The correct method and steps for topping tomatoes

SummaryGenerally, tomatoes are topped by keeping 2 leaves above the last truss, which also helps ensure the quality of the truss. When topping, leaves should be thinned reasonably according to actual conditions, and thinning should not be too heavy. A certain area of branches and leaves must be maintained around the fruit. Topping should not be done too early or too aggressively, otherwise it will seriously affect the growth and development of the root system, easily leading to premature aging of the plant, and may even cause leaf curling. If continuous cloudy days occur, chlorothalonil mixed with agricultural streptomycin can be used for foliar spraying.

I. Tomato topping techniques

1. Generally, when topping tomatoes, keep 2 leaves above the last truss before topping. This can ensure the quality of the last truss. To avoid affecting tomato coloring, you can wait until the tomatoes gradually turn white, then remove the 2 leaves.

2. For tomatoes in autumn and winter, the fruiting period is generally in winter. At this stage, air temperature and soil temperature gradually decrease, which leads to reduced root absorption capacity. Winter light is relatively weak, thereby weakening photosynthesis. However, fruit expansion requires sufficient nutrients. If 2 leaves are kept on the last truss, it helps improve photosynthesis, increase nutrients, and thereby increase yield.

3. For tomatoes planted in winter and spring, the late fruiting stage enters the high-temperature period in summer. Long-term direct strong light causes the temperature of the fruit shoulder area to rise, thereby causing some tissues to be scorched and die, triggering sunscald. If 2 leaves are kept on the last truss, they can not only produce nutrients and allow the fruit to grow normally, but also provide shade and avoid the occurrence of sunscald.

II. Precautions for tomato leaf thinning and topping

1. When tomatoes enter the middle and late growth stages, in order to improve ventilation and light transmission and prevent pathogen invasion, yellowing and prematurely aging branches and leaves found at the bottom should be removed in time, especially during low-temperature planting in winter and spring.

2. Leaves must be thinned reasonably according to actual conditions. If ventilation and air permeability are not seriously affected, the plant is not growing excessively, and the branches and leaves are still green, they should be retained as much as possible. Leaf thinning should not be too heavy, otherwise it will affect fruit expansion and color change.

3. Generally, leaf thinning should not be carried out in the early growth stage. Excessive leaf thinning can easily affect plant photosynthesis, thereby causing poor fruit growth.

4. An appropriate area of branches and leaves must be maintained around the fruit, otherwise it can easily cause the fruit surface temperature to rise, causing the peel to turn yellow, thereby affecting fruit color change, fruit cracking, fruit expansion, and so on. During low-temperature planting in winter and spring, most of the leaves above the tomatoes that are about to change color can be thinned. However, during high-temperature planting for overwintering or delayed autumn cultivation, this will affect normal fruit growth, thereby leading to reduced yield.

5. In order not to affect root growth and development, topping should not be done too early or too aggressively, otherwise it will cause premature aging of the plant and even leaf curling, generally occurring frequently in delayed autumn tomatoes.

6. If there are continuous cloudy days before and after leaf thinning, wounds are prone to bacterial infection, so medication is needed for protection. Chlorothalonil mixed with agricultural streptomycin can be used for foliar spraying. In addition, during low-temperature planting in winter and spring, in order to avoid bacterial and disease infection of fruits and leaves, leaf thinning should be carried out reasonably.