Tomatoes limiting trusses ?

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BARNACLE BILL

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Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« on: June 21, 2014, 19:48 »
I have noticed over the last 2 weeks a massive growth spurt on the Toms. They are producing lots of trusses of flowers. Does there come a time when you need to limit the amount of flowers left to set. To allow the plant to maximize  the size of the fruit. Rather than having lots of small fruit that struggle to ripen. Last year I had 2 plants that had lots and lots of small toms ( though they were outdoors) This year they are growing in a newly acquired greenhouse. I was thinking of limiting each plant to 6 trusses.

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Steveharford

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2014, 20:08 »
I limit mine to 4.that way I dont end up with many green ones and the others swell to a decent size. Also by this time they are touching the roof of my little polytunnel.

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Annen

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2014, 20:17 »
I limit mine to 4 as mine also are reaching the roof by that time, but if I remember in time, I let a side shoot grow and develop a couple more trusses. I also find the season isn't long enough to grow many more trusses to maturity.
Anne

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BARNACLE BILL

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2014, 20:27 »
So do you just keep removing the trusses as they appear ? Or do you cut off the growing tip and any subsequent side growths ?

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Steveharford

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2014, 20:59 »
I take out the growing tip on mine.all nutrients then get concentrated on to what is left. Good suggestion by annen about the side shoot, but I will have enough by the time my top truss gets any where near ripening. Depending on the height of the plant, I might even limit trusses to 3. Especially on beefsteak toms as they are sods to get ripe anyway. I also have a british breakfast with a massive truss on it which I might try to ripen all over at once by limiting the other trusses. Could be fun to enter in the local show if it works.

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Annen

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2014, 21:07 »
As Steve says, you limit them by taking out the growing tip at whatever number of trusses you want, that is if it is a cordon (indeterminate)variety.  If it is a bush (determinate) then that might be different, I don't know much about them, but I understand that you just let them grow as many side shoots and trusses as they want.

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Headgardener22

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2014, 21:12 »
It depends upon the variety.

Determinate varieties should be grown as a bush and none of the sideshoots taken out but I presume you're talking about Indeterminate varieties, grown as a cordon.

Beefsteak and standard sized, I limit to 5 trusses on the main stem and one or two on the two sideshoots I've allowed to grow.

Cherry I will try to grow more but the general limit is set by the height of the greenhouse.

I take the top out when I've decided to limit them but with at least one leaf above the last truss or it might die back and kill off the last truss. With luck (depending on the weather) the fruit carry on ripening on the plant until November.

I must admit that if you're having to stop your plants already, I would try and get some sideshoots to grow, there's still plenty of time for trusses to set and fruit to ripen. Last year and the year before I picked my last vine ripened fruit on the 20th November from a fruit that had set around the beginning of August.

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Steveharford

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2014, 21:17 »
Sorry, yes, l too assumed you are talking about vine types, which is all ive grown this year.i dont think I have room to let side shoots grow. Its all a bit cluttered as it is.

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Totty

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Re: Tomatoes limiting trusses ?
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2014, 23:31 »
If they are growing strongly then six trusses sounds fine. I grow up baler twine, when they reach the top of the side of the greenhouse I run the twine to the roof apex. As head gardener said, plants can stay in the greenhouse and still ripen fruit into November. I'd just let them grow on one stem and get rid of all sideshoots if it's crammed in there now. I'd get rid of all leaves under the first truss now too. Good airflow is of upmost importance with toms if you want lots of trusses to ripen nicely without the plants obtaining some sort of ailment.

Totty



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