Author Topic: tomato plants- to pinch or not to pinch (Read 5137 times)

clara · « **on:** June 24, 2005, 22:01:50 »

Hello, I'm new to allotments4all, and I'm hoping this is an ok sort of question.
I have about a dozen various tomato plants growing well (abut 18 inches tall) in growbag. BUT I have forgotten what varieties they are. They are producing side shoots. Is there any way of deciding whether or not to pinch out the side shoots ?

shaolin101 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2005, 22:18:38 »

i have 3 and have no idea what they are. i have let the bottom leaves fall off and am not taking anything off just in case! they are producing flowers now thankfully!

RobinOfTheHood · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2005, 22:36:26 »

I know the general concensus is to pinch out the side shoots, but has anyone left them in? I seem to be pinching them out daily on my plants.
I'm just not sure if I'm actually helping matters.
Explanation please? ???

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2005, 22:45:22 »

I think you will find in the archives of recent chat that there are details including pictures of how to go about removing these shoots.

I believe the reason for removal is to make the plant put all its energy into the fruit, there will be an expert along in a mo I'm sure to put you right. ;)

Type tomato in the search facility it may reveal all. ;D

RobinOfTheHood · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2005, 22:54:58 »

I pinched out a side shoot yesterday with flowers on it...ok I did not realise this until it was too late, but if they produce flowers quite low down, why pinch them out?
Having said that, I missed another one and it almost took over the entire plant...and no flowers on that one. In this case its obvious.
I'm not saying it's wrong to pinch out, but should it be done in every case?

Charlotte Sometimes · « **Reply #5 on:** June 24, 2005, 22:56:43 »

I think the problem is that there are 2 types of tomatoes - cordon (one main stem) and bush. With the bush sort you don't pinch out anyway (as far as I know).

Without knowing what the tomato is in the first place i.e. the name of the variety, I don't know if it would be obvious or not, or whether if you treated (for example) a cordon as a bush variety would suffer for it.

Last year, I didn't pinch out anything on my toms because I didn't know how. I still got fruit, so no need to panic. You're talking about ways of improving yield with stopping sideshoots.

That's my opinion, but I've only been at this 2 years - someone with a bit more experience will reply!

undercarriage plan · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2005, 23:00:09 »

Not an expert, no, no!! But realized I'd been snipping off side shoots for years and never wondered why!! So just spent last hour trawling through books and the reasons seems to be as Roy says, so the plant put its energy into producing fruits and not leaf growth, and to increase light and ventilation which will improve yield and reduce disease! Phew, going for lie down now, after I've put books away...!

RobinOfTheHood · « **Reply #7 on:** June 24, 2005, 23:05:42 »

Quote from: Charlotte Sometimes on June 24, 2005, 22:56:43

I think the problem is that there are 2 types of tomatoes - cordon (one main stem) and bush. With the bush sort you don't pinch out anyway (as far as I know).

Without knowing what the tomato is in the first place i.e. the name of the variety, I don't know if it would be obvious or not, or whether if you treated (for example) a cordon as a bush variety would suffer for it.

Last year, I didn't pinch out anything on my toms because I didn't know how. I still got fruit, so no need to panic. You're talking about ways of improving yield with stopping sideshoots.

That's my opinion, but I've only been at this 2 years - someone with a bit more experience will reply!

Marmande and Gardener's delight, both cordon as far as I'm aware...

Piglottie · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2005, 09:54:10 »

I've just realised that I've missed a side shoot on my cordon tomato - and the side shoot is now about 1.5ft long. Is it too late now to take it out? This tomato doesn't have many flowers compared to the others so was wondering if this is cos of the side shoot??? ???

philcooper · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:01:25 »

Clara,

The advice on types is correct, remove side shoots from cordons (or you get lots of growth but very little fruit), don't remove side shoots from bush (they only produce one flower truss on each shoot.

If you have no idea at all on the varieties, do a 50/50 (you've already asked the audience/friends !!!)

Piglottie, Remove the side shoot, or you're crop will be delayed a long time (and if it's outside, the fruit may not ripen before the frosts)

Phil

Piglottie · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:04:22 »

Thanks Phil - seems like you're my personal veggie consultant this morning! Much appreciated

philcooper · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:09:13 »

No,

I just happen to be on the computer - when I should be out in the garden!!!

Phil ;)

Piglottie · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:11:19 »

Wide spread problem methinks - my basil is calling to be potted on! :)

legless · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:40:31 »

i think gardener's delight are cordon and marmande is semi bush (needs support but don't pinch out).

Svea · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:49:36 »

there was an interesting thread discussing this just a little while ago.

generally, the consensus is to pinch out so that the plant devotes energy to making fruit. HOWEVER, there seems to be an idea that you do not pinch out the 'first' side shoot, allowing it to develop into a proper second stem. you pinch out all the side shoots from there on in, on both stems, but will end up with double the amount of fruit as both stems will start to flower at about the same time (but obviously twice the amount of flowers as on two stems). kind of a 'buy one get one free' scenario. i suppose the reason you should only have one other stem is that if you let your tomato run wild it will make lots of secondary stems but eventually have trouble sustaining them all with the right amount of energy for tomato production (what we consider right anyways, i suppose the tomato plant knows what it is doing...)

i am a pincher-outer, but have missed side shoots on three tomato plants - they have now developed into secondary stems (well they were secondary stems when i found them) and are flowering in tandem with the main stems themselves. i shall treat this as an experiment this year :) i am pinching out all other side shoots that are now developing anywhere, however!!!
the only negative side effect is that now my tomatoes really are too densely spaced so i may pay for that in the future :(

hope i explained it well enough
svea

Charlotte Sometimes · « **Reply #15 on:** June 25, 2005, 14:08:49 »

Heh svea, I too am experimenting and have left a big fat sideshoot on one of my Gardener's Delights. We shall see... its one from low down the plant, like a second main stem. I have 7 plants including a beefsteak, so I don't suppose yield is much of an issue for me - we're well catered for (2 person household)! But I have been nipping out the other sideshoots as per instructions. Guess I'll report back later in the summer, but as far as I remember its flowering (the experimental sideshoot).

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #16 on:** June 25, 2005, 20:21:54 »

When does one stop pinching out shoots, if ever?

tim · « **Reply #17 on:** June 25, 2005, 21:03:33 »

Never!!

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2005, 21:20:11 »

;D Thanks Tim ;)

legless · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2005, 22:17:10 »

never. when i was little i used to spend most of the summer holidays pinching out sideshoots (my parents used to be commercial growers) i seem to recall that going on forever :D

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Author Topic: tomato plants- to pinch or not to pinch (Read 5137 times)

undercarriage plan