Tumbling tom advice

[Marb67]

I have a very healthy tumbling tom in a hanger that has plenty of flowers potted in growbag compost. There are some side shoots that have grown leggy I am not sure what to do about. I did pinch one out a couple of weeks ago and managed to get a new olnat out of it but I do read that tumblers are not required to have their side shoots taken out. Also, should I feed with comfry taking into account that there is food in the compost ?

Anyway, here it is. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Bigmallly]

Looking good Marb. Leave the sideshoots on for more fruit. You can feed with your own Tea or Tomato food as the compost will only feed for around 6 weeks............Well done you!

[Marb67]

Ok, cheers. I will leave it.

[Lumpy]

Struth Marb I wish my tumblers looked like yours. Mine are still small although one of them fell off their up and down hook thingy earlier so I am hoping to shock it into a prize speciman

[veggiechicken]

Here's my Tumbling Tom in the GH. First time I've grown them so not sure what to expect! I'm leaving all the sideshoots on until it becomes too dense - or topples off the shelf

[Marb67]

I must confess to buying it from a nursery to go with my sown tigerella and gardener's delights. It's great to get another free plant by striking the sideshoots which is very easy, even for me.

[veggiechicken]

Keep taking sideshoots, Marb, its very satisfying growing plants for free!
Last year, I kept taking cuttings from the Rambling Red toms I grow in the same way as the Tumbling Tom and kept them growing into a 3rd generation. They were still fruiting in November.
Here's this year's candidates!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Looking good Marb.

I grow Tumbler the forerunner of TT as I prefer the taste of Tumbler. Both are a determinate type and as such do not need their side shoots removing. As each side shoot will produce a truss of toms I would only remove them if you need a replacement or further plants.

If the plant is in a hanging basket it will need feeding/watering on a regular basis, I usually start to feed at 4 weeks due to the fact there is not a lot of compost for the plant to draw on and feed more regularly than if the plant was in a standard container.

Mine hang on a south facing wall and if summer does decide to come I have to check them at least twice a day as they are big plants and dry out very quickly.

Good luck and enjoy your harvest.

These are mine from last year.

[cilla]

I grew tumbling toms last year with great success as it was my first year gardening. I just left them to do their own thing and got lots of little toms. Grew them in pots and just fed them with tomato food. I am growing them again this year, both times by seeds which I started in start of April so they are behind at moment but look healthy.

This is last year.

[Marb67]

Well the plant, now in the greenhouse due to cooler weather, is looking more sickly than my initial post. Some fruit but taking an eternity to ripen. Plant is pale yellowish green and despite keeping moist, fed with some chicken manure pellets to green up the foliage, some comfrey it hasn't improved. A lot of the flowers are falling off at yellowing stems.

Doing all the correct textbook things but to no avail

[Jay22]

I think it's the weather Marb...mine are taking an age and I think it's just lack of sun. I sowed mine on 27 March but have no flowers yet and yet look at Cillas!

[Marb67]

Well I thought too good to be true after a great start to this plant. The foliage is yellowing, orange stem and getting more sparse. Flower heads are falling off at yellowing stems. Gutted

[Potstubsdustbins]

Marb, Did you use new compost?

[SusieG]

My tumbling tom 3 days ago - a couple of little fruits only just now emerging ......

[Marb67]

Of course I use fresh compost from a new grow bag. The plant was as healthy and had as many flowers as Susie G above. There is no reason for it to be this poor when looked after correctly. You were all congratulating me at the start of this thread at how well it was doing so it had to go wrong didn't it.