We don't want to pinch the wrong stems, can someone explain it very clearly as to what he needs to do? Thanks ahead of time. The plants are doing very well otherwise. Is it best to thin the tomatoes when they are clumped tightly together when they are small, or wait until they get to a bigger size?
My husband wants to know the proper way to sucker tomato plants.?
Hello,
I question the whole idea of suckering tomato plants. The argument for it is to use that energy instead for fruit. But suckers are typically very small and any gain would be negligible.
I have never suckered my plants and I have had no problems whatsoever.
If you have tomato plants all clumped together, you best thin them out as soon as possible. Otherwise you'll have a lot of weak plants: not a very good start in life. I did this once and I'll never do it again. Make sure next time you give them more room from the start. They should never be clumped tightly together.
The plants have to be quite tall before you notice the parts that are called suckers. Otherwise you may indeed be removing new stems.
You can do the following: grow a tomato plant fully without removing anything. When you have an adult plant, you will see the parts called suckers and say to yourself, "oh, so that's what they are". Then next time, you know what to look for. That's how I learned.
Personally, I would leave them. They are of no consequence.
(I have a neighbour who has grown tomatoes for years. He explained to me the importance of suckering tomato plants. I asked him what would happen if I left them. He said he didn't know, he had never tried it. (!)
I didn't sucker mine. I have too much fruit!)
I assumed btw, when you said tomatoes are clumped together you meant tomato plants and not tomato fruit.
--------------------------------------...
"I meant fruit"
In that case, sure. If you want larger fruit pick a few of their neighbours. It just means you'll have less of them.
Or leave it as it is and have more fruit.
Reply:Check the link below. It's in Romanian, if you want I'll assit you with the translation. Anyway, download the PPS file and on the 3rd slide in the right bottom corner there's a picture/drawing showing the way to sucker the tomato plants. My oppinion is that it is better to wait till the tomatoes are bigger, you might notice that they are ripening gradually and there's no need to thin them. Sometimes the small tomatoes are tastier than the big ones.
http://www.didactic.ro/?cid=disciplina%26amp;d...
Saturday, November 19, 2011
I planted 6 tomato plants in a hanging basket. (basket was made for just that) They are growing quite fast.?
............how long from planting them, (started off about 6inches) how long before I start seeing an actual tomato. And do you have any tips that will help wth me keeping them growing as good as they are now? Thanks. :)
I planted 6 tomato plants in a hanging basket. (basket was made for just that) They are growing quite fast.?
How long before you see a tomato will depend on the variety.
Keep them fed and make sure that air can move around the plant freely, this will prevent end rot, damping off, and fungal infection.
Reply:Sun, water and fertilize. I always find that when we get quite a bit of rain the tomatoes seem to have a growth spurt. I also pinch the suckers. You will see tiny leaves popping out in the joint between stem and branch.
An old gardener told me once want lots of tomatoes don't pinch, want big tomatoes you must pinch.
Reply:here's a hint.... one regular tomato plant will put out seven feet of roots....you've got six in one pot....
don't expect miracles..... you won't be able to get them each enuff water, fertilizer or room....
from first bloom to first tomato can be two months.....
Reply:agree with Mean. six plants in the same pot will deplete the nutrients, stunt plant growth because of root compaction, resulting in small plants and fruit.
shoe care products
I planted 6 tomato plants in a hanging basket. (basket was made for just that) They are growing quite fast.?
How long before you see a tomato will depend on the variety.
Keep them fed and make sure that air can move around the plant freely, this will prevent end rot, damping off, and fungal infection.
Reply:Sun, water and fertilize. I always find that when we get quite a bit of rain the tomatoes seem to have a growth spurt. I also pinch the suckers. You will see tiny leaves popping out in the joint between stem and branch.
An old gardener told me once want lots of tomatoes don't pinch, want big tomatoes you must pinch.
Reply:here's a hint.... one regular tomato plant will put out seven feet of roots....you've got six in one pot....
don't expect miracles..... you won't be able to get them each enuff water, fertilizer or room....
from first bloom to first tomato can be two months.....
Reply:agree with Mean. six plants in the same pot will deplete the nutrients, stunt plant growth because of root compaction, resulting in small plants and fruit.
shoe care products
Tomato plants in hanging basket?
