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Pasynkovanie low-growing tomatoes in the open field. Step-by-step instructions and a scheme for pinching tomatoes in a greenhouse and open ground

This simple operation allows you to increase the yield of a vegetable, so you need to know exactly how to stepson tomatoes. Such a procedure can be easily carried out by anyone who has become acquainted with its basic principles.

Pasynkovanie is an agrotechnical measure in vegetable growing, aimed at increasing productivity. It is designed for optimal development of the bush through its proper formation. The principle of the operation is to remove excess branches that do not bear fruit, but consume a certain amount of nutrients.

Tomatoes are among those garden crops in which the bush begins to branch quite actively during development. As it grows, lateral branches appear from the axils of the leaves, which are considered useless elements that take away nutrients from the fruit. Such branches are usually called stepchildren, and their removal is stepchildren.

Thus, solving the problem of how to correctly pinch tomatoes in a greenhouse or garden, you can ensure the correct formation of plants. Only fruit-bearing branches remain on the bush, which makes it possible to more fully use the applied fertilizers and nutrients from the soil. The pinching scheme can be used differently, which makes it possible to form several variants of bushes.

Is it important to remove extra branches? This question can be heard from inexperienced vegetable growers. It will be possible to assess the need for a procedure based on such facts. Stepchildren on tomatoes grow between the stem and leaf. Their appearance makes the bush actively branch, and new extra branches develop again and again. This phenomenon is especially noticeable on tall varieties (indeterminate tomatoes), in which a fruiting branch is formed only in the region of 7-11 leaves, and a stepson can develop from each leaf. In other words, for one useful branch there can be more than 6 useless ones.

As a result of the growth of the bush, the balance between the green and fruit mass is lost, and the greens take on most of the nutrients. Fruit ripening is significantly slowed down. Thus, it was found that the timely removal of stepchildren accelerates the ripening of tomatoes by an average of 12-16 days. The fruits themselves on non-stemmed bushes are much smaller, and their total number is inferior to processed tomatoes. Finally, we can summarize - without pinching, there is a high risk of getting small, unripe tomatoes at the end of the season.

Principles of pinching

When carrying out pinching, it is important not to harm the plant, and for this this operation must be carried out at a certain time and according to specific rules. Experienced vegetable growers give the following fundamental recommendations:

The first pinching of tomatoes in a greenhouse or garden should be carried out already on the first brush during the flowering period.
It is necessary to cut off the stepchildren of a tomato in a timely manner, until they have grown to 5 cm. You can remove the branches by pinching, breaking off or tearing off, but not by cutting.
All stepchildren located below the branch with flower ovaries must be removed. If they are located above the flowering branch, then they can be left based on the possible appearance of ovaries.
When tearing off stepchildren, care should be taken to ensure that the secreted juice does not fall on the hands, because in this way it is possible to infect other bushes with the diseases that the treated plant has. The event itself is best done in the morning.
When carrying out pinching, it is necessary to remove the lowest leaves that touch the surface of the earth. The trunk of the plant should be dry, sunlit and well ventilated.
Secondary pinching of the top is provided in July-August to stop the growth of the bush up.

Types of pinching

The question of how to form tomatoes can be solved in three ways, depending on how many branches are left on the bush. There are such types of pinching:

Scheme in 1 stem. With this method, all stepchildren must be removed, leaving only 1 stem for the fruits. The tomato grows quickly, and the fruits become larger. The disadvantage is the high height, which requires tying to a support, otherwise the stem will break under the weight of the fruit.
Scheme in 2 stems. In this embodiment, in addition to the main stem, 1 stepson is left on the bush, and the rest are removed. For fruiting, the strongest shoot is selected, as a rule, located directly under the first inflorescence.
Bush in 3 stalks. This formation of tomatoes implies the preservation of the main stem and 2 stepchildren. Pinching is carried out in this order: the strongest shoot is selected next to the lower inflorescence, another fairly strong branch is found not far from it. All other stepchildren are removed.

