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My tomato plants are getting too tall....

15 years ago

As of right now, in my tomato pot on the back deck, I have 3 cherry tomato plants that are about 8.5 feet tall. I have to stand on a chair to tie them up. Woody just went and cut me 2 extra long lengths of bamboo to hold them all up and I've got 'em all tied up, seems like they grew another foot last night.

Should I be pinching them off or something? What's to stop them from getting 3 feet taller, except me? lol I don't know what to do, I have never had this problem before. Pretty soon I'll need a ladder to work on 'em. Any advice for me?

Featured Answer

OklaMoni

15 years ago

Flamey, they aren't tall, till they look like Johns!

Last summer in Kansas City, at my daughters father in laws house.

Moni

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Comments (8)

dances_in_garden
15 years ago
When that happens, I usually start wrapping them downwards again. When you reach the bottom, start back up!

Most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, and are a vine. That is why it is growing so long. If you want, you can go ahead and keep pinching off the growing tips to contain the size. Most of the time it will keep branching and producing new tomatoes even if you do that, the plants just get bushier. You will have to keep doing it, though.
kayjones
15 years ago
You can cut the tops off, remove all but a few of the top leaves, stick the cuttings in moist soil, keep them cool and in the shade, and they will root - then you have MORE tomato plants.
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itsmesuzq
15 years ago
Mine are doing the same thing! I have 2 hybird (wish I would have bought cherry) tomatoes and they just shot up overnight! They do have tomatoes on them, but only about 5 at the present time. They have tons of new blooms on top but they aren't filling out from the sides at all.

Thanks for the tip about letting them go back down. I'll do that and see what happens. This is my first experience with potted tomatoes in awhile. I'm kind of learning as I go.

~Susan
Happy_Go_Lucky_Gayle
15 years ago
My one cherry tomato plant produces about 8 a day. Just enough for my salad. LOL! The big tomatos aren't very flavorful though.

Gayle
Kathsgrdn
15 years ago
Mine usually sprawl, but when they get out of hand I would start pinching them off. I don't even have cages over mine this year, the ones I bought last year are so flimsy I can't get them back together again and standing up. Do you have tomatoes yet?
summer_tx
15 years ago
I've never had that problem Flamey. Only on cherry that came up volunteer and it wound up taking over our stairway up to the second level of the yard. Sounds like a very happy and healthy vine you're dealing with. Nothing wrong with that unless you are afraid of heights. LOL I like the idea of pinching it back and letting it put on more branches. Dance's idea sounds feasible too.
FlamingO in AR
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, everyone. I think I'll leave them alone for now and if they start to bend over, I will restain myself from wincing at their little bent stalks and will let them fend for themselves. I'll only pinch if I have to.

I wanted to pinch them , but I also didn't want to pinch them because even the tips are flowering. That's like.... murder! lol I'll see how this goes.

I appreciate the advice. Hopefully I'll have a bunch of little toms for salads soon.

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