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| Hi all, So two of my tomatoes - Sweet 100 and First Lady II - have hit the top of the trellis....sooner than I would have thought (newbie much?). I've tried searching around for strategies but wondering what wisdom might be found here? I am Square Foot Gardening for the most part with my two beds - though these plants have more than one stem - I have topped some of the side stems. Advice much appreciated!!! I've learned so much here and look forward to your suggestions. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Generally tomato plants drape just fine no matter what type of support is used. When they top my 6' cages I just let them drape back down the outside of the cages. You can also add more strings to support the new growth. Dave |
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| You can also top them. This way the lateral will have a better chance to grow. This is often done with vine type plants to encourage lateral growth (compact , bushy) |
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- Posted by kathyb912_IN 5a/5b (My Page) on Thu, May 29, 14 at 20:36
| How tall is the current trellis? I usually just let mine drape over the other side, too, but I've also had success in pounding in tall stakes nearby and attaching particularly long stems to them for extra support. Kathy |
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- Posted by sleevendog 5-6 (My Page) on Thu, May 29, 14 at 21:44
| No need to top them at all. Most of the weight is much lower. digdirt and Kathy are correct. Just add some more support around the weighty girth lower and let the leggy upper growth fold and roll over...(top growth is very flexible) Maybe later address heavy top growth but now i don't see a problem. (they look a bit thirsty and dry and many other things competing for nourishments in such a small container...) |
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| thanks all - okay then it sounds like i will let them drape down - i have topped some of the other stems as i let too many grow and i am trying to keep it somewhat contained though this effort becomes more comedic as time goes on. lol. i am currently tying it back to itself loosely with gardener's velcro (though sometimes it seems slightly sharp on the edges?) and also dropping more strings for the bigger stems which sometimes seem to come out of nowhere. i was pruning suckers but have let some of them go to let it get more bushy. also it's just getting messy and overwhelming. ;) sleevendog - what foliar feed would you recommend? the plant on the right has been mr. droopy ever since it went in (first lady II early girl replacement it says) the soil was moist believe it or not. is it possible it's just a droopier growth habit? i fertilized with dr. earth's tomato/veggie in mid april and not due for another round till mid next month. i was considering making a liquid tea from the dr. earth's this time to make the nutrients more immediately available.....? i added organic matter to the soil before planting - but this is my first year gardening and the soil needs work....any advice appreciated! |
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- Posted by onafixedincome z8-9 CA (My Page) on Sun, Jun 1, 14 at 13:18
| I'd lead them off the back of your box and let them do what they do best (ie, take over the world) :)...but that's me. :) |
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| yes onafixed i might just do that....they are getting a little crazy and at this point i'm just trying to keep them somewhat in their space and off the cucumber vines...lol. we will see if its possible... |
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