by Why do you need to pinch the tops of tomatoes at all? After all, nature took care in advance that the plants would develop and provide summer residents with a harvest. But! This happened exactly until the moment when man began to argue with it, trying to make his life easier.
We are talking about many years of selection, the goal of which was to improve crops to such an extent that plants of this species could be grown in almost any region and in any conditions. Thus, in addition to various varieties of tomatoes, many hybrids appeared, as well as bushes of limited and unlimited height. And a way was invented to speed up the growth and fruiting of plants – to grow them in a greenhouse. And therefore, one day there was a need to remove the growth point of tomatoes, i.e. pinch them.
Pinching tomatoes is done to limit growth and redirect the plant’s energy to fruit formation. As a result, tomatoes bear fruit longer, and their fruits ripen faster. The quality and quantity of the harvest increases. However, if the procedure is performed incorrectly, the bush may begin to wither or even die.
When to pinch the tops of tomatoes in a greenhouse
It is no secret that greenhouse crops develop much faster than open ground plants. In fact, that is why they are grown there. Therefore, the need to pinch the tops of tomatoes in closed ground certainly exists. But it needs to be trimmed at a certain time. There are three nuances that should be taken into account.
Focus on a specific plant. Determinate tomatoes usually stop growing on their own, or their growth slows down significantly. It’s a different story with indeterminate bushes. If you find it uncomfortable to look after the plant because of its size, don’t wait until its top reaches the ceiling of your greenhouse: feel free to cut it off and don’t regret it. After all, the effectiveness of watering, fertilizing and processing, as well as the distribution of moisture and nutrients from its roots to the foliage and ovaries, directly depend on the height and density of the plant. Too high a bush can cause incomplete saturation of the leaves and fruits with useful elements and moisture, the plant will experience stress and may begin to “throw out” aerial roots.
If you formed a bush with 2-3 trunks, then regardless of its type, pinch the top of the stepson after the first brush, and for stronger bushes – after the second.
Monitor fruiting. Here, the plant’s variety or hybrid is of great importance. The latter are usually better adapted to environmental conditions, but varietal crops need a little help. This is especially true for large-fruited tomatoes. The more clusters they have, the more difficult it is for them to distribute moisture and vitamins among all the “wanting” ones. It happens that the plant takes care of itself on its own and sheds all the ovaries that are unnecessary for it. And for you, this is the main sign that it is time to help it and cut off the top along with all the upper clusters. If this is not done, the fruits may ripen poorly and become deformed.
At the same time as pinching, you can also remove some tomato leaves, but it is important not to overdo it – otherwise you may encounter other problems.
Experienced tomato growers recommend leaving no more than 5-6 brushes on large-fruited tomato varieties – only in this case will the fruits be full-fledged. If this number of tomatoes is not enough for you, leave one stepson on the plant, located under the very first flower brush. Its placement closest to the root system increases the chances of an additional harvest, unlike the other stepsons, which will have to be cut off.
Pay attention to the weather and climate conditions of your region. This is also one of the important factors, which, unfortunately, depends little on you. Tomato growers in the northern regions begin pinching the tops of tomatoes already at the end of June – beginning of July, since the fruits from young brushes simply will not have time to ripen, and the plant’s available reserves are better distributed among tomatoes that are ripening at the present time. As for the “southerners”, they can well wait until the end of the season, provided that it is convenient for them to care for a tall plant.
If the weather and climate allow you to wait for the harvest from young brushes, wait until the fruits reach the size of cherries and pinch the top of the bush.
Is it necessary to pinch tomatoes in open ground?
Tomatoes traditionally grow less actively outdoors than in a greenhouse or hothouse. And their fruiting rate is less intense. It follows that the plant should be pruned when it has grown to human height, if we are talking about “indeterminate”. The top of other varieties and hybrids is pinched according to the same rules as in protected soil.
However, as the personal experience of many tomato growers shows, in the middle zone the need to cut the top of a tomato plant in open ground arises extremely rarely, since the bush simply does not have time to grow to those impressive sizes that prevent you from caring for it. And, let us recall, the plant sets fruit much more slowly.
If there are several fruits left on the tomato brush that will still have time to ripen before the cold weather sets in, pinch the plant, leaving 1-2 leaves above the brush: this will facilitate the flow of nutrients to this area. In open ground, the growth point is removed about a month before the last fruits fully ripen (on average, at the end of July – mid-August), in a greenhouse – two weeks before the end of the harvest (September-October).
How to Pinch the Top of a Tomato Plant Properly
Usually, the growth points of plants are pinched, leaving 2-3 leaves above the last inflorescence. For this, use regular scissors or another cutting tool. Both require preliminary disinfection. If the cut was not done very carefully and you “shagged” the trunk of the plant, treat it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. If everything went well, the wound will heal on its own.
Tomatoes should be pinched in the first half of the day, preferably early in the morning. In this case, the plant will recover faster.
In addition to pinching, there is another important and mandatory procedure for tomatoes – side-shooting. It also needs to be done on time and according to all the rules.
Do you pinch your tomatoes?
