Hi

I have planted tomatoes for the first time this year. Four Ailsa Craigs and two Alicante's. Both seem to be doing well, and are starting to show some nice (still green) fruit.

I have a few questions though:

1) Every plant has two stems though. I have removed every sideshoot that i saw that grew at the junction of the main stem and leaf. The second stem does not originate from this place, but rather comes out of the main stem nowhere near a leaf. How do you identify these stems?

2) Given that I have now nipped out the growth point as each plant had 6 trusses, will the plant continue to produce new trusses and flowers throughout the summer now that it will no longer grow upwards, or are the one's they have now it?

Thanks in advance for any help on this.

anthony123hopki said:

I have planted tomatoes for the first time this year. Four Ailsa Craigs
and two Alicante's. Both seem to be doing well, and are starting to
show some nice (still green) fruit.

I have a few questions though:

1) Every plant has two stems though. I have removed every
sideshoot that i saw that grew at the junction of the main stem and
leaf. The second stem does not originate from this place, but rather
comes out of the main stem nowhere near a leaf. How do you
identify these stems?

That happens sometimes. Usually, though, the side stems come
at a leaf node. I've even seen the end of a truss start to grow as
if it were a stem.

Normally, I always let at least one side shoot grow, sometimes
two, on my staked tomatoes. More foliage is better (protects
the fruit from sun scald) and you can always remove trusses if
you think they are going to go to waste.

2) Given that I have now nipped out the growth point as each plant
had 6 trusses, will the plant continue to produce new trusses and
flowers throughout the summer now that it will no longer grow
upwards, or are the one's they have now it?

It won't form any new trusses unless another terminal shoot takes
off. It might be good to allow some shoot close to the base of
the plant to grow up--fresh foliage to feed and shelter the developing
fruit, new trusses for late-season insurance.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

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