It’s time to pinch your tomatoes (and I don’t mean stealing them)

A little while back I posted on planting tomato seedlings. Here’s a tip (or is it 3?) about what to do next. Most of these tips are about pinching. These tips apply equally to the early stages of both determinate and indeterminate tomato varieties.

1) Pinch out any early flowers to allow the plant’s energy to go toward more leaf and stem growth.

2) Pinch out any new growth coming from branches in the stem. We want to grow a single strong trunk with well spaced branches. These will make the plant wild and bushier. Leave them if that’s what you like but I’ve found tall and tidy produces better fruit

3) Pinch out any lower leaves near the soil. These will attract pathogens and pests being so close to the ground.

Keep doing the first two until the plant is over 30 cm tall.

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Over this season, I’m writing a whole ‘how to’ guide about growing great tomatoes. I’ll be posting it here in installments as different stages of growth are reached or possible problems are encountered. Keep an eye out for it all!