Growing the perfect tomato is a rewarding challenge, but sometimes missing steps along the way can lead to an unsuccessful harvest. One of the key steps to ensure your tomato plants thrive is a simple task that only takes a couple of minutes. Doing this small but crucial job can lead to bigger, tastier tomatoes, and neglecting it could limit both the size and flavour of your harvest.
In a blog post from last year, horticulturist and BBC presenter Monty Don shared his thoughts on one of the most common issues gardeners face when growing tomatoes. He explained: “They [side shoots] grow with extra vigour and although they do bear trusses of fruit, they take energy from the plant and reduce the overall harvest as well as making a cordon plant straggly.”
The solution lies in simply removing these side shoots as they appear.
Monty elaborated: “The best way to do this is in the morning when the plant is turgid, simply breaking them off with a finger and thumb.”
This quick task helps direct the plant’s energy into producing more fruit, resulting in larger, tastier tomatoes.
In contrast, trying to prune them in the evening, when the plant is less firm, could cause damage, as at that time of the day, “they will be limper and may tear the plant, so it should be cut off with a knife.”
However, this pruning advice applies only to cordon varieties of tomatoes. Bush tomatoes, on the other hand, do not require this type of maintenance.
And that’s not all, as there are other key factors that can influence the success of your tomato crop.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), feeding your tomatoes is equally important for boosting fruiting.
“To boost fruiting, especially with plants in containers, feed every 10 to 14 days with a high potassium liquid fertiliser once the first fruits start to swell,” it stated.
While feeding is crucial, the RHS also warns gardeners not to overfeed, as this can lead to other complications.
Staking large cordon varieties is another important step, as failing to support the plant as it grows could result in snapped stems and fallen fruit.
To prevent this, simply using a stake and string to guide the plant can prevent it.