Do I 'stop' hanging basket tomatoes..?

Charlton_King

In the past I've always grown cherry varieties like 'Gardener's Delight' up canes and with these, the situation is fairly clear - pinch out side shoots and 'stop' the lead after 5 or 6 trusses have formed.

Now I'm trying these 'trailing' tomatoes - variety 'Minibel'' - which are supposed to be grown in hanging baskets and similar containers. They are similar to the better known 'Tumbling Tom'.

What I'm not sure of is whether I need to 'stop' these plants early on in order to actually encourage side shooting and greater bushiness.

Anyone have any experience of growing these?

Jnelhams

Cherry tomatoes normally don't need stopping just leave to their own devices.

Charlton_King

Jnelhams wrote: »

Cherry tomatoes normally don't need stopping just leave to their own devices.

So they tend to branch freely anyway..?

Farway

Charlton_King wrote: »

So they tend to branch freely anyway..?

Yep, all by themselves. which is one reason I like to grow some "basket" ones that can be left to their own devices

steady__eddie

I was going to seek some knowledge about toms in hanging baskets but fortunately Chrlton King beat me to it.
I decided to be adventureous this year, in addition to the customary gardeners delight I lashed out on some plum and a packet of tumbling tom red. £1-59 for 10 seeds from Wilko, that's my comfort spending over with for this year.
Anyway, I'm a novice as far as hanging baskets are concerned. I've managed to get hold of half a dozen courtesy of the local tip but am a little alarmed over the price of liners. A colleague has suggested that black plastic can be used has a liner, would this be a goer ?
One other point intrigues me, won't the weight of the trusses, (wishful thinking), cause the main stem to bend and "crease" thereby restricting the sap ? Is a support required for the central stem ?

wallbash

won't the weight of the trusses, (wishful thinking), cause the main stem to bend and "crease" thereby restricting the sap ? Is a support required for the central stem ?

Yes and No
Well the 'yes' is debatable , never really seen any 'creases'

But the No is ...... a No !

Those that expect Toms as good as G.D are going to be very disappointed.

Lotus-eater

Jnelhams wrote: »

Cherry tomatoes normally don't need stopping just leave to their own devices.

"Cherry" just means the size of the tomato, nothing to do with the growing habit.
Trailing and bush tomatoes, don't need side shooting. So the OP's don't.