Tomato Growing Thread 2012

Are side shoots always a bad thing? The reason I ask, is that I have a couple of plants that have basically hit the ceiling of the polytunnel, been nipped off, yet from lower down have a side shoot (one of which is quite substantial now, goodness knows how I missed it, and has a truss setting) - the thing is, the side shoots are actually in better nick than some of the main plant, and actually have blooms appearing?

 

Maybe the flowers aren't being pollinated, are you tapping them ? (to encourage pollen transfer)

 

There's no harm in training side shoots provided you have the space. If the plants are already touching each other then snap them off, but if you have enough space between then no harm in adding a cane and tieing up the shoot.

Some commercial growers do just that, from one plant they train the very first side shoot in one direction whilst training the main shoot in another direction.

Personally I don't allow side shoots lower down the plant because I've crammed my plants in pretty close together. However on my really early tomatoes I've allowed the first side shoot above the first flower truss to develop and give me two early trusses, but that side shoot is 'stopped' (top nipped out) so it is only about 12 to 18" long.

To complicate things even more I've allowed side shoots to develop at the very top of my plants and I'm now training them up and over each side. The idea is to get a complete canopy over head. The plants are now meeting at the apex of my greenhouse and I'm training them down the other side. The reason to do this is to provide shade from the sun (what sun!) on the developing fruit trusses and help keep temps down inside.

I've made this sound a bit OTT, a lot of people will disagree and say remove all side-shoots as it saps the energy of the plants. I'm just doing what the commercial growers of old used to do, I doubt modern growers faff about with side shoot training, but then I've been out of the industry since the 1970s.

Maybe leave one or two on yours FC and see how it goes.

 

I don't grow that many Jenny I've got 14 plants in the greenhouse, only a fraction of what some others have on here (Scrungee!). Some years I've managed 100lbs of fruit and yes, that is too much for my little family, so some get given away and some get processed. If you are careful you can store the last pickings in Sept/Oct time to last through to November

 

Oh also I'm growing varieties for taste/quality rather than quantity I guess thats what we all want?

 

Thanks John - I will do, if for no other reason than to see if I get a decent amount of trusses coming, as I feel cheated by the current fruit count.

 

I've evicted one of mine outside and intend to do another two or three over the weekend, to make some space in the poly - hopefully more air and space might help things, especially as some of the small plants from side shoots are starting to get bigger (going to pot them into bigger pots at the weekend too).

 

They are lovely healthy looking toms Dim - Wish mine were as good.

One of the earlier evictees from the polytunnel (one that snapped) has decided to grow onwards from the end of a truss - as its the only hope of new growth, and the truss only has a couple of fruits on it, I have tied it up and am letting mother nature give it a go - nice dark green foliage its producing too.

Pics to follow.