How to Pinch out side shoots on Tomato plants
This only applies to the upright type of tomato and not the bushy types.
With Cordon tomatoes, the upright varieties as the plant grows, it is essential to remove all new side shoots, which appear at the junction between the upright stem and the branch. Look at the plant's main stem, and where the branches grow, any little shoot appearing at the junction of the upright stem, at right angles with the branch, needs to be removed.
This is because tomatoes are very vigorous and they will not only grow up and up, if allowed, they will grow sideways. These side shoots, if left alone, become a tangled mass of leaves and fruit less.
In the image left, the arrow shows the side shoot which grows at the junction. During the growing season, the plant will continually produce side shoots at the junction of the plant and stems; keep removing them.
By doing this, you contain the plant's growth; you do not want a lot of extra branches growing out sideways. By restricting growth, it will produce more fruits. Below is a short 2mins 30 sec video showing how to remove the side shoots.
The next step in tomato growing is to contain the plants' upward growth.
Step-by-step guide
How to grow tomatoes from seed and what to do about weedy seedlings
What are the easiest tomatoes to grow? Cordon or Bush?
How to pot on tomatoes, dos and don'ts, and why it is important.
Hardening off tomatoes for growing outside
The Best way to Water and Feed Tomatoes
How to ripen Green Tomatoes
Common pest and diseases when growing tomatoes
Success with tomatoes
If you have found these tips helpful, why not buy the book: click here for details Success with Tomatoes
The Sunday Gardener's guide to growing tomatoes, packed full of practical tips and helpful images, everything you need to know to grow a tasty crop. Was £6.20 now £4.20 plus postage UK only.
An excellent practical guide to growing tomatoes.
