Tomato Side Shoots

[Jaxom]

just pulled up a load of mange tout that the birds had nibbled to death as I didn't think I was going to get anything from them. Very tempted to pull up my peas too as the same has happened to them and I've just planted more pea seeds in the greenhouse to plant later on...not sure it's worth it though.

This is where Cats come into their own fruit bushes untouched. Peas and other greens as good as the day they went in. There are two cats that think our house is theirs. Neither cat was ours from kittens. Both seemed to move in with their shopping trolleys and guard the garden like tigers from all comers.

[Gryfon]

Well I'm not quite sure what to do with them to be honest! Forgot when I sowed them that most would germinate and I'm terrible for not thinning and throwing!!!

Going to set up a hedge veg stall and sell them for 50p a plant!

Now if I did have a huge greenhouse I'd quite happily plant them all!!!

[Nature Girl]

Hi All,

Do you need to remove the side shoots from aubergines, peppers & chillies also? If so can you make new plants by planting the removed shoots as with tomatoes?

[lyndap]

No, you dont need to sideshoot any of the above(at least never had to on any type I've ever grown!).Just let them grow to a height you want,then pinch out growing tip.This will then encourage them to bush out.I usually do this when my plants get to about 2ft to 2 1/2ft high.Hope this helps.Other people might have different suggestions.

[Little Dig]

I'm a litle unsure about pinching out. I know about the secondary shoot at the junction of the main stem and side shoot, but have seen pictures of cordon tomatoes with basically one almost bare main stem with bunches of fruit hanging from it and just a few leaves at the top.
My growbags look like miniature rainforests the foliage is so dense. Am I missing out on something , should I be removing some of the lower "branches"/ I'd have thought all the leaves were needed for photosynthesis.

[leona]

i left all the side shoots last year and they practically took over my whole house never mind the greenhouse. sideshoots come off as soon as they appear. despite saying i had far too many tomato plants, come to my house and you will find no less than 6 side shoots planted up. why do i do this to myself!

[WiZeR]

this thread may help Little Dig

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...3&postcount=29

[Shortie]

I hate to go against the grain, but... last year I didn't pinch mine out (didn't have a clue how to) and I didn't have any problems.
Saying that, I only grow mine to make pasta sauces so there may have been differencesw if I was growing them for salads.....

Had a massive crop from just 4 plants.

[leona]

i had no problems with my toms from not pinching them out, the only problem was that they got huge and having all of those leaves shading the fruit will have prevented some from ripening. also,in order to ripen the last of the toms, i had to strip the plants of all the leaves and it took ages

[bramble]

Just come back from holidays and noticed you have got member of the month. Congratulations Jennie. Well done.
Gabrielle.

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks Bramble - realised you hadn't been posting lately and thought you were spending all your time with the new grandchild!

Can anyone advise when to take the lower leaves off cordon toms? I have seen some tomato plants looking very bare, just the trusses and wondered whether this was a good or bad thing?

[Squirrel]

I took some sideshoots off one lot of my toms but have left the others on. I planted up the sideshoots and they are growing away quite well in the garden soil, with the one that I put in the grow bag double the size of the others! Will be interesting to see how each set of toms develops over the coming months. All of them have flowers except for the side shoot plantings.

[leona]

i noticed something odd today. i grew loads of toms and gave quite a few plants away. some have been planted out, some on balconies etc. anyway, im house/dog sitting for someone and noticed the plants i gave them against a wall outside. they are MUCH bigger than mine and mine are in the greenhouse. could it be that as they are in growbags they have grown more as they have more room to stretch theyr legs?

[bramble]

Hi Jenny, i never take the lower leaves off until i see them going yellow andthe fruit from the first truss have been picked.In fact i only do it if the tomatoes are in need of sun and the lower leaves are completely blocking them.
As for the grand child, i have spent some time with him but have been holidaying in France.

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks for that Bramble. Will keep the lower leaves on!