Remove the leaves by pulling the leaf sharply up then down so it comes away from the main stem. These older leaves will divert the plant’s energy away from producing more flowers and fruits, while reducing air circulation and light penetration. Remove all leaves below the lowest ripening trusses of cordon tomatoes. Prune trusses by snipping off the fruits with sharp scissors while they are still small. For varieties bearing particularly heavy fruits, such as the beefsteak tomatoes, thinning fruits to just three per truss will reduce the weight of the truss and make it less likely to snap away from the stem. First, thinning the fruits within the trusses of prolific fruiters such as cherry tomatoes will ensure those that remain grow larger. Removing developing fruits from trusses may seem counterintuitive but there are a few reasons to do this. This includes pruning trusses to remove excess fruits, removing unproductive lower leaves, and removing sideshoots, or suckers. Tomatoes require regular pruning for the best results. At the end of the season simply unfurl the mesh and store flat to save space. Fruiting trusses can be left to grow outside of the cage to make picking even easier. As the plant grows, encourage growth upwards through the centre of the cage. Position your tomato cage by lowering it over the top of a plant. ![]() ![]() ![]() You can also pin the bottom wire to the ground with tent pegs. For added stability, tie the cage to a vertical length of rebar or similar sturdy upright. These wires can be used to push the cage into the ground. Now cut off the bottom wire from the cage to leave just the vertical wires sticking out. Tie the ends together with heavy gauge wire or string to give a close hold. Once cut, carefully roll the length of mesh into a tube. Use sturdy wire- or bolt cutters to make the cuts, and wear gloves to protect your hands from snagging cuts. When rolled into a tube this will give a cage diameter of 18 to 22 inches (45-55cm) - tight enough to support a plant while giving it enough room to expand. Start by cutting a length of mesh five to six feet long (150-180cm). They’re inexpensive to make, and can be reused for many years. The 6-inch (15cm) squares will allow you to easily flex the mesh into a tube to make your cage, and offer easy access to your tomatoes. You can buy purpose-made cages, but it’s easy to make your own from concrete reinforcing mesh. Tomato cages offer fuss-free supports for bush and semi-determinate tomatoes. Lift up the branches and drape them over the canes as they grow. Plant the tomatoes in between the two rows of canes. Alternatively, secure two parallel rows of horizontal canes to short, upright stakes hammered into the ground. Tie plants to sturdy stakes to keep them from flopping over. In theory bush tomatoes do not need support, but left to their own devices plants can be weighed down onto the ground by heavy fruits, increasing the chances of slug damage, disease and fruit spoil. When you reach a truss, tuck the string above or behind it, never below it.Ĭordon tomatoes can also be trained up a wigwam structure, one plant to each cane. As plants reach up, twist the string around the stem, completing a full loop around the stem every two leaves. The string will be further anchored into the soil as the roots grow. Loop the string around the rootball of the tomato plant at planting time to secure the string in place. Bear in mind that the greenhouse will be bearing the entire weight of the plants so it must be strong enough for the job, and the string must be stronger than average garden twine which can snap easily. Dangle string directly from the greenhouse’s framework, or from a horizontal length of string secured and stretched taut between the gable ends. ![]() Fully loop the tie around the cane before tying in the stem. Use string or strips of soft material for the ties. Secure a tie just above a truss, as this will support the weight of fruits better than a tie secured below a truss. Tie stems to their canes at regular intervals, leaving enough slack for the stem to continue growing in girth. Push the supports into the ground before planting to avoid damaging the roots. Cordon TomatoesĬordon tomatoes can be grown against tall canes or stakes or, in a greenhouse, twisted around string.įirmly secure canes or stakes into the ground so they will be able to support the considerable weight of fruit-laden plants and withstand sudden gusts of wind. Falling in between are semi-determinate, or intermediate types of tall bush tomatoes. Indeterminate types (also known as vining or cordon tomatoes) grow to head height and beyond, necessitating tall, sturdy supports, while bush (or determinate) tomatoes grow up to about three feet or one meter high and therefore require less support. Some tomatoes need more support than others. Whether you’re growing your tomatoes indoors or out, you’ll need to give plants the right type of support.
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