Rescuing leggy toms

[Potstubsdustbins]

Last year was a bad year for leggy toms due to the weather, I tried both ways milk botlle and potting deep.

You've already seen the pics about the milk bottle but my diary for Sungold reads

12/04 all leaders to milk bottle, 22/04 repotted to 4" pots 05/05 all plants ding well, 11/05 6 to GH some with buds.

At the same time I did repot some others that were not as leggy as the Sungold and they all came good to.

Potty

[redser]

That's very encouraging potty, thanks again. I can't believe how quickly they got in trouble. Did they bare fruit ok? I'm inclined to go the milk bottle route as it would give me more space I think.

[Potstubsdustbins]

A milk bottle will save space to begin with as you can get three leaders in one bottle. Just remember to check the water level daily and keep it topped up.

The Russian Black was potted on deep and as you can see produced well.

In the second pic are my Sungold hiding behind a cumber, there was no difference in yield to a normal year.

Potty

[redser]

Well that was a hard thing to do. I've done 6 so far.



These leaders have buds on them do you reckon it would be a good idea to snip these off and save the plants energy?

I also trimmed the bases down and removed all the baby side shoots except the lowest one. Hopefully that will develop into a new leader. Then I can cut off everything above it and pot on. Might end up with 2 for the price of one here

[Potstubsdustbins]

I think you may very well end up with two for one. Once you have your glasses in their final spot I use a south facing window sill, top up the water level as close to the brim as possible. The more of the little hair like growths you can get under water the more chance you will have of a good root system.

Thats why I harp on about keeping the water level topped up daily if the hairs/roots dry out you will loose the plant.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Forgot about your bud query, this one is a tumbler and has you can see it has a flower on it, so I think there not to much to worry about with a bud.

Potty

[redser]

Super, thanks again. I shoved the stumps back under the lights. It's been a traumatic day for the little dears!

[Ananke]

Wish I'd kept my stumps now. I chopped the tops off my rediculously leggy toms about 3 weeks ago. I potted them up and put bags over them, from what I can tell through the bags, they all seem to be doing well.

[rustylady]

Super, thanks again. I shoved the stumps back under the lights. It's been a traumatic day for the little dears!

What sort of lights are you using Redser?

[redser]

They are 60W cool white flourescents. I'll only leave them under till I see the sideshoots take off a bit.

[rustylady]

Can't you just put the plants on a windowsill?

[redser]

I have no space left. The house is a mess. My setup doesnt match my aspirations In other words I need a blooming greenhouse. But SWIMBO wont have it

[rustylady]

Oh dear - my sympathies. I can't help feeling it's the lights that are causing your tomatoes to get leggy though.

Where are you going to grow them on, given the lack of a greenhouse?

[redser]

I have a polytunnel at the allotment. But I can really only use it for the final planting out, I cant be running up and down to give them the attention they need at the moment with night temps etc. The light works fine with virtually everything but I think these 2 particular types are so vigorous the lights work too well. You live and learn

[BUFFS]

i would replant them a deeper,and gently lay it at a 45deg angle in the pot with just the top foliage left showing,the buried stem will soon root and give a better,stronger plant.some years ago i laid one nearly horizontal for almost a foot before gently bending the stem upright(we had been away and had someone just watering them),we did get a great crop off that plant..