Can I prune back my Sungolds without hurting the plants?

[Keith Taylor]

Hi, folks Total newbie to both the forum and gardening in general

I’m growing Sungold tomatoes for the first time this year, making use of the sun drenched deep windowsills of my apartment in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. I kept six of the few dozen seedlings I started, and in the less than two months since I sowed the seeds I’ve been astounded by their growth rate. The plants are already 4-5 feet tall and producing tomatoes

The problem is that I neglected to prune all of the suckers, and four of the plants now have a couple of well developed second stems, each about three feet long, almost half an inch thick at their base and growing from beneath the first flowering branches of the main stem (pictured above). Given my limited space I’m concerned about the second stems crowding out the neighbouring plants and putting too much strain on the bamboo stakes I’m using for support, and I’m wondering if it would be possible (or wise) to prune them now that they’re so well developed. Would it be a simple procedure or do I run the risk of shocking the plants too much by removing too much of their foliage?

 

[Chuck]

You aren't obligated to prune the suckers but it sounds like in your situation you should. I don't , but I am not in a limited space either. Each of those suckers you remove will have produced a lot of tomatoes.

 

[headfullofbees]

If you are worried about them now, prune out the suckers.
If you are worried about them in future, pinch out the suckers.
Prune out any which have no flowers/tomatoes on, in any case.

 

[Keith Taylor]

Thanks for the help I think I’ll have to carefully consider whether to prune. The second stems already have flowering branches, and I’d hate to limit my yield just because I’m scared of a little bulk

 

[TomatoNut]

I agree. No need to prune suckers off plants unless you wish to control the size of plants. Have you given thought of trying a dwarf tomato variety? Great for small pots, and no worry about the plant growing too big.

 

[TomatoNut]

This is my Tiny Tim tomato. Maxes out at only a foot tall and the little red fruits are great! No pruning on this plant necessary. However, it can get top-heavy. A small stake, or a place for the plant to lean against would be good.

 

[Keith Taylor]

No, I’m very much married to my Sungolds. It’s the variety my grandad used to grow in his garden in the UK, and I’ve been waiting for years to have enough time in one place to grow them (I move around a lot). I’ll happily let these plants sprawl across my apartment for the chance to taste the toms I fell in love with as a wee lad

 

[TomatoNut]

Well then, if that is the variety you like, stick to it! I grow several types and varieties, and have my favorites as well. I have actually heard of Sungold. That is a cherry type, right? And you grow them from seed?

 

[Chuck]

Well then, if that is the variety you like, stick to it! I grow several types and varieties, and have my favorites as well. I have actually heard of Sungold. That is a cherry type, right? And you grow them from seed?

I grew Sungolds last year. They are a medium sized yellow cherry tomato. Production is on par with Juliet.

 

[TomatoNut]

Doesn't the taste of Sungold vary depending on ripeness? I have heard it was sweeter the riper it was? I've never grown it because it's a hybrid.

 

[Chuck]

Doesn't the taste of Sungold vary depending on ripeness? I have heard it was sweeter the riper it was? I've never grown it because it's a hybrid.

Yes, the riper the sweeter...............up to a point.

 

[TomatoNut]

And it is tart when it first turns? I read about the Sungold in this book. The man who wrote it likes it as well.

 

[Chuck]

And it is tart when it first turns? I read about the Sungold in this book. The man who wrote it likes it as well.

No tomatoes are good when they first start to turn color. All tomatoes are at their best when fully colored and just barely starting to get soft. An over ripe tomato is a soft squishy fruit. Sungolds IMO are sweet but have a slight tartness to them. The amount of acid in a tomato determines its tartness. Try a Jet Star. They have very very little acid and are just sweet, but it is up to the consumer to decide how sweet is sweet. I know of no tomato that isn't sweet. Sungolds are great tasting tomatoes and I have never met a tomato I didn't like.

 

[TomatoNut]

Personally, I don't care for really sweet tomatoes, like pink, or yellow ones. I also don't care for ones that are super juicy. So far my Ketchup tomato is my #1 choice. I'm going to let you in on a secret: I not only grow things for myself... I also sell my plants to local people. This year my tomatoes were a sell-out.

 

[Chuck]

Personally, I don't care for really sweet tomatoes, like pink, or yellow ones. I also don't care for ones that are super juicy. So far my Ketchup tomato is my #1 choice. I'm going to let you in on a secret: I not only grow things for myself... I also sell my plants to local people. This year my tomatoes were a sell-out.

Then you have dozens of varieties to try if you don't care for juicy tomatoes. Any of the romas or sauce or paste are not juicy. But they are also extremely prone to blossom end rot.