Can I prune back my Sungolds without hurting the plants?

[TomatoNut]

My mother likes her tomatoes juicy. I have one called Garden Peach I will grow for her. It's fuzzy. Oh yes, I do own the Roma variety. But I did not plant some for myself this year. But I have a beefsteak, and an oxheart growing. Like I've said, I own MANY varieties, and will always take more. Here is my 'mystery tomato' so far. I cannot wait to see what it's like.

 

[Chuck]

My mother likes her tomatoes juicy. I have one called Garden Peach I will grow for her. It's fuzzy. Oh yes, I do own the Roma variety. But I did not plant some for myself this year. But I have a beefsteak, and an oxheart growing. Like I've said, I own MANY varieties, and will always take more. Here is my 'mystery tomato' so far. I cannot wait to see what it's like.

All I can tell you about the plant is that it is an indeterminate and potato leaf variety and probably a cherry type due to the number of blooms on the truss.

 

[TomatoNut]

I'm sure it's not potato-leafed, I have grown the potato-leafed variety German Pink and it's foliage doesn't match. Nuts, I was hoping it to be a big-fruited variety. Hmm. I'd like to have a few words with the person I bought this messed-up variety from. It certainly isn't a Micro-Tom. Either they stuck the wrongs seeds in the packet, or if they did actually save the seeds from a Micro-Tom , and it just didn't come true to type. I was under the impression Micro-Tom was an heirloom. Baker Creek sells them, but when I tried to order the Micro-Toms from them, they were out of stock, so I went to eBay.

 

[Chuck]

I'm sure it's not potato-leafed, I have grown the potato-leafed variety German Pink and it's foliage doesn't match. Nuts, I was hoping it to be a big-fruited variety. Hmm. I'd like to have a few words with the person I bought this messed-up variety from. It certainly isn't a Micro-Tom. Either they stuck the wrongs seeds in the packet, or if they did actually save the seeds from a Micro-Tom , and it just didn't come true to type. I was under the impression Micro-Tom was an heirloom. Baker Creek sells them, but when I tried to order the Micro-Toms from them, they were out of stock, so I went to eBay.

It isn't a regular leafed variety and not a totally potato leafed type either. Each variety of tomato has a leaf slightly different than another and its impossible to tell what a variety is by the leaf alone. That plant has nothing to do with a micro tom. A micro tom is an old hybrid that they call an heirloom because it is stable and open pollinated.
I don't think it is a large fruited variety. If not a cherry its a small to medium sized tomato.

 

[TomatoNut]

Ah.. I see. So this person on eBay probably did save the seeds from a Micro Tom, and the two plants I have did not come true to type, and could possibly be one of the parents to the Micro Tom? Interesting! I didn't know Micro-Tom was old. I will save the seeds from this plant and see if it comes true. I received my other Micro-Toms from Baker Creek the other day; I had re-ordered them after seeing these other plants were incorrect.

 

[TomatoNut]

Think I could research Micro-Tom somehow to find out what it's parents were?

 

[Chuck]

Ah.. I see. So this person on eBay probably did save the seeds from a Micro Tom, and the two plants I have did not come true to type, and could possibly be one of the parents to the Micro Tom? Interesting! I didn't know Micro-Tom was old. I will save the seeds from this plant and see if it comes true. I received my other Micro-Toms from Baker Creek the other day; I had re-ordered them after seeing these other plants were incorrect.

 

[Chuck]

Ah.. I see. So this person on eBay probably did save the seeds from a Micro Tom, and the two plants I have did not come true to type, and could possibly be one of the parents to the Micro Tom? Interesting! I didn't know Micro-Tom was old. I will save the seeds from this plant and see if it comes true. I received my other Micro-Toms from Baker Creek the other day; I had re-ordered them after seeing these other plants were incorrect.

Micro Toms come true, they are stable. Unlike say a Celebrity which has been around many years too. If the MT seeds did not come true they are not MT seeds. Save the seeds. It will come true. Someone just sent you the wrong seeds.

 

[TomatoNut]

Which is why I prefer heirlooms. I like to save the seeds and save money rather then re-purchasing the hybrid types. Hybrid seed ain't cheap!

 

[Chuck]

Think I could research Micro-Tom somehow to find out what it's parents were?

I doubt it. MT are probably patented and even if not where would you begin to look. All heirlooms were at one time a hybrid.

 

[TomatoNut]

I would love to be ableto create myown personal heirloom tomato! I know it would take time: cross-breeding and saving seeds out from many generations of the plants showing the characterists I bred it to be: interesting color, foilage, disease resistant, heat and other weather tolerance.

 

[headfullofbees]

http://www.globalsciencebooks.info/Online/GSBOnline/images/0712/GGG_1(2)/GGG_1(2)167-179o.pdf

It's science though, so probably worthless.

 

[TomatoNut]

I never see gardening as a 'science'. Just a pleasure, a blessing and a passion. Some of the oddly colored tomato varieties I own were bred by someone. I hope to try it someday.

 

[headfullofbees]

I never see gardening as a 'science'. Just a pleasure, a blessing and a passion. Some of the oddly colored tomato varieties I own were bred by someone. I hope to try it someday.

They bred them using science. There is no reason why science can't be a pleasure and a passion. As there is no god, I'm afraid it can't be a blessing; that implies remote control.

 

[TomatoNut]

There is so God! And gardening is to a great blessing!! Sure, science can be certain people's pleasures/passions, but gardening is NOT learned through facts, figures and scientific gobbledy-goop! There are experimentations within gardening, but it is still learned through experience, reading many many gardening books like I do, and having good old gardeners like Chuck to help guide you if you get stumped.