I've seen tomato plants in hanging baskets and I've seen one where they are growing out the whole in the bottom of a hanging basket. How is this done? I'd love to try it (the one where it's growing out of the bottom hole.)
Tomato plants in hanging basket?
I have used a moss pot with slits cut just big enough to get the young plants through. As soon as the roots start to spread the plants will anchor themselves. Remember hanging plants need more water and the basket should be rotated a little every few days to help with even growth. This also works to grow strawberrys.
Reply:reallt i don't know but i would start by going to the feed and seed store where they carry out door plants and vegtables and ask them what to do.
Reply:My parents have the one where the grow out the bottom. If you buy the basket it will come with instructions on how to do it.
Reply:The exact planter you're looking for is right here:
(Copy and paste this into your URL)
http://www.gardeners.com/Topsy-Turvy-Veg...
Reply:We did this last year. It is fun to do once and we may do it again. We did get a lot of tomatoes. Here's a link to the webpage where we bought it.
Reply:It is a kit you purchase. My children just finished a fundraiser http://www.elemonadestand.com/
Reply:here is a product called topsy turvy so cool I will buy a couple myself. this was a rewarding post thanks.
http://www.thegreenhead.com/cool-stuff/2...
Tomato plants in hanging basket?
I have used a moss pot with slits cut just big enough to get the young plants through. As soon as the roots start to spread the plants will anchor themselves. Remember hanging plants need more water and the basket should be rotated a little every few days to help with even growth. This also works to grow strawberrys.
Reply:reallt i don't know but i would start by going to the feed and seed store where they carry out door plants and vegtables and ask them what to do.
Reply:My parents have the one where the grow out the bottom. If you buy the basket it will come with instructions on how to do it.
Reply:The exact planter you're looking for is right here:
(Copy and paste this into your URL)
http://www.gardeners.com/Topsy-Turvy-Veg...
Reply:We did this last year. It is fun to do once and we may do it again. We did get a lot of tomatoes. Here's a link to the webpage where we bought it.
Reply:It is a kit you purchase. My children just finished a fundraiser http://www.elemonadestand.com/
Reply:here is a product called topsy turvy so cool I will buy a couple myself. this was a rewarding post thanks.
http://www.thegreenhead.com/cool-stuff/2...
A garden experts out there? having trouble with my tomato plants ??
i moved to the city last fall my first time living in the city i must say. i planted 4 tomato plants on the east side of my apt. building the only place i had to plant them they only get about 6 hours of sun a day. when the first blooms showed up they all produced tomato's after that as soon as i was expecting the next round. as soon as the next blooms started to make fruit they fall off. i don't thing its a bug problem.
A garden experts out there? having trouble with my tomato plants ??
They should be south facing-full sun. When you bought the plants, they were probably in full sun and that's why they did ok...until now.
A garden experts out there? having trouble with my tomato plants ??
They should be south facing-full sun. When you bought the plants, they were probably in full sun and that's why they did ok...until now.
Should I be getting rid of the flowers on my tomato plants?
We planted our first garden and have tomatoes. They are doing well but no fruit yet. I thought I remembered someone saying to pick off the flowers so that the energy goes into the food, but now I'm not so sure. Am I hurting my plants by doing this?
Should I be getting rid of the flowers on my tomato plants?
No!!! Flowers = tomatoes! If you pick your flowers, then don't count on too many tomatoes! Good Luck!
Reply:take some blooms from the bottom but not many mind the main thing you should do is keep taking the side shoot off when they are big enough to handle.Feed your toms once a wk with tom liquid food take off any really big leaves too (with a knife or secatures)if you dont you will damage the stem. Did you know that a tomatoe plant only needs at the most 3 leaves its true the less leaves you have the more energy goes into the fruit not the leaves and thats were you need it.
good luck and watch out for tomatoe blite dont get your tomatoes to wet.
Reply:If you plants are 6 inches or more tall, then dig up the whole plant and pluck off everything half way and down(not the roots) and re-plant it deep and leave 2-3 inches showing above the ground. sprinkle a teaspoon of Epsom salts around it and give it a shot of root stimulator. This will give you something to reward your efforts as a first time gardener. water in the morning, once it get warmer out water well every morning, even when it look like it wilted and died. water on a regular basis, like 7-9 am. Not at night because you will promote molds and fungus that will spread through the whole garden.
