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Old May 27, 2013   #14
z_willus_d
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Eastern Suburb of Sacramento, CA
Posts: 1,313
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Lyco, I've always been so obsessed with just setting as much fruit as possible that I haven't taken the art to that next level of actually being intelligent about fruit set dispersion, load balancing, etc. If I can get to where I really understand a variety, it's limits, and how/when/where it will set fruit (and I'm getting there for a few now), I think I will start pruning my fruit clusters to optimize the end product.

Vegetative pruning for me is a balance between a lot of factors -- how much energy to put into removing the energy generating leaves/branches, where to have the plant focus it's energy for setting fruit, having enough to shade the fruit, not having so much as to stifle airflow and temp fungal/mold issues, etc. I have been lazy with this since I started employing the XL Burpee 18" square tomato cages, which provide a lot of volume for growth. Now that I'm grafting onto such vigorous root stock, I think I need to start pruning in the cages to better control the growth of some of the scions. Several of my plants have already filled their entire square cages, plus extension, up about 8', and it's only late May. We have several months left of viable season for the indeterminates here.
-naysen
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