Curiosity, how are the Dwarf project tomatoes doing in the UK

[Jeannine]

Last , apart from 2, I only grew Dwarf Project varieties and it worked out very well for me. I grew about 14 different ones; just one plant of each and had all colors, sizes , shapes, yeilds and of course taste. For me it was great as they were more manageable . I have a lot of the varieties that have been released but I grew all new to me ones last year and found a few real keepers.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

[galina]

Our A4A seed circle exchanged seeds for two dwarf tomatoes, not just the one.  Except by chance, both varieties were already in circulation before the actual dwarf project had started.  I am also still growing the dwarf tomato that Jayb bred, who unfortunately hasn't been on site here for a long time now.

Of the actual project, Tasmanian Chocolate has got to be my favourite.  Such a brilliant fruit to plant ratio, but it is one of the larger ones and needs quite a big pot if pot grown.  This has always done very well for me in Britain. https://www.dwarftomatoproject.net/product/tasmanian-chocolate/

PS As a complete aside, I wanted to ask you about Mayoral Blue Squash.  I know you gave Tatiana seeds, a very long time ago.  But they are not available anywhere now.  What was your source?  SSE? 

[Jeannine]

Hi Galina, I too like Tasmanian Chocolate, My hit this year was Waverley. I tried to concentrate on the ones that were not very tall. around 3feet. I think I have over 20 varieties now, I would have to look to be certain.

Re Mayoral Blue..no I didn't get it on SSE in fact I named it..funny story..

I was on touch with an Australian friend who was in to things that I didn't do , not veggies and I sent a few things over. He asked if I needed anything from OZ and I said yes, there was a winter squash over there that I wanted seeds fromand he got them for me. He happened to mention it at work and a colleague told him of the recent death of a local seed keeper, she was close friends with his daughter and she told him the story of a squash.

A man who sold veggies grew only this one squash annually and had done so for decades, he would not share the seeds and he would only sell the squash itself in halves and he had removed the seeds before he did. It apparently sold very well and he wanted the sales I guess as he apparently was very rigid about this. After his death his daughter found his seed stash including the mystery seeds. My friend asked if it was possible to get any and was told the daughter would be asked..Well, the daughter said yes  and I was sent some of the seeds with a copy of the note that was attached to the mans jar of seeds which said MY blue squash with a brief description.

I shared these original seeds with Tatiana and as the man had been the Mayor of the town he lived in I called the squash  Mayoral Blue as it had to name,Tatiana did grow it and offered the seeds after that but I don;t know how many were sold.

Galina I have some but they are old and I don't know if viable  I don't have many and haven't grown it for some time . I did intend to sow all I had this year in the hope of getting a plant to save seed from and you would be welcome for shares if I manage it.

I am just shopping for the 2025 Dwarf project releases today.

I am confused about the first line of your message.. "both varieties were already in circulation before the actual dwarf project started. I think you mean you had 2 dwarf tomatoes in your circle but they were not Dwarf Project ones.

 Which one of Jays did you have, I sent her the only one I ever personally was responsible for making and I called it Tiny Toes.I twas a sport off a Tommy Toe and turned out a Micro tom.

XX Jeannine

[galina]

Thank you Jeannine and I hope you can get the Mayoral squash to germinate and to grow again. 

Yes, there were older heritage varieties of dwarf tomatoes around before the dwarf tomato project started in 2005.  Like Silvery Fir Tree, Alpatieva and another with yellowish leaves, the name of which escapes me for the moment.  Both Silvery Fir Tree and Alpatieva Dwarf originate from Russia and they were always small plants.  And probably some more too.  Crossing with existing small varieties was the starting point for the dwarf tomato project.  They are definitely easier to handle in pots and nevertheless give a good yield.  Glad you are still getting a lot of delicious harvests from them. 


The variety that Jayb bred, she simply called My dwarf A, MYDWFA for short.  At most a foot and a half high with striped cherry sized fruit in several colours.  Green with purple stripes, solid purple and red with yellow stripes. 

Here from Tatiana's Tomatobase  https://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Alpatieva_905A
https://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Silvery_Fir_Tree

[galina]

Jeannine,  Here is a discussion about Jayb's tomato, where she said that she cannot remember one of the parents.  But I have also posted my photos there of Mydwfa tomato. https://www.growingfoodsavingseeds.co.uk/forum/main-forum/new-channel/779-jayb-s-mydwfa-x

[Jeannine]

Thank you Jeannine and I hope you can get the Mayoral squash to germinate and to grow again. 

Yes, there were older heritage varieties of dwarf tomatoes around before the dwarf tomato project started in 2005.  Like Silvery Fir Tree, Alpatieva and another with yellowish leaves, the name of which escapes me for the moment.  Both Silvery Fir Tree and Alpatieva Dwarf originate from Russia and they were always small plants.  And probably some more too.  Crossing with existing small varieties was the starting point for the dwarf tomato project.  They are definitely easier to handle in pots and nevertheless give a good yield.  Glad you are still getting a lot of delicious harvests from them. 


The variety that Jayb bred, she simply called My dwarf A, MYDWFA for short.  At most a foot and a half high with striped cherry sized fruit in several colours.  Green with purple stripes, solid purple and red with yellow stripes. 

