I know I planted them too close. Do I need to prune? If so where?
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gixxerific
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
- Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B
You could start by pulling off the suckers. Those are the stems that grow out from where 2 other stems intersect.
That is all the trimming I do and not much at that.
Some people will trim there's down to a few main stalks, never done that so I can't comment on that too much.
Good luck, tomatoes should (normally) be planted no less than 24 inches from each other. Though some people plant closer and some may plant as far as 5 ft. away maybe more. Try a few out next year and see what works for you.
Planting somewhat close offers shade to neighboring plants protecting them from sun scald and may produce smaller fruit. But than again may also help induce fungal activity due to lowered drying from the air. On the other hand if you plant them further apart the opposite occurs. It really depends on your climate as well. There are many variables which is why seeing what works for you is the best thing to do.
Another thing if I may be so blunt, those cages will more than likely be way too small for tomatoes unless they are dwarfs. Tomatoes grown in good conditions may reach 7+ feet.
That is all the trimming I do and not much at that.
Some people will trim there's down to a few main stalks, never done that so I can't comment on that too much.
Good luck, tomatoes should (normally) be planted no less than 24 inches from each other. Though some people plant closer and some may plant as far as 5 ft. away maybe more. Try a few out next year and see what works for you.
Planting somewhat close offers shade to neighboring plants protecting them from sun scald and may produce smaller fruit. But than again may also help induce fungal activity due to lowered drying from the air. On the other hand if you plant them further apart the opposite occurs. It really depends on your climate as well. There are many variables which is why seeing what works for you is the best thing to do.
Another thing if I may be so blunt, those cages will more than likely be way too small for tomatoes unless they are dwarfs. Tomatoes grown in good conditions may reach 7+ feet.
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Sunrise_Anne
- Full Member
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- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:07 am
- Location: Middle Georgia
Cookie
Many people plant their tomatoes probably a little bit farther apart and don't prune their plants except to remove the lowest branches that might rest on the soil. You should probably do that, too. Apparently you can safely remove any branches below the first branch that produces blossoms. That prevents soil-borne diseases from taking up on your plants to a great extent and provides for air-flow from the bottom of the plant up through it to the top, which also helps prevent diseases.
As for other pruning, gixxerific and I agree. Most of the time, it's your choice, and being unwilling to fight for my tomatoes in a jungle
I just plant them about 4 feet apart and leave them unpruned. Shorter or less robust indeterminates might be planted 3 feet apart, but usually I space them all the same to give some breathing room to the smaller ones and those around them. Almost always they expand to fill the space anyway. What tomato cultivars did you plant (their names)?
You really will need larger cages if those are indeterminate tomatoes. I know that puts you in a bind about what to do with these. Maybe this year you can put strong stakes around them for support and pray they don't topple over! If they do, I think, in your shoes, I'd just leave them there and pick the tomatoes from the sprawled plants as they ripen.
Many people make their tomato cages from rolls of CRW (concrete reinforcing wire) that you can usually find at Home Depot or Lowe's or lumber supply companies. It comes in rolls of varying heights (around 5 feet is good -- you can just let the plants grow over the top and drape down the sides). You can make quite a few from a 100-ft. roll of CRW, depending on their diameter. I've seen 22-24 inch diameter cages recommended as best, but of course you can make them any size you'd like. The spaces between the wires should be around 5-6 inches so you can fit your hand through them to collect your tomatoes. Oh, and drive a strong stake or two around the tomato plants when newly planted (avoiding the large root-spread they'll have later) to attach the cages to.
After giving you all that information, I'll tell you I don't use cages except for a few determinates I grow each year for freezing. I use a cattle panel trellis and tie the tomato plants to it on each side with soft strips cut from plastic grocery bags. They're around 5 feet tall and 16 feet long. You can cut them in half if you need 8 feet instead.
Here are some young Opalka tomato plants growing tied to cattle panel. I use cattle panels for my bean and cucumber trellises, too.
[img]https://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb223/anney_2007/100_0470.jpg[/img]
Many people plant their tomatoes probably a little bit farther apart and don't prune their plants except to remove the lowest branches that might rest on the soil. You should probably do that, too. Apparently you can safely remove any branches below the first branch that produces blossoms. That prevents soil-borne diseases from taking up on your plants to a great extent and provides for air-flow from the bottom of the plant up through it to the top, which also helps prevent diseases.