Reply:Tomato's are pollinated by the wind. Not by insects. So if their too wind protected you will have to preform this task with a artists brush. Good luck.Good question. A star is in order! Rem,ember the more flowers the more chances to pollinate.
Reply:Leave the blooms but pick off the little side shoots that keep appearing at the base of the main leaves.
Doing this means more energy goes into the blossoms and therefore the tomatoes.
Reply:Don't take off the flowers! Everywhere there is a flower, a tomato will appear. Make sure your tomato plant gets lots and lots of sunshine.
Reply:The bloom is where you get your tomatoes......You would pick some of the bloom from pumpkins.........but not tomatoes......Good Luck
Reply:I do not pick my blooms..in fact when a cluster starts opening I spray them(blooms only) with "bloom set"..I do though heavily prune my tomatoes to generate energy to the fruit...Now also is the time to feed them a bloom buster fertilizer that is high in phospherous..and next to no nitrogen....The suckers are stems that come out inbetween a leaf and the main branch and some of them will fruit out and some not..I take my suckers after they get about 5 inches long and look for any small bloom nodes forming..if they have no nodes, I cut them off, put rooting harmone on the bottom and plant them directly into the soil...They will grow if watered sufficiently..I also trim off all the side leaves except I leave at leasst 4 sets of them on for proper photosynthesis..they need some leaves.. Bees do pollinate tomatoes..as some one here said they didn't..but in the event you do not have many bees around...you can go shake each one daily , gently for about 5 sseconds and hand pollinate this way..i will give you some pictures of here from my cherry tomatoes..if you look closely you can see where I trimmed most of the side Non bearing leaves off...do not transplant the leaves but the "suckers"...These are haevily pruned..my big boy tomaroes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbeachrat/...
These cherry tomatoes are pruned
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbeachrat/...
These are pruned and now have tomatoes all over them..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbeachrat/...
Read item 8 here
http://www.growing-tomato.com/9_Importan...
http://www.njtomato.com/growtip4.html
Here is a video on it will show you..I do not pick my suckers untill they get larger as mentioned..then I can see if they will have fruit on them..and also will be strong enough to transplant
http://www.gardengal.tv/video/article.ph...
Should I be getting rid of the flowers on my tomato plants?
No!!! Flowers = tomatoes! If you pick your flowers, then don't count on too many tomatoes! Good Luck!
Reply:take some blooms from the bottom but not many mind the main thing you should do is keep taking the side shoot off when they are big enough to handle.Feed your toms once a wk with tom liquid food take off any really big leaves too (with a knife or secatures)if you dont you will damage the stem. Did you know that a tomatoe plant only needs at the most 3 leaves its true the less leaves you have the more energy goes into the fruit not the leaves and thats were you need it.
good luck and watch out for tomatoe blite dont get your tomatoes to wet.
Reply:If you plants are 6 inches or more tall, then dig up the whole plant and pluck off everything half way and down(not the roots) and re-plant it deep and leave 2-3 inches showing above the ground. sprinkle a teaspoon of Epsom salts around it and give it a shot of root stimulator. This will give you something to reward your efforts as a first time gardener. water in the morning, once it get warmer out water well every morning, even when it look like it wilted and died. water on a regular basis, like 7-9 am. Not at night because you will promote molds and fungus that will spread through the whole garden.
Reply:Tomato's are pollinated by the wind. Not by insects. So if their too wind protected you will have to preform this task with a artists brush. Good luck.Good question. A star is in order! Rem,ember the more flowers the more chances to pollinate.
Reply:Leave the blooms but pick off the little side shoots that keep appearing at the base of the main leaves.
Doing this means more energy goes into the blossoms and therefore the tomatoes.
Reply:Don't take off the flowers! Everywhere there is a flower, a tomato will appear. Make sure your tomato plant gets lots and lots of sunshine.
