There’s nothing tastier than homegrown tomatoes, no matter the variety, and although it wasn’t a great start to the summer, crops will be flourishing across the country.
Whilst they’re great crops for beginners, tomato plants do need regular maintenance, including a form of pruning.
This is called pinching the side shoots to ensure the plant continues to grow upwards instead of sideways.
It also enables the plant to put all of its energy into continuing to grow the fruit already on the stem rather than producing new ones.
If the side shoots are not removed, they may form a mass of long, leggy stems and may not provide trusses of fruit.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recommends checking for side shoots every time you water tomato plants.
This should be done daily during hot weather, or even twice a day if needed and the soil is dry.
When watering, make sure to avoid touching the plant itself or the tomatoes as this may result in mould.
The experts at Phostrogen said pinching the side shoots regularly will result in “bigger” and “juicier” tomatoes.
Simply check the plant for any shoots sprouting just above each leaf, from the joint between the lead and the stem. Pinch these out or snap them off carefully.
As well as providing tomatoes with lots of sun, they are also hungry plants and require lots of nutrients.
Make sure to feed them with a tomato fertiliser as this is high in potash and ideal for their growing needs.
The only exception to this rule is bush tomatoes which are more compact and whose side shoots should be left to grow.
The plants may need support, especially if they carry a heavy crop of tomatoes, so make sure to add in some vertical canes when required.