[janeheritage]

So, in April I planted my tomato seedlings in my greenhouse and chortled with glee at how happy they looked.  I put strings up for the cordon toms (Gardener's Delight) and left the bush toms (Roma) to get on with it.

Nightmare! Earlier this week I noticed:

(1) one of the so-called bush tomatoes was growing very tall and straight. Looked like a cordon to me. I have strung it up forthwith and it seems happier. But, woe:

(2) one of what I thought was a Gardener's Delight has a little baby tom on it - and it is a plum!

It looks as if I have forcibly straightened my poor Roma plum tomatoes  :blink:.

Two questions for you tomatologues out there:

(1) Is there any way I can tell cordon from bush, GD from Roma, before they fruit (and thank Heavens one is plum and one cherry, or I might never know!)

(2) If I have mistrained them, what should I do?

Please don't lecture me on labelling them properly. I know, I know  . At least I am sure that the ones I gave to the village fete were properly labelled, or Surrey would be full of people in the same boat  !

[Lee G]

You can tell them apart, because I did a similar thing, in that I didn't label al of my 89 toms, but I had the advantage that over half were labelled, and some of all 5 varieties I'm growing were labelled, so I had a reference point for each one.  From memory the Roma had "pointier" leaves than the GD, I'll try and remember to take some pics when I get home, unless you receive an answer in the meantime.

[gillie]

The main stem of a cordon tomato goes on growing after a truss is formed, so if left to its own devices you would get a huge straggly plant. 

The main stem on a bush tomato stops growing after a truss has formed and further trusses are formed on side shoots, so you  have a much 'bushier' plant.

So if you decide one of your 'bush' tomatoes is actually a cordon, train the best looking stem up a string and ruthlessly remove all sideshoots, using secateurs if necessary.  If you really can't bear to remove them all, train another side shoot up a different string, but beware of developing a tomato hedge which will restrict air circulation.

If you have trained a bush as a cordon you will have removed the side shoots which were going to bear a lot of the crop.  Not to worry! just stop side shooting and the plant will soon generate some more.  All that will happen is that your crop will be a bit delayed.

My OH sometimes brings home tomato seeds from his travels.   He just saves a few seeds in a paper napkin from a nice tasting tomato he has been served.  Of course we have no idea whether the fruit came from cordons or bushes so our rule is:

Do not side shoot until you can see that the main shoot is still growing!

Cheers,

Gillie

[janeheritage]

Hmm, Gillie, ah, that sounds very helpful but perhaps I haven't understood you fully.  Looking at my plants, are you saying that "if there is a truss above a side shoot, it is a cordon" ? Or is that too simplistic?  :blink:

Anyway, thanks for helping!

[gillie]

"if there is a truss above a side shoot, it is a cordon"

Yes,  and it is safe to take the side shoot off. 

Or put another way, if the main stem goes on growing after a truss has formed, it is a cordon.

Cheers,

Gillie

[janeheritage]

My plants aren't being very helpful but I hope with your advice I might be able to sort them out... Poor little b*****s  :blink:

[gillie]

Don't worry about it!  If they have flowers they will fruit, just stop the place turning into a tomato jungle.  I am sure the plants don't care whether they get properly trained or not.

Cheers,

Gillie