Reply:The bloom is where you get your tomatoes......You would pick some of the bloom from pumpkins.........but not tomatoes......Good Luck
Reply:I do not pick my blooms..in fact when a cluster starts opening I spray them(blooms only) with "bloom set"..I do though heavily prune my tomatoes to generate energy to the fruit...Now also is the time to feed them a bloom buster fertilizer that is high in phospherous..and next to no nitrogen....The suckers are stems that come out inbetween a leaf and the main branch and some of them will fruit out and some not..I take my suckers after they get about 5 inches long and look for any small bloom nodes forming..if they have no nodes, I cut them off, put rooting harmone on the bottom and plant them directly into the soil...They will grow if watered sufficiently..I also trim off all the side leaves except I leave at leasst 4 sets of them on for proper photosynthesis..they need some leaves.. Bees do pollinate tomatoes..as some one here said they didn't..but in the event you do not have many bees around...you can go shake each one daily , gently for about 5 sseconds and hand pollinate this way..i will give you some pictures of here from my cherry tomatoes..if you look closely you can see where I trimmed most of the side Non bearing leaves off...do not transplant the leaves but the "suckers"...These are haevily pruned..my big boy tomaroes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbeachrat/...
These cherry tomatoes are pruned
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbeachrat/...
These are pruned and now have tomatoes all over them..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcbeachrat/...
Read item 8 here
http://www.growing-tomato.com/9_Importan...
http://www.njtomato.com/growtip4.html
Here is a video on it will show you..I do not pick my suckers untill they get larger as mentioned..then I can see if they will have fruit on them..and also will be strong enough to transplant
http://www.gardengal.tv/video/article.ph...
What can be used to clear blight from tomato plants?
Only a couple of my plants have withered, but want to prevent this from damaging any more tomatoes.. any help would be apprediated.. thanks!
What can be used to clear blight from tomato plants?
The most common is Septoria leaf spot, which appears toward the end of July. It first appears as small round black or brown lesions on the lower leaves. It works its way up the plant starting at the bottom.
The second most common is Early blight. It appears about the same time as Septoria, and is characterized by concentric "target" shaped lesions.
The least common but most destructive is late blight. It usually appears in August and the first symptoms are watery lesions on the lower leaves. Late blight will destroy an entire crop within a week.
The prevalence of these blights is affected by seasonal conditions and varies greatly from year to year. Heirloom tomatoes seem more susceptible.
Septoria does not usually affect the fruit. We have gotten very large crops of excellent tomatoes even on plants with a substantial infection.
The most effective way to treat tomato blights is to prevent them. Here is a list of do's and don'ts:
* Mulch to prevent splash-up from rain.
* Don't water overhead.
* Don't water in the evening.
* Give your plants plenty of space.
* Don't work around your plants when they are wet.
* Don't plant tomatoes in the same place where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplants were grown last year.
* Clean up all debris in the fall and don't compost it.
* Prune out diseased branches promptly and destroy.
* Keep weeds at a minimum.
* Plant resistant varieties when available.
These recommendations are especially important if your crop has late blight. In that case, skip planting tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or eggplant in the same location for at least one season.
It will greatly reduce the Septoria in tomatoes by using landscape fabric as a mulch. It can be purchased at garden centers.
Using fungicides for tomato blights is not generally recommended. By the time gross symptoms appear on your plants, it is too late to apply a fungicide. If you do use a fungicide, you must use it at the very first sign of the disease.
I like Ortho multi purpose fungicide (Daconil 2787) or any other product containing chlorothalonil. It is a preventative spray and will keep the disease from spreading to more leaves.
Reply:For blight you need a fungicide. For worms you need Sevin dust.
Reply:Blight is a fungus and requires a fungicide to get rid of it. When in doubt, keep a product from called Ferti-lome called Triple Action. This is a spray product contains a Herbicide, a an insecticide, and a fungicide.
When you are unsure what is the problem with your plant, hit w/this.
Reply:Seven Dust, and lime is good too
colonial shoe buckles
What can be used to clear blight from tomato plants?
The most common is Septoria leaf spot, which appears toward the end of July. It first appears as small round black or brown lesions on the lower leaves. It works its way up the plant starting at the bottom.
The second most common is Early blight. It appears about the same time as Septoria, and is characterized by concentric "target" shaped lesions.
The least common but most destructive is late blight. It usually appears in August and the first symptoms are watery lesions on the lower leaves. Late blight will destroy an entire crop within a week.
