Here the photos. Just to the right of the flowers, this looks like a sucker that is growing from half way down the branch.
I also understand that the fruiting branch grows only from the main stem? Am I wrong? Below pic will show fruiting branch growing from a side branch. This is also the branch that looks like there's a sucker growing half way down.
Ocassionally a fruiting truss can end in a growing shoot - some varieties are more prone to that than others. I usually just nip off the growing tip after the last flower if that happens but I have left them to see what happens and a new side branch forms which is fine if you have room to let it grow and it can be supported.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I tie farmers' plastic binder twine to the stem of the plant at bottom. Then tie it at the top, to a string running the length of the greenhouse , then wind the string round the stem as it grows.
PS David, they are called side shoots, not suckers!
I have seen the opposite a couple of times too - a flower truss in the usual place which has leaves (but not a full growing tip) beyond the flowers. It's just natures way.
If you aren't sure about a side shoot, let it grow for a bit until it becomes clear whether it is going to continue producing new shoots and diverting energy from the main plant, or just stop as a branch or flower truss. It is never the end of the world if you end up with a double stem, it's just more efficient if you can get all the side shoots.
I often leave the topmost side shoots for a few days until I am sure the main growing tip is still going strong (had one stop prematurely once).
Posts
Here the photos. Just to the right of the flowers, this looks like a sucker that is growing from half way down the branch.
I also understand that the fruiting branch grows only from the main stem? Am I wrong? Below pic will show fruiting branch growing from a side branch. This is also the branch that looks like there's a sucker growing half way down.
Ocassionally a fruiting truss can end in a growing shoot - some varieties are more prone to that than others. I usually just nip off the growing tip after the last flower if that happens but I have left them to see what happens and a new side branch forms which is fine if you have room to let it grow and it can be supported.
PS David, they are called side shoots, not suckers!
I have seen the opposite a couple of times too - a flower truss in the usual place which has leaves (but not a full growing tip) beyond the flowers. It's just natures way.
If you aren't sure about a side shoot, let it grow for a bit until it becomes clear whether it is going to continue producing new shoots and diverting energy from the main plant, or just stop as a branch or flower truss. It is never the end of the world if you end up with a double stem, it's just more efficient if you can get all the side shoots.
I often leave the topmost side shoots for a few days until I am sure the main growing tip is still going strong (had one stop prematurely once).