[chimaera]

I have been told that you can get earlier crops of tomatoes by stopping them at 2 trusses so they concentrate energy on a few fruit; when they are over the other plants should have caught up. Is this true? And if so, would stopping the plant early also work with cucumbers?

I have an unheated g'house with concrete floor and last year had problems with end rot and splitting of larger varieties grown in large growbags (I cannot get to water more than once a day at most). Would I be better in pots, and if so what is the minimum size/volume?

Charlie

[mumofstig]

I don't know about stopping them giving earlier crops.....all it seems to do is make them go mad at making side shoots........I haven't noticed any earlier ripening 

I suspect if you tried to stop a cucumber that it would just be another thing to add to the list of things that can kill them sulky things that they are!

I find pots standing in a tray of water are easier to manage than growbags.

The minimum size I use are the supermarket flower buckets, I think these are about 12 Lt

[chimaera]

Thanks for that.
I may try one tom plant held back to see what happens though.

Charlie

[mumofstig]

you'll have to let us know how you get on...don't forget

[realfood]

The easiest way to get earlier tomatoes is to choose a variety that crops early, such as sungold.

[Kristen]

I am going to take off the first few Cucumbers (will probably break my heart!) because otherwise they will produce those and then think they are done and "stall" for ages.

Last year I got my first few Cucumbers from 16-May, and then they didn't produce any more until 27-June.  Mind you, no chance of them producing on 16-May this year, they are still tiny