Rose. Container Ted said determinate. Tatianas's says both. I grew it last summer and really liked it, but thought it was still producing late in the season. I don't really keep records on that sort of thing.

December 3, 2015	#1
LindyAdele Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 323	What do I need to know about Dwarves? I would like to try two or three dwarf varieties this summer, especially because space is limited for me. I squeeze 5 plants into a 4x8 foot bed and they are tremendous work to trellis. I have a number of 5 gallon pots and wonder if I could try dwarves in those? Or do they require more space? Would you recommend planting them alongside large indeterminates or will they just get swallowed up? What do I need to know about growing them? What are your favourite varieties? (especially for shorter season?) Are there cherry versions? Thanks!

December 3, 2015	#2
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Dwarf Arctic Rose comes immediately to mind. Very Early Determinate. Great tasting tomatoes that will grow in a 5 gallon bucket of in the ground. Small 30 inch tall plant. There are many others. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

December 3, 2015	#3
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	The first thing that comes to mind is that they still need support, especially those that produce large tomatoes. I've had pretty good luck just using one of those round tomato cages from the hardward store though. I have enjoyed Rosella Purple and Tasmanian Chocolate a great deal and plan to try some others this year. We are working on dwarf cherries, though nothing has been released yet! I have been pursuing two that are now in F6, so it may be one more year before they are released, perhaps less. One is white, called Dwarf Desert Star and the other is gold, called Dwarf Galen's Yellow. Both are from the cross named "Plucky," which is a cross from Galina's Yellow and Golden Dwarf Champion. These plants definitely need support even though the fruit is small because of the volume of these prolific plants. They are about 4' tall and 2-3' wide when grown in ground. Robin

December 3, 2015	#4
Spike2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 992	hmmmmm? These Dwarves: Or These Dwarves: OMG I am too amusing

December 4, 2015	#8
LindyAdele Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 323	Thanks everyone! I did mean dwarf tomato plants. I am thinking about dwarf sweet sue and dwarf tasmanian chocolate to start off my adventure (and there is a possibility of trying something called dwarf balkan tiger, but I think its still in F5?). I have some spiral stakes that I will probably try in combination with tomato cages for support, and see how they fair on my patio! Do they require more feeding than regular varieties, and how are they for water? For instance, I found heart and paste varieties very weak in stem and folliage, and needed far more water than some of my regular plants such as coutralee and black krim. In the same bed, I would have hearty plants take off, and my hearts were really pathetic and low producing. I am hoping for good things from dwarves?

December 4, 2015	#9
natural Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North GA Posts: 530	In my experience, they have the same requirements as my other tomatoes. If I do anything different, I cut back a little on the nitrogen. Bill

December 4, 2015	#11
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	You have to know that not all dwarfs are created the same. Some grow as short as 10 inched and some as tall as 5ft. Some dwarfs are determinant some are indeterminant.

December 5, 2015	#15
nancyruhl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Posts: 1,051	How about Dwarf Arctic Rose. Container Ted said determinate. Tatianas's says both. I grew it last summer and really liked it, but thought it was still producing late in the season. I don't really keep records on that sort of thing.