HIya guys i need a little bt more info on my tommy plants they have got little yellow flowers on them i was told to pick them off is this what i do and when wil i know when toms are about to grow and when should they start growing one of my plants are now 5ft 3inchs high please can someone help me // ???
If they're 5' 3" and you have at least 3 fruit trusses you may want to consider pinching out the growing tip to help concentrate the plant on developing the tomatoes. If it's you're first time you want the satisfaction of getting some ripe tomatoes but when you're more experienced and adventurous you can really push the plant to produce more but run the risk of having some green, un-ripe tomatoes at the end of the season.
I've got a different problem with my toms - mine haven't got any flowers at all! I grew them in pots on my kitchen windowsill, and put them out onto the allotment a couple of weeks ago. I think they bolted while on my windowsill, and they don't even seem strong enough to stand up by themselves? They look quite healthy though, with nice green leaves.
Is there anything I can do to recover the situation? I really love tomatoes, and I'll be very sad if I don't get any! :'(
Depends what variety you sowed. Bush ones generally don't need support (but very often I give them some anyway - one of those half circle wire supports used for border plants or a small cane for the main stem). The tall 'vine' type tomatoes (cordon/indeterminate) need to be tied into a cane or a strong piece of vertically suspended string. Even if you're tomatoes got a bit leggy they should come right in the end.
Which leaves do I cut off, or not, help please. ;D ;D ;D
Many people growing vine/cordon/indeterminate tomatoes start removing the leaf branches below the first truss of fruit to help limit disease, improve airflow, concentrate the plants efforts on fruit production and provide space for trusses as they become heavy with fruit. To remove the leaf branch make sure you push upwards to break it off.
With the same type of tomato there are also side shoots that you should nip out. They emerge from the junction between an already established leaf branch and the main stem. Eventually they go on to produce more leaf and more flowers (fruit trusses). But they will also use vital nutrients that are better concentrated on the fruit trusses coming out of the main stem. Just nip them out between thumb and index finger.
You can also remove single leaves elsewhere on the plant that are going bad. Bush tomatoes don't need anything done to them except removing the odd leaf that is going bad.
