Pruning to Single Stem

11 years ago

Hi Everyone,
I live in Zone 10 a few blocks from the ocean. It stays pretty cool here and I have found that growing cherry varieties work best for me. Last year I started growing in Earthboxes and had my best harvest ever.

I have two questions, has anyone grown any of the Grafted Mighty Mato's and if so, what are your thoughts.

Also, I am thinking of pruning to one, two or three stems since my fruit takes forever to ripen because of the cool weather. What are your thoughts?

Here is what I am growing this year by Mighty Mato:

Grafted Bubble Bee Purple
Grafted Carmello
Grafted Sun Sugar
Grafted Pacino
Grafted Blush
Grafted Julie
Grafted Berkeley Tie Dye (I wanted to try it even though it's not a cherry since everyone seems to rave about it. Will do single stem for sure)

From Laurel's Heirloom Tomato: (non-grafted)

Black Cherry
Sungold
Isis Candy
Gardener's Delight
Snow White
Sweet Baby Girl

Any thoughts any has on pruning to one, two or three stems would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Jenny

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

digdirt2
11 years ago
So you are assuming that pruning the plants to just a couple of stems will speed up the ripening? I don't know that that has ever been proven to be true but I'd be curious to hear about your results.

How many of those large indeterminates are you putting in each Earthbox? I ask because i use them too and have found over the years that while they will handle 1 indeterminate plant or 2 determinate varieties, they don't cope well with 2 indeterminate varieties. But then your weather is very different from my heat.

I do know that it will reduce your production substantially but if that is no concern for you and if you won't have any difficulty supporting the much taller vines, sure give it a try.

I am also curious though as to why, since you are growing in Earthboxes, you are using grafted stock? They were developed to resist soil borne diseases and in Earthboxes that is no concern. Plus they are so much more expensive.

Enjoy your tomatoes - and your weather. :)

Dave
patrickartist
11 years ago
I live just outside Portland, Oregon, and while I'm not so very close to the ocean, I do get a lot of marine influence coming up the Columbia. Seldom do we have more than a handful of night time temps above 50 to string together here and there over the summer.
I have two side by side plots. One, I prune plants to two leaders, the other are un-pruned in CRW cages I plant the same varieties in each plot. Purely anecdotal, but the Plants trained to two leaders produce, on average, slightly larger fruit 7-10 days earlier, Than the caged, but production is significantly hindered (it does mean I can get ripe fruits from a few long season varieties that often remain green in the CRW by season end).
Similarly, with grafted plants, I'm not after disease tolerance, but the added vigor. Again, anecdotally, I noticed significantly higher yields with ripe fruits 7-10 earlier on the few grafted varieties I had last year (again I had the same varieties un-grafted growing in close proximity), and this year I did my own grafting onto colossus rootstock with a modicum of success. If you do it yourself and only get 50% success rate (my first year and IÃ¢ÂÂm over 60%) It ends up costing you about and extra dollar per plant. In difficult conditions like my maritime climate, IÃ¢ÂÂm handsomely rewarded with many more tomatoes that more than make up for the extra cost. At least thatÃ¢ÂÂs how it worked out last year. ThatÃ¢ÂÂs just my experience so farÃ¢ÂÂ¦
Related Discussions
single stem plants trained up string
Q
Comments (21)
I tie string to the cross beam in the greenhouse for half a dozen indoors plants (and train melons using a similar system on the other side of the greenhouse) but outside I build tomato frames - 2 rows of long cross pieces across 4 uprights (3x3 fence posts). The cross beams are around 6m long but don't need a middle support because all the tomato poles are fixed into place with wire and holds the whole edifice rigidly. Each scaffolding set holds 32 plants (I have 3 sets in long beds which are rotated between other veg). This is more or less the main method on my allotment plot after years of trial and error using bamboo, cages, string lines and so on. The timber is dismantled every year and bolted back together in May. As I am cutting back on all veggies apart from potatoes, am thinking maybe another section but then I have to ask if I really, really need 128 tomato cordons (that is a lot of work nipping sideshoots and tying in).
...See More
Pruning to One Stem? What does this mean?
Q
Comments (25)
I assumed it was from the Michigan State article Barrie since it was in quotes. Didn't mean to imply it was you. Maxine - as you can see there are no absolutes, no have to do anything when it comes to growing tomatoes. Over 50+ years of growing them I have tried all the various methods of supporting them and all the methods of pruning or not pruning them and then decided on what works best for me, my plants, my climate, and my growing methods. Not claiming it works for all. But what it get this old man on his high horse are all the grandiose claims out there of how it MUST be done, how this one method and ONLY this one method will give you tomatoes, success, guarantee you more/better/larger/sweeter/prettier/disease free/no pests/etc. tomatoes. It implies that those who choose other options are too dumb to know better or that we don't know a tomato when we see hundreds of them growing in our gardens. :-) Try a couple of different methods and see what works best for you. Dave
...See More
Pruning and staking tomatoes
Q
Comments (3)
Well your youtube link is definitely a lot of work and the tinyurl link doesn't work. You have identified the primary problem with all the methods except for good quality cages - lots of extra work throughout the season and very time consuming with all the building, pruning, trimming, weaving, etc. You also pay for all those other forms of support in lost production per plant. In the case of Isis that may be no big deal but for Brandywine that loss could be substantial as it isn't a big producer normally. So you are correct that the support method you choose determines the amount of work you will have to do throughout the season. That means you first have to decide how much time you will have available daily for the work, how much you want to do it for approx 3-4 months long, and how much lost production is acceptable. Dave
...See More
bungeana - to single stem or not to single stem - that is the question
Q
Comments (13)
"But there is little sign of breakage." It could be they are less prone than various other hardwoods or softwoods. I think as a vague generality, slower growth = denser, stronger wood is a valid assumption. However at the end of the day a lever is a lever and the laws of physics are the laws of physics, if 1/2 the tree is weighted down with one force vector and 1/2 is weighted down with an opposing force vector, you are setting up a breakage scenario. Here's a picture I took of a tree in an off-limits part of Longwood; I was shown this by an employee at the time. The area of trunk disfigurement makes me wonder if a low trunk or two snapped off at some point. More I think about it the more I am inclined to be marvericky and try to single trunk it. Surely someone has a thought besides the esteemed (usually) Mr. Embothrium? Here is a picture of nightmarish frozen goop that caused so much damage. Ice morphed to sleet which morphed to wet snow. All of it stuck which was the problem. This Abies firma laughed it off course. And this picture was over 24h after the precip had ended, after a lot of the somewhat lighter, snowier constituents had sublimated or blown off.
...See More

