Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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June 30, 2019 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Serbia
Posts: 199
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12-branch pruning method
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July 1, 2019 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Serbia
Posts: 199
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July 1, 2019 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b
Posts: 1,110
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Love it! I would not have the patience to count to 12 but . . . I use the same single stem lean and lower system outside. Great tips on where to cut long stems of fruit, etc.
Thank you! |
July 2, 2019 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
Posts: 1,582
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Related: https://link.springer.com/article/10...580-014-0049-y
They don't have the 12 leaf but 14, and even that is too much (as in, too much pruning). Last edited by zipcode; July 2, 2019 at 04:30 AM. |
July 2, 2019 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Serbia
Posts: 199
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It would be interesting to see if the leaf-counting method is the same. The ladies in the video above start counting from the first leaf that has descended into the horizontal position, regarding the upturned young leaves as a part of the growing tip.
I try to leave more leaves is they are high enough from the ground and there are no signs of disease. So far all my 20 main plant are blemish free. |
July 2, 2019 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SE PA
Posts: 964
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Good videos...I am doing about the same thing this year with 25 or so big beefs. Last year was two stems and it worked great, but this year I am going with one. Similar to the videos, close spacing over plastic mulch, but florida weave outdoors instead of overhead support indoors like they have. My tomatoes get a lot more stout than those shown, but it is about time I double up the posts to add height. I had not considered counting branches like that and I wonder how 12 would work out for me.
In the videos they make a good point of not messing with the leader until it is clear where it is headed. I had a couple go awry this season when I took the AG19/hoops off. The plants were pushing the fabric, stout and ready to go, and I made a few questionable choices in the failing light that evening. Generally, that first pruning a few weeks or a month after plantout is when I run into the seemingly co-dominant stems and have to make a choice on which is the sucker, but really I'm not sure how much it matters. It is only a few days set back in June if the "wrong" choice is made. |
July 3, 2019 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
Posts: 1,582
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Something that no one seems to talk about is that the sucker before each flower truss is much stronger growing. I always try to pinch those even if very small, if I don't have time for a week or so, or it will get very large.
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