As for other pruning, gixxerific and I agree. Most of the time, it's your choice, and being unwilling to fight for my tomatoes in a jungle
I just plant them about 4 feet apart and leave them unpruned. Shorter or less robust indeterminates might be planted 3 feet apart, but usually I space them all the same to give some breathing room to the smaller ones and those around them. Almost always they expand to fill the space anyway. What tomato cultivars did you plant (their names)?You really will need larger cages if those are indeterminate tomatoes. I know that puts you in a bind about what to do with these. Maybe this year you can put strong stakes around them for support and pray they don't topple over! If they do, I think, in your shoes, I'd just leave them there and pick the tomatoes from the sprawled plants as they ripen.
Many people make their tomato cages from rolls of CRW (concrete reinforcing wire) that you can usually find at Home Depot or Lowe's or lumber supply companies. It comes in rolls of varying heights (around 5 feet is good -- you can just let the plants grow over the top and drape down the sides). You can make quite a few from a 100-ft. roll of CRW, depending on their diameter. I've seen 22-24 inch diameter cages recommended as best, but of course you can make them any size you'd like. The spaces between the wires should be around 5-6 inches so you can fit your hand through them to collect your tomatoes. Oh, and drive a strong stake or two around the tomato plants when newly planted (avoiding the large root-spread they'll have later) to attach the cages to.
After giving you all that information, I'll tell you I don't use cages except for a few determinates I grow each year for freezing. I use a cattle panel trellis and tie the tomato plants to it on each side with soft strips cut from plastic grocery bags. They're around 5 feet tall and 16 feet long. You can cut them in half if you need 8 feet instead.
Here are some young Opalka tomato plants growing tied to cattle panel. I use cattle panels for my bean and cucumber trellises, too.
[img]https://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb223/anney_2007/100_0470.jpg[/img]
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keen gardener
- Full Member
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:06 am
- Location: Port Melbourne
Hi Cookie
Yes, you will need to prune them. With your thumb and forefinger, just nip out the side growth. Where the stalk of the leaf joins the stem, there will be a little bud sitting. If it has started to grow - this is a new side branch, carefully nip in out. Nipping out the side growth will encourage them to grow upwards, so everynow and again you may need to nip out the top growth. Nipping only makes a very small wound which lets less disease in.
Cheers
Yes, you will need to prune them. With your thumb and forefinger, just nip out the side growth. Where the stalk of the leaf joins the stem, there will be a little bud sitting. If it has started to grow - this is a new side branch, carefully nip in out. Nipping out the side growth will encourage them to grow upwards, so everynow and again you may need to nip out the top growth. Nipping only makes a very small wound which lets less disease in.
Cheers
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Sunrise_Anne
- Full Member
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:07 am
- Location: Middle Georgia
Cookie
A PS here. I assume you know that determinate tomatoes should not be pruned except to keep the lowest branches off the soil? (Your Brandywine is not a determinate, and your cherry probably isn't either.) That's because determinates don't continue growing but produce their fruits all in about a two week period, then they're finished. Pruning determinates above the blossoms removes their productive branches and your harvest will be scrawny and scant!
Indeterminate suckers are producers of tomatoes, too, though you can remove them if you wish to keep the plant less bushy. As long as you don't remove the growing tops of the leaders, or vines, that are growing tallest, your remaining vines will continue to grow longer, blossom and produce fruit.
A PS here. I assume you know that determinate tomatoes should not be pruned except to keep the lowest branches off the soil? (Your Brandywine is not a determinate, and your cherry probably isn't either.) That's because determinates don't continue growing but produce their fruits all in about a two week period, then they're finished. Pruning determinates above the blossoms removes their productive branches and your harvest will be scrawny and scant!
Indeterminate suckers are producers of tomatoes, too, though you can remove them if you wish to keep the plant less bushy. As long as you don't remove the growing tops of the leaders, or vines, that are growing tallest, your remaining vines will continue to grow longer, blossom and produce fruit.