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?
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.
Live with it, many of my Toms have two or more branches by the end of the season!
;D
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.
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.
Thanks everyone for your really helpful and reassuring replies.
It seems it's not the end of the world then. ;D ;D ;D