The prevalence of these blights is affected by seasonal conditions and varies greatly from year to year. Heirloom tomatoes seem more susceptible.
Septoria does not usually affect the fruit. We have gotten very large crops of excellent tomatoes even on plants with a substantial infection.
The most effective way to treat tomato blights is to prevent them. Here is a list of do's and don'ts:
* Mulch to prevent splash-up from rain.
* Don't water overhead.
* Don't water in the evening.
* Give your plants plenty of space.
* Don't work around your plants when they are wet.
* Don't plant tomatoes in the same place where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplants were grown last year.
* Clean up all debris in the fall and don't compost it.
* Prune out diseased branches promptly and destroy.
* Keep weeds at a minimum.
* Plant resistant varieties when available.
These recommendations are especially important if your crop has late blight. In that case, skip planting tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or eggplant in the same location for at least one season.
It will greatly reduce the Septoria in tomatoes by using landscape fabric as a mulch. It can be purchased at garden centers.
Using fungicides for tomato blights is not generally recommended. By the time gross symptoms appear on your plants, it is too late to apply a fungicide. If you do use a fungicide, you must use it at the very first sign of the disease.
I like Ortho multi purpose fungicide (Daconil 2787) or any other product containing chlorothalonil. It is a preventative spray and will keep the disease from spreading to more leaves.
Reply:For blight you need a fungicide. For worms you need Sevin dust.
Reply:Blight is a fungus and requires a fungicide to get rid of it. When in doubt, keep a product from called Ferti-lome called Triple Action. This is a spray product contains a Herbicide, a an insecticide, and a fungicide.
When you are unsure what is the problem with your plant, hit w/this.
Reply:Seven Dust, and lime is good too
colonial shoe buckles
How do I keep my tomato plants from getting so big that they break and bend. I am afraid the fruit will die.?
My tomatoes are probably about 5'5" they are getting tomatoes on them but the plants are so tall that they have outgrown their cages in height and width. The branches are begining to bend and there are tomatoes past the bends and I am afraid that the tomatoes are going to die or not produce properly. what should I do? Can they be pruned this is my first garden with vegitables I mastered flowers first now I am attempting the veggies!
How do I keep my tomato plants from getting so big that they break and bend. I am afraid the fruit will die.?
First of all, congratulations on your magnificent tomato crop! Secondly, you need to add to their support. Get some five-foot lengths of bamboo or wood stakes of the same length from the garden store, stick 'em in the ground next to your tomato plants and tie the sagging vines to those. It may be a lot of work, but it's worth it to save a nice crop of tomatoes. Hope you know how to can 'em so they don't go to waste - 'cause if you don't already know, they tend to ripen very, very rapidly once that process begins. With more than two or three vines, you could be overwhelmed with ripening tomatoes!
Reply:I am wondering if you have over fed your plants when they were starting out or maybe you gave them the wrong fertilizer. Big plants don't always mean a great crop of tomatoes. You want the tomato big not necessarily the plant. I agree on pinching them back to force the growth into the fruit, if it's not too late, and then stake them.
Reply:Pinch the tops out of them and break off some of the limbs. It will make bigger tomatoes. I know you think it is wasting a good plant but trust me it is better to do this than the plant die. And put up a stake and tie the tomatoe to it to support it!
Reply:Just pinch off the tops at the height that you want and if they are getting to wide yarn works wonders to help keep the branches tied up or you can pinch those off also above your flower clusters.
Reply:u can supprort it with another stick 5'9.
and u r plant will be alright and it wont die .
Reply:You need to stake and tie them. Use a substantial stake so that it can bear the weight of those monster tomatoes you've planted!!!
I hope they're tasty!!!
Reply:Stake your plants.
Go here to read about it - http://home.ivillage.com/gardening/veg/0...
Reply:I have to tell you that if they bend and break you will still have tomatoes.My grandfather always let his tomatoes grow on the ground he just laid down old newspaper and let them grow all over.As long as the plant is not broken completely off it will get the nutrients it needs.
Reply:trim them like any other plant....the remaining fruit will get all the plants 'power'
Reply:Use sticks to tie the viens against for support.
Reply:TIE THE PLANT WITH PARTED BAMBOO STICKS IN SUCH A WAY THEY MAY NOT EFFECT THE GROWTH.
