Question Advice on Topping Tomatoes

[ss-ashley]

My indeterminate tomato (red cherry and opalka) is doing very well. Too well in fact. It is taller than the trellis cage (about 4 foot tall) that I built and it is mid July.

My first frost date in mid Oct so I have 3 more months of growth. At this rate, I don't know if my trellis can handle the weight.

So my question is ... should I top prune my tomatoes now. I am concern it may significantly hinder future production.

Advice?

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I know I regret not topping my tomato plant. It grew well over the trellis, which is now unable to support it. My plant has snapped over twice due to wind, pretty much topping itself anyway. This saying, my plant is over 2 meters tall and my trellis is probably about 1,60 tall. Most of the fruit is being produced around the trellis area for me anyway. If that's the case (or similar idea) you may wish to prune it.
For me it also helped my plant focus on the tomatoes more, rather than it's upward growth.

 

[ss-ashley]

I know I regret not topping my tomato plant. It grew well over the trellis, which is now unable to support it. My plant has snapped over twice due to wind, pretty much topping itself anyway. This saying, my plant is over 2 meters tall and my trellis is probably about 1,60 tall. Most of the fruit is being produced around the trellis area for me anyway. If that's the case (or similar idea) you may wish to prune it.
For me it also helped my plant focus on the tomatoes more, rather than it's upward growth.

Hi Mandy,

I found one web article where it says tomato fruits (or flowers) can only grow on new stems (branches) and not existing stem. Which is why I was nervous about topping so early in the growing season.

So I am curious, when your plants snap (sorry to hear that happened twice), did you notice if there were new flowers blooming on existing stems/branch?

Thanks.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Hi Mandy,

I found one web article where it says tomato fruits (or flowers) can only grow on new stems (branches) and not existing stem. Which is why I was nervous about topping so early in the growing season.

So I am curious, when your plants snap (sorry to hear that happened twice), did you notice if there were new flowers blooming on existing stems/branch?

Thanks.

I understand your worry. Frankly, I had loads of stems already holding flowers and I've never cut the suckers off so they might still grow into new stems as well. Some actually have and yes, they had given me some more flowers.
It's hard to judge as I can't see your plant. If you have multiple you can always experiment by doing some, but not others. It's the way I've been learning too.
For one plant I actually left the snapped bit on and it's just kept growing, facing downwards at first. Only issue I've found with this is that it's too heavy for the trellis I had set up.

I would send a picture but my phone is currently paired with my laptop and it needs another hour just to copy the pictures I had to my external drive.

 

[ss-ashley]

I think you are right. Sounds like it is a matter of when not if I would top the plant. Urgggh. It is going to be so painful.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I think you are right. Sounds like it is a matter of when not if I would top the plant. Urgggh. It is going to be so painful.

It always is, haha.
If something goes wrong there's always next year, don't forget that! Means you've learnt something and get better every year