Topic: pinching out side shoots on Toms

[wilko]

;) Afternoon folks

I have growing in the GH 8 Alicante Tom plants, there about 10" tall now, do I remove all the side shoots now? and do I treat the Gardeners Delight out side the same,

Ive never grown any before, and Ive done a search but can't find anything relevant.

is a truss, the stem which produces the fruit?

Thanks again  ;)

[tim]

And to you!

There have been several threads on this very subject in the last week. With pictures.

But yes!

[wilko]

 ;) Cheers Tim

[tim]

Here's something to go on with.

I know that some people let everything grow but pinching out is the norm. Just sent this elsewhere -

"B****y typical - wiped off my photos only yesterday, thinking that they were 'old hat'!!

Until I get new ones - in a week or two - & speaking of indeterminate varieties - think on these lines:

Anything that grows nodally - ie out of the junction between the main stem & a leaf frond should be removed. Flower trusses grow internodally - ie directly out of the main stem, half way between the leaf fronds.

To avoid pinching out the growing tip, make sure there is a flower truss above the shoot you intend to remove. (DAVY please note!!)

Does that make sense?"

[Tee Gee]

Will this help Tim?



A truss newly set;



A small truss at various stages of ripening;

[katynewbie]

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Excellent pics TG!

[tim]

Can't beat the professionals, TG!!  Your book will be published when??

I meant to repeat this one to my comment above - showing all the sideshoots which are now OUT!!

[MrsKP]

ok something i've been meaning to ask ...........

my Tigerella "lost" a lot of bottom leaves when I didn't like the look of them.  I've left a few side shoots on to replace the lost leaves (for photosynsethingy purposes).

Am I being a numpty ?

 ;D

[tim]

Yes!!

[tuinman]

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0600/tomatoes.asp

try this link for toms

[MrsKP]

Yes!!

even if that means the bottom 6" are baldy baldy stems ?

(not that i don't believe you oh guru, but tell me why).

[triffid]

Even if the bottom 12" is baldy-baldy stem, you don't want your tomatoes growing side-shoots.
The word 'shoot' is very apt -- they grow outward at a mile a minute, distracting the plant from setting fruit-bearing trusses. And then every side-shoot gets side-shoots of its own, which do the same, and so on. Think of all that lost energy, which you want diverted as early as possible into creating (and ripening) tomatoes.  :P

If you're worried about baldy stems, you can always plant your tomato extra deep (if it's not transplanted to its final growing place yet). If it's already in its final place you can create the same effect this way. Cut a plastic flowerpot down the side and cut the bottom off, to make a ring. Place this around the tomato, on top of its existing pot/ growbag, fill it with compost/ soil and tie it round with string or a long cable tie.
New roots will grow from the freshly buried section of stem, which not only makes the whole plant more stable but will give it the means to take extra food. 

[MrsKP]

u ruddy reeka !  what a fandabidozi idea !

this makes perfeck sense and tomorrow i shall be out with my carefully saved pop bottles, pair of scissors and uv tape, and cutting/shoots bucket (we're already in black bucket final position).

but it does mean i have to climb to the furthest corners of deep Peru (aka No. 1 g/h) to fulfil my mission.

i now have plenty to leaves further up the tigerella stems anyway.

many thanks triffid, and you tim for encouraging an enquiring mind.

 ;D

[wilko]

 ;) thanks everone,
now I not only had  my question answered about pinching out, but now i no why I have to do it.

 ;D

[tim]

Triff-ick explanation, Triff!  As said, just imagine the jungle that would ensue.

'Earthing up'? - this is one reason I use 1/2 bags. As the plant grows, I unroll the rolled down sides & add compost. Gives about 3" extra.

[MrsKP]

I did try the vertical growbag technique tim, but the bags were just too narrow to have a black bucket sitting in the top.  very wobbly.  i could have dispensed with the buckets and just put the toms in the bags direct I guess.  Might try that with the extras.

[Chris Graham]

I heard that these side shoots can be replanted to provide a clone of the main plant, is that correct?

[triffid]

Yes, Chris, you're absolutely right: they're just cuttings-in-the-making.

Tomato sideshoots root very easily -- even if all you do is bung 'em in a jar of water. But I'd only bother cultivating them early in the season (now! ;D) because it'll still take a number of weeks for them to grow to productive plant size.

[Chris Graham]

Yes, Chris, you're absolutely right: they're just cuttings-in-the-making.

Tomato sideshoots root very easily -- even if all you do is bung 'em in a jar of water. But I'd only bother cultivating them early in the season (now! ;D) because it'll still take a number of weeks for them to grow to productive plant size.

Very tempting as i just got 10 more black buckets!!!

[tim]

I like them about 5mm thick & stiff. I dip them in rooting powder & put them in 3" pots. They are usually the ones that go to the plant sale in late May.

KP - no claim that our method is best, but -

1. If you split a 30l bag, you have a 9" diameter 1/2 bag with an 11" depth of compost in it, & a 3-4" space for added compost should you want it. When you reckon that the makers say 3-4 to a bag, that's fairly generous?

2. Half bags are much easier to water.

3. Roots are never exposed as they are in whole bags.

4. Spacing is more flexible.