new to tomatoes, advice apreciated

We've just been given this tomatoe plant by a friend. He said it's a beef tomatoe. I repotted it and tried to divide what appeared to be two plants, but they wouldn't split.

I've never grown any veggies in my life!

Could anyone tell me what I should be doing with it so I get some Tommy's please?

 

Haha, sorry it's lob-sided! Not having much luck posting pics lately, doh.

 

Hi Beki. Repot into something big. Keep it warm (you have a greenhouse?) Longer canes for support. Later pinch out side shoots and feed when first flowers appear. Nip out the top when you have 4 or 5 trusses of flowers (usually six but I aren't too sure with this one,) I'm not even sure you don't have two vines. Good luck

 

Cheers John,

We only have room for those make-shift plastic green houses, and I've taken them down now (short on room). Erm, but if they like it warm then I'll put them in the warmest part of garden instead.
There's already a bud on one of them. What time of year do people usually expect to get fruit? (Morrisons have them all year round! hehe)

I will do everything else you've instructed.

Thankyou very much.

Beki x

 

Hi Beki, some ppl also recommend that the lower leaves are removed especially when they start to rot. It keeps the plant healthy and aerated and more of the food and nutrients goes into the fruit and not so much into the leaves. I'll try and find the website.
A different John!

 

Beki also remove any shoots that appear between the main branches,where there is a V where two stems go in differant directions you will get another growth that should be snapped out.

 

Must admit from the photograph it does look as if you have two plants there. When you say you couldn't divide them do you mean that they were sharing the same root growth as provided they are not sharing the same stem you should be able to slice through the roots to divide them without any permanent damage. You should de-shoot on each leaf joint as the shoots come through, however, do not be afraid to de-shoot an overgrown shoot before you end up with a dual headed tomato - if that makes sense to you. Every time you leave a secondary shoot you are dividing the strength of the tomato's main support stem and this could affect the cropping. As and when the plant grows and has plenty of leaf you can de-leaf at the bottom and if too much foliage stops the fruit from getting enough light you can cut the middle leaves in half to thin the plant out. But you must leave sufficient leaf growth on the plant as it is essential for its general well being. I would love a £1 for everytime I used to come out of a six span tomato house black from the stain of the tomatoes. Ah those were the days!

 

Hi there JohnB & coub thanks for the tips, noted
Moyra, thanks for your advice, which I've had to read a couple of times to understand, I clearly am a complete novice at this veggie 'lark! I'll have to keep referring back to it till it all sinks in, hehe.
Thanks again
Beki x

 

Sorry Beki, if it is the de-shooting I am confusing you over........ where each leaf joins the stem a new shoot will emerge - nip them out as they appear apart from the very top shoot of course until it is at the height and has the number of trusses on that you want to stop it at. I usually do it at about 6 trusses. That way it gives more strength of growth into those 6 than if you let it grow more trusses. I hope I have explained that more clearly.

 

Moyra.

I've been following this thread with interest as i'm growing tomatoes for the first time. I've a really stupid question. What's a truss?

 

a truss is the flower stems

 

Glen.

Thanks for that.

Ant.

 

Sorry Anthony, when you know a subject so well it is easy to forget that others are coming new to it. You will recognise the trusses (flower stems) quite distinctly from the leaves as they come out of the main stem of the plant and appear thicker than the shoots do and also initially a bit curlier until they unfurl and start to show flowers after which the flower wilts and dries off it will leave the fruit (tomato). Please don't worry about asking we all had to start somewhere and there are so many plants and shrubs that even after my lengthy experience in nurserywork I know nothing of and am happy to learn from those on here who have more experience than me.

 

I would like to come in on this one if I may not that I am questioning any of the advice already give.

As I see it; most of the advice given is for growing as cordons i.e. vertically which is usually the most common way to do it in a greenhouse.

But you plan on growing them in a warm part of the garden so I would grow them as a bush this eliminates to an large extent (or totally if you wish) the removal of the side shoots.

As mentioned in the cordon method allow 5-6 trusses form on the plant, the same applies if growing as a bush, after all it has the same root system choose which way you grow it.

The 5-6 truss figure is generally accepted as the optimum a plant can cope with to give a good crop.

This is a side shoot;



This is a truss;

 

Moryra & Tee Gee.

Thanks for the explanation and pictures. I'm a happy bunny now. I'm glad to report that i've one truss with yellow flowers on all of my plants and the second are on the way. This year is very much an experiment to see what everything looks like. If I get anything edible out of them then it'll be a bonus.

Fingers crossed.

Ant.