Tomato planting in a greenhouse is most often provided according to the first and second schemes. A three-branch bush in greenhouses is rarely formed. The question of how to stepson tomatoes in the open field can be solved by any of the above methods, depending on the type of vegetable.

According to the technology, pinching tomatoes in open ground and in greenhouse conditions has no differences. The initial operation is carried out when flower buds appear, until the shoots have exceeded the length of 4-5 cm. With a larger size of the cut off stepson, the likelihood of plant disease increases. It should be remembered that as the vegetable develops, new unnecessary branches appear and it is advisable to remove them every week.

Pasynkovanie depending on the variety

By the nature of the growth of the bush, all tomatoes are divided into 2 main types:

indeterminate varieties. These are quite tall plants in which the growth of the top is not limited. Lateral branches also grow rapidly. If such bushes are not formed according to the chosen scheme and the tops are not pinched, then they reach a great height and grow significantly in all directions. All this happens to the detriment of the quantity and quality of the fruit.
determinant varieties. Their main difference from the previous variety is to limit the growth of the main stem. At its top, a fruiting lash is formed, which stops the growth of the plant in height. Thus, the number of ovaries after the appearance of the upper inflorescence no longer increases, and therefore it is very important to choose the most prolific branch correctly.

The question of how to cut stepchildren can be answered as follows: different varieties require a specific approach, taking into account the peculiarities of their natural formation. Indeterminate tomatoes can be pinched according to any scheme, but the 1 stem scheme is most often used. It is important to pinch the tomatoes in the greenhouse (top) in a timely manner to prevent excessive growth in height.

When growing in a greenhouse and using a 1 stem scheme, this technology is usually used. The left stem, as it grows, gradually descends to the ground and fits on its surface. Appearing new stepchildren are constantly removed. 8-10 brushes are left on the main stems. The most common varieties are Major, Happiness, Octopus.

The formation of determinant tomatoes causes certain difficulties. For the correct choice of the highest quality stem, it is recommended to adhere to the following principles:

the most commonly used scheme is with 2 or 3 stems;
stepchildren break off when they reach a length of about 4 cm, when their viability can be assessed;
if there is doubt about the correctness of the choice, then it is better to temporarily leave a few branches and remove unnecessary ones after the start of flowering;
when grown in open ground, it is allowed to do without pinching, because the bushes can be placed at a sufficient distance from each other;
6-8 inflorescences remain on the left stem.

Planting these varieties also requires a special approach. Given the active growth of the bush to the side, the distance between plants is about 30-35 cm. The most common determinant varieties are Azhur, Doll.

Recently, superdeterminant varieties have been bred that require special care in pinching. In addition, modern varieties of tomatoes without pinching have gained popularity. On such tomatoes, stepchildren are cut off only 1 time and up to the first brush. With the subsequent growth of the plant, the procedure is no longer carried out. Such tomatoes of this type can be noted - Gavrosh, Aquarelle, Moskvich, Vityaz, Rocket, Viscount, Yamal, Alaska, Raspberry Miracle, White filling (241), Vershok.

The implementation of pinching

Stepchildren are usually removed by hand without the use of a cutting tool. When using knives, there is a risk of transferring the infection from one bush to another and the appearance of a wound at the cut site. However, with a large greenhouse economy, it is not possible to do without a tool. In principle, stepchildren can be cut off, but with precautions.

Before stepping tomatoes in a greenhouse (step by step) by cutting, you need to remember the following:

The tool is sharpened to the state of a sharp razor.
The cutting part is disinfected with a solution of bleach or potassium permanganate.
With a quick and precise movement, the stepson is cut at a distance of 10-15 mm from the base, without damaging the main branch.
All stepchildren are cut off on one bush, and the removed stems are immediately folded into a separate container and taken out of the greenhouse, which avoids rotting and the spread of infection.
A new disinfection of the instrument is necessary. This operation is carried out every time you move to a new hive.

