Topic: Stopping Tomato plants.

[tim]

Just a gentle warning.  'Stopping' a plant does not mean that it will stop.

I always 'stop' at 6'. These are 8' & still growing!!

[Hyacinth]

Not having trouble with my 'stopped' toms (so far) Tim. Praps cos I'm She Who Must Be Obeyed in my garden ??? But there again, praps it's because I've only 7 toms in the 'house and another 10 or so outside, so manageable and get inspected daily? My aim this year is to get all ripened and picked before I go on hol end September, so I'm being particularly vigilant - and ruthless in my 'stopping'. Freezer already heaving with fab. tom crops - swings & roundabouts....no runners to freeze yet :(

[tim]

Vigilant, Lishka? Don't get me wrong. It's not new shoots at the top that I'm missing - even at that height, where they're damned difficult to see - it's the whole plant that has put on the extra 2'.

If I trimmed them back to size, I would lose 2 fruit trusses.

[welsummerman]

sorry am lost here why would you want to stop them . i use the last of the green ones in chutneys also fried green toms are tasty  i don't find any bad effects from letting them go on until they fall over from cold

[tim]

Each to his own.
First, it is the 'norm' to stop them at roof height - it's not usual to get more than 7-8 worthwhile trusses out of a growbag.
Second, my greenhouse is only 8'6" high.

[Hyacinth]

...and I want the plants to be cropped before I go on hol. Got Big Plans for the greenhouse space when I come back :D

[Svengali]

Alishka - I always believed that toms, like cucumbers, could not be fruzzed due to their high water content. Have you found a way round this?
JeremyB

[Hyacinth]

Alishka - I always believed that toms, like cucumbers, could not be fruzzed due to their high water content. Have you found a way round this?
JeremyB

Depends on how you want to use them Jeremy. Certainly they're no good as 'eaters', but I make sauces or add them chopped to casseroles, etc. Never make passata, cos I don't use it, either home-made or bought.

Cheers!