Here from Tatiana's Tomatobase  https://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Alpatieva_905A
https://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Silvery_Fir_Tree

She did send me info for a while but I didn't save it so don't know the background of the one you grew.

I have the Silvery Fir tree and the Alpatieva,ols seed though, I have collected  mini sized tomatoes for a very long time, called micros at this side of the pond. Tatiana had a great selection. I miss her. We were close neighbours, well 4 miles before she bought her new place and moved several hours drive away. She doesn't seem to be very active now but she was very sick for a while. I haven't looked lately though, Her old database is still there as you show but no seeds.

I don't know how easy it is to get the Dwarf project seeds over there and I haven't been personally involved with the project since 2013 . I took inventory of mine yesterday and I actually have more than I thought, over 100 now.I generally pick uo the new releases and they are included in the count as they are in the mail.

 As I have got older and less mobile I play around with micros under lights in the winter and it makes me feel good to see them grow. If you need a few varieties of micros or Dwarf project seeds  let me know there is s decent chance I may have them. I still have more seeds than I should have LOL

I am starting to get very interested in Centiflora/Multiflora types. There are not so many which is probably a good thing.

[galina]

They are available. There are a number here. 

https://www.tomatogrowing.co.uk/html/dwarf-tomato-varieties.html
Real Seeds has some too  https://www.realseeds.co.uk/tomatoes_bush.html

and these are specially from the Dwarf Tomato Project  https://www.tomatorevolution.co.uk/the-dwarf-tomato-project

They are getting very popular.  Both the micros and shorter tomatoes for easier handling up to 4ft or so.  Even a multiflora dwarf, Accordion cherry  https://www.tomatorevolution.co.uk/store/ACCORDION-CHERRY-Multiflora-p531347175

[Jeannine]

Hi Galina, the first 2 don't have Dwarf project seeds. Revolution do but they are missing the name Dwarf from the varieties name in the list  which is officially part of it's name so it is difficult to see which are Dwarf Project seeds or just Dwarfs eg Dwarf Adelaide festival or Dwarf Mr Snow. It is such a fantastic project and without the right name folks may not be aware of it.

I tried to put a link on to Victory seeds here but could not do it, they have the full range  I believe it is 153.

Perhaps someone could show it for me.

As you can see I am a bit passionate about the Project seeds, perhaps because I was involved with doing it and I am certain not enough people know much about it and they are definitely missing out.

Anyway good to know you can get them  in the UK.

I hope all is well with you and I guess you can get many things that I cannot where you are.

I was  bit miffed when Realseeds stopped shipping over here but if I really need something they ship to my niece over there and she sends it on.

XX Jeannine

[galina]

https://victoryseeds.com/collections/dwarf-tomato-project

Jeannine, making links is easy.  Literally copy the url from the top of Victory's website and paste into the text here. 

Yes, it is getting harder and harder to send seeds across both ways unfortunately. Which is another reason to maintain what we have, share and cherish. I am still growing the Wild Boar Farm seeds we originally had from you. Really good tomatoes. Guess you can't grow these any more due to their size. Many a thought of thanks went your way enjoying them over the years. 

Just read this - ". Although the project has now been officially closed, several additional varieties are near completion and will be introduced by us over the next few years."  The dwarf tomato project will release more varieties, but they are no longer actively developing new crosses.




     

[Jeannine]

Thanks Galina, I did try the link that way but I must have been doing it wrong.

There are some of the Project varieties that started with a Wild Boar seed or two, I am not sure off hand which but I think maybe Metallica may have been one of them.

I do still grow two or three  full size tomatoes. Last year it was Pamplemousse De Grandpere a wonderful bi color yellow/pink , Violet  Noir a black, again very good and  a red called Fleur De Reagir, very very fluted so looks very pretty when sliced,

I  usually grow a "biggie" , but not last year. I am going to do so this year, not sure yet which one but still want to try and beat my personal best.

You are right about no more project crosses in the making. although the micros are getting a lot of attention and I know several folks who are doing the same thing there, the multifloras too. I wish I had more years left in me as I would have liked to join in.

I love this time of the year and I hate it to. Planning what to grow and realizing I don't have the space I used to have  but I get by OK in the end.

Maybe the hydro tower my son brought me may work but I have to read up on it. It may look good stuffed with micros though. It has 24  spots to grow in, if I can figure it out it could be great.

 XX Jeannine

[galina]

Hi Jeannine, we had Pamplemousse de GrandPere in the A4A seed circle and yes a very fine, pretty and large bicolour tomato indeed.  Yes, there are a few tomatoes that have the Wild Boar farm looks about them, and as they are often based on stripes, also go back to tomato guru Tom Wagner and his work. Just how many varieties we have now that ultimately go back to his Green Zebra I wonder.   

Looking at the pictures in Victory's there is now literally every possible colour and type also represented in the shorter growth form, a real achievement of the Dwarf Tomato project.  Presumably also with many of the resistances bred in that many modern tomatoes have over the older varieties.  And as all of them are high yielding too, this breeding program really has achieved the best of all worlds. On a large scale too. 

Indeed, garden planning and dreaming.  This growing year hasn't yet made a dent into our dreams, with the inevitable gardening reality setting in!  I hope you can get your tower going.  I can imagine it festooned with micros from top to bottom and all the way round.  Must be easier to care for than a lot of individual pots.  xx