Micro Tomatoes

[Jeannine]

Does anyone have a list of them with heights please ?

[Jeannine]

[rollingrock]

Micro Tom Tomato – This is the mini tomato that started it all. Bred at the University of Florida, this little fellow grows only 5-8 inches tall and bears tasty 1 inch fruit.
Micro Tina Tomato – Slightly larger than her brother Tom, Tina produces a true tomato that is the size of a cherry. This mini tomato plant's red fruit is mildly acidic and sweet.
Micro Gemma Tomato – A mini tomato plant for color and contrast, Micro Gemma's fruit is golden, full fleshed and richly flavored.
Tiny Tim-45 days, dwarf — A heavy yielder with clusters of fine flavored, red fruit that are about one half inch in diameter.
When grown in pots, this variety only grows ten to twelve inches tall and fourteen inches across. It may grow a bit bigger when planted in the garden.

[Jeannine]

I have the seeds   for these 4 and all the descriptions, it is the heights I need, preferably from someone who has grown them as there  seems to be a difference depending on where you look. Tina and Gemma never came with heights.

XX Jeannine

[rollingrock]

try this site for the most rigorous data on the micro toms.
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/35/4/774.full.pdf

[ed dibbles]

Can't help with the sizes of Tina and Gemma I'm afraid but I am growing Micro Tom and Tiny Tim.

The description of Tiny Tim is fair but I would say the fruit size of Micro Tom is more like the size of your little finger nail rather than the one inch suggested. Pretty hopeless for any salad as it would get lost. However it is the first variety to produce any kind of ripe tomato so you can kid yourself the tomato season has begun mid may.

The pdf file mentions a variety called Yellow Canary. If anyone knows where to get this one I would be very interested. I grew this in pots in the greenhouse about ten years ago and began harvesting the first small cherries may 17th. I have seldom come close to that date since.

Rather stupidly I forgot to save the seed so lost it.

Having great success so far with a variety from Wallis Seeds called Cherry Falls. Dwarf plants about  a foot tall planted in a greenhouse border and full of flowers already, (as are the Micro Tom and Tiny Tim)

[Jeannine]

Hi, I am pretty certain that Tatianas Tomatoes has Yellow Canary and she will ship to the UK. I went through all her seeds a few days ago and that was one I was looking for. I do have quite a few different ones but wanted to see what else there is out there. Floragold Basket is a little yellow one too. I can't put my hand on the notes I took but I will go and find it and get back to you.

I have about 12 different ones growing right now and am planning on growing them  through the winter. I have them categorized into less than  12",then   12"  18" 24".. after that they are too big for me.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

Found my list.

Tatianas does has  have Yellow Canary, I was going to order myself but on looking in my stash I have the seeds. I thought I had sown all the varieties of Micros I had so I don't know if I missed this one or if it was one of the two that didn't germinate, my seeds are pretty old. I am going to sow again today. If you want to take a chance I can pop you about 10 in the mail today.

If this helps anyone else. her is my list with heights where I have them. where there is a c=variation eg 6-8 I have put the tallest.

Boets 24-36
Jagodka 24
Polyarne 18
Floragold Basket 8
Mohamed 12
Minibel 12
Hahms Gelbe Topftomate 6
Micro Tina ??? 18
Micro Gemma ??? 18
Micro Tom 8
Micro Gold ?? 8
Early Dwarf Cherry 24
Orange Cherry 18
Sweet Clare ??
Pixie ??
Vilma   ??
Florada Petite 9
Tiny Tim 18
Cherrygold 16
Small Fry ??
Alapatieva 24
Amber Coloured 24
Beta 18
Bonte Tigret 18
Bushy Labarisvsky 18
Chibiko 12
Krainiy Sever 24
Red Alert 18
Spiridonovskie 18

My own Tiny Toes..still not stable at about 12

There are others eg Anmore Treasures and Anmore Dewdrop but they are better suited for hanging baskets.

