Wife kills toms

[knappers]

In many books that I (can't) read, they say just let your tom plants grow to the roof of the greenhouse. Mrs K and her extended family and friends say to pinch them out and stop the growth to get more fruit. Not wanting to prove her right, but at the peril of getting very little fruit, can anyone help? My plants are about 4' high (red alert if memory serves well) but are starting to have an undistinguishable main stem, as the top trusses have gone left and right with no main stem in the middle.

Thanks!

[Buleste]

It all depends on the type of tomato and what book you read. Some variety of toms you take out the sideshoots or "armpits" as they are now called on here whilst bush varieties you don't. Some books recommend you pinch out the top after the 3rd or 4th truss others say to the desired hight. What type of tomatoes are you growing?

[bishop]

Hello k i top mine when i get 5 trusses, the more green you have the less energy the plant will have to grow toms. hate to say this but i think your wife is right this time.

[Patchninja]

Red alert is a very shaggy bush type. Let it do its thang!

[Tomatoking]

Red alert is a very shaggy bush type. Let it do its thang!

Patchninja is spot on with this type of tomato. With a non bush type tomato, you have to pinch all the shoots out and only stop the plant at the end of the season to let the fruit on the plant ripen. I grow my standard plants to the wire then right over to the the other side of the path.

MR TK

[Flummery]

Yep, Red Alert is a fantastic bush tomato. I've always grown it outdoors. I never pinch anything and it grows like the blazes (but not tall.)

[Nicos]

I grew Red Alert for years- both in and out of the greenhouse- it's got fantastic small toms
...and nope- never nipped out anything- just left them to get on with it!

Many pople don't realise there are two main types of toms-one you need to nip out- and one you just leave to do it's own thing.
Have a play about on Google to find out more.

I'm just wondering why it's so tall- maybe all the heat we've had and that they are indoors. Must say though- you're less likely to get blight with tem in the greenhouse