Kitchen Garden Forum

I rather over enthusiastically sowed some of these too early and they've become a little leggy. As it's a little too early to plant them out without protection, as they thrive on growing fruit on their side shoots I wonder whether I can safely pinch out their main growing point? I!ve never done this before on tumbling varieties but assume it will merely encourage the side shoots to develop even faster with flowers and fruit?

I figure you are right Primrose, it will just encourage side shoot growth but I can't see where the advantage is by your doing it.
The plants will continue to grow and still be at risk if planted out early. In fact given excessive side growth it may well prove a disadvantage to have pricked the top out.

If it were me I would not prick out, I would plant on deeply to a bigger pot. By deeply I mean well over the lowest leaf set, maybe even the 2nd lowest. Pot on deep and firm.

Agree with Pa, Primrose!

Keep potting them on deeper, sacrifice the lower leaves. Saw Monty do it last night & he didn't even remove the leaves just buried the stem with them on. I always trim the leaves off, but of course they will break down & feed the new root growth a wee bit as well!

Don't know anything about tumblers.
Monty was quite encouraging last night, I thought my early batch of plants were rubbish until I saw his! Anybody tried planting 15" apart?

I saw his plants too....and also commented to Cook, that planting that close, would make the picking of the back tomatoes, a dirty job!

Agree with you OH. Picking, or in fact just general attention to, those back plants would be dirty and smelly

I was surprised to say the least. Surely such close planting is an inducement to potential problems through lack of airflow.

I've practised the deep planting method for many years when plotting on or out. Certainly has worked for me when plants could have ended up weak spirally specimens.

How many simultaneous similar conversations were there? My harvesting assistant said "I'm not picking them if you plant them like that".

Tomatoes always root out of whatever stem gets covered with soil so you'll get a sturdier plant by deep planting. You can even shove bits you break off in and they will root readily if you want a few later fruiting ones.

I missed Monty which saved me from heckling the TV. It amuses me when people think he's a wonderful gardener. At least it encourages people to have a go and he's a nice friendly manner.

My tumblers are in hanging baskets(well 2 of them are last one is going in next weekend), so I will be able to turn then if I need to.