What a weird stem! Is it because of unattended suckers or what? It was this way as a little seedling. I'm pretty sure its an indeterminant San Marzano tomato plant. I'm just not sure how to stake this one. its so weird.
[img]https://img227.imageshack.us/img227/4742/img2140j.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6546/img2145dv.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6397/img2143f.jpg[/img]
Every once in a while one will do that. It has to do with hormones levels produced by the top of the plant being lower than normal for some reason so that the lateral/axillary buds become activated early (inhibition of apical dominance). You can simply prune off those suckers. More will be produced higher up. Or you could treat it as multiple plants. Or you could prune the main stem and all but the larger lateral and hope that the lateral will act normally as a main stem.
Whatever you do I suggest removing some of the stems/suckers untill you see flowers start, otherwise you might end up with a plant that just wants to grow branches.
Whatever you do I suggest removing some of the stems/suckers untill you see flowers start, otherwise you might end up with a plant that just wants to grow branches.
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applestar
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I believe there's some kind of a virus that causes the cauliflower-like deformation of new growth. Someone posted about it within the past year. I think the poster had affected... hmmm zucchini or squash, maybe? ... and I remembered that I had a similar phenomenon on one of my calendula. Maybe enough keywords to do a search. I'll be right back. 
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OK, I'm back!
This was the thread I was thinking of
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=150660#150660
Sani, obviously, this has nothing to do with your tomato plant. Sorry for the OT.
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OK, I'm back! This was the thread I was thinking of
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=150660#150660Sani, obviously, this has nothing to do with your tomato plant. Sorry for the OT.
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applestar
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OK, OK. Found the relevant discussions about "The Stick" on another forum.
Heh. All I can say is "WHY!?"
All those nooks and crannies in the wrinkled foliage would make it prone to diseases and pests, won't they? Same reason I gave the deeply multi lobed Costoluto Genovese tomatoes the thumbs down some years ago....
It really doesn't seem like the kind of trait I would consider worth saving.... (and then to find out they actually SELL seeds for this "variety")
I guess I'm not that much of a tomato enthusiast....
Heh. All I can say is "WHY!?"
All those nooks and crannies in the wrinkled foliage would make it prone to diseases and pests, won't they? Same reason I gave the deeply multi lobed Costoluto Genovese tomatoes the thumbs down some years ago....
It really doesn't seem like the kind of trait I would consider worth saving.... (and then to find out they actually SELL seeds for this "variety")
I guess I'm not that much of a tomato enthusiast....
I was refering to Sani's plant with the pile of leaves sitting next to it.
Stick is an ornamental grown just because its really weird. Reistomaat/voyage tomato is another useless variety grown because it is
unusual. Costoluto Genovese makes really great sauce. The skin comes out of the grooves easily after you scald them.
I believe that the mutation for stick is called Curl (Cu)
https://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/Data/Acc/Genes.aspx
Stick is an ornamental grown just because its really weird. Reistomaat/voyage tomato is another useless variety grown because it is
unusual. Costoluto Genovese makes really great sauce. The skin comes out of the grooves easily after you scald them.
I believe that the mutation for stick is called Curl (Cu)
https://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/Data/Acc/Genes.aspx
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applestar
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Well, sure, but "things" floated out of the crevices when I scalded them.Costoluto Genovese makes really great sauce. The skin comes out of the grooves easily after you scald them.
Some others had anthracnose or other soft spots inside the wrinkles and other problems like spiders nesting inside that couldn't be coaxed out -- I'm averse to killing spiders. I DIDN't mind that pest bugs floated out dead, just that they were there.
No thanks, I'll stick with other great tasting sauce tomatoes. (speaking of which I have to reply to your PM)
I'm glad you could scare it into behaving. Be careful about letting it outgrow the pot. Each of those suckers uses nutrients and water which could end up stunting fruit if the plant to pot ratio gets too high.
Apple,
The spiders are what make the sauce taste good. This can be traced to the name Tarantula, which comes from the tarantella, an Italian folk dance to honor the tomato harvest. C.G. and other costoluto tomatoes were bred with the "flavor ridges" to attract the spiders so the little kids wouldn't have to go out and hunt them for the sauce. It all started when the Duke of of Taranto's little daughter (Nicki) was crowned Little Miss Tomato of 1537. She had the honor of catching the first spider for the village sauce festival, but the spider bit her and she cried so the Duke comissioned the local farmers to develop a new tomato so that the spiders would come in with the harvest instead of having to be caught by little kids.
Apple,
The spiders are what make the sauce taste good. This can be traced to the name Tarantula, which comes from the tarantella, an Italian folk dance to honor the tomato harvest. C.G. and other costoluto tomatoes were bred with the "flavor ridges" to attract the spiders so the little kids wouldn't have to go out and hunt them for the sauce. It all started when the Duke of of Taranto's little daughter (Nicki) was crowned Little Miss Tomato of 1537. She had the honor of catching the first spider for the village sauce festival, but the spider bit her and she cried so the Duke comissioned the local farmers to develop a new tomato so that the spiders would come in with the harvest instead of having to be caught by little kids.