Two Ildi tomato questions

[sparrow100]

Do the trusses need any support?

They are so massive I can't imagine they won't need it.

And how many trusses do you let the plant have?

I have one in the greenhouse, and it currently has 2 trusses developing.

In my ignorance of how big the trusses are I planted it in the middle of the row and it's really hard to get past to get to the back of the greenhouse! If I like 'em, next year they go at the back!

[Scarlet]

I plant a staggered double row of toms in my GH. I try to plant the beef or regular toms at the back and the cherry toms at the front as the larger toms don't need as much attention. When the fruit starts ripening on cherry toms you are picking them often.

[Scarlet]

In my ramblings I forgot to answer your question. I haven't grown those for a couple of years although I support anything that starts to look heavy. I've string everywhere and I won't stop any Tom until it hits the roof or I think there's little chance of ripening before the frosts come.

[sparrow100]

Thanks Scarlet. Most of mine are cherry toms, or at least I thought that they were. I got a bit confused with Sandpoint and Blush so they are the wrong way round, and my Katja appears to be the big version rather than the medium tom size. It's all good learning...!

[ESBkevin]

Indoor toms need to be stopped (tops out) about the end of July or so, so that all the growth develops the trusses already formed before the weather tails off end of September+ (local conditions and variable weather aside). Outdoors a little bit sooner as the cold nights might get the fruit, but you have little to lose being later by a week or so and putting the green fruit on a windowsill to ripen through October.

[sparrow100]

I don't tend to stop toms that early - I leave the outdoor ones till the end of August. Unless frosts are early they are usually fine. Plus my plot is sheltered on the prevailing wind sides, which helps. The last 2 seasons I have been harvesting outdoor tomatoes in October.

In any case, I quite like fried green tomatoes & chutney.

[skeggijon]

I've stopped most of mine already. They're nearly all pretty much at roof height and groaning under the weight of tomatoes. My Alicantes have 7 fully formed trusses each and already ripening well.
I know most people don't seem to have a great opinion of Alicante, but I'm trying them this year with a weekly aspirin spray to see if it affects the sweetness - its certainly affected the growth.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1355990

[Greenleaves]

I am sure there are many better tomato growers than I but I thought that the whole breeding idea of Ildi plants was that you dont need to sgtop them. As each truss can produce around 80 fruits I would definitely be supporting them.

[Alison]

I only ever stop either my indoor or outdoor (although I don't grow outside anymore as want the space for other things and they do better in the tunnel) toms when they reach along the roof. Am usually still harvesting in October so stopping too early would reduce yield.