Productive tomatoes

[ken]

There are just 6 tomato plants in my small, 6x6 greenhouse, but for the 2nd year running I've tried to boost productivity by allowing one of the low sideshoots to develop, and tying it into a cane. I've just checked the number of trusses I have. There are 2 plants of Olivade - 1 has 5 trusses on the main stem and 5 on the sideshoot; the other has 5 on the main stem and (because the sideshoot divided) 7 on the sideshoot. Sungold has 7 on main stem, 5 on the sideshoot. Burpee Delicious has 5 on the main stem and 3 so far on the sideshoot, which is still to be pinched out. With Rose de Berne I made a mistake and accidentally took out all the sideshoots; there are 4 trusses on the main stem. And this year I'm trying 'Irish Gardener's Delight' from The Real Seed Co.: 5 trusses on the main stem but I was too slow to tie in the sideshoot, and it split off due to the weight of tomatoes. Overall, though, it seems to be a very good technique...

[Cider Boys]

I am no tomato expert but enjoy growing them and have never thought of letting a side shoot fully grow on a plant. Although I have often let side shoots grow due to lack of attention and then after removing them have planted the side shoot for a later crop of tomatoes as they root quite easily.

Barney

[Tony Hague]

I'm sure I have a vague memory of a method that involed letting the first strong sideshoot grow, and cutting off the main stem, maybe continuing with keeping a sideshoot and cutting out the main stem as the plant grows - the aim being to get more trusses on the same height of plant. Does this ring any bells, or did I imagine it ?

[Johnboy]

The Trident Method

The trident method of tomato production increases the yield by allowing the fist two side shoots to grow and form two extra vines.
Allow the first two side shoots to attain a height of 6” and then add a 10” feeding ring around the plant. Fill the ring with compost to bury the side shoot axils by around 2” and this in turn will induce the plant put on more roots.
Depending on the size of tomato you are growing will determine how many trusses you stop the plant.
As an example my father practiced this method for many years using the variety Ailsa Craig and he stopped the main stem at six trusses and the other two at five trusses.
I used the method on Gardeners Delight Tomatoes (Old Seed variety) with tomatoes up to 1.25” diameter and as an experiment I didn’t bother to stop the plants at all and the crop was amazing. I cannot remember how many trusses were produced but certainly more tomatoes than my family could eat.
JB.

[ken]

I got this technique from Simpson's Tomato Book (recommended), which in turn says that Gardening Which got a panel of 190 readers in 1995 to try out similar methods. They found that leaving on one side shoot increased the number of trusses by about 60%, while 2 sideshoots more than doubled the number. As the sideshoots fruit a little later, this also extends the season.

The book also quotes another technique for a situation where you only have one plant of a variety, but wish you had more. Grow the plant in a 6 inch pot and let the first 4 sideshoots develop, then pinch out the top. Remove the plant from its pot and lay it in a trench or growbag, training the 4 sideshoots up canes. They will all root. Thereafter, treat as normal. Apparently the main use of this system is to multiply rare varieties of seed.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I like this last idea Ken. I've tried lots of different ways of increasing the crop, sometimes by mistake - overlooking the odd side shoot, and sometimes deliberately - planting a side shoot. Almost any bits of stem seem to root and flower, so you can extend the season and increase favourite varieties very easily.

[Johnboy]

Hi Ken,
A very interesting method and obviously an advancement from the trident method.
When my father experimented with what finished up as the trident method was in the 1930's until his death in 1992. I used the method until the early 1990's when all the hungry mouths had flown the nest.
I no longer grow tomatoes as I am not allowed to eat them.
Can the Simpson catalogue details be found on line anywhere?
It is great to experiment with plants and I have always done so since I was a boy of 13 when I got my own first plot.
JB.

[ken]

Hi JB - always good to see your contributions on the Forum! Simpsons Seeds are at www.simpsonsseeds.co.uk. They started off as The Tomato Club as a way of getting round EU regulations, but that doesn't seem to be a problem now. So they were very much a tomato specialist with a very long list, but they do stock other veg seeds now and because the founder's son is a big chilli fan, they also have a very long list on chillies and sweet peppers. Note: the techniques I quoted were not from their catalogue but from a book they've produced called The Tomato Book; they also have a book on chillies. All best, Ken

[Johnboy]

Hi Ken,
Thank you for the information. In my quest for knowledge I have ordered the book from Simpsons.
I have just re-read your intitial posting and wonder if "Irish Gardeners Delight" could be the original Gardeners Delight strain. I do so hope it is. When Gardeners Delight were first introduced they were in trusses of about seven tomatoes ranging from 1.25" down to about 1" but somehow they were then bred to be a cherry variety instead of a descent sized salad tomato.
Are the strain you are growing a conventional or a cherry variety?
Sincerely,
JB.

[ken]

Very definitely a cherry version, I'm afraid, JB. This strain came from The Real Seed Company, and they say in their catalogue that they suspect it is not the original Gardeners Delight, but it is sweeter. Funnily enough, I'm not trying to plug Simpson's particularly, but in the past I've always bought GD from them. I raised a query with them one year for some reason and they said through the years they had always bought their Gardeners Delight from the same source. The only reason I switched this year was because in 2013 we found the skins a bit tough - but that might just have been the growing conditions. It's a great shame the way Gardeners Delight has been allowed to deteriorate in the trade. You may know that it used to have the RHS Award of Garden Merit but this was removed a couple of years or so ago because the variety had become so variable.

[Shallot Man]

Ken. Must give it a try next year. Bit too late for this year.