Tomatoes question

Stheno

Hello again

I have about eight tomato plants which are averaging five feet in height.

They are bush tomatoes ii think and have several stems each with fruits ranging from about an inch in diameter on one stem to tiny ones on other stems.

Sho build I remove the smaller fruit stems to give all the energy to the big fruits?

Also my garden is very windy and despite being secured to bamboo stems they tend to be very floppy is it too late to do anything about this?

Thank you.

Zzippy

Stheno wrote: »

Hello again

I have about eight tomato plants which are averaging five feet in height.

They are bush tomatoes ii think and have several stems each with fruits ranging from about an inch in diameter on one stem to tiny ones on other stems.

Sho build I remove the smaller fruit stems to give all the energy to the big fruits?

Also my garden is very windy and despite being secured to bamboo stems they tend to be very floppy is it too late to do anything about this?

Thank you.

If they are bush tomatoes don't remove the side shoots, they are supposed to grow fruit on multiple stems, unlike indeterminate tomatoes where you want one main stem. If they have set plenty of fruit it might be worth pruning the growing tips of all the stems so they stop growing and setting more fruit, and divert all their energy into the existing fruit to grow and ripen those.

I tie up all the side shoots to support them and stop them flopping on to the ground and/or fruit lying on the ground. May be difficult to do with bamboo as the twine may slide down, so you might tape the twine to the top part of the bamboo stick and then tie the other end around the stem you want to support, making sure to pull it up first.

Don't forget to prune leaves so there is adequate air circulation, and fruit gets some sun to ripen.

Souness

I have pretty much the same going on with my bush plants. Went on a week’s holiday 3 weeks ago and when I got back the tomatoes had gone out of control so cut all growing tips and a couple of stems altogether. A lot of fruits have set so am also cutting off any new flowers. The main issue I see with them this year is , will they ripen? They are in south facing bed but in the last two weeks we have had no sun and if weather doesn’t improve drastically I can’t see a tomato harvest.

Zzippy

Souness wrote: »

I have pretty much the same going on with my bush plants. Went on a week’s holiday 3 weeks ago and when I got back the tomatoes had gone out of control so cut all growing tips and a couple of stems altogether. A lot of fruits have set so am also cutting off any new flowers. The main issue I see with them this year is , will they ripen? They are in south facing bed but in the last two weeks we have had no sun and if weather doesn’t improve drastically I can’t see a tomato harvest.

Yes, just to add if you have cut growing tips and stems, remember to nip out suckers/side shoots that appear too, like you would for indeterminate varieties.

Souness

Thanks Zzippy, have taken the suckers where I came across them, sure I've missed some in the tangle. So you reckon they will ripen...thats what I was hoping to hear.

Stheno

Thanks all.

Spent a couple of hours pruning any stems with no flowers or fruit this evening.

Half a kilo of green tomatoes were casualties and are now becoming chutney.

The fruit now has a lot more room and I can weed better

Zzippy

Souness wrote: »

Thanks Zzippy, have taken the suckers where I came across them, sure I've missed some in the tangle. So you reckon they will ripen...thats what I was hoping to hear.

Are they indoors or outdoors? Mine are indoors and still green but I'd expect them to ripen over the next month (the bush tomatoes, Roma and San Marzano). I've nipped all growing stems now to stop any further setting fruit, and give them every chance to ripen all the fruit already set. Outdoors may take longer and you might have to hope for a change in this rainy weather. My cherry tomatoes are all ripening away and producing more fruit at the moment, hoping they will be producing well into October, but that's the benefit of having a polytunnel.

Souness

Zzippy wrote: »

Are they indoors or outdoors?

Outdoors I'm afraid. Have ripened last two years in September but this August has been so bad thinking not going to happen.

Zzippy

Always worth a try picking them on the vine and trying to ripen them indoors if it's getting late and they're still green. Plenty of time for a bit of sunshine yet first...

rolion

Not a chance to see them red...the night very low temperature "freezes" the eco inside the plant and it just delays the evolution / growth.

My tomatoes inside are half green half red,happy day.
Clipped lots of leafs to allow for better food circulation and get some light/sun but i am not confident.
I've closed the open windows,even thinking to get some heat inside.

I will say is a lost season...and more to come according to Mother Nature...