Grow Your Own Tomatoes

Lesson 5: Training Tomato Plants

Exciting Times
The formation of trusses (flowering branches) signals the start of an exciting phase for tomato-growers. Once the flowers die away, it won't be long before the fruit will begin to develop. If you're growing a dwarf variety, you can sit back and enjoy watching perfect little tomatoes form. But growers of cordon varieties need to keep their wits about them. This is not a time to get complacent!

Positive Energy
The first priority for cordon-growers is to continue the policy started in Lesson 4 of making sure all the plant's energy goes into producing fruit. Pinch out side-shoots before they have a chance to take hold. This will mean inspecting your plants regularly because growth can be vigorous during this period. Outdoor tomatoes naturally tend to produce only four useful trusses. So there's no point in allowing the plant to waste its energy once small fruit have begun to develop on the fourth truss. When this occurs, pinch out the growing tip of the main plant two leaves above the fourth truss.

A Regular Life
Whether you're growing dwarf or cordon varieties, you'll need to make sure that the plants are watered and fed regularly. Growing bags don't hold much water, so little and often is the rule. Yes, we know we've said this before in previous lessons but we want you to have lovely, healthy tomatoes! Read the instructions for applying liquid tomato fertiliser carefully but use your common sense, too. For example, tomato feed diluted in 4.5 litres of water may swamp a growing bag if given at one application, especially with younger plants. It may be better to spread early feeds out over two applications. When feeding and watering, it's a good idea to remove the rose from your watering can. That way, you can direct the nozzle at the roots. Finally, now that the plants are growing thicker and stronger, don't forget to check that the ties you put in place some weeks earlier aren't cutting into the stems.