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Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Side-shooting the tomatoes

"Indeterminate" tomatoes are ones which will (if allowed) grow very tall, and they are normally grown as "cordons" - that is as tall thin plants, usually supported by strings or canes.  Most people pinch out the growing points, to stop them growing taller, when they have set about 5 or 6 trusses of fruit. The aim is to keep them to manageable proportions. One of the aspects of this is "side-shooting". This involves removing the side-shoots which grow from the leaf axils - in other words the area between the stem and the leaf. If these side-shoots are allowed to grow, the plant will become bushy and much of the energy will be diverted away from its main central stem.

Here is a small "Sungella" tomato plant, which is ready for planting-out. This would be a good time to remove the first of its side-shoots.


The side-shoots can be removed with a pair of secateurs, or if small then simply with finger- and thumb-nails. This next photo shows the bits that should be removed.


Here's the plant after surgery...


Side-shooting is not a one-off task. As the plant grows, you will need to repeat the operation at frequent intervals, and it is best done before the side-shoots get big. With the "determinate" type tomatoes, side-shooting is not normally practised. This sort of tomato is deliberately grown short and "bushy", and the side-shoots are seen as beneficial.
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18 comments:

  1. cathy@home11 May 2011 at 18:34

    This is the first thing I do in the morning

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  2. takaeko11 May 2011 at 18:46

    Nipping side shoots is important for making tomato fruits bigger and more delicious. I also did it just after planting my tomatoes in my garden. We have to watch carefully the growth of the side shoots everyday since they can grow faster than we think.

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  3. David P. Offutt - The Gastronomic Gardener11 May 2011 at 18:53

    Great Tip Mark! Thanks for explaining that.

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  4. Kelli11 May 2011 at 19:14

    I kind of wish I'd grown "determinate" ones now, but I haven't so I'm gonna have to get into the habit of doing the 'watch and pinch'. Seems like so much work lol (I know it isn't!). Re: peppers and chillis from yesterday post... is the only pinching you do, if they get taller than 50cm? I've pinched my plants quite early based on some article I read. Hmm, may have been premature.

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  5. becky308611 May 2011 at 19:35

    I have never really pinched out the side shoots, I just never have felt that it took much away from the plant. I actually feel that more leaves make the plant even more healthy. I am probably wrong, lol.

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  6. Anonymous11 May 2011 at 20:11

    I had no idea. In the past I just let the indeterminate tomatoes, um, express themselves. Must go pinch side shoots NOW.

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  7. Mark Willis11 May 2011 at 20:14

    Kelli; I only pinch out the chillis if they don't naturally divide - in other words, it's not always necessary. The 50cm thing is only a very approximate measure. Doing it a bit earlier or a bit later is not likely to be a major advantage or disadvantage, so I wouldn't worry about it.

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  8. Mark Willis11 May 2011 at 20:17

    Hey Folks, a general observation: there is no such thing as a "correct" way of gardening. What works best for you is the correct way. Some of us take out the side-shoots of tomato plants; some of us don't. I personally think it is a good thing, but I'm not going to get religious about it! :)

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  9. Shaheen11 May 2011 at 20:29

    My husband and I were talking a couple of days ago about home grown tomatoes and how we are missing them, not just in the eating, but the growing too and this form of surgery pinching the side shoots of the tommy-tatoes was an aspect of greenhouse gardening my husband thoroughly enjoyed.

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  10. Sue Garrett11 May 2011 at 20:33

    Don't some people use the side shoots as cuttings too?

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  11. Mark Willis11 May 2011 at 20:44

    Sue; yes I have heard that tomato side-shoots root fairly readily, though I have never tried it. A cheap way of increasing your stock maybe - especially since some packets of seeds only include 10 - 12 seeds these days (especially the F1 hybrids).

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  12. Esther Montgomery12 May 2011 at 02:09

    Very clear.

    Esther

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  13. Alison12 May 2011 at 08:01

    A great post Mark! My Mum tried to explain side shoots to me over the telephone and I just couldn't get it. I get it now and will look forward to my first side shoots. I've only the one plant as space does not permit more at the moment. Looking forward to moving and gardening for real!!

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  14. Hazel12 May 2011 at 08:37

    I just love the way you got those funky red arrows on the photo. go Mark!

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  15. Mo12 May 2011 at 14:16

    Great post, Mark, really helpful for those who don't know what a side shoot is.
    Re GLA's comment, I've popped a few side shoots in this year for the first time (it's the Yorkshire in me, haha).

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  16. Andrea12 May 2011 at 20:16

    lol I have the same post, thankk for letting me know,
    I agree, great minds :)

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  17. Mo15 May 2011 at 07:28

    Weird! I posted a comment here, must have been swallowed up when Blogger was 'off'.
    Great post.
    I'm trying some side shoot planting this year.

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  18. cathy@home16 May 2011 at 10:25

    I have a question how many sets of tomatoes grow on a plant?

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