When providing the right care for tomatoes, it is important to clearly distinguish between the stepson and the fruiting stem. The most important differences stand out:

leaves are immediately noticeable on the stepson, while flower ovaries are observed on the stem;
the stepson grows from the axil of the leaves, and the fruiting lash branches off only from the stem;
The most obvious difference is with the length of the stepson of the order of 4-5 cm.

Stepping is rightly considered an important agrotechnical event when growing tomatoes both in greenhouses and in the garden. This simple but painstaking work requires the utmost care and caution, but on the other hand, the stepson tomato gives a bountiful harvest and tasty, full-fledged fruits.

In order to increase the yield of tomatoes, it is recommended to carry out pinching. At first glance, the procedure looks simple, but in fact it has many nuances, so beginner gardeners may have problems with its implementation. In this case, it is important to know how to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse so as not to spoil the plant.

Is it necessary to pinch tomatoes in a greenhouse?

To begin with, it is worth pointing out that the presented procedure involves cutting off the lower shoots. It is important to understand that it is not the leaves that need to be cut off, but the stepchildren that grow in the axils and are processes that completely copy an adult plant. Many novice gardeners are interested in whether it is necessary to pinch tomatoes in a greenhouse or whether this procedure is mandatory for any method of growing, and so experts recommend removing unnecessary parts in order to end up with a good and high-quality crop.

Thanks to pinching, you can stop the excessive growth of the bush. When a plant has a lot of greenery, it intensively consumes moisture and nutrients necessary for growth. As a result, their quantity is not enough for the formation and maturation of a rich harvest. If you remove the axillary shoots, then the plant will be able to use all its strength for productivity.

When to start pinching tomatoes in a greenhouse?

One of the most common questions regarding this topic. Experienced gardeners answer simply - when you see that stepchildren are formed, then cut off. Traditionally, removal is carried out after 7-8 adult leaves form on the plant. The formation of stepchildren is more actively observed during the period when the first flower brushes appear.

When figuring out when you need to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is worth noting that the best time for the procedure is morning, and this is due to the fact that at this time they break off the easiest. In addition, during the day the resulting wound can be delayed. Experienced gardeners recommend pinching at intervals of 7-10 days. It is important not to allow the axillary shoots to grow more than 5 cm.

When is the first time to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse?

It is recommended to start removing the axillary processes after the formation of the first stepson under the flower brush. Make sure that it does not grow longer than 5 cm, as it will take a lot of nutrients. The formation of tomatoes in the greenhouse is recommended in dry weather. Start with the strongest bushes, and weak plants are best left for last.

How to pinch a tomato in a greenhouse?

Due to the removal of the axillary processes, the term of fertility and productivity are increased. Growing a tomato in a greenhouse has its own characteristics, which should be considered:

Removal of shoots indoors is carried out more often than in open ground.
On medium and high varieties, it is necessary to completely remove the reserve shoots.
It is better not to cut off the stepchildren, but to break them off with your hands, be sure to wear gloves.
It is important to remove the shoots completely, leaving no stumps, as they will either begin to rot or continue to grow.

When deciding how to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse, three options for the formation of a bush should be indicated:

In one stem. All stepchildren and "doubles" that form when the stem splits are cut off, and all peduncles are preserved.
In two stems. In this case, in addition to the main stem, they do not touch the first stepson, which develops best. It is located under the first flower brush.
Three stems. When forming a bush, a stem is left, the first and second stepson, which in most cases is formed under the first.

How to form tall tomatoes in a greenhouse?

Varieties of tall tomatoes are named and they are best suited for growing in a greenhouse. They have one feature - shoots are constantly growing and bushes are increasing in size. There are a number of tips on how to pinch tall tomatoes in a greenhouse:

To get a rich harvest, it is important to limit lateral growth as much as possible. It is better to form one or two stems. The second option is used only when planting seedlings with an interval of 0.5 m.
Understanding how to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is worth pointing out the need to remove all axillary processes.
As it grows, it is recommended to pluck the lower leaves, which also has a positive effect on yield.

