Help with toms please!

[chicky]

Hi guys. My toms have grown fine. However they are now growing shoots and I dont know which bits I have to pinch out. They are now starting to die and this is probably why. Could someone please give me some advice? Thanks.

[TEB]

Hi chicky,
where abouts are the shoots coming from, if they are coming from the join of a leaf stem and the main stem then these can be removed. However having these shoots shoudn't cause the plant to die (just reduce flower/fruit output), what variety are they and where are you growing them.

[Paulottie]

Taking out side shoots is done on cordon varieties. It's the armpit hairs you snap out leaving one main stem. It does not affect the health of your plants. The most common cause of failure is poor watering.

[sez]

It might also be that they've exhausted the nutrients in their compost, if they're still in pots. In which case give 'em some food!

[Norm]

I think you have all the answers so far. If it isn't a leaf, the main stem or a fruit truss, pinch it out. Never let the compost dry out and feed once a week for 1 to 2 trusses and then twice a week when the third forms. When the 4th is evident, pinch off the growing tip and remove the leaves above the last truss.

[bramble]

I never stop my toms from growing after the fourth truss but always let it produce six trusses and ther stop the plant from producing any more. I find with the mild autumn weather we have been having for the last few years tomatoes can continue to ripen right up into October.

[wheatleys wheels]

Do you pinch out something on every tomato plant... what advantages does it have and can it kill the plant at all?

[Flummery]

Hi WW. You pinch out sideshoots UNLESS you are growing a bush variety. It will tell you on the seed packet. This allows all the energy of the plant to be concentrated on one fruiting cordon and your crop is better. It is advised that you pinch out the growing tip, too, at 4 or 5 trusses but as you have read, people make their own mind up about this. Again, it is to concentrate the growing energy into producing and ripening your tomatoes. In order to increase the airflow around the plants at ripening time, some people like to take off the lower leaves up to the first truss of fruit too. Not doing any of these things will not kill your plant. You will get a crop of toms but they might be smaller, fewer in number and you're likely to get more unripe at the end of the season. Hope that clears up more than it confuses!

[dan1979]

Do tomatoes need any feeding whilst they're still in pots and a few inches high?

[TEB]

I start feeding when the first flowers have set

[Cutecumber]

You will soon know if they run out of food (the major nutrient being nitrogen) in their compost - leaves at the bottom start to yellow, and it progresses up the plant. Sometimes you get this along with other nutrient deficiencies and other symptoms. If you see them start to yellow, therefore, try and pot them up or start to feed them. A balanced liquid feed should be ok at this stage.

[dan1979]

Does seaweed count as a balanced feed?

That, sulphite of potash and bonemeal are all I have, also some miracle-gro left in the shed by previous owners but I don't fancy using that.

Thanks

[Cutecumber]

Not really, dan...

Seaweed is more of a tonic and "growth stimulator", really - it contains lots of the "micro-nutrients" that plants need in small quanities rather than large amounts of the three biggies - nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

Give your plants seaweed by all means - it will help keep them healthy - but it won't give them all of the nutrients they need in enough quantity, if they are a pot. It should be fine unless they really start going yellow, in which case try and get a richer liquid feed (balanced means the the N:P:K ratio is equal - it says this on the bottle).

So seaweed is good, but you might need something stronger later (just like me )

[dan1979]

Thanks for that, I'll pick up some tomato feed to keep on hand.

[Cutecumber]

Yes, all being well you might not need it until the flowers and fruits are starting to set.

Tomato feed, by the way, is not balanced, but high on the K side (potassium) and is good for any fruiting plants - so you would be right to use it in this case. You would use a balanced feed for leafy greens and general feeding, or where plants need an overall boost.