tall tomato plants.... help....

[rebeccakee]

I have a large tomato garden for a city dweller and it seems their growing up but not out. Should i prune the top or something? Their outgrowing the tall cages ang will soon have large fruit at the tops. I'm scared if this trend continues my plants will snap.

 

[yardfarmer]

sounds like your tomatoes are doing great! what kind are they? if they are indeterminate, then they will grow more like a vine and get very tall.

I have early girls and a couple of other indeterminate tomatoes on a frame that will allow them to get over 6 feet tall. I remove all the suckers, but allow the main stem to fork into a seperate vines.

Determinate tomatoes usually grow into a bush, and need little pruning.

 

[rebeccakee]

Yes They are indeterminate And I have several kinds.

White wonders
Sweet million cherry
Yellow pear cherry
Brandywine amish
Watermelon beefsteak
standard beef steak
A med size red (cant recall name)

I think that covers it.

So should I snip the tops to urge a more bushy growth?

 

[yardfarmer]

i would not prune the tops since the main stem is where the flowers, and fruit grow.

I'm not sure if the suckers will grow flowers on indeterminate tomatoes.

you could give it a try...just make sure there are enough flowers below the cut so you can get some fruit. it's possible that if the top was cut, then more energy would be deverted to forming fruits...could get some very large tomatoes.

 

[silkiechicken]

Tomatoes where I live, even the indeterminate types, don't get very big due to the cool summers. However, I don't think it's unusual for tomatoes in ideal warm areas to get 6 feet or taller. Most tomoato cages aren't built big enough for indeterminate types. About snapping though, if you let the plant grow and bend on it's own weight, it should just bend and flop over and grow from there. I haven't had one break a branch due to heavy fruit, but I've not grown anything very large so it may be possible. I find most just bend.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I wouldn't prune the tops as this would stop new growth of the plant since you are not getting side growth.

Although many varieties claim to be indeterminate they can grow a lot bigger sometimes. We have been growing tomatoes for about 15 years and always have an experimental garden where we test claims made by hybrids. Some of the varieties you have are heirloom (brandywine, yellow pear and I'm assuming the beefsteaks) so these will grow indeterminately.

I would recommend staking the plants instead. Drive a 6-8 foot tall stake into the ground and tie the main stem to it. Tie the string right below leaf nodes to provide the best support. Since you're not getting the bushy side growth (which is common for many tomato varieties) then you will probably get a smaller harvest but your fruits will be larger.

Good luck

 

[Beekissed]

i would not prune the tops since the main stem is where the flowers, and fruit grow.

I'm not sure if the suckers will grow flowers on indeterminate tomatoes.
you could give it a try...just make sure there are enough flowers below the cut so you can get some fruit. it's possible that if the top was cut, then more energy would be deverted to forming fruits...could get some very large tomatoes.

They will! When I find a sucker that has blooms, I just leave it alone. I agree with the advice given....stake and provide support. Congrats on the tall tomatoes!! I went toward trellising this year, as I am too short to pound in a tall enough stake for the maters. My tomatoes get very tall also and I was tired of seeing them lop over after they reached the top of the stake! Good luck!

 

[Tutter]

I would also stake them, and not top them.

 

[adeledamate]

I wouldn't prune the tops as this would stop new growth of the plant since you are not getting side growth.

Although many varieties claim to be indeterminate they can grow a lot bigger sometimes. We have been growing tomatoes for about 15 years and always have an experimental garden where we test claims made by hybrids. Some of the varieties you have are heirloom (brandywine, yellow pear and I'm assuming the beefsteaks) so these will grow indeterminately.

I would recommend staking the plants instead. Drive a 6-8 foot tall stake into the ground and tie the main stem to it. Tie the string right below leaf nodes to provide the best support. Since you're not getting the bushy side growth (which is common for many tomato varieties) then you will probably get a smaller harvest but your fruits will be larger.

Good luck

Thanks for the great advice. I was having the same problem and thought I had bought cages tall enough. The tomatoes are now about 9 and half feet tall!! (This picture was taken about three weeks ago) I know it's all of the chicken poop in the compost.

I'll go out and get some really tall posts.

 

[Tutter]

What a nice set up, and cute measuring stick!