When to start pruning suckers on big boy.

[Dawn]

Ok one of my cherry tomatoes just started getting flowers...I'm guessing the big guys aren't far behind. I probably will remove the first cherry tomatoes flowers....Unless you think there is no benefit there.

 

[Chuck]

Ok one of my cherry tomatoes just started getting flowers...I'm guessing the big guys aren't far behind. I probably will remove the first cherry tomatoes flowers....Unless you think there is no benefit there.

The object of growing tomatoes IMO is to grow as many as you can. Why would you even think about removing flowers on cherrys? If you don't want them, why grow them? They will never get big. I thought you wanted BIG tomatoes. From the last picture you posted you are not in direct sunlight for 10 hours. I look across the street for shadows and there aren't any yet your plants by the porch are very leggy and in almost complete shade. If you want large tomatoes they must have at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. If you are in shade you should prune the suckers and some of the buds as well if you want any large tomatoes at all.

 

[Dawn]

The object of growing tomatoes IMO is to grow as many as you can. Why would you even think about removing flowers on cherrys? If you don't want them, why grow them? They will never get big. I thought you wanted BIG tomatoes. From the last picture you posted you are not in direct sunlight for 10 hours. I look across the street for shadows and there aren't any yet your plants by the porch are very leggy and in almost complete shade. If you want large tomatoes they must have at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. If you are in shade you should prune the suckers and some of the buds as well if you want any large tomatoes at all.

I read somewhere that to thicken the stalk and make them stronger to pinch off very early flowers. I just put mine in the ground and they already have flowers. But I'm still learning so maybe this year I will just leave them alone. I've been tracking the sun in my beds.... Admittedly I was guessing it was till 6 as I work around 5:30 . But here are a couple of my crude bullet journal pages for my garden. My goal.For cherry tomatoes is really just to keep a decent I crop going. They produce until I pull em out after the first frost. I dont want those big, I actually prefer them small. I planted 1 super sweet 100 and 1 yellow cherry.

The larger variety I planted 6 big boy. Their are 2 that are planted just at the shadiest spot of my garden on the edge I've section 8....But I figure I can train them to trellis with the others when I tie them to the eaves of the porch.

 

[Dawn]

As you can see my garden is tiny. This is literally the only place I can plant. The backyard is entirely shade. It is enough for just the 2 of us and the 2 ladies across the street to get some sometimes

 

[Dawn]

This is June 20 2015 at 5:34pm

 

[Chuck]

View attachment 18130 View attachment 18119

I read somewhere that to thicken the stalk and make them stronger to pinch off very early flowers. I just put mine in the ground and they already have flowers. But I'm still learning so maybe this year I will just leave them alone. I've been tracking the sun in my beds.... Admittedly I was guessing it was till 6 as I work around 5:30 . But here are a couple of my crude bullet journal pages for my garden. My goal.For cherry tomatoes is really just to keep a decent I crop going. They produce until I pull em out after the first frost. I dont want those big, I actually prefer them small. I planted 1 super sweet 100 and 1 yellow cherry.

The larger variety I planted 6 big boy. Their are 2 that are planted just at the shadiest spot of my garden on the edge I've section 8....But I figure I can train them to trellis with the others when I tie them to the eaves of the porch.

The early flowers usually make tomatoes. If you side dress with organic fertilizer every 2 weeks you will overcome any growth problems. Not much fertilizer, only about a big handful scattered over the soil around the base of the plant.

 

[Dawn]

Thank you. This is what I was planning in the next couple weeks. I'm going to just leave all the tomatoes to their own devices. No pruning

Though do you think I should prune back the bottom leaves that touch dirt?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you. This is what I was planning in the next couple weeks. I'm going to just leave all the tomatoes to their own devices. No pruning

Though do you think I should prune back the bottom leaves that touch dirt?

Yes, absolutely. Prune up high enough so that soil cannot splash up onto the leaves during a heavy rain.

 

[Dawn]

Yes, absolutely. Prune up high enough so that soil cannot splash up onto the leaves during a heavy rain.[/QUOTE

Thanks

 

[headfullofbees]

Whilst it is undoubtedly correct that you in N.America can reap the largest harvest PER PLANT by not removing suckers, my personal research seems to suggest that the largest crop in terms of ground area can be obtained by growing single-stem cordons with much closer spacing. (30cm/12in apart)
This both compensates for much of the extra light and means the plants show much less profile to the wind.
If you do decide to grow like this, you will also start getting tomatoes earlier, and indeed, can, with some varieties, grow very large tomatoes by trimming the individual trusses to three or four fruits.
The main drawback to this method is the extra work involved:
You have to stake and regularly tie in the plants as they grow.
You have to remove ALL sideshoots as soon as they are noticed.
You have to remove ALL leaves below the flowers as they grow, to limit disease and pest and allow air circulation.
You will have to support the trusses of fruit as they grow, to stop them from splitting at the stem.
More watering is required.

Sounds a lot more, and it is noticeably more, (I've grown determinate tomatoes here, where sideshoots are not removed) but it's not too much of an extra workload, depending on how many plants you'd grow.

 

[Chuck]

Whilst it is undoubtedly correct that you in N.America can reap the largest harvest PER PLANT by not removing suckers, my personal research seems to suggest that the largest crop in terms of ground area can be obtained by growing single-stem cordons with much closer spacing. (30cm/12in apart)
This both compensates for much of the extra light and means the plants show much less profile to the wind.
If you do decide to grow like this, you will also start getting tomatoes earlier, and indeed, can, with some varieties, grow very large tomatoes by trimming the individual trusses to three or four fruits.
The main drawback to this method is the extra work involved:
You have to stake and regularly tie in the plants as they grow.
You have to remove ALL sideshoots as soon as they are noticed.
You have to remove ALL leaves below the flowers as they grow, to limit disease and pest and allow air circulation.
You will have to support the trusses of fruit as they grow, to stop them from splitting at the stem.
More watering is required.

Sounds a lot more, and it is noticeably more, (I've grown determinate tomatoes here, where sideshoots are not removed) but it's not too much of an extra workload, depending on how many plants you'd grow.

All that sure seems to cut into my beer drinking time.

 

[headfullofbees]

Well I have to grow tomatoes like that, but I still have plenty of time for beer: it's a matter of priorities.
I've found that cornflakes are particularly acceptable doused in foaming ale.
Just clashes a little with the Bloody Marys.