https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:53:40 +0000 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:12:45 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.04 360 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=36697 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/ https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1202821&title=tomato-flowers#1202821 Author: Nothing
Subject: 36697
Posted: 18 November 2010 at 11:12am

When the plant is a reasnable size, take out the bottom leaves up to the first branch of fruit, it encourages the fruit to ripen better and stops the plant wasting its energy on those leaves- it gets concentrated to the fruit. You can continue up the plant as the lower fruit ripens with taking the leaves off. Our plant last year got up to 2m high and about 1m had no leaves in the end. ]]> Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:12:45 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1202821&title=tomato-flowers#1202821 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1202561&title=tomato-flowers#1202561 Author: JoJames
Subject: 36697
Posted: 17 November 2010 at 9:50pm

Last year we had heaps of plants and I didn't pinch the laterals and they crept all over the garden and didn't grow very well, This year I've been taking off the lower leaves so they can grow up instead of out. I took off a couple flowers on a really little plant that I think needs the energy to grow bigger before it can attempt fruit. i'm also hoping that I won't have the blight debacle my poor tomatos succumbed to last year, now that they aren't so close.
I started out with 6 this year, then my husband decide to plant heritage seeds and we now have 12, Also we have seedlings popping up from last years fruit, We will see what happens I'm hoping for a bumper crop FXed]]> Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:50:49 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1202561&title=tomato-flowers#1202561 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201309&title=tomato-flowers#1201309 Author: Gardengirl
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 3:02pm

And apparently (I haven't tried this) if you pinch them out carefully and put them in a good potting mix, they can grow into a new tomato plant. Worth a try (except I already have 20 tomato plants on the go )]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:02:18 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201309&title=tomato-flowers#1201309 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201304&title=tomato-flowers#1201304 Author: LadyBee
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 2:59pm

Ahhh got ya
Just had a peek at my plants and see what you mean.
thanks]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:59:16 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201304&title=tomato-flowers#1201304 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201297&title=tomato-flowers#1201297 Author: Gardengirl
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 2:53pm

Not silly at all

I'm rubbish at explaining this sort of thing, but where you have your main branches on the plant, you will see new leaves starting to grow right in the 'join'. Those are your laterals and if you leave them on there will be lot more branches and leaves for the plant to put it's energy into and the plant can become really big and unweildy. So by pinching them out the plant can put it's energy into it's fruit. With most types of tomato you don't want lots and lots of branches.]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:53:38 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201297&title=tomato-flowers#1201297 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201292&title=tomato-flowers#1201292 Author: LadyBee
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 2:49pm

Im new to vege gardening too and have two tomato plants that have come into flower now and was wondering the same thing jojames

Silly me, but what does it mean when you say "just pinch out the laterals"? ]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:49:48 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201292&title=tomato-flowers#1201292 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201290&title=tomato-flowers#1201290 Author: happymumma
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 2:45pm

I wouldn't bother I don't think.  I hadn't heard of doing it either (but I am a garden novice really) but I always remove the laterals and that seems to work for plant growth.]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:45:42 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201290&title=tomato-flowers#1201290 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201286&title=tomato-flowers#1201286 Author: Gardengirl
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 2:41pm

I've never heard of picking the flowers off, just to pinch out the laterals.]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:41:58 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201286&title=tomato-flowers#1201286 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201202&title=tomato-flowers#1201202 Author: JoJames
Subject: 36697
Posted: 16 November 2010 at 1:16pm

Should I be picking the flowers off at this point to help the plant grow bigger, rather than just letting it grow fruit?]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:16:16 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36697&PID=1201202&title=tomato-flowers#1201202