Trimming the Toms
I looked at my garden boxes today and was horrified by the large, alien looking tomato plants that greeted me.
I meant to prune them back, earlier in the month. I meant to cut down the bottom branches and improve the airflow between the plants. Alas, it did not happen.
So, whacking away I went. Clipping bottom branches and trimming the tops. The tomatoes are heavily laden with fruit and I want the plants to put their energy towards ripening those fruits.
September will come fast, soon enough, with chilly evening air that will ruin the best of a crop if we don't start working towards ripening now.
So now tangled mop of limbs have been trimmed. There is room for the air to flow between the plants. The bottom branches have been snipped and I am hoping the big, fat, toms already on the plants will soon be red!
And in other news, I have a watermelon! This is quite exciting.
Do you do have any mid-season, summer vegetable gardening tricks to improve your crop turn out?
Cheers, Jenni
I meant to prune them back, earlier in the month. I meant to cut down the bottom branches and improve the airflow between the plants. Alas, it did not happen.
So, whacking away I went. Clipping bottom branches and trimming the tops. The tomatoes are heavily laden with fruit and I want the plants to put their energy towards ripening those fruits.
September will come fast, soon enough, with chilly evening air that will ruin the best of a crop if we don't start working towards ripening now.
So now tangled mop of limbs have been trimmed. There is room for the air to flow between the plants. The bottom branches have been snipped and I am hoping the big, fat, toms already on the plants will soon be red!
And in other news, I have a watermelon! This is quite exciting.
Do you do have any mid-season, summer vegetable gardening tricks to improve your crop turn out?
Cheers, Jenni
My gardening tip: when growing tomatoes as "cordons" (that is, tall and thin), pinch out the growing tips after four (possibly five) trusses of fruit have formed. This will encourage the plant to put energy into the fruit rather than into further growth.
ReplyDeleteNice ...watermelon ! I have what I'm guessing is an acorn squash growing ( seelfseeded) out and down one of my bamboo filled stocktanks ...lnice combination.
ReplyDeleteThank you posting this and reminding me to prune! I always plant my starts too closely and everything looks a mess. I can't believe you have a watermelon!
ReplyDeleteI have had horrible luck growing melons. I grey one cantaloupe a few years back, the size of a softball... :)
ReplyDeleteYour blog is beautiful and inspiring. I'm over in NE Portland btw...
Good for you! I missed my chance to grow tomatoes this year - again! When will I ever learn to get my gardening act together on time? The watermelon looks scrumptious! :)
ReplyDeleteOur weather has turned cool over the last couple of days so I hope that isn't summer over for us.
ReplyDeleteMy only advice is: let the hubby do it. Mine takes his tomatoes seriously.
ReplyDeleteGood for you but please don't say that S word quite yet!
ReplyDeleteRegular feeding for veg this time of year... something I've been forgetting to do. The watermelon is a nice surprise.
ReplyDelete