Picking out side shoots on tomato plants

[Gryfon]

I'm not the best at keeping up with this so just started. A lot of the shoots are just leaves which I've picked, however some have flowers on. Should I leave the ones with flowers on or pick those as well?

Oh and why have the slugs taken a like to my beef tomatoes I have holes in them with with insides mostly sucked out!

Thanks

[shirlthegirl43]

Do the shoots with flowers on only have flowers or do they have leaves too? If they are true side shoots with leaves and flowers, pot them up separately and you may get a late crop from them. If they are only flowers, do not remove. As to the slugs - sorry, can't help - I am having dreadful trouble in the greenhouse with slugs and snails too this year - must be the weather.

[Gryfon]

It's leaves and flowers. The shoots that shoot from just above a side leaf if you get me

Right shall do that this afternoon with the children. I presume just normal potting compost will be alright, should I get some root powder stuff?

I think I'm more annoyed about the slugs because the tomatoes are still green! Not even a chance of me going to pick them.

[shirlthegirl43]

I just use multi purpose compost. They root really easily - keep the compost damp rather than wet and bury them quite deep as roots will develop from the stem too. No need to remove the flowers, they will drop off if the plant isn't strong enough to form fruit on those ones. I usually put slug pellets (the hedgehog friendly ones) in the tomato pots but haven't even done that this year as there is a frog in the greenhouse - however, froggie doesn't seem to be doing his job

[Gryfon]

Great thanks! We have loads of frogs in the garden and even though I keep finding them every time I seem to lift something they're obviously not wanting these slugs!