How to pinch low-growing tomatoes in a greenhouse?

Similar varieties of tomatoes are called and they have their own characteristics in carrying out pinching in a greenhouse:

Standard species have a strong short stem and they practically do not need to carry out a procedure to remove the axillary processes. This is due to the fact that the fruits on them ripen faster than the bush has time to grow.
The instructions on how to form low-growing tomatoes in a greenhouse indicate that they are plucked so that two or three stalks remain. To do this, after reaching a certain height, the upper shoot with the growth point located on it is removed.
From the side stepchildren, 2-3 of the strongest are selected, while the others are removed. Once every 10 days, all lateral processes are cut off.
Gardeners recommend controlling the number of flower brushes, given that ripening occurs 5-7 times.

Pasynkovanie cherry tomato in the greenhouse

Recently, small tomatoes have been very popular, and in order to get a rich harvest, it is necessary to carry out pinching. Note that they tend to produce many axillary processes. There are a number of features regarding how to stepson cherry tomatoes in a greenhouse:

In high varieties of cherry trees (“Beads”, “White Currant” and others), the lower branches are stepchild so that the bush does not go green.
Low-growing varieties ("Balcony Miracle", "Lisa", "Kira" and others) do not stepchild.
If you are interested in how to form cherry tomatoes in a greenhouse, then it is worth noting that such varieties are no different from traditional tall or short species, so use the rules indicated earlier.

Tomatoes that do not require pinching for greenhouses

Tomatoes that do not require axillary removal are either undersized or hybrid. Tomato varieties without pinching for greenhouses are ideal for beginner gardeners. The most popular varieties that can be grown without removing stepchildren include:

"Nevsky". An early variety that bears fruit already 60-65 days after planting the seeds. The fruits often form directly on the stem.
"Dwarf". The height of the bushes does not exceed 40-55 cm. The fruits of this variety are medium in size.
"Little Red Riding Hood". A low-growing variety that has powerful bushes and fleshy fruits.
"Lady fingers". A tall variety that, without pinching, forms low bushes that are distinguished by fertility and productivity.

Caring for tomatoes involves the observance of many agricultural practices. One of them is stepchildren. If carried out correctly, the harvest will be much larger, and you will be able to have enough ripe tasty tomatoes on your table and even put some of them into processing and canning.

Pasynkovanie is necessary for many garden crops, including tomatoes, and it consists in removing excess shoots. What is it for? The fact is that when a plant gains a large vegetative mass, it requires a lot of nutrients and moisture. Vegetables no longer have the strength to bear fruit. Less ovaries are formed, and small fruits are formed. In addition, the foliage blocks the sun for them, which prevents ripening.

You should not regret every branch on tomatoes, believing that the more shoots, the more fruits you will collect from them. Everything happens in reverse. Tomatoes, on which extra shoots were removed, yield several times more than those plants that did not stepchild.

A stepson is a shoot that forms in the lateral axils above the leaves. They remove it, leaving a stump so that a new stepson does not grow in this place.

Such shoots are very tenacious and take root easily if placed in a jar of water. In this way, you can easily get a new plant from a stepson in a week.

But when pinching, it is necessary to take into account the variety of tomatoes, since not all of them need this procedure. The approach to determinate (undersized) and indeterminate (with unlimited growth) varieties should be different.

So that the stepping procedure does not adversely affect the health of plants, it must be carried out on time. Stepchildren should be removed when they grow to a length of 3-5 cm. Make sure they don't overgrow. At that age, the shoots are easily pinched and do not have time to take a lot of strength from the bush for their growth.

The first time stepchildren tomatoes are 2 weeks after planting seedlings in open ground. Then the condition of the plants is monitored for the appearance of new stepchildren, so as not to miss their formation. They will definitely reappear. On average, pinching should be done once every 1-2 weeks. Carry out the procedure throughout the season.

