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Do these tomato plants look healthy? Is there anything else I need to do?

billyk098R4I3xs6Zbillyk098R4I3xs6Z Posts: 32
in Fruit & veg
I’ve currently got these 2 tomatoes, both plants simply started from seed from asda tomatoes and they seem to be doing okay, I just wanted to see if that was truly the case from someone more experienced in growing tomatoes as this is my first year. I had mixed in 3 months worth slow release NPK feed into the compost as well as feeding them with Tomorite once weekly. The first has 3 trusses and 2 more very small ones at the top. The second plant has 4 trusses and one with well developed fruit.

Posts

  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Look ok to me 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited July 2021
    They look ok but-
    They need bigger pots
    You don't feed tomatoes at all until the first fruits begin to set or you'll just get loads of leaves and few tomatoes.
    I'd suggest re-pot them into bigger pots and don't feed again until you see the first tiny fruits forming. Then use a tomato feed (e.g. Tomorite) about once every 10 days if they're outside.

    Thanks to the awful weather this is a bad year for blight already, making sure there's good airflow around the plants is the best way to minimize the risk.
    Keep an eye out for any black marks that look like bruises on the main stem or leaf stems

    PS - unless they're a bush variety you should remove any shoots that appear between the main stem and leaves

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Overfeeding is largely a waste of money too. It can also promote lots of leafy growth at the expense of flowers, which is what you want. Feed as @Pete.8 describes.  :)

    I think there's a few large side shoots there that can be removed. Looks like one just where your top piece of string is in that 2nd pic.  You can even pot those up and grow them. With a bit of luck, you'll get fruit on those too.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • billyk098R4I3xs6Zbillyk098R4I3xs6Z Posts: 32
    Pete.8 said:
    They look ok but-
    They need bigger pots
    You don't feed tomatoes at all until the first fruits begin to set or you'll just get loads of leaves and few tomatoes.
    I'd suggest re-pot them into bigger pots and don't feed again until you see the first tiny fruits forming. Then use a tomato feed (e.g. Tomorite) about once every 10 days if they're outside.

    Thanks to the awful weather this is a bad year for blight already, making sure there's good airflow around the plants is the best way to minimize the risk.
    Keep an eye out for any black marks that look like bruises on the main stem or leaf stems

    PS - unless they're a bush variety you should remove any shoots that appear between the main stem and leaves

    I’ve got one truss of tomatoes on the second, and on the first I’ve got some very small tomatoes and a few trusses of flours. I started feeding when the second truss of flowers set on each. The NPK fertiliser was right at the beginning and ever since it’s been tomorite. I pruned them a fair bit yesterday to ensure there’s good enough airflow but I don’t know about taking too many more off as I do want to leave some for Photosynthesis. 

    As for trusses how many can I allow as most have said 4-5 but I’ve already reached this with the 6th and 7th coming through as I’ve got 2 main stems on the first plant. As it’s only the start of July could I allow these to grow before topping and if so when should I be topping?

    Thanks, Bill
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Great it sounds like you're doing the right things then.
    If you're growing them outdoors then usually top them at 4-5 trusses. IF we get an Indian summer, you may get away with another, but too many trusses may mean they don't all ripen before the season ends
    You're quite right to leave the leaves, but unless they're bush varieties side shoots are best removed.
    I see you already have a couple of side shoots that are quite big, so I'd keep them for this year and try to remember next year to remove them

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • billyk098R4I3xs6Zbillyk098R4I3xs6Z Posts: 32
    thanks for the advice, I remember being quite afraid to prune anything at the start, I’ve become gradually more confident but now I’ve ended up with a load of sideshoots! Looking at the forecast it is looking to get quite warm for the next 7-10 days, up to 27C here in Manchester so hopefully that will be good for the toms 


  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Yes, some warmer, drier weather will be welcomed by most plants and most people :)

    If there are any side shoots that are not too big you could just snip them off.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • billyk098R4I3xs6Zbillyk098R4I3xs6Z Posts: 32
    Yeah I’ll have another look today, thanks!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It can sometimes get quite tricky spotting them too! I spent a bit of time this morning picking off side shoots. I think the variety I'm growing this year is very prolific too. 

    We can't grow outdoors here, and I only have a small growhouse, and it's like a jungle in there just now  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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