Cherry tomatoes
by
Yaron
+12
The Cherry tomatoes in my garden are outgrowing the stakes and the net between them. Should I let them grow or cut the top?
15 answers
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Do you remember if they are determinate or indeterminate?
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Jun 10, 2013
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Are you thinning the suckers off of them? I would just thin the suckers, and not top them.
Patricia W
on Jun 10, 2013
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@360 Sod (Donna Dixson) I don't know. @Patricia W can you please explain why that's better.
Yaron
on Jun 11, 2013
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Most Cherry type tomatoes will be determinate, or bush.Meaning they will eventually stop growing on their own. ( Do you know what variety you have?) I think there are 2 or 3 that are indeterminate. If you trim the top you will cut your production. People 'sucker' or take out branching in order to decrease the amount of fruit so that the ones left will become larger. I don't see a reason to do either one in your case.
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Jun 11, 2013
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I would just let them grow and produce more fruit this a normal think for tomatoes to do the "cage" or in your case stakes and netting is just to give a support structure to the plant so that the fruit does not lay against the ground and rot
April E
on Jun 11, 2013
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also it has been shown in 4 different studies that removing the suckers does not do much to change the production values for the plants
April E
on Jun 11, 2013
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Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.
Yaron
on Jun 12, 2013
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agree with Donna this is what cherry tomatoes do. am always amazed when people plant so many plants unless you plan on selling them or have lots of people to give them 2. we planted cherry tomato about 6 yrs ago and since then when the volunteers start to come up we slap a cage over a couple and pull the rest up.
Cindy tustin
on Jun 12, 2013
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Heirloom and open pollinated cherry tomatoes are indeterminate. I am not aware of any determinate cherry varieties. Cherry tomatoes will grow more than 10 feet. I had one grow to the garage roof, cut it back and it grew that tall again. You need to decide how much you want them to grow. I always use 4x6 concrete reinforcing panels for my tomatoes, so they can grow at least 8 ft before sprawling.
Barbara
on Jun 12, 2013
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I have been gardening since I was 7 years old and my favorite staple for the garden each year is tomatoes. Most all cherry tomatoes are INDETERMINATE meaning that their height or length of "vine" is undetermined but most likely will grow around the 7 to 10 foot length. I now stick to mainly to "DETERMINATE" tomato varieties, most of which DO NOT include the cherry or grape style varieties. Determinate tomatoes are just that... Their height and width are already determined because of their plant's "DNA" and generally grow like bushy, stalky little tomato trees; keeping your garden tidy... Providing you have the proper support system in place like stakes and large cages for them. But I still do choose a few indeterminate varieties and place them in the back of the garden and just let them go..... because there aren't that many different color varieties that come in the determinate specimens. Hope this helps.
Gretchen
on Jun 12, 2013
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@Barbara and @Gretchen , based on what you say the Cherry tomatoes are probably indeterminate. I'll have the cut the top and next year will plant them in another area where they can keep climbing. I really appreciate the advice.
Yaron
on Jun 13, 2013
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there are several varieties of cherry tomato that are determinate what variety do you have? also the tomatoes will NOT keep climbing they will starte hanging over and growing tward the ground due to the weight of the vine and fruits toreiterate what i stated in a earlier post the only reason supports are used for tomatoes is to keep the fruit off the ground. so you will be fine do not prune your plants you will weaken them and drasticly reduce the amount of fruit they produce also to qualify these statements i have been gardening since age 4 (w/ grammas help) have duel bachelors in horticulture/ landscape design and have been the greenhouse manager for 1 of the top 100 garden center/growers in the use i do know what advice i am giving you they won't keep climbing theywill start hanging tward the ground
April E
on Jun 13, 2013
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@April E thanks, I really appreciate your advice and the time you took to educate me.
Yaron
on Jun 13, 2013
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Hey there, any recommended way to pick the Cherry tomatoes? Can I cut the vine they are growing on or should I pick one by one? Also whats the best way for picking regular tomatoes? @April E would love to get your advice.
Yaron
on Jun 16, 2013
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Pick the ripe (usually red, depending on the variety of plant) ones individually, leaving the vine, unless you have so many that you want to get rid of the plant. You have probably seen tomatoes still on the vine in the store. They do that just so they can prove that the tomatoes were "vine-ripened", which makes them tastier. The home grower can let the tomatoes ripen on the vine, and still keep the vine for more production. :-)
Marilyn Highley
on Jun 16, 2013
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