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#1
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Tomato suckers
I was looking through some of the info on the NCSU web site, and came across
the following comments in : http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8107-b.html "Indeterminate types produce a shoot or "sucker" at each leaf axil. These suckers, if left undisturbed, grow into larger stems and produce fruit." and "Plants growing in cylinders are normally spaced 3 to 4 ft apart in the row and are not pruned; rather, the suckers are pushed back in the cage to force them to grow upward in the cage." I had always heard to pinch off the suckers as they appeared. I wonder how much other "rules of thumb" I may be misusing. Are there any good web sites on growing/maintaning tomatos in NC ? |
#2
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If you pinch the suckers then the plant will produce larger fruit and be a
taller plan if you dont then the plant will produce more fruit but they will be smaller. Remember a tomato has to GROW in order to produce fruit - every 3-5 inches produces a flower stem for fruit. I used to pinch but dont any more as I grow mostly heirloom tomato's that do not produce that much to begin with. It all has to do with the fact that a tomato plant can only support so much fruit versus actuall plant the more physical plant the smaller the fruit becuase some of the energy is going into supporting the plant itself. My tomato's are currently 3 feet tall becuase I use wall o waters to get them going before the heavy summer heat comes in. I also use large amounts of leaf compost and I do not till, just plant right into the mulch. Sincerely Tomatolord "Don S" wrote in message ... I was looking through some of the info on the NCSU web site, and came across the following comments in : http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8107-b.html "Indeterminate types produce a shoot or "sucker" at each leaf axil. These suckers, if left undisturbed, grow into larger stems and produce fruit." and "Plants growing in cylinders are normally spaced 3 to 4 ft apart in the row and are not pruned; rather, the suckers are pushed back in the cage to force them to grow upward in the cage." I had always heard to pinch off the suckers as they appeared. I wonder how much other "rules of thumb" I may be misusing. Are there any good web sites on growing/maintaning tomatos in NC ? |
#3
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On 2005-05-24, Don S wrote:
I was looking through some of the info on the NCSU web site, and came across the following comments in : http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8107-b.html "Indeterminate types produce a shoot or "sucker" at each leaf axil. These suckers, if left undisturbed, grow into larger stems and produce fruit." and "Plants growing in cylinders are normally spaced 3 to 4 ft apart in the row and are not pruned; rather, the suckers are pushed back in the cage to force them to grow upward in the cage." I had always heard to pinch off the suckers as they appeared. I wonder how much other "rules of thumb" I may be misusing. Are there any good web sites on growing/maintaning tomatos in NC ? Any body who plants better boys and beefsteak 3 feet apart are goin to have a jungle. I use 2 foot diameter cages and plant them 6-7 feet apart. I pinch some suckers and let others grow. Just pulling them back in the cage will prune some by breakage. -- Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please. is a garbage address. |
#4
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On 2005-05-25, tomatolord wrote:
If you pinch the suckers then the plant will produce larger fruit and be a taller plan if you dont then the plant will produce more fruit but they will be smaller. Remember a tomato has to GROW in order to produce fruit - every 3-5 inches produces a flower stem for fruit. I used to pinch but dont any more as I grow mostly heirloom tomato's that do not produce that much to begin with. It all has to do with the fact that a tomato plant can only support so much fruit versus actuall plant the more physical plant the smaller the fruit becuase some of the energy is going into supporting the plant itself. My tomato's are currently 3 feet tall becuase I use wall o waters to get them going before the heavy summer heat comes in. I also use large amounts of leaf compost and I do not till, just plant right into the mulch. Sincerely Tomatolord I see you got a nice write up in the N&O on your heirloom tomatoes. "Don S" wrote in message ... I was looking through some of the info on the NCSU web site, and came across the following comments in : http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8107-b.html "Indeterminate types produce a shoot or "sucker" at each leaf axil. These suckers, if left undisturbed, grow into larger stems and produce fruit." and "Plants growing in cylinders are normally spaced 3 to 4 ft apart in the row and are not pruned; rather, the suckers are pushed back in the cage to force them to grow upward in the cage." I had always heard to pinch off the suckers as they appeared. I wonder how much other "rules of thumb" I may be misusing. Are there any good web sites on growing/maintaning tomatos in NC ? -- Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please. is a garbage address. |
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