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Tomato moneymaker
Charlie 224
Posts: 129
in Fruit & veg
I have a tomato moneymaker and online research says they are indeterminate (cordon) varieties which you are meant to pinch off side shoots from.
Are these the side shoots in this photo that I should punch off? I've also seen it said that the main growing tip should be pinched after 7 leaf nodes or so? Is this good advice? All help much appreciated.
0
Posts
Yes, those are the ones Charlie, growing from where a leaf meets the stem. As for removing the main growing tip, that is done to ensure that it doesn't carry on growing and producing fruit which won't ripen by the end of the season. I would ignore the number of leaf nodes as it is number of fruit trusses which count. For outdoor tomatoes, I nip it out after 4 or 5 trusses of tomatoes have set (4 in a year of poor weather, 5 in a good year.) For tomatoes grown under glass then I nip them out after 5 or 6 trusses have set fruit. If trusses have flowered but not set fruit then they are ignored in the count. Works for me.
Bob's more than covered that Charlie, so I can't add anything to that. I do the same - about six trusses of fruit as mine are always grown undercover.
I'd say you're better 'pinching' them out rather than 'punching' them though.....
Your plants are looking fine and healthy too. I bet you're looking forward to eating the fruits.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They pinch out easily while small, but sometimes they throw a thicker one that you have to use a sharp blade for. I use the disposable craft knife type . If you use a sharp penknife, wiping it with meths now and then stops viruses being transferred from plant to plant.
Aha thanks everyone