Tomatoes growing wildly

[Petermax]

Hello, New here.
Need some advice on my tomato plants, they are growing great - over 6.5 feet tall lots of blooms and early fruit, however the plant itself seems to be growing in all directions. I pinched off the suckers in the early stages but know they seem to be sprouting up allover the place, Do I still pinch them off or do I let them grow?
Thanks for any advice for this novice.
Presently it's only the cherry tomatoes that are growing into trees.

[bunge]

I think I'm having a little of your problem, my maters are growing crazy too!!
A neighbor told me today to "top" them,
meaning to cut the tops off.
Ouch, I don't think I can do that....?
Yall experts, let us know what to do...
thank you

[Petermax]

I think I'm having a little of your problem, my maters are growing crazy too!!
A neighbor told me today to "top" them,
meaning to cut the tops off.
Ouch, I don't think I can do that....?
Yall experts, let us know what to do...
thank you

Hi Bunge
Looks like it's just you and I. I was reading some of the earlier posts, I think your neighbor is correct, we can cut-back or prune our wildly growing tomato trees. see attached link (if it works??) Tomato - Growing Tomatoes Forum Out of control growth in NJ...
Jodofo 6 1431 Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:11 am
opabinia51
Well, it was good talking to you. Now we only need to find out how to properly prune our tomato trees. Keep me posted.

[bunge]

Well, I guess if no one else will answer us, we just have to fin for ourselves..
I'm thinking about toping a few this afternoon, got to go to work now.
will catch you later,

[Franco]

My grandma told me to do that stuff but hey, they are green as hell the tomatoes are huge so I'm not in a hurry to cut it.

[coasterqueen]

I'm having the same problem. I couldn't convince my husband to put cages around them until it was too late and they are taking over my garden. I would be fine with cutting them back, but then that would mean cutting off future tomatoes that are on there and green right now.

[Franco]

coaster, that's also on eof the reasons I haven't either.

[Petermax]

I hear you Coaster and Franco,
However my tomato trees are past my 6.5 ft cages (almost 7 ft + tall) if those tomatoes start growing and they will, those spindley little branches are not going to support them. I have no problem cutting them back and sacrificing those few tomatoes - there are bunches more of them on the main trunk. My question was and still is, HOW do I cut them back so I can still maximize the plants production and maintain overall health of the plant.
Thanks for your comments, for a while there I thought it was just bunge and I on this forum.
Cheers.

[Grey]

Yep, you;re supposed to give your tomatoes a good whack midseason. You can take those whackings and plant them - tomatoes root easily and you should wind up with twice as many plants as you started with.

[Petermax]

Yep, you;re supposed to give your tomatoes a good whack midseason. You can take those whackings and plant them - tomatoes root easily and you should wind up with twice as many plants as you started with.

COOL!! Thanks Grey.
I will give that wacking a shot this weekend, (expect some rain tomorrow and possibly into Friday) and then plant the wackings into the nice moist dirt. Beats throwing them onto the compost pile. I'll let you know how I (they) fare.
Cheers

[coasterqueen]

Thanks Grey. I guess I will give my plants a 'whacking' too and hope it turns out ok.

[bunge]

I just wacked my tomatoes.
I put about 20 tops in 2 big gal. jars of water till I can get them in the ground
this weekend..
My husband said I was "ruthless"
bunge

[coasterqueen]

Bunge - on your Dh.

I whacked mine as well tonight. It wasn't so bad. The worst thing about it is I found a DISGUSTING tomato worm. I hate those things. Now I have to figure out how to get rid of them.

[bunge]

I feel like Tony Soprano,
whacking tomatoes!!!!