Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short - they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C

PLease note - when I say 4x4 - I mean 4 metres.....actually probably less than 4 metres, but you get the idea....

sometime in the recent past einnebcj posted this:
Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I
didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short -
they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were
small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and
subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into
eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become
very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their
course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and
break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what
I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C




Cherry tomatoes are generally indeterminant (they don't stop growing at the
ends of the plant) and I've had them grow 8' long. You have way too many for
a 4' x4' plot and I suspect they will over-compete with each other and your
yield will be a lot of green and little red. I suggest you eliminate all but
4 plants if at all possible. But wait and see what other responses you get.

Good luck!

--
Wilson N44º39" W67º12"

In article ,
einnebcj wrote:

Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I
didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short -
they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were
small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and
subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into
eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become
very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their
course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and
break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what
I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C

I'd stake them personally. :-) Just be GENTLE!
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

einnebcj wrote:
Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I
didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short -
they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were
small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and
subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into
eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become
very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their
course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and
break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what
I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C

As others have said: thin out and carefully stake. You didn't say how big
they are. Drive your stake close to the selected plant but avoiding main
roots, breaking a couple of small roots won't matter. Then working from the
root upwards pull them up to the stake and tie, repeat working towards the
tip tieing about a foot apart, it may be easier if somebody helps hold while
you tie. If you break on or two side stems it doesn't matter just don't
kink the main one. If you thin them,depending on the size, you may be able
to transplant them to elsewhere taking some soil with the roots.

David

einnebcj wrote:
Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I
didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short -
they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were
small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and
subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into
eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become
very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their
course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and
break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what
I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C




After I changed my timber retaining walls to brick the clay I used to
backfill it, after a while tomato plants started sprouting in the clay,
I thought if they came up through that, they had a good determination to
live. So I lifted the and planted them in my new garden beds that I
manured heavily with chicken hot and mature and cow manure, with blood
and bone and dynamic lifter plus gypsum. I wasn't going to plant till
next year, but I couldn't wait that lone. The tomatos turned out to be
cherry tomatos, I had to wire an extra 6 foot garden stake to the one
already holding them as they have taken off big time. as well as cherry
tommys, I have black russians,beefsteak as well. Habanero chillies, plus
one plat that came up by themself, which could be birds eyes. 3 Lebanese
cukes are going crazy,leeks,cos lettuce,spring onions,carrots and celery
still to come up. I also have a herb garden with normal chives, garlic
chives, 3 silver beet,oregano,basil,cammomile plant,italian and normal
parsley. By the way I'm in the land of OZ, and today we have 42deg C.
Stake them.

Cam Phillips wrote:
einnebcj wrote:
Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I
didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short -
they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were
small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and
subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into
eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become
very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their
course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and
break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what
I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C




After I changed my timber retaining walls to brick the clay I used to
backfill it, after a while tomato plants started sprouting in the clay,
I thought if they came up through that, they had a good determination to
live. So I lifted the and planted them in my new garden beds that I
manured heavily with chicken hot and mature and cow manure, with blood
and bone and dynamic lifter plus gypsum. I wasn't going to plant till
next year, but I couldn't wait that lone. The tomatos turned out to be
cherry tomatos, I had to wire an extra 6 foot garden stake to the one
already holding them as they have taken off big time. as well as cherry
tommys, I have black russians,beefsteak as well. Habanero chillies, plus
one plat that came up by themself, which could be birds eyes. 3 Lebanese
cukes are going crazy,leeks,cos lettuce,spring onions,carrots and celery
still to come up. I also have a herb garden with normal chives, garlic
chives, 3 silver beet,oregano,basil,cammomile plant,italian and normal
parsley. By the way I'm in the land of OZ, and today we have 42deg C.
Stake them.
Excuse the spelling mistakes.

On Jan 5, 5:52*am, einnebcj
wrote:
Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. *I
didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short -
they have gone crazy! *Last year the soil was poor so the plants were
small and uncramped. *This year I have improved the soil and
subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into
eachother. *The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become
very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? *do I stake now or just let them run their
course? *I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and
break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what
I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks
C

--
einnebcj

I'mk not sure when in the process they do it, but our Amish egg and
butter family stake theirs differently than I've ever seen. They take
2 pieces of 5' tall metal fencing and put them parallel, 1 - 1 1/2'
apart and have the tomatoes in between the fences,which can be as long
as your garden rows. There appears to be some twine woven between the
fences to help 'maters stand up. I'm also sure, by the lack of
foliage, that they remove some of the leaves and branches, but the
tomatoes are easy to get to and prolific. I have yet to convince hubby
that this is the way to do it, but I think it is great, and a real
space saver, maybe water too with some of the foliage gone!!
Good Luck, Nan in DE,USA

my cherry tomatoes always go crazy, i start off with the biggest tomato
cage i can buy, when it starts to fall over i drive a stake in middle of
cage and they do okay

In article ,
(Heidi H) wrote:

my cherry tomatoes always go crazy, i start off with the biggest tomato
cage i can buy, when it starts to fall over i drive a stake in middle of
cage and they do okay

I start with a 6' tall post right next to them. I tie them to that as
they grow, and the branches to each other. ;-)
--
Peace! Om

"Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." -- Anonymous