Hi,
I've been told by a few different people that I should trim some flowers off my plants to increase the quality of the tomatoes. My plant only has a few flowers though and so I was wondering if trimming the plant itself works too. I also have no idea how to go about trimming tomatoes plants so if anyone has any suggestions that would be great. Thanks!
Hi Bextar!
A close relative of mine plants cherry tomatoes each year in partial shade -more hours of sun than shade but definitely not full sun and usually does nothing except fertilize them. They look like fragile plants, but they aren't - I found that out trying to tie them up.
Someone else may have had a different experience with cherry tomatoes though.... I will wait and see too!
As I go to submit I am just thinking -- I wonder if by "trimming" they mean pinching the new growth between the stem and branch???? This is done to redirect the energy of the plant towards the production of the fruit rather than to the growth of offshoots. I don't always do this on a regular basis for other types of tomatoes and the plants still produce lots of tomatoes. When I do pinch, I will sometimes wait until the offshoot is a few inches high then replant the offshoot in a separate pot or area to try and grow them and they usually do! Good Luck!
A close relative of mine plants cherry tomatoes each year in partial shade -more hours of sun than shade but definitely not full sun and usually does nothing except fertilize them. They look like fragile plants, but they aren't - I found that out trying to tie them up.
Someone else may have had a different experience with cherry tomatoes though.... I will wait and see too!
As I go to submit I am just thinking -- I wonder if by "trimming" they mean pinching the new growth between the stem and branch???? This is done to redirect the energy of the plant towards the production of the fruit rather than to the growth of offshoots. I don't always do this on a regular basis for other types of tomatoes and the plants still produce lots of tomatoes. When I do pinch, I will sometimes wait until the offshoot is a few inches high then replant the offshoot in a separate pot or area to try and grow them and they usually do! Good Luck!
-
opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Trimming isn't the word that I'd use, but what you should do is sucker them. This will definately increase the duantity and flavour of tomatoes produced.
So, between the maen branches and the stem you'll see little leaflets emerging and also small branches, these are called suckers and what you want to do is pinch them off with you index finger and thumb. Once gone, the tomatoe plant will put all of it's energy into growing tomatoes instead of splitting energy between growing more foliage and growing tomatoes.
Lots of luck and have fun!
(Check your plants regularly throughout the summer and fall and sucker as needed)
So, between the maen branches and the stem you'll see little leaflets emerging and also small branches, these are called suckers and what you want to do is pinch them off with you index finger and thumb. Once gone, the tomatoe plant will put all of it's energy into growing tomatoes instead of splitting energy between growing more foliage and growing tomatoes.
Lots of luck and have fun!
(Check your plants regularly throughout the summer and fall and sucker as needed)