How to pinch tomatoes in a greenhouse step by step

Tomatoes in the greenhouse must be watered the day before the procedure. Usually, watering is carried out in the evening, and the bushes stepchild the next morning. Try to do this early, before the scorching sun appears, so that it does not burn the wounds. By evening, the fracture sites will already be covered with a film. Since a bush is correctly formed with the help of pinching, it is carried out taking into account the characteristics of the variety.

Tall tomatoes are only suitable for tall greenhouses, but have an advantage over low-growing varieties. Their productivity is much higher. What are the features of pasynkovanie in this case? Let's list them:

Tall (indeterminate) varieties of tomatoes need to be pinched! Only in this case the return from them will be complete.
What happens if you neglect stepson? Fruit clusters will also be formed, but the size of the fruit will be several times smaller. Tomatoes will be small, and some will not be able to ripen at all.
In the absence of pinching, tall bushes will grow too powerful and with a lot of leaves. This will make it difficult to ventilate them and will contribute to the appearance of fungal diseases that occur with excess moisture.
Form indeterminate varieties in one stem, removing all stepchildren, immediately after the first brush blooms. All shoots that have grown to this point below the brush break out. Above the stem may begin to branch. In this case, its condition is evaluated. If the bush is healthy and strong, then both shoots can be left after branching.
Some tall varieties can be formed into several stems. If you have made such a decision, then leave one or two of the lowest shoots under the brush, and delete all the rest. In the future, full-fledged stems will develop from the stepchildren.
If you missed some stepson, and he grew larger than expected and coarsened, use scissors to remove him. You can't do it neatly by hand.

Experienced gardeners break out stepchildren with their fingers. In this case, it is necessary to act in a sideways direction, and not up or down. Then there will be no damage to the skin on the plant. If you are not sure that you will do everything right, use disinfected scissors. Do not forget to leave a small stump in place of the stepson, which will prevent a new shoot from appearing in this place.

How to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse: video

Low-growing (determinant) tomatoes are often planted in open ground. But some of them are also grown in a greenhouse, especially if its size does not allow planting tall varieties there. For determinant shrubs, the tendency to branch is their feature and vice versa contributes to a bountiful harvest. When stepping them, the following should be taken into account:

New shoots on such tomatoes are also removed, but not all, otherwise the plant will stop growing.
It is recommended to form such tomatoes in 1-2 stems if you want to get an earlier harvest with large fruits. But get ready for the fact that in this case you will not see a large number of fruits.
Some summer residents manage to grow such tomatoes without pinching at all, and they give excellent yields. But for this, the bushes must be provided with ideal conditions and care.
The following method is more commonly used. When many stepchildren form on the bushes, each of them is taken away from the main plant, pinned to the ground and covered with soil. As a result, stepchildren take root and form new additional tomato bushes.

If you carry out pinching according to all the rules, the plant will give all its strength to the fruits, which will turn out to be large and tasty.

On a note! When pinching on a cloudy day, powder all wounds with wood ash to disinfect them. After all, it is the sun's rays that contribute to the appearance of a protective film, and without the sun it does not form.

Competent watering is one of the main conditions for the successful cultivation of tomatoes in a greenhouse. After planting seedlings in a greenhouse, it is watered for the first time after 10 days. In the future, watering should be done before the start of active flowering at the rate of 5 liters of water per square meter about once a week. Water the tomatoes under the root, so that the water penetrates into the deep layers of the soil, and not just moistens it from above. Try not to get on the leaves of plants. During the period of mass formation of flowers, the volume of water is tripled. Watering is done in the morning, after which the windows must be opened for ventilation.

In order for the tomatoes to be strong and healthy, they are periodically fed. From organic fertilizers use:

mullein;
chicken manure;
peat, humus;
wood ash;
herbal infusion.

Chicken manure and manure are used only in rotted form. It is recommended to alternate organic matter with mineral fertilizers. Usually used:

ammonium nitrate;
potassium sulfate;
boric acid;
nitroammophoska;
superphosphate;
urea.

