Hydroponics Online Home Home Store Blog Forums FAQs Lesson Plans Pictures

Go Back   Hydroponics Forums Discussions > Hydroponics Discussion Forums > Hydroponics

Cutting back tomato plants


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-15-2009, 11:30 PM
RenettaHogan RenettaHogan is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Silver City, NM
Posts: 14
Default Cutting back tomato plants

I have an indoor hydroponics system. My tomatoes are getting too long. Is it okay to cut them back in order to keep them from getting even longer? I've heard that you're not supposed to do this, but I thought I might ask the experienced ones for advice.

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-16-2009, 04:27 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
Posts: 1,855
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RenettaHogan View Post
I have an indoor hydroponics system. My tomatoes are getting too long. Is it okay to cut them back in order to keep them from getting even longer? I've heard that you're not supposed to do this, but I thought I might ask the experienced ones for advice.
I'm not really sure what you mean by "getting too long." Are they stretching upward to get light, or are they just getting too tall and wide for your setup? I don't think cutting them back will help you either way. If they are stretching upward to get more light cutting them back wont fix the problem. If they are just getting too big for your setup cutting them back can temporary help, but unless your goal is a bonsai tomato plant that wont fix that problem either.

Bush varieties of tomato plants are hybrids that were bred to grow small, and usually grow between 3 and 4 feet tall. Regular varieties can grow very tall, 10+ feet tall as long as the plant is supported.
__________________
Website Owner
Home Hydroponic Systems
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-16-2009, 05:59 PM
Amigatec Amigatec is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 152
Default

I think I would train they to grow in a different direction. Instead of up, try using a trellis that is more horizontal, instead of growing them up, try growing them out.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-24-2009, 07:08 AM
smurf smurf is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 52
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amigatec View Post
I think I would train they to grow in a different direction. Instead of up, try using a trellis that is more horizontal, instead of growing them up, try growing them out.
Yes, they are like a vine - you can do a lot with them.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-06-2010, 03:08 PM
TTRgreen2010 TTRgreen2010 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 11
Default Indeterminate Tomatoes are vining

Since it's indoors you can hang hooks from the rafters, tie a string or wire to the stem at whatever you feel is the right hight (somewhere below your lights I presume) and let the rest just hang down from that. I read somewhere that commercial growers use this technique but the allow two main branches to survive and train them along a string in sort of a teepee formation.

Make sure you avoid damage to the stem by using a plant clip or a "Y" connection of some kind. The idea is that the plant will become quite heavy and the point where it is tied off will otherwise get considerable stress.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.