Bob Hobden wrote:
"David in Normandy" wrote ...
I'm growing tomatoes for the first time. Variety "Sweet Baby". They are
small cherry size tomatoes. The plants are around two feet tall now, some
are starting to flower. There are a few side shoots coming out too. Should
these be cut off / pinched out? I seem to remember this being normal
practice for tall growing tomatoes, but what about these smaller growing
plants? Are they grown as single stem or as bushes?

If the side shoots need removing is it best to pinch them out or to cut
them off with pruners / garden knife? I generally avoid using a blade
where possible to avoid spreading any diseases between plants.

You need to know if the variety is Determinate (leave it to do it's own
thing) or Indeterminate (pinch out all side shoots to keep one main stem)
Some of the smaller varieties are determinate but it's not all by any means.
I always pinch out the little shoots, make your fingers go green though.

Just took a look and yours is what's called a "compact indeterminate" ???
which means yes you should pinch out side shoots.


Thanks Bob. I'll pinch them out today. Some of the side shoots are quite
big now - almost as big as the main stem. In fact one plant seems to
have put out several shoots from ground height making it multi-stem
anyway! I'm growing them all outdoors; several in pots against the South
facing wall of the house and a row in the veg garden up those metal
spiral supports. Those against the house are growing better as you'd
expect. They all looked a little poorly a few weeks ago so gave 'em a
spray of dithane and they have perked up nicely, with lots of new
vigorous growth. They seem to like Miracle grow. Maybe I'll need to
switch to a special tomato fertiliser soon, now some are starting to flower?


--
David in Normandy.
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