You could do both. Take out up to a third of the stems to the base to thin it and then reduce the rest to a manageable size. Take cuttings just in case and to share with firends.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I have a similar one. It's up to you whether to cut right back or not. I usually cut mine back to about 6-12", but sometimes I forget and it just grows longer. The only downside when the stems get long is that the flowers aren't as upright as they usually are
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
It's getting quite big. I'd cut it back to about 1ft ish, but I'd also wait a while as if you cut it back now new buds may start opening then get frosted. I think I cut mine back early March usually - don't worry about the existing buds on the stems - it'll soon produce more and flower well.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
What type is it - one of the summer ones? It doesn't look like the spring flowering type, but it doesn't really matter as you can cut them back quite hard regardless of type and they'll be rejuvenated. Doing as @Obelixx describes means you still get the usual flowering period, and are doing the rejuvenation over a few years. Many shrubs benefit from that anyway
It looks very tight for space though, in the site it has. It might be worth moving it , or taking cuttings to grow on into another plant.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thankyou @Obelixx@Pete.8 and @Fairygirl I will wait until early March and then give it a good cut. We don’t use our front door much (we use side door) so I kind of forget about the front garden stuff 🥴
I can see buds on it already but unsure if I should but back hard or just by half? It’s very thickety
Posts
It's up to you whether to cut right back or not.
I usually cut mine back to about 6-12", but sometimes I forget and it just grows longer.
The only downside when the stems get long is that the flowers aren't as upright as they usually are
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I'd cut it back to about 1ft ish, but I'd also wait a while as if you cut it back now new buds may start opening then get frosted.
I think I cut mine back early March usually - don't worry about the existing buds on the stems - it'll soon produce more and flower well.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
It doesn't look like the spring flowering type, but it doesn't really matter as you can cut them back quite hard regardless of type and they'll be rejuvenated. Doing as @Obelixx describes means you still get the usual flowering period, and are doing the rejuvenation over a few years. Many shrubs benefit from that anyway
It looks very tight for space though, in the site it has. It might be worth moving it , or taking cuttings to grow on into another plant.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...