Hi all, I started my tomatoes early to get a jump on the growing season in Canada. Unfortunately they're doing a little too well and quickly outgrowing the space I have under grow lights for them and I'm about a month out before I can safely put them in the greenhouse. Any advice for these tall tomatoes?
Right now I'm thinking my options are:
Cut them back: They'll be shorter, hopefully bush out more. But I read online that I should never cut the main stem.
Plant deeper and prune roots: Preserves the main growth point, reduces growth less, should slow growth.
Exile to greenhouse and plant backups: they'll probably die and tomatoes will be a month or so later.
Leave in a window and hope for the best: likely will get leggy, but should survive.
Any thoughts on the best course of action are welcome 🙏
The variety is a homegrown hybrid of cherry and yellow pear. They're indoors under t8 grow lights. I don't have a space to setup a grow light tall enough indoors. Greenhouse is unheated, but has grow lights. Zone 9A Western Canada. Windows are south facing, but don't get much sun due to trees.
by rainy_life
15 Comments
The only answer on your list of possibilities that I feel strongly about is don’t just top them. Removing the growing tip will severely impact production.
Honestly if they’re that tall already, planting them deeper usually works great. Tomatoes don’t seem to mind it at all.
Don’t cut the main stem, since like you said it can slow growth… instead I would use low stress training to bend the main stem over 90° (just above a sucker) which will focus majority of the growth on the sucker while creating two “tops”
Google LST for more info. A bit of intentional stress early on is known to create some behemoth plants later.
Don’t cut anything. Plant in larger pot for now. In spring dig a trench in your garden. Lay them flat. Bend up the tip and and cover with earth.
Feel like that’s way too early for Canada. I’m starting mine this week in 7a… Sure a hair late but they’ll catch up in the ground. I hate transplanting mature plants.
They look great! If too soon to plant outside, look for taller cups like fast food drink cups or movie theater cups or juice bottles. Poke holes and plant deep until they can go out
I always pinch mine. I never let them bloom until the stalk is strong enough to support fruit.
No please don’t top it. They’re super happy. Can you make one of the shelves taller to give them more head space?
I have a similar metal shelf. I have some of the shelves really short for my baby starts. And then I have one really tall for my bigger plants.
Repot it, and yes bury as much of the stem as you can and it will grow an even stronger root structure. Just make sure it gets plenty of light. If you give it light and space, it will be a great plant when it’s time to put outdoors.
I say repot them deeper. Just cut off the branches that will be below the soil.
May I ask how many weeks of growth that represents? I almost always start a bit too early and this year I’m hoping I didn’t start too late!
Don’t cut the main stem of an indeterminate tomato, it’ll stunt your yield. The trenching method is your best friend here. When you finally transplant, dig a shallow trench instead of a deep hole and lay the long stem sideways, burying most of it with just the top leaves poking out. It’ll grow a massive root system along the buried stem.
I had an indeterminate that looked like this when it was time to plant out, I laid it out sideways in the bed it was going to go in, but on top of the soil for a day so that the few top inches of the plant would curve towards the sun. Then I dug a shallow trench the length of the plant and buried it about 6” down and left only the top 4-5” of the plant above the surface.
That plant grew to over 10 feet tall.
https://preview.redd.it/f4hh8zw4tiog1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0237322551368e9fe195b2b2cb980505c9e737fc
A month is long enough for the plant to grow several feet if it’s happy, so planting deeper in the pot won’t help much. A standing lamp or something would be nice, but if that’s out of the question, I don’t really see a better option than chopping the main stem in half or so. It’s free, fast, and buys you time while the plant grows out suckers and more roots.
If you are going to wait a month, cut them back. Source: I will grow 4000 commercial tomatoes this season.
repot deep they will thank you if you do this
I have same problem😅, and its still around 8 weeks before planting