Pinching out tomatoes

gawk · « **on:** May 08, 2009, 07:27 »

Having not fully understood exactly what 'pinching out side shoots' on tomatoes meant I did a little trawl around and found this snippet of info...

"Anything that grows nodally - ie out of the junction between the main stem & a leaf frond should be removed. Flower trusses grow internodally - ie directly out of the main stem, half way between the leaf fronds.

To avoid pinching out the growing tip, make sure there is a flower truss above the shoot you intend to remove."

... (Quoted from Tim: http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,30916.0.html)

Now it all makes perfect sense to me!

Kristen · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:03 »

I think this video offers a good explanation:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-prune-tomatoes

Sadgit · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2009, 08:54 »

well in my 1st year of growing a few years ago I didn't have a clue about side shoots etc and late august I was chatting to my neighbour and mentioned how poor the crop on my toms were.. he came to have a look. He burst out laughing and asked where my secateurs were... to my amazement he started hacking LOADS and LOADS of my toms plants to bits. I had side shoots that were bigger than the actual plant and about 5 or so on each one... wondered why it was like a jungle in my greenhouse... you live and learn I guess

Nice Videojug link Kristen.

rivkele · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:59 »

Quote from: Sadgit on May 08, 2009, 08:54

well in my 1st year of growing a few years ago I didn't have a clue about side shoots etc and late august I was chatting to my neighbour and mentioned how poor the crop on my toms were.. he came to have a look. He burst out laughing and asked where my secateurs were... to my amazement he started hacking LOADS and LOADS of my toms plants to bits. I had side shoots that were bigger than the actual plant and about 5 or so on each one... wondered why it was like a jungle in my greenhouse... you live and learn I guess

hee hee, mine were exactly like that last year (also my first year of growing). I got quite a few tomatoes off them, but they looked like trifids and kept falling over and breaking under their own weight, and i kept trying to prop them up with bits and pieces of wood, it looked like some kind of weird dali painting lol.

This year my problem is they're just not growing. i think i've got bonsai tomatoes

Oliver · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2009, 10:04 »

Quote from: rivkele on May 08, 2009, 09:59

Quote from: Sadgit on May 08, 2009, 08:54
.... they're just not growing. i think i've got bonsai tomatoes

they'll grow - its early days yet, don't be so impatient!

strangerachael · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2009, 11:20 »

I was wondering about this myself this morning. I'm fine with identifying sideshoots until I get to the top of the plant, then I can't tell which is the side shoot and which is the main stem

Kristen · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2009, 14:04 »

Stop when you get near the top! The side shoots are too small to worry about pinching out yet, anyway.

I was reading in another thread what to do if you pinch out the main growing point, and a couple of people who had done it by accident said that the secondary side shoot, that they let go on to become the "leader", was nothing like as strong as the other Tomato plants that hadn't been "topped"

Kagganz · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2009, 14:34 »

I have just sussed out the nipping out of the little side shoots, but I also have BIG side shoots that have been left to grow on before I knew what to do.

My question is, can I snap these off now, I'm worried about the plant getting disease in the scar that I will leave on the stem

Thanks xx

mumofstig · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2009, 14:40 »

They usually nip out with no probs

Kagganz · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2009, 14:45 »

Phew, thanks Lesley, I've already done two, so now I'll carry on xx

DD. · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2009, 14:55 »

Stick your big side shoots in a pot. You'll get another plant. (If you've somewhere to put it!).

Roll Roll · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2009, 16:17 »

I'm growing tomatoes for the first time this year. I cheated and brought 2 plants as we don't like tomatoes, but we love chuckney.
I was advised to buy a variety called Roma a bush type? Being as this is a "Bush" type, I was told not to pinch the side shoots out. Never done it before so fingers crossed.

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Pinching out tomatoes

gawk

Pinching out tomatoes

Kristen

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Sadgit

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rivkele

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Oliver

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strangerachael

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Kristen

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Kagganz

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mumofstig

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Kagganz

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DD.

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Roll Roll

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