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#16
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Prune Tomatoes?
Doug Kanter wrote:
... But, I wasn't aware the fruit itself needed sun to ripen. 90% of mine are shaded by the leaves... The fruit will ripen without sun. However, the plant needs sun. Those tomatoes shaded by leaves will do just fine. At least mine do. If the fruit gets too much sun, it can be subject to sunscald, a condition that turns the skin pale pink/yellow/white. Still edible, but not appealing or saleable. |
#17
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Prune Tomatoes?
"Dwight Sipler" wrote in message
... Doug Kanter wrote: ... But, I wasn't aware the fruit itself needed sun to ripen. 90% of mine are shaded by the leaves... The fruit will ripen without sun. However, the plant needs sun. Those tomatoes shaded by leaves will do just fine. At least mine do. If the fruit gets too much sun, it can be subject to sunscald, a condition that turns the skin pale pink/yellow/white. Still edible, but not appealing or saleable. Right....that's what I've read for 20 years, and it's why I've always grown tomatoes in cages which formed a shelter of leaves for the fruits themselves. Pam (2 messages back) seems to feel otherwise. |
#18
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Prune Tomatoes?
Doug Kanter wrote: "Dwight Sipler" wrote in message ... Doug Kanter wrote: ... But, I wasn't aware the fruit itself needed sun to ripen. 90% of mine are shaded by the leaves... The fruit will ripen without sun. However, the plant needs sun. Those tomatoes shaded by leaves will do just fine. At least mine do. If the fruit gets too much sun, it can be subject to sunscald, a condition that turns the skin pale pink/yellow/white. Still edible, but not appealing or saleable. Right....that's what I've read for 20 years, and it's why I've always grown tomatoes in cages which formed a shelter of leaves for the fruits themselves. Pam (2 messages back) seems to feel otherwise. It may have something to do with climate - in my area, most tomato growers encourage the removal of lateral sucker shoots. Our summers are very mild - seldom do we generate enough heat to encourage tomatoes to ripen much before first frost. This year, our spring was so chilly and night time temps so low (although in the 70's during the day yesterday, it still dropped into the high 40's last night) that tomatoes have not been recommended to be planted out until this month. Removal of these lateral suckers maximizes the available sunlight and temperatures, otherwise we may never realize any ripe fruit! You obviously live in an area which has normal summer heat :-) Sunscald on tomatoes on the west side of the Cascades is unheard of! pam - gardengal |
#19
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Prune Tomatoes?
Pam wrote:
...in my area, most tomato growers encourage the removal of lateral sucker shoots. Our summers are very mild - seldom do we generate enough heat to encourage tomatoes to ripen much before first frost. This year, our spring was so chilly and night time temps so low (although in the 70's during the day yesterday, it still dropped into the high 40's last night) that tomatoes have not been recommended to be planted out until this month. Removal of these lateral suckers maximizes the available sunlight and temperatures, otherwise we may never realize any ripe fruit! You obviously live in an area which has normal summer heat :-) Sunscald on tomatoes on the west side of the Cascades is unheard of!.. My condolances on your short summer climate. I'm in New England (central MA). My first planting of tomatoes got it one night about 2 weeks ago. We still have nights in the (high) 40's occasionally, but my second planting is all out there now. During the summer we average 3-4 days in the 90's (21 last summer), but generally fairly temperate, in the mid 80's. We have not felt the need for air conditioning just for those 3-4 days (it would have been nice last year, but we made it through). I think it was 2 years ago that the only day over 90 was in April (good old unpredictable New England weather: see http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/arts/twain1.htm). A breeze generally does the trick, and gives us fresh air in the house as well. Last expected frost for this area is May 15. We occasionally get scattered frost late May-early June, but not often. Sunscald here is well known, but not a really significant problem. I believe that removal of the suckers is done not for admitting sunlight, but for encouraging the development of the first fruit clusters. If the plant is trying to ripen fruit and grow at the same time, its resources are thinned. If the growth option is taken away, the resources are available for ripening the fruit. Consequently removing suckers will result in earlier fruit, although studies have shown that the total yield for the year is reduced. However, the early fruit gets the dollars, so the economic yield may be increased. |
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