Jump to: RL vs. PL Foliage Discussion | Pruning Tips for Dwarfs
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-11 Experience)
Dwarf Loxton Lass.
Bred as part of the Dwarf Tomato Project, released in 2016. It’s a cross between Rosella Purple and Orange Heirloom, released right alongside Loxton Lad. They got similar names because they’re basically sister varieties, though Lass puts out slightly smaller fruits in the 6-10.5 oz (180-300 g) range.
I had two plants in the greenhouse, didn’t prune them at all, and they topped out around 24″ (60 cm). Classic stout, tree-type plants with rugose foliage like most Dwarfs. Absolutely loved this one—mid-season and super productive. Tomatoes are orange, pushing 9 oz (250 g), and insanely good with a buttery texture 😋
Props to @LanaD for the seeds 🙏
Edited September 24, 2019 by Svetikk
Sveta, how many did you end up pulling off a single plant?
On 9/24/2019, Ornella said:
Sveta, how many did you end up pulling off a single plant?
Didn’t really count, but I’d say around a dozen each.
RL vs. PL Foliage Discussion
On 9/24/2019, Svetikk said:
rugose foliage
Hey Sveta!
Is it regular leaf or potato leaf (PL)?
On 4/4/2021, Khrizantema57 said:
Hey Sveta!
Is it regular leaf or potato leaf (PL)?
Dwarf Loxton Lass is rugose regular leaf (RL).
Edited April 4, 2021 by Tiffany
On 4/4/2021, Khrizantema57 said:
Hey Sveta!
Is it regular leaf or potato leaf (PL)?
Hey! Nope, definitely not PL!
On 4/4/2021, Svetikk said:
Nope, definitely not PL!
😢 Well mine is potato leaf. The little plant looks healthy though, so I’m gonna grow it out anyway.
On 4/4/2021, Khrizantema57 said:
😢 Well mine is potato leaf. The little plant looks healthy though, so I’m gonna grow it out anyway.
Where’d you get your seeds? A bunch of the Dwarfs are potato leaf, we might be able to narrow it down 🤔 Dwarf Orange Cream is PL, for example.
Edited April 4, 2021 by Svetikk
On 4/4/2021, Svetikk said:
Where’d you get your seeds?
Someone sent them to me from Volgograd.
Here’s what my foliage looks like. Does this look PL to you guys?
The fruits are flattened beefsteaks, but the color is more of an apricot-orange rather than a bright orange.
Edited August 29, 2021 by Marusha
On 8/29/2021, Marusha said:
Here’s what my foliage looks like. Does this look PL to you guys?
The fruits are flattened beefsteaks, but the color is more of an apricot-orange rather than a bright orange.
Nope, not PL. That’s a regular leaf.
Dwarf Loxton Lass
Grew this in the greenhouse and it was one of the first to ripen, right alongside Sibiryachka Tosya and Dwarf Purple Heart. Really tasty tomatoes, buttery flesh, and a perfect sweet-to-acid balance. The early ones were 10.5 oz (300 g) plus, with the later ones dropping to around 7 oz (200 g). Plants stayed nice and compact at 20-24″ (50-60 cm). Overall, I loved this Lass! 😋
Props for the seeds to Lena @Kemerovchanka 🥰
Pruning Tips for Dwarfs
Hey Sveta! Do you seriously not prune this one at all?
On 6/12/2022, Baryshnya-krestyanka said:
Hey Sveta! Do you seriously not prune this one at all?
Hey! Not right now! Later on you can pinch out the weak suckers and take off any leaves that are shading out the strong ones.
I always prune my dwarfs down to two main stems. Otherwise, they just turn into an overgrown brush with a million blossoms like a mimosa tree. The fruits on this dwarf Lass (such a weird mix of masculine and feminine words in Russian 🙂 really impressed me with their delicate apricot color and flavor. But the shelf life is zero. You basically have to walk out to the plant carrying a plate and a knife 🙂 Though that might just be a dwarf thing in general (or at least mine are, I’ve only grown 9 varieties so far).
Full Summary: Foliage, Pruning, and Harvest
- 🌿 Foliage Note: True Dwarf Loxton Lass seed will produce a regular, rugose (crinkly) leaf (RL). Because it shares parentage with other Dwarf Tomato Project lines, off-type potato-leaf (PL) seeds occasionally circulate in seed trades. The plants themselves are very compact, staying around 20-24 inches (50-60 cm) tall.
- ✂️ Pruning Strategy: There are two schools of thought in this thread. Svetikk prefers a mostly “no-prune” approach, only pinching out weak suckers later in the season to open up airflow. Conversely, lesvicant prunes his down strictly to two main stems to prevent the plant from turning into an overgrown “brush” with too many blossoms.
- 📦 Storage: Not a keeper. Growers note that the delicate, buttery apricot fruits have essentially zero shelf life and are best harvested and eaten immediately right out of the garden.
