Pruning non-cordon toms ???

[Caro]

Please don't yell at me... I've read thoroughly the various threads on removing side-shoots, and cutting off lots of leaves, but they seem to be aimed at indeterminate toms.

I have a few determinate tomatoes, though none are exactly what I'd call bushy - there seems to be very little difference to the determinates.

My question is how much should i defoliate (is that a word? ) determinate toms, to improve airflow, or light or whatever??

Thanks all

[selfraising]

I'm no expert but I have just cut bits off that were blocking the light. I'm afraid I didn't use any specific method but thinned where I thought they needed it.

[ddiogyn]

All sources i've read on the matter have said to leave determinates be, as they will self-regulate their size/habit/foliage. If yours aren't particularly bushy why do you want to prune them?

In slightly related vein, my determinate tomatoes have become very bushy, with sideshoots shooting out sideshoots shooting out sideshoots. They formed a perfect 180-degree arc before i braced them with some twine. Should i be removing sideshoots to reduce bushiness? (Oh and sorry for hijacking you thread, Caro!)

[esrikandan]

I've been pruning my bush tomatoes a little, mostly what (I beleive) to be excess leaf growth so that the plant isn't concentrating too much on leaf and more on fruit. And also to allow more light to get to the fruit.

Not sure if it's really needed but the plants were getting a bit wild looking!

[Nicos]

I've taken out the botton 1/4 leaves as mine have been very bushy. Twice- a week apart as they suddenly grew when we had a good down pour.

I suppose I did it by eye- enough to be able to see through them ( block planted) if that's a sort of guide???
And nope- didn't remove any side shoots etc- just leaves

Smells wonderful doesn't it????

[Caro]

Hi Nicos,

The smell is gorgeous. I took my wee brother into the greenhouse to show him what I was growing, and he said the smell from the tomato plants took him right back to our childhood!

I'll just try to judge it the, take off any leaves that appear to be being particularly obstructive, in the way, tangled, etc.

Thanks everyone

[vicky]

If yours are behaving I wouldn't bother to take any foliage off.

I have radically stripped mine of leaves and sideshoots on the upper half of the plants as they had gone too bushy and were starting to topple over (3 days later they have regrown lots of foliage..) I leave a leaf above each truss (supposedly to draw food/water up the stem) but I will often strip away all other leaves - for indeterminate firstly (almost at this stage for some plants) but also bush as the season goes on (seems to help against blight and helps ripening).

[Davyburns]

I have 11 tumbling toms, 3 indoors, and 8 outdoors, the outdoor ones get yellow leaves now and again, which I remove, but the indoor ones seem fine, they are all trailing over the sides of their pots

[catkeeble]

What is determinate and non-determinate??

Also, I didn't realise we had to take off leaves to get light to the tommies? Mine seem to be doing fine (they are bush not trailer - though strangely I have a trailer that isnt doing as well)

[Caro]

Well, roughly speaking in layman's terms (which is all I can cope with) ...

Your bush tomatoes are determinate, ie no chopping anything off.

Cordon tomatoes (which are indeterminate), ie those which are meant to be grown on one tall stem should have all sideshoots removed and lots of leaves to allow air circulation and light.

Are you sure your "trailer" isn't a cordon that you should have supported and grown upright?

Do a search on tomato pruning for some excellent, more technical and detailed explanations on what is required.

In the meantime, hope that helps a bit!

[catkeeble]

Are you sure your "trailer" isn't a cordon that you should have supported and grown upright?
!

Hey Caro, Yes I'm positive it's a trailer...I grew one last year and I didn't grow it from seed so I have the label!!

I trained my bush up and piched out the side shoots (as I read I had to) I just didnt know I had to take leaves off. So, a bush tom can be determinate and indeterminate...is that correct?