Tomatoes have done there own thing!!

[Paulines7]

I came back from holiday on 6th June with severe gastro-enteritis and have not been able to tend to anything outside but fortunately my OH has kept things watered.  This morning I felt a little better and wandered around the veggie plots.  My tomatoes have all grown huge side shoots.  I took off what I could but some were so thick that I think they would have caused severe injury to the plant if I severed them.  Will having several side shoots just mean that the tomatoes will be smaller?

[Paulines7]

[Curryandchips]

They will end up being 'bushier' (is that a word?) but you can still pinch them out to conserve their energy if you wish ...

Even with vigilance, sometimes a side shoot seems to get through.

[saddad]

Live with it, many of my Toms have two or more branches by the end of the season!
;D

[Svea]

you might need to stake the new sideshoopts as they will develop into a second main stem.
you dont get smaller fruit, but slightly later fruit - but more of it.

i had the same last year and three of my toms were doubles at the end of the season.

[djbrenton]

When I miss a sideshoot so it ends up quite large, I cut it off with secateurs and stick it into a pot. Another free tomato plant. I'm actually thinking of starting fewer plants next year and just taking sideshoots for the rest.

[Paulines7]

Thanks everyone for your really helpful and reassuring replies. 

It seems it's not the end of the world then.   ;D  ;D  ;D