Related Stories

WINTER GARDENING Pruning Secrets for Exquisite Roses

By Annie Thornton

Encourage gorgeous blooms year after year with this time-tested advice on how to prune your rosebush in winter for health and shape

Full Story

130

GARDENING GUIDES How to Prune Your Flowering Shrubs for the Best Blooms

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Less is often more when it comes to properly pruning flowering shrubs. Here’s what to do and why

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Got Frost-Damaged Plants? How It Happens, and When and How to Prune

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Crispy brown leaves are a sure sign that Jack Frost has been to your neighborhood

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Small Carpenter Bees Are Looking for a Home in Your Plant Stems

By Pollination Press LLC

Provide flowers and nesting sites in your garden for this beautiful, tiny, metallic blue wild bee — your plants will thank you

Full Story

BUDGET DECORATING The Single Easiest Trick for Serial Redecorators

By No. 29 Design

Take the no-sweat approach to no-commitment decorating with this inexpensive, readily available solution

Full Story

FLOWERS 10 Beautifully Blossoming Spring Centerpieces

By Samantha Schoech

Pick a single stem or gather a bouquet. Whatever your style, there's a fresh spring floral arrangement here for you

Full Story

WINTER GARDENING California Gardener's January Checklist

By Bill Marken

Winter-defying blooms and pruning saws earn a cheer, while California-focused gardening design books get a well-deserved shout-out

Full Story

TREES Great Design Plant: Coral Bark Japanese Maple, a Winter Standout

By Paintbox Garden

Go for garden gusto during the chilly season with the fiery red stems of this unusual Japanese maple

Full Story

BUDGET DECORATING Simple Pleasures: Treat Yourself to Cut Flowers

By Laura Gaskill

Enjoy priceless beauty with just a few inexpensive stems — and you don’t need fancy vases, either

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Ornamental Allium

By Annie Thornton

Lollipop blooms on tall, leafless stems add an architectural element to gardens of all styles

Full Story

Pruning to Single Stem

Comments (2)

digdirt2

patrickartist

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US