Unstaked tomatoes have gone crazy....what should I do?

[einnebcj]

Hi

I planted about 12 Tomato/Cherry Tomato plants in a 4x4 patch. I didn't stake them particularly well and to cut a long story short - they have gone crazy! Last year the soil was poor so the plants were small and uncramped. This year I have improved the soil and subsequently they are much larger and are quite cramped - growing into eachother. The 'branches' are big and as the fruit grows will become very heavy and possibly hit the ground or break.

So...what should I do? do I stake now or just let them run their course? I'm worried if I stake them then I will cause root damage and break fruit/branches whilst trying to stake but will I destroy what I've got if I do nothing?

Thanks C

[Wilson]

sometime in the recent past einnebcj posted this:

Cherry tomatoes are generally indeterminant (they don't stop growing at the ends of the plant) and I've had them grow 8' long. You have way too many for a 4' x4' plot and I suspect they will over-compete with each other and your yield will be a lot of green and little red. I suggest you eliminate all but

4 plants if at all possible. But wait and see what other responses you get.

Good luck!

[Omelet]

I'd stake them personally. :-) Just be GENTLE!

[David Hare-Scott]

As others have said: thin out and carefully stake. You didn't say how big they are. Drive your stake close to the selected plant but avoiding main roots, breaking a couple of small roots won't matter. Then working from the root upwards pull them up to the stake and tie, repeat working towards the tip tieing about a foot apart, it may be easier if somebody helps hold while you tie. If you break on or two side stems it doesn't matter just don't kink the main one. If you thin them,depending on the size, you may be able to transplant them to elsewhere taking some soil with the roots.

David

[Cam Phillips]

After I changed my timber retaining walls to brick the clay I used to backfill it, after a while tomato plants started sprouting in the clay, I thought if they came up through that, they had a good determination to live. So I lifted the and planted them in my new garden beds that I manured heavily with chicken hot and mature and cow manure, with blood and bone and dynamic lifter plus gypsum. I wasn't going to plant till next year, but I couldn't wait that lone. The tomatos turned out to be cherry tomatos, I had to wire an extra 6 foot garden stake to the one already holding them as they have taken off big time. as well as cherry tommys, I have black russians,beefsteak as well. Habanero chillies, plus one plat that came up by themself, which could be birds eyes. 3 Lebanese cukes are going crazy,leeks,cos lettuce,spring onions,carrots and celery still to come up. I also have a herb garden with normal chives, garlic chives, 3 silver beet,oregano,basil,cammomile plant,italian and normal parsley. By the way I'm in the land of OZ, and today we have 42deg C. Stake them.

[Cam Phillips]

Excuse the spelling mistakes.

[Nanzi]

I'mk not sure when in the process they do it, but our Amish egg and butter family stake theirs differently than I've ever seen. They take

2 pieces of 5' tall metal fencing and put them parallel, 1 - 1 1/2' apart and have the tomatoes in between the fences,which can be as long as your garden rows. There appears to be some twine woven between the fences to help 'maters stand up. I'm also sure, by the lack of foliage, that they remove some of the leaves and branches, but the tomatoes are easy to get to and prolific. I have yet to convince hubby that this is the way to do it, but I think it is great, and a real space saver, maybe water too with some of the foliage gone!! Good Luck, Nan in DE,USA

[Heidi H]

my cherry tomatoes always go crazy, i start off with the biggest tomato cage i can buy, when it starts to fall over i drive a stake in middle of cage and they do okay

[Omelet]

I start with a 6' tall post right next to them. I tie them to that as they grow, and the branches to each other. ;-)