If anyone knows about anymore I would be obliged.

XX Jeannine

[ed dibbles]

Thanks for the link to Tatianas, Jeannine, It looks like I will soon have Yellow Canary again. I'll make sure to save seed to keep it going this time.

[Jeannine]

Please try the Floragold Basket too. There is another small one which she is very enthusiastic about Krainiy Sever but it is 2 feet tall. Great lady and   a very dedicated grower who by coincidence   is my neighbor just down the road from me.

I bet you can't just buy one !!!!

[Jayb]

If anyone knows about anymore I would be obliged.

XX Jeannine

One little cutie you might be interested in is Mini Me Micro Blue! It's not quite stable but not far off. I'm hoping it will be ready in the autumn. Micro sized plant.

I quite like the three Sweet n' Neat's for growing types, but I'm not sure much wow flavour.

[Jeannine]

OO OO OO .. where do I get that baby bloo one..is it one you are working on yourself??

I have Sweet and Neat too.

XX Jeannine

[Jayb]

Yes, I've been growing them out for a few years, not great tasting or anything, but they are really cute, I thought I had a picture somewhere with some ripe fruit but I can't find it for the moment. I took a picture of some of the little ones I've just sown which are starting to come through.

There's a bit more here with some pictures from last year's young plants http://www.growingfoodsavingseeds.co.uk/forum/main-forum/new-channel/4283-micro-blue-mini-me

[Hector]

Red Robin. Height and spread 12-14 inches. 54 days. Trying this year, so no idea regards taste.

[Jeannine]

That is smashing Jayb.. I am dead jealous..oh I know that is a sin.. rephrase it .I am so proud of you

[Jayb]

Thanks 

Found some pictures, these are from a couple of years ago.

[Jeannine]

Oh now you are just gloating..bless your heart.. I won't go to heaven if I keep these thoughts going.


How did you do it?

XX Jeannine

[Jayb]

No way! I just think they are really cute.

As they are so close I'd rather wait till they are stable to share, which I hope will be later on this year if you fancy giving them a try. The two plants I salvaged and kept over winter have survived quite well by the window.

[Jeannine]

Jay you have sold me on the idea of trying now,, so what do I do, pick two tomatoes 1 micro and one other and swap pollen I guess.. does it matter  what the second one is or should I stick to two types of micros , eg if I start with say Micro Tina then say us a different color tomato.. I need something to get my brain working again..so I am going to have a go, I have two books on breeding veggies I shall dig them out.
I think getting that color is a very great accomplishment Jay and you should be very proud.

[Jeannine]

I have flowers on Micro Gemma!!

[Jayb]

Jay you have sold me on the idea of trying now,, so what do I do, pick two tomatoes 1 micro and one other and swap pollen I guess.. does it matter  what the second one is or should I stick to two types of micros , eg if I start with say Micro Tina then say us a different color tomato.. I need something to get my brain working again..so I am going to have a go, I have two books on breeding veggies I shall dig them out.
I think getting that color is a very great accomplishment Jay and you should be very proud.

Yes that's about the sum of it 
Pick your favourite mini growing dwarf or one with the traits you want to reproduce. I believe Red Robin and Tiny Tim giving good results. I've used several varieties for crossing, Tiny Toes (might interest you) Sweet and Neat the red pink and yellow, Chibikko and Micro Tom. You could also think of making crosses with/for slightly larger dwarves, giving a more productive tomato as the mini ones are very limited by their size.

Yes choosing the partner is the exciting step, whether it be introducing different fruit colour, improving taste, shape etc. One thing to watch is some of the Mini micros have thick tough skin, I believe this is a dominate trait and difficult to select out.

First make your cross.
Harvest the ripe F1 seed.
Sow and grow out the a couple of F1 plants and save the F2 seed.
Grow out as large an F2 population as you can to find the desired mini plants. Once you have selected for the recessive mini dwarf trait in your grow outs it will be captured for future generations and you can then select for other traits