[Oliveview]

Hi,
I am growing tomato plants in pots and wondered when and if I should prick off the side leaves/shoots?  The tomato´s I am growing are Roma VF  they have a small plum type fruit.  I live in Southern Spain and at the moment I am growing them in tubs on my patio.
Thanks

[lentil987]

I have grown tomatoes for several years in post in my back garden before I had the allotment.
I always pick out the side shoots as this encourages proper growth and allows the energy to go into flower/ fruit production.
However there are some varieties that are bush types - these you do not pick out, you just leave them to get on with it.
You should also pick out the growing point of the plant once you have several sets of tomatos growing, this will allow your fruit energy to grow bigger.

Hope that helps - not sure if I have all the facts completely correct but its what I do anyway.

[Heather_S]

The bushy type are quite obviously bushy... I'm not sure if that variety is determinate or indeterminate, meaning you may want to cut off the top growing tip at some point near the end of the season as well.

I took this picture last year to show what you should pinch out when pinching out side shoots. It's not the leaves themselves but the little bits that come out of the crook of the main stem and leaves.

[John]

Brilliant photo!

Roma are a bush variety - just let them get on with it.

[SweetPea]

Very useful picture!  I spent ages trying to find a diagram to illustrate exactly what gardeners meant when they say to 'pinch out' the new shoots ... I'm rather glad that from your photo, I've been doing it right!

[Oliveview]

Many thanks to you all.  Hopefully (all digits crossed) we will be putting in an offer on a house with a big garden/orchard any day so then my plants can go into the ground and  then my problems really start!  Anyone know anything about orange trees??

[John]

I was going to say they do better in Spain than England - then I noticed where you are LOL.

I've scrumped a few oranges in Spain - some were lovely and some yuck. So sample the fruit.

[Oliveview]

Done that already John.... very sweet   Now what do you do with 14 orange trees worth of fruit?

[Jake]

Lots of marmalade. Tea and marmalade on toast, mmm.

You can also rest assured that you will not be suffering from scurvy.

[Oliveview]

I HATE marmalade!!  Blame it on my mother force feeding us Minidex when we were little (It was orange flavour) and any orange flavoured foods remind me of Minidex! I love fresh oranges though!

[Biscombe]

Hola Oliveview!
I'm in Spain too! funny you should ask about oranges! I've got 70 trees! what do you wanna know?

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Oliveview, see, I told you Biscombe might be useful to you!!!! lol

Hi Biscombe, oliveview is my friend, the one I told you lives in Spain now!!!

[Biscombe]

Hi there grannieannie! another spanish gardener!! looking forward to swapping info. Have a good day!