A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 tomatoes

i have a question. my tomato plants have 2 or 3 blooms at each junction that is blooming. should i pinch of one of them for bigger tomatoes??

Jiffy,
What kind are the mater's????????

Weezie

Jiffy, I found this online:
Info from: chefsgarden.com Tomato FAQ

thanks chrissy

weezie, i have one early girl (not very healthy), one better boy (absolutely gorgeous) and one beefsteak (only so so)

I have read to remove all but two fruits per cluster (that's fruits, not flowers). You may get fewer tomatoes, but they will be bigger and of better quality. I don't think I would do this with determinate or cherry tomatoes though. Only larger fruiting indeterminate tomatoes.

More on tomato pruning:

I have tried both staking and pruning tomatoes as well as caging and not pruning them. There are advantages to both methods. Chrissy is right in saying there will be more shade for tomatoes if not pruned, but there will also be more chance of fungal disease. I'm going back to staking my tomatoes this year using a method I learned from a local greenhouse operator who mainly grew cut flowers, but also some greenhouse tomatoes.

He would train two branches to a stake (or in his case string) and then prune out all suckers. As the tomato vines grew and tomatoes were harvested, there would start to be bare stem at the bottom of the plants. When this happened, he would untie the plants and lower the bare sections of stem onto the ground and then cover the bare stems with earth. The stems would root resulting in a larger root system, and the remaining maturing tomatoes would be lower to the ground--the plants would not grow up out of reach

The only thing I prune from indeterminate tomato plants are the bottom leaves and branches to about a foot off the ground. BUT, YOU KNEW I would tell ya how to grow a GIANT TOMATO On them the only pruning I do is allowing no growth but the main the first 3' . And after that I allow about 5 main stalks & prune everything else off. You can allow just one if you like , but I like to allow a few more. After you get fruit set ( usually in clusters of 3) pick all off but one in each cluster.

Jiffy,
What's the purpose of getting bigger mater?

Just curious!!!??

I grow the Beefsteak and Beefmaster and they are a good size with out doing anything to them?????
I can put them in my hand and they cover it, and are a good weight to them!!!

I grow 6 plants of each and even if I just grew those I'd have alot of tomatoes!!!

And I do plant them real deep, when I first get them, I take off all but three top leaves, and plant up to maybe leave 3" of stem exposed, and that's a good rooting system cause it roots all along the stem... I do pluck off top suckers, and cage and stake!!

Weezie

Weezie, it's mainly just for fun i.e. the WOW factor. Plus, I like tomato slices that cover an entire slice of bread for my tomato and basil sandwiches with mustard. Also, size tends to decline as the season progresses if you don't prune.

The Average brandywine or Mortage lifter heirloom is half again as BIG as either the beefsteak or big boy and still has the "old Time" tomato taste!

****Terry,
I do get the tomatoes that size, with out taking the flowers off, but I have to admit, it's probably the first tomatoes grown, the further up the stalk and more into the short growing season, I end up with smaller tomatoes, but that brand, really has good sized maters even for the smaller ones...
I like their taste too, I do like a more acidic tomato.. No sugar for mine!! :p
But I love tomato sandwiches, with the soft wheat, lettuce, tomato, cucumber's and mayo!!!
Ooooooooooooooooooooooh, my wee little mouth is watering right now!!! Warm tomatoes, fresh off the vine.... And it's 44*'s here today :p

****Phil, I will have to try some heirloom tomatoes next year if my venture's with starting them go well this year!!!
How long does it take a tomato seed to sprout???

Weezie

Yes, I grow both of those also. They are definitely some of the best tasting tomatoes of all. My other 2 favorites are also heirlooms--Big Rainbow and Wins All.

Weezie, I usually figure on about 7 days for a tomato seedling to come up.

Terry,
You do the heirlooms too???

Both Phil and Rick are into the heirlooms seeds, and saving them!!!

