I am growing tomatoes in pots this year as I have not got much room in my garden for vegies. I am trying Gardeners Delight, haven't grown them before. Seem to remember reading that you have to pinch out side shoots, but wonder whether I should do this with this variety as the label says it is a very heavy cropper. I have pinched out a few side shoorts but do not seem to have very many trusses forming. Any advice appreciated.
I've been pinching the side shoots out on mine but then it is the first time growing toms at all.
Hope I'm doing right :-\
I'm sure someone will come along and tell us if we're right or wrong soon.
Once again - how big were they when they were potted up?
How long ago?
What height are they now?
And you are taking out the shoots BELOW a flower truss?
This is rather a big one - but nice!!
I'd like to know about the pinching out too - I've always done it, but when I told my daughter she should pinch out her Gardener's Delight, she pointed triumphantly to the label, which said not to. And she ended up with more tomatoes for longer than I did!
This year I am about to prop up an old piece of trellis next to my tomatoes for them to sprawl over, almost flat, instead of tying them neatly to a pole. Has anyone done this?
There's a link to a brilliant previous thread here with a superb picture which is clear and shows the bit you take out on cordon tomatoes like Gardeners Delight:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/smf/index.php/topic,9302.msg82614.html#msg82614
Hope this helps :)
Thanks for all the advice, but I am a little confused now. On the one hand I am being told to take out the little shoot between the main stem and a leaf (which I have been doing) and then I am being told that Gardeners Delight must not be pinched :-\
How many plants do you have? If you have a few, why not experiment and pinch some out and leave the others - see which gives the best yield? ???
Whatever others do - with success - GD is a cordon. Cordons are pinched out.
But, in the end, it's your choice!
My pic shows clearly, I hope, the shoot that comes out - below the flower truss. ALWAYS ensure that there IS a flower truss above the shoot you remove.
Thank you Tim for that sound advice. I have already pinched out, luckily in accordance with your instructions, so will hope for the best :)
does there need to be a truss above every side shoot you remove? i didnt know that. I have always just removed any sideshoot i come across. do i just leave the shoots without a truss above? what is the reason for this? i thought i knew what i was doing! argh!
I have just read through the thread mentioned by jennym and that's really useful, i always have a problem nearer the top determining what is a side shoot and which the main stem. If they fork, as they invariably do, i usually leave them both on - should i remove one and hope for the best? Theres obviously more to all this than i thought!
I grew gardeners dilight last year outside and stopped them at about 6 or 7 trusses and removed side shoots; i had masses and masses of toms off them, i will post a picture if i can find one.
I would never have been a teacher? Even having taught for 28 years - after retiring!!
Correct me, someone , if I'm straying, but -
yes - if you take out a shoot above the top truss, you may take out the growing point?
And, by side shoots - we mean the things in the stem/leaf intersection - not the leaf fronds??
6-7 trusses outside is great in anybody's language!!
Forking? I let them be.
Another sideshoot. Below a flower truss. Which doesn't have to be immedately above the shoot!!
I am quite pleased with myself. I have read your posts Tim (and others) and WEHAY I am almost sure I am doing the right thing with my Gardeners Delight. Just one last thing Tim I seem to remember you saying that you let them grow even across the "ceiling?" of the greenhouse thought I would try that. Oh dear or was it cucumbers? I am useless at searched (sorry).
Lorna.
You mean this one??
wow. sorry Tim, i wasnt questioning your advice, merely questioning my own way of doing things. i think i understand better what you meant now, i wouldnt nip out anything above the top truss, and if i paid attention i would probably find that most of the shoot i take off are lower down the plant. your advice is always good and usually pretty clear. ;)
Didn't notice any offence!!
Aha Tim. My memory served me right for once :) Thanks. I am going to try that with 2 of my 5 plants. Will let you know how I get on.
Lorna.