Before planting seedlings in the ground, the ground is fertilized with a mixture of ash and manure. The first feeding of plants in the greenhouse is carried out in a week, introducing urea and ammonium nitrate, dissolving 2 teaspoons of both fertilizers in a bucket of water. After that, the plants are fed after another 2 weeks with a solution of potassium sulfate. And after 5 days, you can use a mixture of superphosphate and wood ash, applying fertilizer under the root.

At the beginning of flowering, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of sodium gummate and nitrophoska. After that, they take a break in the use of industrial dressings before fruiting. At this time, you can give additional nutrition in the form of an infusion of herbs, pour boiling water over the "green organic matter" and let it ferment. With the onset of the formation of fruits, mineral fertilizer is applied under the root.

On a note! With boron deficiency, tomatoes at any stage of development are sprayed with a solution of boric acid.

Tomatoes in the greenhouse require tying. Garter change the direction of growth of the trunk, if the plants interfere with each other. In indeterminate varieties, the crown is tied to the ceiling. On bushes of undersized tomatoes, the lower leaves are necessarily cut off, which interfere with normal fruiting.

In the greenhouse, self-pollination of tomatoes does not occur. During flowering, they definitely need to be helped by shaking each bush to mix the pollen. You need to do this daily. In addition, insects that have flown from the street can pollinate plants, so it is better to keep the windows open during flowering.

Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse: video

Incorrect pinching can create additional problems for the gardener. Consider the main mistakes that are made during this procedure:

Erroneous deletion of the wrong escape. In young plants, it is not always possible to determine which of the shoots is the main one, and the gardener may mistakenly cut the wrong stem. If you are in doubt whether this is really a stepson, it is better to wait until he grows up a little to be sure.
Blades of scissors should be as sharp as possible. A blunt tool can severely injure a plant, since it is not always possible to cut a branch the first time.
It is advisable to wipe the scissors with a disinfectant solution, at least the same potassium permanganate, in the process of pinching after processing each bush. Those who neglect this rule can easily transfer the infection from a diseased bush to other plants, spreading it throughout the greenhouse.
Some cut off the stepson at the root, as a result, after a while, a new shoot grows in the same place. The left stump should not be shorter than 1.5 cm.
If you leave the cut stepchildren inside the greenhouse, this can provoke an outbreak of infection. After the procedure, all branches must be removed.
Beginners can start pinching standard tomatoes, but this is wrong. In such varieties, stepchildren are able to form, but their further growth does not occur and this does not affect fruiting in any way. It is not customary to pinch standard tomatoes.

Everyone who grows tomatoes in a greenhouse needs to know not only which varieties are formed, but also to do it in compliance with all the subtleties. Over time, any summer resident will gain the necessary experience, and will be able to get by with the troubles of tips. And a beginner just needs to study all the recommendations so as not to be disappointed in the fruits of their labor and get a long-awaited magnificent harvest of their own tomatoes.

"Golden Apple" (pomo d "oro) - this is how the Italians call our favorite vegetable crop, thanks to which we actually call the species of the genus Nightshade tomatoes. Which tomatoes (or tomatoes) are not grown in Ukraine: yellow and orange, red and pink , purple and black, green and white.

It is difficult to blame the tomato culture for monotony, because among the varieties there are plenty to choose from. Varieties and hybrids differ in the type of bush, while tomatoes can be indeterminate (tall) and determinant (with limited bush growth). In addition, standard (strong dwarf and small bushes) and non-standard forms (with thin stems, those that lie down in the process of fruit development) have been bred. It is also worth noting the presence of semi-determinant and super-determinant varieties.

The choice of tomatoes is not limited to the way the bush grows, since many vegetable growers prefer to grow tomatoes according to the ripening time in order to count on the harvest at one time or another.

On this basis, varieties are divided into:

1) early, the vegetation period of which is 90-95 days;

2) mid-season with 100-115 days of fruit ripening;

3) late, which increase the yield up to 120-130 days.

And now mid-early tomatoes (100-103 days) and ultra-early (75-85 days) are bred.

