We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Given tomato plants. When is it too late to pinch out?

Options
Hi,

Been given some fairly large tomato plants. The are some shoots that i would have nipped off before now. In fact there is one shoot off a shoot if you know what I mean?

My question is - when is it too late to remove these?
Once they are a certain size or before they have flowers?
Before they affect the growing angle of the main shoot?

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    what variety are they?
  • BaconandEggs
    BaconandEggs Posts: 578 Forumite
    Ailsa Craig
  • tanith
    tanith Posts: 8,091 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Personally I'd just remove all the side shoots to give whats left a proper chance at producing good size toms..
    #6 of the SKI-ers Club :j

    "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke
  • Lotus-eater
    Lotus-eater Posts: 10,789 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    tanith wrote: »
    Personally I'd just remove all the side shoots to give whats left a proper chance at producing good size toms..
    Yes, I agree, take off all the ones that aren't supposed to be there, the plant will soon recover and start making growth where you want it.
    Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
  • BaconandEggs
    BaconandEggs Posts: 578 Forumite
    Even if they are starting to produce flowers?
    Seems so brutal. :(
  • mrbadexample
    mrbadexample Posts: 10,805 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Photogenic
    Even if they are starting to produce flowers?
    Seems so brutal. :(

    Take them off, put them in a glass of water on the windowsill until they root, then pot them up. Free plants. ;)
    If you lend someone a tenner and never see them again, it was probably worth it.
  • Take them off, put them in a glass of water on the windowsill until they root, then pot them up. Free plants. ;)


    I've done this. Hope they survive. First year growing my own - so it's all new!
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.