How do I go about triming the top growth?

Jetstar · July 26, 2016

I'm growing indeterminate tomato plants, there doing great with lots of tomatoes and plenty of blooms. Just so you know there in 7 gallon grow bags the tomato plants "Jet Star & Big Ben" have lots of fruits developing with plenty of new blooms. In the last 4 weeks I've removed suckers and branches that had no blooms in an effort to allow the plant to concentrate on developing fruit. but now my plants are over 5-1/2 feet high and I'm really not able to support there climbing growth anymore can anyone give me some advice on how to trim them back?

WilburMartin · July 26, 2016

From my limited knowledge, I have let the indeterminate tomatoes go go go - no pruning, and outrageous growth - at least from the Mortgage Lifter; no fruit yet, but growth and blooms like crazy.

EPawlick · July 27, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilburMartin

From my limited knowledge, I have let the indeterminate tomatoes go go go - no pruning, and outrageous growth - at least from the Mortgage Lifter; no fruit yet, but growth and blooms like crazy.

My tomato season is so short that I trimmed my Mortgage Lifter several weeks ago and I've had 4 good sized Mortgage Lifter tomatoes since then. This is the first time I have tried trimming tomatoes before they reach 6 feet and this is the first year that I have tried this variety but I will definitely grow it again!

Jetstar · July 27, 2016

Topped them this morning and also did the weekly inspection for suckers removed them alo and added my 15 - 30 -15 fertilizer that I mix with water, to all my grow bag plants.. Tomato, squash, cukes, pepper, beans & peas. I'll try to get some pics up here tomorrow of my trim job.

ramapojoe · July 27, 2016

good pictures. making me hungry.

ContainerTed · July 31, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by EPawlick

My tomato season is so short that I trimmed my Mortgage Lifter several weeks ago and I've had 4 good sized Mortgage Lifter tomatoes since then. This is the first time I have tried trimming tomatoes before they reach 6 feet and this is the first year that I have tried this variety but I will definitely grow it again!

avatar2.jpg

That first picture caught my eye. It's another example of how I got my avatar.

EPawlick · July 31, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Attachment 64716

That first picture caught my eye. It's another example of how I got my avatar.

Nice avatar!

luigiwu · July 26, 2016

Cut the top tip to stop vertical growth. It will probably promote more horizontal, sucker, growth.

Jetstar · July 26, 2016

WilburMartin, I would let it grow but due to limited vertical space it must be trimmed.

luigiwu, I'll take your advice tomorrow morning!

Nematode · July 26, 2016

In wisconsin you are probably 8-10 weeks from frost, so topping may be appropriate. If a flower isn't fertilized by now it won't be ripe by frost.
Topping will force the fruit left to ripen faster.

cecilsgarden1958 · July 27, 2016

I let mine get to 7', but I guess you don't have the time. I don't get fancy, I just take the big garden shears to the top. It's quick and a time saver.

Gardeneer · July 27, 2016

In average, beefsteak varieties take 45 days from blossom to color break. And this is in summer growing temperature. In cool late season it can take even longer that. So gauging against FFD is not that accurate timing in most places like PNW.

Let us just take 40 days ( from blossom to color break) and your FFD. In this case there is no logical reason to keep any blossoms and/or new growth, unless you want to pickle them or make relish with.
I would give cherry varieties more time.

Gardeneer · July 28, 2016

I am not topping yet but pinching any new branches that I can find. By late August I will start pruning/topping any new growth and flower clusters AND the branches that have no fruits. My growth season will be practical over by early to mid October though FFD comes in late November.

Shapshftr · July 31, 2016

Hornworms topped my plants for me.

Why 30% P? They should get more K during growth and setting fruit. They don't need much P anymore. Maybe I'm missing something though.

Dewayne mater · August 1, 2016

I got radical with 2 plants this year as an experiment. When the big heat shut down occurred in July, I cut 2 back to about 2.5 feet tall. They essentially had no leaves and were just large stalks. Within days, side shoots have come out and are growing upward, presumably they will get large, but time will tell. At least it didn't kill them! I'll try to remember to post back here with the results of a scalping.

Other plants were replaced. Still others are on drop down lines that I am routinely having to lower. I only grow indeterminates.

Dewayne

July 26, 2016	#1
Jetstar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: N.E. Wisconsin Posts: 308	How do I go about triming the top growth? I'm growing indeterminate tomato plants, there doing great with lots of tomatoes and plenty of blooms. Just so you know there in 7 gallon grow bags the tomato plants "Jet Star & Big Ben" have lots of fruits developing with plenty of new blooms. In the last 4 weeks I've removed suckers and branches that had no blooms in an effort to allow the plant to concentrate on developing fruit. but now my plants are over 5-1/2 feet high and I'm really not able to support there climbing growth anymore can anyone give me some advice on how to trim them back?

July 26, 2016	#2
WilburMartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Mississippi Posts: 169	From my limited knowledge, I have let the indeterminate tomatoes go go go - no pruning, and outrageous growth - at least from the Mortgage Lifter; no fruit yet, but growth and blooms like crazy. __________________ "Ain't nothin' in the world that I like better than bacon and lettuce, and home-grown tomatoes." - Guy Clark (RIP), "Home-Grown Tomatoes"

July 26, 2016	#8
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Cut the top tip to stop vertical growth. It will probably promote more horizontal, sucker, growth. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

July 27, 2016	#11
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	I let mine get to 7', but I guess you don't have the time. I don't get fancy, I just take the big garden shears to the top. It's quick and a time saver. __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

July 27, 2016	#12
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	In average, beefsteak varieties take 45 days from blossom to color break. And this is in summer growing temperature. In cool late season it can take even longer that. So gauging against FFD is not that accurate timing in most places like PNW. Let us just take 40 days ( from blossom to color break) and your FFD. In this case there is no logical reason to keep any blossoms and/or new growth, unless you want to pickle them or make relish with. I would give cherry varieties more time. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

July 27, 2016	#5
ramapojoe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: new jersey Posts: 97	good pictures. making me hungry.

July 26, 2016	#10
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	In wisconsin you are probably 8-10 weeks from frost, so topping may be appropriate. If a flower isn't fertilized by now it won't be ripe by frost. Topping will force the fruit left to ripen faster.

July 28, 2016	#13
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	I am not topping yet but pinching any new branches that I can find. By late August I will start pruning/topping any new growth and flower clusters AND the branches that have no fruits. My growth season will be practical over by early to mid October though FFD comes in late November. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

July 31, 2016	#14
Shapshftr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Illinois Posts: 162	Hornworms topped my plants for me. Why 30% P? They should get more K during growth and setting fruit. They don't need much P anymore. Maybe I'm missing something though.

August 1, 2016	#15
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	I got radical with 2 plants this year as an experiment. When the big heat shut down occurred in July, I cut 2 back to about 2.5 feet tall. They essentially had no leaves and were just large stalks. Within days, side shoots have come out and are growing upward, presumably they will get large, but time will tell. At least it didn't kill them! I'll try to remember to post back here with the results of a scalping. Other plants were replaced. Still others are on drop down lines that I am routinely having to lower. I only grow indeterminates. Dewayne