Thought that this was interesting.
A bit late for this season, but who knows?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/print/northyorkshire/uncovered/gardening/tomatoes.shtml
Cheers Tim, copy & pasted into the "useful gardening stuff" file
That's very interesting Tim
I always remove all the side shoots, next year I will try leaving the king shoot on some of mine. :)
MM
It sounds a marvelous way to increase your crop if only I could understand what they are on about ::) Trusses ::) Main shoots ::) King shoots ::) Root nodes ::) mind boggles ::)
Having only ever eaten toms, I know not what they say. ;D
Can't figure which the 'king' shoot is!
I thought maybe it was the one you sometimes get which looks as big as the main stem. Which is when I'm never quite sure which one I should be removing. Doesn't always happen.
I think it could be a bit of trial and error next year for me ???
MM
Very interesting-I saw this earlier but was otherwise engaged. It does `feel` right,think of the times that `heirloom` varieties split and grow on on two stems?
I just think its the one you can't find - 'Urgh, I can't find the _king shoot!' ;D
Thanks Tim!
I hope I still have a king shoot, already took some shoots out. Some plants already have a second truss so I'm going to look underneath the first truss.
The system with growing more roots by adding compost I guess is for growing in a pot, it's basically the same idea as what I'm doing by planting the stem horizontally and thus letting it grow roots along the stem.
I really like the sound of having two main stems on each plant, nine trusses would be fantastic, five has been the max up till now.
Whoever wrote the item seems a little mixed up. First he says that the King shoot is the one immediately below the first truss, but then he refers to 9 trusses comprising 4 on each stem plus the one below the King shoot. Confused?
As to `topping up` and adventitious rooting, I think you will find considerably more on this site by simply searching `adventitious rooting`, which appears to have been discussed in some detail.
I was having a gander at my toms today and it seems like the King shoot must be the one above the first truss, they are far bigger than the others
My concern is the midsummer day bit. I can see that there will be a date after which fruit won't ripen but, in a cold 'house at least, surely that's a bit early? Some of mine haven't started to flower.
I shall label some trusses this year.
Thanks Merry Tiller, I guess that's the answer we were looking for, I'll look above the first truss.
As for the date of topping, it does seem early to do it June 21, I rather wait for 4 or 5 trusses and how far the roof of the greenhouse is from the plant top.