I am just starting tomato seed growing for the first year, mine haven't sprouted yet, so don't know if I'll do it again next year!!!
(I usually have alot of volunteer tomoto seedlings, but it's been so cold here, not sure
what will happen this year!!

Weezie

The one package I planted said 10~18 days I think?
I'll have to go back and check....
I was just wondering, I had planted some tomato seeds on a Thursday, and put them in my green house, *it's still cold here* and the next day,
I got whacked with a flu bug and was out for the whole day, and as luck would have it, that day was the hottest it's been so far, 69*'s or something like that, and inside the greenhouse was 105*'s, my mom said when she came home from her car appt. and opened the door and window.
I still haven't seen anything from the tomatoes, but the corn did come up, so I was/am still hopefull for the tomatoes.... I think today would be day #11....

Weezie

Weezie, as heirlooms go I do the 4 tomatoes we've mentioned here today plus Evergreen although I need to replant it as the seeds didn't come up. It is also a good tasting tomato though a bit off putting as when it's ripe it's still fully green except for a bit of yellowing on the shoulders.

I don't have a greenhouse so I have to start my tomatoes under lights. I also use bottom heat, so that might be why mine come up so quickly.

Incidentally, I saw my first tomato blossoms yesterday on 2 of my 6 EARLY tomatoes.

My seeds haven't even sprouted,
and you've got flower's!!!! :rolleyes: :p

Weezie

awww weezie, don't cry... i've had blossoms for over a week now. and have them on the zuchinni too! shall i send you some? or would you rather have the snakes, lizards, and skeeters?

Hands down, no questions asked,
no sprouted seeds!!
Trust me!!!

I'll work on scheduling them for a faster
sprouting date next spring with the new green house, in the mean time, way too busy right now, so I am glad for the "lag" time!!!

Skeeters and alligater's and stinging bugs, poisonous things that go bump in the night,
silly question!!!!

And Jiffy, it's snowing here!!! :rolleyes:

Weezie

Hi Weezie and others! I have about 35 tomato plants (6-8" tall) in the basement right now even after having given some away to friends. Using a heating mat and dome covers, my seeds emerge in about 7-8 days. Then, thanks to advice from my son who starts and grows hostas, I water then with diluted fish emulsion once a week and have an oscilating fan running 24 hrs. a day about 8' away from them. I use grow lights on a timer about 16 hours a day. As a result, I now get sturdy, full tomato plants like never before. Prior to the fan and fish emulsion and timer, my plants got too leggy.
But back to my intent . . . I can't seem to keep my fingers off my plants after I set them outside. If there are suckers starting to grow in the "crotches," I complusively want to pinch them off and usually do. As a result, I often cause psychological leaf curling to the plant but it doesn't seem to hurt the crop. If I don't prune, I seem to end up getting a forest of leaves which takes up room in the garden. Last year, by using cages and staking and pruning with newspaper and mulch ground cover, I managed to grow plants only 2' apart in all directions. Using a soaker hose, I luckily got no blight or diseases of any kind. (I had 12 plants plus one bush zuchini and some peppers and onions in a 12 x 12' area.) No, I will not try it again this year. But I am going to up my 5 gal. pail container plants to about a dozen and utilize my half whiskey barrel planters again. The only downside to containers is having to hook up a watering timer or asking the neighbor to water on hot days wehn I am out of town.

hey bigboy, where ya been? we've missed you! thanks for the input!

HI Jiffymouse! I have been busy getting gardens ready and starting tomatoes. Plus, I got my new boat out and have been rigging it for the year. I love fresh fish as much as tomatoes!
We also have been very busy surveying and cleaning out my dad's farm site for sale. Closing date is May 7 so not much time left.
I saw something neat today and will post a new topic about it. Bye.

congrats on the boat. wish i had one!! and good luck on the sale. i hate trying to buy or sell anything that needs a closing.

I pick blooms off the plant until I think the plant is strong enough to support the fruit. I have been doing this for years. I always have plenty of tomatoes to can and share.