Growing tomatoes is a lot like some of the things we do in bonsai to balance energy in the plant. As a tomato grows, axillary shoots, or suckers, form in the crotches, or axils, between the leaves and the main stem. If left alone, these suckers will grow just like the main stem and produce flowers/fruit. Suckers appear sequentially, from the bottom of the plant up. The farther up on the plant a sucker develops, the weaker it is, because the sugar concentration gets lower as you move up the plant. On the other hand, side stems arising from below the first flower cluster, although stronger, compromise the strength of the main stem. For a multi-stemmed plant, your aim would be to have all stems roughly the same size, although the main stem should always be stronger, because it has to supply water & nutrients to the entire plant for the next several months. A 'how to': Keep tomatoes free of side stems below the first fruit cluster. When trained to one vine and left free-standing, tomato plants develop strong main stems. To encourage a strong stem, remove all suckers and don't tie plants to their supports until the first flowers appear. Determinate tomatoes need no pruning other than removing all suckers below the first flower cluster, because pruning won't affect their fruit size or plant vigor. If you do any pruning at all above the first flower cluster on determinate tomatoes, you'll only be throwing away potential fruit (until late in the year when you are sure frost will take the fruit before it can ripen on the stems you'll be pinching. I hope that made sense.). Indeterminate tomatoes can have many stems. The fewer the stems, the fewer but larger the fruits, and the less room the plant takes up in a container. For a multi-stemmed plant, let a second stem grow from the first node above the first fruit. Allow a third stem to develop from the second node above the first set fruit, and so forth. Keeping the branching as close to the first fruit as possible means those side stems will be vigorous but will not 'overpower' the main stem. Al

BonnieJean, hello and welcome! I'm interested in your oyster plant, mosaic aloe, and mother of pearl plant. I have several different types of cactus if you're interested. I also have several different types of sedums. I also have cleome seeds and also some morning glory seeds. If you're interested, send me an e-mail and I can send you some pictures. Thanks. dcarpenter

I'd say anthemis also. Looks like my anthemis James Kelwayii (I think that's what I have, but suddenly I'm not so sure, lol...) But the yellow flower is some kind of anthemis. The white looks like feverfew. :) Dee

I have resorted to useing a systemic. I'll get the name for you. I need to get some more tomorrow. You can also use any product that has alcohol in it. Mr.Clean, Windex, Alcohol, make sure it is diluted, and try it only on one part of the plant and see how it goes, I have used all of these products one time or other. Mr. Clean does a great job on ants, I use it on my Hoya collection I once had the ants never came back. I am now useing diluted Windex, it also gets rid of ants, mealies, scale you must keep up with it every few days as needed. Wash off after 5 minutes. I've even use Sherry, any thing with alcohol in it. I have a rare tree Sedum that must be sprayed almost weekly. My Haworthia collection is getting scale, I take them out and put them in sick bay, I have used several different treatments in the soil for them over a period of 30 years, I have used water left over from cooked vegetable, and eggs to water plants. I like to see the results, have anyone else tried something different that may assists our plants appearance or growth? I sure would like to know others special secrets on plant horticulture. Norma