As you can see, early ripening tomatoes and late ripening ones have a significant difference in terms of ripening, which is actively used by experienced gardeners in order to obtain an uninterrupted harvest in the beds and in greenhouses.

The cultivation of tomatoes is still determined by the method of consumption, while looking at the purpose of vegetables, for example, for fresh consumption, where the thickness of the walls of the fruit, richness of taste, lack of thick skin, pulp density and shape are valued.

There are varieties bred specifically for canning. They differ in the shape and size of tomatoes, as a rule, they are small and dense, with a skin that is resistant to cracking, a convenient shape, in a word, those that do not burst during heat treatment and can easily fit into jars.

Tomatoes with a loose skin and a small content of seeds are an excellent raw material for processing. Usually, for those who harvest tomato products, it is customary to plant suitable varieties in a separate garden bed. In such tomatoes, they value fleshiness, pliability when processed into juice and other dishes, but look less at the sweet taste and aroma.

Is pinching tomatoes effective?

The process of pinching tomatoes is the elimination of excess shoots on the bushes in order to obtain a greater yield of plants. Usually, the culture, growing side shoots, spends its strength on them, which is why growing tomatoes may not be as productive as the gardener expects. In order to optimize the cultivation of plants, selective removal of shoots is carried out. As a result, crop resources are saved, microelements are concentrated only on the necessary stems and fruits are effectively grown.

Note that almost all tomatoes are stepchildren, since the predominant number of cultivated varieties tend to build up numerous side shoots that are not of economic value. You can do without stepsoning only on some of the representatives of the Solanaceae family.

Stepchildren are the very stems on the plant that appear in the rosette of the leaf at the central stem and contribute to the thickening of the bushes. The presence of stepchildren is not useful for the plant. In addition to taking away nutrients from the crop, the ripening of the crop slows down, the tomatoes become smaller, the risk of diseases increases, and in general the plants grow little yield.

According to the recommendations of vegetable growers, the start of pinching begins at a time when it is already possible to plant tomatoes in a permanent place of growth. That is, stepchildren seedlings themselves. Of course, when planting seedlings in the ground, you will have to spend a lot of time and effort to process all the plants, but the result is worth it. This will enable the culture to gain a foothold in the open field, where subsequently the stepchildren will not grow too quickly. If you do not remove the shoots immediately, but then the work will be more laborious.

Exception to the rule: which tomatoes do not stepson

All tomatoes with a large green mass are subject to pinching. If you do not pinch the bushes, you will get a perfectly landscaped area, which will negatively affect the number of fruits.

On the contrary, determinant varieties of tomatoes grow well without pruning the stems, because undersized bushes, especially hybrids, do not produce lateral stepchildren very densely, which slightly affects the speed of harvest and the quality of the fruit. It’s not that the shoots didn’t form at all, but they don’t grow too actively, that is, they don’t deal a crushing blow to the plant. They argue about how to grow tomatoes of this variety, but you can still pinch and thereby increase the yield, albeit to a small extent.

So, undersized and hybrid forms of tomatoes can do without the removal of stepchildren, which certainly makes growing very simple. With determinant varieties, you can, in principle, start for beginners who do not have much experience in vegetable growing. By the way, such varieties do not always require a garter. Tomatoes with low plant growth give the harvest together, almost simultaneously.

The features of the lack of pinching of tomatoes in the greenhouse include delaying with the ripening of tomatoes. A lot of fruits and foliage on the bush is a favorable environment for the development of destructive phytophthora, so it is important to clean the plants of excess leaves and let them ventilate.

When pinching, they cut off with a pruner or break off the branch that develops between the leaf and the stem, but not the leaves themselves. At the same time, a “stump” of 1 cm is left.

Carefully monitor the removed shoots and leave 2-3 leaves above the ovary.

Tall tomatoes are formed into 1-3 stems, not forgetting to break the lower leaves that have turned yellow or are in contact with the ground.

It is advisable to remove the shoots in the morning and in sunny weather, when the wounds on the plants heal well.