Tomato side shoots??

[bradlo]

At what point do you start to take side shoots off tomato plants?...and pics would be useful!!

[Kleftiwallah]

Remove the growth (between the stem and a leaf stem) as soon as you can while it is still 'flaccid'! Cheers, Tony.

[Capsid]

If you are growing cordons, the as soon as you see them.

There's a video here: Mr Tomato King: Nipping out early shoots and taking cuttings

[Mato]

Nice video Capsid. I've always removed the growth as soon as I've seen them by pinching them off. I figure the sooner the better with tomatoes.

[Potstubsdustbins]

It really depends if you want/need extra plants. If your happy with what you have then the sooner the better. If you want an extra plant leave the side shoot until its abour 4" long remove carefully and take it to the milk bottle 10/14 days later nice new tomato plant.

Colin

[bradlo]

Thanks for all your help everyone!

[Kaiya]

And check that they are indeterminate/cordon rather than doing what I did last year and pinch out determinate/bush-formings, then wonder why they didn't do so well.

[bradlo]

So remove side shoots even when they are still in their 5" "growing on pots?

[rustylady]

So remove side shoots even when they are still in their 5" "growing on pots?

Yes, if they're cordon types. If you leave the side shoots on you're wasting the plant's energy growing these on instead of the main leader shoot that you need.

[bradlo]

Thanks !!!
Just done it ! my first bit of "pruning" !!!!!!!

[Kleftiwallah]

Quite some years ago I did read of a 'radical' growing procedure.. . . . Wait until the first sideshoot has formed and cut off the MAIN STEM. wait untill the first sideshoot from this (now the main stem) and cut off the main stem once again.

If you can visualize it, you will have a stem zig zagging up the wire/string/cane, with the main stem being about a third longer than a straight up stem with a resulting increase in trusses.

It sounds so good, I might just try one this year. Cheers, Tony.

[Pa Snips]

Just checked mine and the packet states "Indeterminate - can be cordon grown". Cool, I'll get busy ripping out side shoots as soon as they're big enough to get hold of.

Hmmm, zig-zag tomato plant, I might just give that a try with one and see how it goes.

Note to self: Don't rip the side shoots out of all the toms.