HL260's 125x

[HL2601]

Hi all!
I finally figured out the picture thing. Sean sent me some of his F3 seeds to forward the line. My first impressions are that I like the plant. It has open growth manner which is good. Typical rugose leaves. The bottom leaves tended to yellow much more prematurely than other micros started at the same time. This plant was started 12/1/2020. AT 4/1/2021 it is the first micro to have a ripe tomato. This plant is roughly 18". Tomato appears about 2 oz. Not an MMF. Gorgeous striping. It appears pink to me but I will let it ripen further.

[SeanInVa]

Woohoo on getting pictures working! It's looking good so far! I will be starting some more of the 125X line soon trying to select heavily for height, as most of what I've grown has been 18-24" which I think is too tall.

[HL2601]

Here are two of the 125x F3's I left them on to keep ripening and ripening and they just never got to the red I was expecting. So I picked them. I had a suspicion maybe they were never getting there because in fact they could be pink.

Here is the pic. Tomato epidermis on left is the 125x, the one on the right is from a simple grocery store red grape,

YAY-we have a PINK now!

[SeanInVa]

Awesome! Thoughts on flavor?

[HL2601]

Hmm-sadly a 6. Gorgeous tomato but a 6. Is it worth continuing hoping flavor will change?

[SeanInVa]

Not sure we want to continue with that specific plant, but I think growing out more from the same seeds is definitely something to pursue.

[HL2601]

I figured as much. Boo hoo!

[dfollett]

I agree with Sean. Initially, when I started playing around with micros and making crosses, I focused on plant size, uniqueness, productivity, fruit size and flavor - probably in that order. Everything I crossed with had good flavor and I always assumed great flavor would emerge eventually. I now find myself with quite a few that have most everything I would want, but not good enough flavor. I'm growing lots of F6-F8 plants looking for flavor to go along with the rest of the traits they have. If I were to go back and give my 5 year ago self some advice, I'd say to keep growing more F2s & F3s until I had the flavor to go along with the other traits.

[SeanInVa]

I will say that the F2 plant had pretty good flavor. Many of the other 125x F2s I grew had a mushy/super meaty consistency and blah flavor. This one was crisp and was one of the favorites of the family out of the various micros I grew last year. So the flavor potential is definitely there, according to the wife and kids

[dfollett]

Keep growing the F3s and looking.

[HL2601]

Thanks guys. That is really helpful advice. I will keep trying. It's been a trying winter with all my different micros for some reason....more on that to come. I have a 35x that is the right size and great fruit size and is ripening, Maybe that will be the spot of sunshine from a gray season.