Plea for pruning tomato plants
Plants should grow in the near-natural kitchen garden, as planned by Mother Nature. This conviction is very much in keeping with the increased environmental and health awareness. However, this philosophy fails when growing tomato plants, because free growth here usually leads to a measly harvest. Since they are always branching, tomato plants lack the strength for plump, juicy fruits. Regular pruning solves the problem in no time.
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This approach is especially true for powerful stick tomatoes. An exception are bush tomatoes, which only branch into viable shoots and stop growing at 100 centimeters. With these tomato varieties, pruning has no meaningful effect, because fewer shoots do not result in larger fruits.
This is how tomato plants stay in shape
Parallel to the start of fertilization from the second week in the field, constant pruning of tomato plants begins. Experienced hobby gardeners do not use a knife because the use of cutting tools increases the risk of infection from late blight. Instead, parts of the plant are simply broken out. In the technical language, this maintenance measure is called skimming. That's how it's done:
- Use your fingers to snap off the small stinging shoots between the foliage and the stem
- move back and forth until they break
- never tear at the side shoots
- In addition, break out all the leaves below the first fruit cluster
A stake tomato continues to grow higher and higher along its climbing support. The size is regulated at an early stage so that it does not go beyond all dimensions and still has strength for large beefsteak tomatoes. Above the fifth, sixth or seventh inflorescence, break off all other head shoots.
Tips & Tricks
All cut parts of the plant are ideal as nutritious mulching material for tomatoes. Simply chop it up and spread it on the floor. If you still spray nettle manure every 2 weeks, satisfy the hunger of heavy consumers in a natural way.
