A Three Leaf Seedling ?
San Marzano Seedling with Three Starter Leaves
I’m not sure what to think about this seedling with three starter leaves, but I am pretty sure it is a genetic trait that has been changed from the other seedlings. Having three leaves would seem like an advantage, since this would allow the plant to collect 50% more light while growing, but it would also require 50 % more plant material. I have marked this seedling, and I hope to track it all the way through it’s growth cycle. If the tomatoes that it bears are similar to others, or if they taste or look better, I’ll save those seeds. Next year, I’ll look for the same trait in those seedlings, and pinch off the two leaf seedlings. If I do this long enough, I should get a unique new tomato variety.
However, it could be all a waste of time…… I imagine the business that sold me these seeds would use some kind of mechanized system to sort seeds, and this could simply be a stray flower seed.
Time will tell….
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Perhaps this is not as rare as we think. I have a tri-leaf seedling from the same seed package I used last year. So, did you track the production of the tri-leaf, and if so, what happen? More or less tomatoes ?
What is that starter mix you’re using? I have been using a Miracle Grow starter mix and cut-in-half toliet paper tubes for my dozen plants. The M.Grow mix is sterile and prevents damping off. It looks like you’re using a charcoal mix?
I did track this tri-leaf plant all the way through tomato production (It was a San Marzano). The majority of my Tomato patch was wiped out by Late Blight last year. I had planted this tomato away from the rest of the plants, and it grew without a sign of blight for the remainder of the year. I’ve saved the seeds from this plant, and hope to start a few dozen plants with them. I should note the tomatoes looked and tasted just like the other San Marzano/Roma plants that I grew.
As for the seeds, I use Miracle Grow Potting Soil for all of my seedlings. I haven’t been able to find seed starting mix in big enough bags for my habit, and I’ve found potting soil to work very well with all of the plants I’ve tried. I also use Potting Soil for all of my Grape clones.