OFF with their heads!!

Rena · February 12, 2006

Well folks my planting early has gotten the best of me... I always plant early and most times I am pretty happy about that but the nice weather had me a tiny bit overzealous and well I planted up way toooo many. The greenhouse ran hotter then normal as the last few weeks were warm and I pictured putting most of them out like 10 at a time but the cold weather the last week has me in a dither! I am leaving town for a meeting (Orlando) and will not be able to put them out for another week

The last time they were transplanted they went into milk cartons (the paper kind organic milk comes in). Some are actually have wooden stakes to prop them up..... I was thinking about chopping off their heads GULP

Do not call the the Tomato social services on me but I do not think I have a choice. Last year I lost the heads of my plants in a pop up greenhouse as I forgot to unzip it one morning. Those plants came back very bushy and produced many tomatoes. It just seems so cruel! PS- I have 400 plus babies waiting in the wings for proper time to be put out. What are your thoughts on this?-Rena

Suze · February 12, 2006

Rena, I think topping is just fine (except for determinates). Also, stripping lower branches/leaves works in slowing plants down - for both indets and dets.

February 12, 2006	#1
Rena Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Warm Springs, GA Posts: 1,421	OFF with their heads!! Well folks my planting early has gotten the best of me... I always plant early and most times I am pretty happy about that but the nice weather had me a tiny bit overzealous and well I planted up way toooo many. The greenhouse ran hotter then normal as the last few weeks were warm and I pictured putting most of them out like 10 at a time but the cold weather the last week has me in a dither! I am leaving town for a meeting (Orlando) and will not be able to put them out for another week The last time they were transplanted they went into milk cartons (the paper kind organic milk comes in). Some are actually have wooden stakes to prop them up..... I was thinking about chopping off their heads GULP Do not call the the Tomato social services on me but I do not think I have a choice. Last year I lost the heads of my plants in a pop up greenhouse as I forgot to unzip it one morning. Those plants came back very bushy and produced many tomatoes. It just seems so cruel! PS- I have 400 plus babies waiting in the wings for proper time to be put out. What are your thoughts on this?-Rena

February 12, 2006	#2
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Rena, I think topping is just fine (except for determinates). Also, stripping lower branches/leaves works in slowing plants down - for both indets and dets.