Topic: shirley tomatoes (again)

[willconkerer]

The bottom trusses on several plants are so heavy that the stem of the truss has split halfway through. I suppose in hindsight I could have provided some sort of support but I didn't see it coming. Will any fruits ripen on these broken trusses or is it the start of the green tomato chutney season?

Cheers

Will

[hippydave]

if its still connected to the plant it will still grow and the fruit will ripen but give it support now or as the smaller  friut swell and get heavier it may break off. if it off already just put the truss on the window sill or in a paper bag with a ripe banana and they will ripen anyway.

[Gillysdad]

Shirley plants do this regularly in my greenhouse. I keep a close eye on the trusses and support them when needed. Have had a lot of tomato's split this year, will have to adjust the watering regime. :-\ :)

[davyw1]

Shirley tomatoes are good one for the show bench if best truss is on the schedule. I tie mine up with string secured around a leaf stem above

[tim]

This is the stuff - re-usable.

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/product/Plant%20Protection_Plant%20Protection%20Accessories/GDN-928.htm

[GrannieAnnie]

This is the stuff - re-usable.

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/product/Plant%20Protection_Plant%20Protection%20Accessories/GDN-928.htm

Tim, how well did your soft tie hold up?  I tried some this year for first time and by the end of the season some of the plastic is hard and cracked. It was used outside on tomatoes and I'm wondering if the heat here was too hard on it? I'd hoped to get more than a season out of it!

[tim]

Haven't done a full check on it yet, but I imagine that real heat will affect it.

Remind me later!

[:(]

My plot neighbour is growing these outdoors and the plants have all but collapsed under the weight of the huge amount of fruit despite his best efforts to string them up for support.

[tim]

So much for breeding!!

[shirlton]

We used the soft tie last year but it went hard and perished so we have gone back to string. Worth the trouble for a lovely tomato.