Pinching Tomato Step-Sons in a Greenhouse: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Growing tomatoes is a labor-intensive task. To enjoy a bountiful harvest at the end of the season, it's essential to follow proper cultivation and care practices.

Factors affecting crop yield

Many gardeners believe that the amount of harvest directly depends on:

• from the fertilizers that are added to the soil;
• glaze;
• soil quality;
• seed quality.

All this undoubtedly affects the quantity of aromatic fruits. However, when growing tomatoes in greenhouses, side-shoot pruning is essential. Only then can a high yield be achieved.

To perform this procedure correctly, you need to learn how to do itpinching out side-sons of tomatoes in a greenhouse step by step. This is especially important for beginners.

The growing season for pinching out side shoots

Different tomato varieties require different times to be planted in a greenhouse. Furthermore, each region has its own specific time for this procedure.

But to correctly determine when to remove side shoots from tomatoes in a greenhouse, follow these steps for beginners: determine whether the plant has produced new shoots. Typically, this occurs approximately 14-18 days after planting.

To avoid missing this time, it's important to inspect your plants at least every 7-10 days. After all, if your tomatoes are provided with favorable conditions, they'll grow and develop quite quickly. It's easy to miss the time when you need to remove side shoots.

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Identifying tomato stepsons

It's crucial to understand what side shoots are so you can remove the right ones. A side shoot is a shoot that emerges and develops between the main shoot (stem) and its own leaves.

Moreover, a stepson is considered full-fledged if it reaches a length of at least 10 cm, while rudimentary stepsons are shoots whose length is no more than 2 cm.

The main distinguishing characteristic of a side shoot is that over time, it forms its own stem, which is covered in leaves. Full-fledged flowers and, again, additional shoots, called second-level side shoots, develop on this stem.

What are stepsons usually confused with?

1. They can be confused with ordinary foliage. However, a leaf grows directly from the stem, while side shoots form in the axil.
2. With a raceme on which flowers are formed. However, in this case, the raceme has no leaves of its own.
3. A tomato plant with a main stem. When the bush forks, it's difficult to distinguish the main stem from the long side shoot. Look closely—it's the side shoot that grows beneath the flower cluster.

Tools used for pinching out side shoots

For those without farming experience, pinching out tomato shoots in a greenhouse should be done following step-by-step recommendations and tips for beginners:

• the cutting tool must be as sharp as possible to cut and not damage the stem;
• If the cutting is done from one plant, it is practically impossible to introduce an infection, but in the case where stems are removed from several plants, after each cut the cutting edge must be disinfected with bleach or a strong solution of potassium permanganate;
• it is necessary to retreat about 10-15 cm from the beginning and only then cut the shoot;
• The material that was cut must be removed from growing bushes - this will prevent the spread of infection and the transmission of diseases.

Rules for forming a plant with one stem

Let's take a step-by-step look at the basic rules you need to know when pinching out tomato shoots in a greenhouse, resulting in the formation of a single stem.

For beginners, this is important to understand, as it allows you to properly shape the bush for productive plant growth.

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This method allows you to avoid thickening.

1. It is necessary to remove the lower leaves, this allows the lower part of the bushes to receive more intensive ventilation.
2. All lateral shoots that will form throughout almost the entire life of the bush must be broken off.

Following these simple rules will allow you to get about 50 fruiting clusters on a single tomato plant. And a single stem allows the plant to produce fruit over a longer period of time.

The second method of growing

In this case, the bush is allowed to form two equal stems. When a lateral shoot forms beneath the inflorescence, wait until it has about four inflorescences and then pinch off the top. However, pinching should be done so that two full-sized leaves remain above the inflorescence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSooQFxbFHM

Specifics of varieties

There are certain tomato varieties that don't require pinching. These are typically low-growing plants, which tend to produce less lateral growth.

These recommendations will help you properly train your tomato plants in a greenhouse and achieve a bountiful harvest. Furthermore, you'll be able to enjoy ripe, juicy tomatoes for a longer period, as pinching out the side shoots prolongs the growing season.