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Shorten tomato trusses?

gardeninglily1gardeninglily1 Posts: 424
in Fruit & veg
As the days are shortening and its getting cooler anould I shorten the tomato trusses at the top of the tomato plants to ensure the remaining tomatoes ripen? 

Posts

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Do you mean the main stem or the trusses of fruit? The main stem and all side shoots should be stopped now. If you are in a greenhouse there is time for ripening yet. Outside you can continue until the cold gets to the plant and starts to wilt it, even then you can remove the whole truss to place inside to ripen. Give them the rest of September to see how they go as it is very dependant on night temperatures as to how long the season has left. Hope this helps.
  • gardeninglily1gardeninglily1 Posts: 424
    Hello @purplerallim - I mean the actual trusses of fruit. Some of them (sweet million) have long trusses with about 16 - 20 tomatoes on but it’s only the half of the truss close  to the stem that look are ripening or look large enough to ripen during the next month. The tomatoes on tips of the trusses are smaller than marbles and green. I thought if I cut those off it will help the others ripen? 
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Almost all your trusses will ripen in time. I keep green tomatoes in newspaper and find they ripen about Christmas. If you cut the trusses hte remaining fruit will get bigger over time, but it's sun that ripens on the whole
  • gardeninglily1gardeninglily1 Posts: 424
    Thank you  :) 
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    They do need warmth to ripen. Any cuts you make are a danger of introducing disease so leave all on. They will naturally either ripen or fall off. I have trusses just the same of black cherry so am also waiting too.
  • gardeninglily1gardeninglily1 Posts: 424
    Thank you. Fingers crossed for an Indian summer 😀 
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