Trimming Plants

[GuyfromRVA]

Does anyone have an opinion on trimming plants? Does it have an effect on production?

[carolyn137]

Do you mean taking off lateral branches ( suckers) or lopping off all top growth for those who live in the south if they wish to encourage Fall growth and production?

[amideutch]

Guy, welcome to TVille and all of it's tomato finatics. Check out this thread. It should touch on what your asking whatever the reason. Ami
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...hlight=pruning

[GuyfromRVA]

Thanks for the info, Amy. It confirmed what I suspected. Everyone has a different method; there's no accepted best practice. I had read about a guy in Alabama who gets incredible yields (600 lbs/plant) out of plants that grow 25 feet high. He was very adamant that one should have 18 branches off of the main stem. I've never heard anyone else advocate this method.

I sympathize with Lakshmi too. I've alos read in numerous books about trimming off all suckers.

[amideutch]

Guy, here is a link to a thread at GW where the author of a book advocating heavy pruning got into it with the skeptics and one individual did a test on it. Interesting reading. Ami
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/l...312869.html?80

[GuyfromRVA]

Thanks for the info, Amy. I read some of the dialog. People can get pretty emotional when it comes to growing tomatoes.

[Zana]

Ok. Having spent the past 20 minutes pouring thru the GW thread, I'm willing to try an experiment. Of a slightly different nature, since all my tomato plants are in pots/containers. I have multiple pots per variety and about 17 different OP varieties(I'm not sure...will have to go count). I'll try pruning leaves on some of the plants/pots as per the recommendations in the thread...but not as severe as the book's author. Since I was late planting seed this year, my plants have got blossom clusters now, but no fruit as yet. So I think I may be able to get a good variation in results between pruning vs. non-pruning.

Looks like I've got my morning's work cut out for me....lol. I'll let you know what happens, over time, if you want.

[amideutch]

Zana, go ahead and run with it and keep us updated. As I primarily grow in containers I will be most interested to see your results. Ami

[GuyfromRVA]

I originally posed my question in search of a consensus. Obviously trimming is a rather controversial subject. I myself have always been a "common sense" trimmer. I trim suckers that are close to the base of the plant b/c they get too little sun. I usually allow some suckers to grow but not every one. This year I'm having good luck with plants that I've allowed to have only three main stems with all suckers trimmed off. I've decided to experiement with some other plants by allowing one half of the plant to bush out as much as possible while trimming all suckers off off the other main stem or two. It's late in the season, but I'll be interested to see whether there is a difference in production or number of blossoms. My intuition is that a mature stem produces more flowers and that suckers take a while before they mature enough to produce flowers. The trick might be to strike the right balance.

[flying mater]

I've let some of mine sprawl and have trained some to a pole. I have to say that I I like having one runner going up a pole better. I looks neater, I can see what is getting ripe and for me the desiese issue is almost non existant for these. do have to admit, it is more work but I like the results better and I can't tell much of a difference when it come to fruit production. I'll be training all of mine to a pole next year.

Bill

[MsCowpea]

I've never heard anyone else advocate this method. {ie 18 stems}


I have never run into anybody but Shelly and Roy who really cared much about any of his methods, including pruning.

I am a huge fan of Charles Wilber, never pass up a chance to promote his book--it is so fascinating to read. I have read and reread his instructions on how to get the 18 stems but I still don't get. I guess you need a tomato plant in front of you and then constantly refer to the book to train it properly.

[feldon30]

I visualize a cartoon with a guy threatening his tomato plants with a pair of shears. "Produce, or else!"

[Tomstrees]

My plants are 7ft tall right now ...
But I'm just gonna let em go ...
I'll top them as Oct. approaches to
change the mentality of the plant to "ripen" mode ...

~ Tom

[GuyfromRVA]

My plants are supported on trellises made of rebar and chicken wire. I've been trimming off suckers on the one side and letting them grow on the other side of each plant. Interestingly, this doesn't seem to have any effect on the height of the plants. On some plants the trimmed side is a little bit taller. On others the untrimmed side is taller. On others both sides are even. That went against my intuition: the idea that the suckers would compete with the main stem for nutrients. I haven't assessed production yet. Unfortunately, my plants are far behind this year.

[amideutch]

Zana, hows the experiment comming along. Ami