Fused Growing Point

[sic transit gloria]

I've observed some interesting anomalies this year, since I have started over 1000 seedlings in order to sell at a local farmer's market. Here's one that perhaps some of you could weigh in on...

I started Bloody Butcher from saved seeds and the germination rate was quite low, probably 15%. The interesting thing was that I have three BB plants with what I called "fused growing points." I'm sure there's a better term for this, but basically the plants have a leaf where the normal growing point would be, and because of that they will not grow beyond the seedling stage. One of the three has a single, sort of inside-out leaf at the growing point, but the other two actually have two leaves conjoined at the growing point.

Has anyone ever noticed this as a problem with BB or any other variety? I though it was statistically very strange that all three of these occurred with the BB seedlings.

[stratcat1]

Sounds like your Bloody Butcher is a "blind," a plant that may not get a growing tip. Once-in-a-while after weeks the tomato plant will start growing normally.

I usually get one or two a year and put them in the window to see if they'll grow like they're supposed to.

john

[sic transit gloria]

But what are the odds that I got three "blinds" in one variety?? There must be some inherent proclivity with BB for this defect. I could see two of them coming out of this, but the one where it's a single, deformed leaf at the growing point, that one is doomed.

[lightt]

Gloria,
I've attached two pictures of KBX plants that I think might (?) look like the Bloody Butcher's you're describing. I've never experienced this before but I did have difficulty with germination (3 out of 15) and it took more that 2 weeks for the first to germinate. The "stunted" one pictured did not germinate until day 22 after planting and had the seed head stuck on for five days after germination. After I was finally able to work the seed head off, it appeared "normal"(?) in the cotyledon phase.

The second photo shows it in comparison to two other KBX's.
Terry Light

[kygreg]

lightt, what kind of cup holder do you have there?

[salix]

Terry, have you created a home-made "cup holder" out of ABS pipe to prevent those beer cups from going over once they get top heavy? And if so, would you mind posting a pic of it empty?

[barkeater]

No problems with BB here, 7/7 germinated. The seedlings are extremely strong with big cotyledons, and the first potato leaf that opens on BB is huge, compared to most other PL varieties, whose first true leaves are about equal in size.

Terry, discard that plant. It will never grow another leaf. It's a eunuch (at least thats what we called them;-)

[lightt]

I have used the 16 oz plastic cups for several years for my tomatoes but have found them to be a royal pain to move around as the plants get larger. Cardboard boxes worked fine(!!) right up to the day after watering what ever was inside them. Various tubs and crates were OK as long as there were the exact number of cups to keep everything upright but as soon as I started giving plants away it would become a jumbled mess.

I used 3.5 inch PVC to make these. The original one I made (first pic) I simply glued the rings together but it was so tight I had to literally squeeze the cups in (pic 2) because of their tapered shape so the next ones I constructed I used some quarter inch flat PVC as spacers (pic 3) to allow the cups to sit straight up.

Each holds 24 cups (6X4) which fits well on the wire shelving I have but if I was doing it again I think I would make them 3X4 as the larger ones are kind of heavy and awkward especially just after watering. I was concerned about the glued joints staying together but one of those spent the entire summer and winter outside and is fine. I'd also make the rings smaller .5 to .75 inches instead of the 1+ inch of these.

I should probably point out this was a "gardening project" done in January of 2007 when I was kinda bored and really couldn't wait to be outside!

Terry Light

[sic transit gloria]

Terry,

Yes, that looks similar. I just found it very strange to have three in one variety in the same year. Although, I am holding out some small hope that two of the three will somehow pull out of it. My other BB seedlings are huge.

[salix]

Terry, thanks for the pictorial "lesson". Love the corner feet! Hope you don't mind me copying your winter garden project - have you applied for a patent?

Good description of the trials and tribulations of using beer cups to pot on tomato seedlings. However, I like using them because of the size and re-usability.