tomato - when the first truss has set

[King Carrot]

can anyone clarify what this means, I've seen it many times in relation to planting tomatoes in their final positions but I've never seen an actual definition - I have always planted toms in their final positions when the temperature and conditions are right, and more importantly I've had the time.

So - does anyone know for sure

cheers,

KC

[Demeter]

I think it just means when you see the first lot of flowers / buds.

[shirlthegirl43]

It means when the first lot of flowers have 'set' and formed tomatoes

[mcsee]

As Shirley has said. 'Set' means to show sign of fruit.

[Two_Sheds]

Why do tomatoes seem so difficult/complicated? It's all this talk of trusses and sideshooting, cordons and bush, determinate and indeterminate.

In actual fact, they aren't hard to grow at all, not really.

[gojiberry]

Growing tomatoes is only as difficult as you want to make it. All the information is designed to get a decent crop of nice sized tomatoes. Taking out the side shoots is so that extra energy is diverted into the fruit. It isn't a crime to leave the side shoots on a plant just means you will get smaller toms, and a very large bushy plant. The only other thing is that tomato plants are sometimes reluctent to set the first truss of fruit, and you can help the set by misting the plant with water.

Ian

[Norm]

can anyone clarify what this means,

Everything is easy.......when you know how Remember we all started knowing nothing about gardening!
OK. First Truss is when the flowers have (usually) dropped off and there are a selection of tiny green toms on the truss.
The ideal temp for growth is about 21c/70f.
Keep the compost damp but not wet.
Side shoots are the start of new stems which grow out from the main stem and above a leaf joint, but be careful as fruit trusses look very similar in some varieties.
Determinate - plant grows to a set height, produces all its ripe fruit within a short time and snuffs it. Will still need support, bit it is a bush with several stems. You don't nip out the side shoots of these.
Indeterminate - Jacks bean stalk. They just keep growing up. Not literally, but you know what I mean. These grow to all sorts of heights and are best with the growing tips taken off when they have produced 4 or 5 trusses, or the fruit won't be as good. You will also need to have the side shoots nipped off for the same reason. Needs strong vertical support (bamboo) and the plant attached to it.
If you knew most of this, please accept my apology for trying to teach Granny to suck eggs.

[vegman]

I agree about the mystery of tomatoe growing, with so many ways to grow and different methods of care it seems to the beginner that there is too much information.

Arguably, the fact that they can be grown in growbags, pots, rings, straw bales, hydrophonically, in hanging baskets, picking out side shoots, leaving them on, growing as a vine, growing as a bush, feeding with dead dogs, seaweed, grandads magic formula handed down through generations, commercial tomatoe feed, grown indoors, grown outdoors etc etc really means anyone can grow them no matter how inexperienced you are!

As the young Bucks in the city say "Just do it!"

[Duronal]

I managed 52 plants last year......i got a little too carried away with the seeds....

52 plants got blight and died BUT i got one tomato! (My parents ate evrything else - i gave them 9 plants.)

so this year i've looked at the following ways to reduce blight and give the plants better care:

grow under cover, remove excess folliage (3 bunches of leaves per stalk), and water from the bottom, feed from the top once a week.

The side shoot thing is straight forward, last year i didn't remove the lower shoots and ended up with a 3 pronged plant. It still fruited but i think the advice is for getting the best yeild and quality of fruit.

I'm sure you'll be fine, just remember to try and keep the plant folliage as dry as possible (away from rain), hopefully there'll be less blight this year anyway.

Cheers

D