Reply:You are supposed to use tomato cages.
Reply:Get or make some cages,...and prune 'em. Don't let spindly vines take all the nourishment from the fruit.
Reply:My father grows the best tomatoes every year. Go ahead and keep them in their cages. Put stakes around the cage where your plant needs the most support. But to get the most tomatoes you must shake your plant, but not to hard. This allows the plant to pollinate and produce more tomatoes. I laughed when he told me this but believe me this works great. Now I have taught my 4 year old to do this to our other flowers. We now have the best looking roses on the block! =)
Reply:For a first attempt at veggies, this is awesome. Instead of worrying about how to cut back your tomoatoes...you should find a way to keep them alive and be proud of the giant plants!
The best advice is can give it to find a method to support the tops of the plants. You can use wooden stakes and (believe it or not) panty hose. Tie the panty hose to the stakes, and use the stakes to support the plant stems (like crutches). The panty hose stretches and is soft enough that it doesn't damage the plant tissue.
Congrats on the success, and good luck!
Reply:cages
How do I keep my tomato plants from getting so big that they break and bend. I am afraid the fruit will die.?
First of all, congratulations on your magnificent tomato crop! Secondly, you need to add to their support. Get some five-foot lengths of bamboo or wood stakes of the same length from the garden store, stick 'em in the ground next to your tomato plants and tie the sagging vines to those. It may be a lot of work, but it's worth it to save a nice crop of tomatoes. Hope you know how to can 'em so they don't go to waste - 'cause if you don't already know, they tend to ripen very, very rapidly once that process begins. With more than two or three vines, you could be overwhelmed with ripening tomatoes!
Reply:I am wondering if you have over fed your plants when they were starting out or maybe you gave them the wrong fertilizer. Big plants don't always mean a great crop of tomatoes. You want the tomato big not necessarily the plant. I agree on pinching them back to force the growth into the fruit, if it's not too late, and then stake them.
Reply:Pinch the tops out of them and break off some of the limbs. It will make bigger tomatoes. I know you think it is wasting a good plant but trust me it is better to do this than the plant die. And put up a stake and tie the tomatoe to it to support it!
Reply:Just pinch off the tops at the height that you want and if they are getting to wide yarn works wonders to help keep the branches tied up or you can pinch those off also above your flower clusters.
Reply:u can supprort it with another stick 5'9.
and u r plant will be alright and it wont die .
Reply:You need to stake and tie them. Use a substantial stake so that it can bear the weight of those monster tomatoes you've planted!!!
I hope they're tasty!!!
Reply:Stake your plants.
Go here to read about it - http://home.ivillage.com/gardening/veg/0...
Reply:I have to tell you that if they bend and break you will still have tomatoes.My grandfather always let his tomatoes grow on the ground he just laid down old newspaper and let them grow all over.As long as the plant is not broken completely off it will get the nutrients it needs.
Reply:trim them like any other plant....the remaining fruit will get all the plants 'power'
Reply:Use sticks to tie the viens against for support.
Reply:TIE THE PLANT WITH PARTED BAMBOO STICKS IN SUCH A WAY THEY MAY NOT EFFECT THE GROWTH.
Reply:You are supposed to use tomato cages.
Reply:Get or make some cages,...and prune 'em. Don't let spindly vines take all the nourishment from the fruit.
Reply:My father grows the best tomatoes every year. Go ahead and keep them in their cages. Put stakes around the cage where your plant needs the most support. But to get the most tomatoes you must shake your plant, but not to hard. This allows the plant to pollinate and produce more tomatoes. I laughed when he told me this but believe me this works great. Now I have taught my 4 year old to do this to our other flowers. We now have the best looking roses on the block! =)
Reply:For a first attempt at veggies, this is awesome. Instead of worrying about how to cut back your tomoatoes...you should find a way to keep them alive and be proud of the giant plants!
The best advice is can give it to find a method to support the tops of the plants. You can use wooden stakes and (believe it or not) panty hose. Tie the panty hose to the stakes, and use the stakes to support the plant stems (like crutches). The panty hose stretches and is soft enough that it doesn't damage the plant tissue.
Congrats on the success, and good luck!
Reply:cages
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