Plum Tomatoes.

[zabado]

My San Marzano plum tomato plants have now produced buds and flowers and I've noticed that there seems to be a lot of buds/flowers (10 or 12) on some of the trusses. Am I going to have a bumper crop or should I nip off some of the smaller buds/flowers ?.
Thank you.

[alavahalf]

It sounds like we are having a bit of success after last years disasters .. well done zabado.
If you have flowers, add some tomato feed when you water .. just once a week. Remember dont over water them,
Remove all the branches below the first flowering stem. This will aid ventilation.
Get some Basil on the go and with the San Marzano's and you will have the ingredients for thr best tomato soup you have ever tasted.

[zabado]

Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Yes things do seem to be going a little smoother than last year and I am "chuffed" to say the least.
One question though, should I cut off the really small buds before they turn to flowers ?. My thinking is that I would have quality instead of quantity.
Thanks again Al.

[alavahalf]

The only thing I cut off is all the stems below the first flowers and remove all the side shoots as they appear. When you have 4-5 main trusses you can nip the growing tip out (or earlier if you are height restricted). Other than that it is just a case of watering regularly once a day and feeding once a week.
Make sure you have a cane to support the main stem as San Marzano's although a plum tomato, can get a bit heavy and are 'fat cigar shaped'
I would leave the buds alone as you want as much fruit as possible. If the tomato is happy in it's environment and looked after, it should produce good sized fruit.

[zabado]

Will do Al.
Iv'e finished my coffee now so off to the greenhouse.

[Togo]

Well done zabado. Alavahalf gives you very good advice there. I don't know whether you are growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel, or trying outside. I grow mine outside so have to come up with Heath Robinson constructions and industrial size rolls of cling wrap if the weather gets cold or windy. I found that I had trouble getting plum tomatoes to ripen outside so now give them a miss. My late Grandfather used to use old mirrors to increase sunlight and heat around his tomatoes that were outside on his allotment, but it is not really an option for me on the back garden patio.

[Togo]

Ahh just seen your post zab. Greenhouse it is.