[mickwood]

Sorry, but I have a couple of basic questions...

1 - tomatoes, I've heard of people explaining 'pinching them out' which I assume is removing the top growth when they reach a decent size to stop them getting any talller and to start getting more fruits and bushier....is this right? if so, how i it done?

2 - weeding, I know the aim of weeding is...well...to remove the weeds but I hoe them and leave the dismembered weeds in the bed, is this right? Should I remove them after hoeing?

sorry for being dim.....

[Yorkie]

There is no question too stupid, particularly as I'm not entirely sure I'll get the answers right 

If you look at most plants, there is the main stem which growns upwards.  Pinching out as a general rule means removing that main stem when it's grown far enough, or there are enough veg on the plant, etc.  In the context of tomatoes, you will also find smaller 'mini-stems' growing from the angle between the main stem and a leaf.  In some types of tomatoes these are also pinched out.

The best way to pinch out is to squeeze the stem between forefinger and thumb, and pinch hard!

Hoeing - in dry conditions, with a sharp-ish hoe, you will manage to detach the weed from its roots with the hoe.  That top growth can be left in situ if you wish.  If it's slightly moister, I find that the hoe just drags the weed from its position but leaves it intact.  If that is the case, remove it otherwise it will simply re-root itself!

[theakston_uk]

I'm not 100% sure myself being new to growing veg, but I've been led to believe that pinching out is:- 

new shoots that appear where the established branches meet the main stem of the plant need to be 'pinched out' so the plant concentrates it's groenergy on those braches and the flowers it produces. Hope that's right, please do correct me if I'm wrong.

[hamstergbert]

My dad always taught me that in toms, pinching out was a double process: removing the side shoots as soon as they are large enough to get hold of properly is an ongoing process, but also nip off the main growing head a leaf or so after you have the target number of trusses forming (he allowed three per plant mostly) and thereafter stay on top of every attempt by the plant to create new leaders.  That way the plant would not wste as much of its strength on anything other than plumping up them delicious fruits.

Not saying he was always right - hey, he once put ginger ale into Laphroaig - but when it came to gardening his old style tips seemed to work well and in the absence of any better guidance I have found it to work for me over the years.

[AndyRVTR]

I would agree with all of the above.. pinching out side shoots stops unecassary growth putting all the plants energy into growing the Tomato's and not the foliage..
It is an ongoing job removing the side shoots and they seem to appear overnight.. I usually let my plants get to 4 or 5 trusses before pinching out the head, however I've got 25 plants growing this year so I might stop them at 4