Kitchen Garden Forum

I know they are sold with the proviso that they don't need sideshooting, but what are the drawbacks in taking out some of the side shoots?

Less fruit I would have thought. I always grow Red Alert, a very early bush variety. Superb crop of large cherry sized fruits.

I wouldn't advise pinching out shoots - let them grow.

Beryl.

If you want to reduce the side shoots a bit you can grow new plants from them just by planting them in individual pots. They root very easily and you get another plant that will fruit a little later - extending the cropping period.

I usually do this with my cordon tomatoes, just selecting the first strong side shoots sent out, but there is no reason not to take a couple from a bush variety to let a bit more air circulate on an overcrowded plant.

Thanks for your replies. I have re-read the seed packets and realised my error. Indeterminate = cordon, not bush.

Just to continue this thread a little longer, I grow a few bush toms in a large cold frame and once the plants are well established, with a few trusses on their way, I regularly pinch out some shoots simply to keep the plants inside the frame. I think think they benefit from this as it allows trusses to mature well and not get crowded out by masses of growth that will probably never come to anything.

John

PS Where did this determinate/indeterminate nonesense ever come from - bush or cordon is perfectly obvious.

I agree John, I've been growing tomatoes for years and STILL get determinate/indeterminate mixed up.