Over-pruned my tomato?

jazzymaddy 5/13/2011, 11:29 pm

So I've been doing some research on pruning tomatoes, and it all looks fairly straight-forward. So I gave it a shot, and then other day when I went out to check for any new suckers, I couldn't see any, nor any places where one could grow. I think I inadvertently pruned off the growing tip. So basically what I'm left with is 3 or 4 leaf branches, and one cluster of blossoms. Is there anything that I can do at this point, or should I go buy a new one and plant it in its place?

Thanks,
Tracy

**camprn** 5/13/2011, 11:32 pm

jazzymaddy wrote:So I've been doing some research on pruning tomatoes, and it all looks fairly straight-forward. So I gave it a shot, and then other day when I went out to check for any new suckers, I couldn't see any, nor any places where one could grow. I think I inadvertently pruned off the growing tip. So basically what I'm left with is 3 or 4 leaf branches, and one cluster of blossoms. Is there anything that I can do at this point, or should I go buy a new one and plant it in its place?

Thanks,
Tracy

I did this in error last year to one of my Better Boys. Shocked

It surely will slow the plant, but eventually it will put out a sucker that you can let go into a new growing tip. How large is your plant now?

jazzymaddy 5/13/2011, 11:42 pm

Thanks for your speedy response! I think that's actually the same type of tomato that I did it to. Smile

It's about 12-15 inches tall. It only has 3 branches, and I'm pretty sure I've taken a sucker out of each of them. Will they grow new suckers in the same spot after time, or will it find another place from which to grow?

I'm so glad to know that I didn't cause irreparable damage.

Thanks,
Tracy

Miss M 5/14/2011, 1:03 am

It should put out a sucker from one of the same spots, eventually.

I was paranoid about removing the growing tip, so I stopped pruning around the tip until it was big enough that I could easily tell. What a Face

jazzymaddy 5/14/2011, 1:08 am

Sweet! Thank you for your help and encouragement. I guess this is all part of the process.

Miss M 5/14/2011, 1:50 am

You're welcome! I think I removed the growing tip from one of my Romas a while back. Then I learned that you're not supposed to prune Romas. Oh, well, it grew a new tip from a sucker. Rolling Eyes

Just took a while.

shannon1 5/14/2011, 4:29 am

Hey, did you guys know you can let the suckers get about 3"-4" snip them off and root them in water and start a whole new tom that way? Wink

acara 5/14/2011, 9:07 am

Just wait....

Even when I intentially "top" my toms to stop the height growth, they still end up throwing suckers and you can just let them pick up where the main stem left off.

If you can't wait, you can also hit them with a dose of low nitrogen fertilizer (like 5-0-0 fish emulsion) & that should get them to go back into leave/stem production

jazzymaddy 5/14/2011, 3:45 pm

Thanks a million everyone. I would be seriously lost without you!!!!!!!

Tril 5/14/2011, 4:20 pm

I don't remove anything above the top cluster of flowers. Once a new cluster develops you can prune below it. That way you never remove the growing tip... until you decide to. LOL

quiltbea 5/14/2011, 6:33 pm

I agree with tril.
Don't cut or pinch out any suckers above the blossoming branch unless its very clear which is which.
Let the next blossoming branch start showing blossoms and then nip out the sucker in between it and the main steam.

The exception would be at the very bottom of the plant. I remove ALL the branches for a couple inches up from the soil so it stays clean when watering or when raining. Splattering soil on your plants can cause diseases you don't want. Its also better for air circulation.

Don't remove any suckers on determinate (bushy-type) tomatoes. They will automatically stop growing taller when its time.

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