[Farmer Woosnip]

Hello,

First time growing tomato plants so here's the obligatory bunch of daft questions.

I've been pinching off those little sideshoots that grow between the stem and the branches. (Branches? Are they what people call trusses?)

Now I've started to get these flower things growing out of the stem. (See attached picture)

What do these do?
They can't be where the tomatoes grow can they? They don't look like they'll ever be strong enough.

Do I pull them off too or leave them alone?

The plants are about 3 or 4ft hight and I haven't stopped them yet.

I wasn't expecting flowers so soon and I thought that when flowers did appear they would be on the branches..... or trusses.... or whatever they're called.

Incidentally, when I do 'stop' them, I just pinch the very top bits off right?

And I do that when they have about 5 or 6 strong branches? (trusses)?

Thanks.

[Growster...]

No, don't pull them off, because they're the tomato flowers on the new trusses just waiting to break into fruit! They'll certainly strengthen up soon!

Right about the small side shoots also, they can go if you want to get to five trusses in a greenhouse!

Nice one, and not a daft question either!

[JayG]

What variety of tomato are they?

Bush tomatoes are not pinched out at all so they have a main stem and many side stems, cordons have all the side shoots removed so that there is (usually) only one main stem; flower trusses appear from those and assuming they set well these will be your tomato trusses.

As to when to "stop" the growth altogether, it can be a bit of a judgement as to how much vertical space there is (not really a problem in the garden!) and how soon you have 5 or 6 trusses set (if you get too ambitious you will finish up with a lot of green tomatoes!)

Tomatoes aften start flowering before being big enough to plant out; as long as yours are indeed cordon tomatoes and you don't remove the flowers you seem to be doing OK so far. 

[Farmer Woosnip]

What variety of tomato are they?

No none of them are bushes I don't think. They're all trees. Tomato trees.

I have four Alicante, four gardeners delight and four of them yellow ones, golden wonder or golden delicious or whatever they're called.

...cordons have all the side shoots removed so that there is (usually) only one main stem; flower trusses appear from those and assuming they set well these will be your tomato trusses.

So they shouldn't have any side branches on at all? They should be just a tall stem with some flowers growing out of it?

I've taken a picture of a different plant (see attached)

The bits I've highlighted yellow are what I've been calling the branches.... and I leave them on right? Surely.

The bits that grew between them and the stem.... I've pinched off as they appeared.

The red highlighted bit at the top is what was planning to lop off eventually when I had 5 or 6 big strong braches. Right or wrong?

Thanks again

[Farmer Woosnip]

Re: My previous post.... "bits I've highlighted yellow" and "bits I've highlighted red".....

I'm colour blind and make no guarantees as to the accuracy of that statement.

The yellow could be green and the red could be anything..... but you get the idea.

[JayG]

Could the third one be Sungold? (The other 2 are cordons and so is Sungold although there are a few other Sunxxxx varieties.)

The red bit is the growing point and the yellow "branches" are the leaves.

Leaves are only removed when they start to die off (usually from the bottom as they are the oldest.)

I can only see 1 flower truss in your picture and they have yet to open and set fruit so you don't want to be thinking about removing the growing point for a long time yet.

All looking good so far though. 

[sunshineband]

Glad you asked FW, or you'd have had no tomatoes at all