What are the precautions for removing side shoots from tomatoes?
During the growth of tomatoes, the branches and vines are well developed, with many side shoots. To avoid wasting leaves, farmers remove the tomato side shoots in a timely manner, so as to ensure that the nutrients produced by the leaves are concentrated in supplying fruit growth. However, removing tomato side shoots cannot be done carelessly. Below, let's take a look together with the editor at the precautions for removing tomato side shoots.
1. Removal cannot be too early
When tomato side shoots are small, the nutrients they produce far exceed the nutrients they consume, so they should not be removed at this time, especially when the plant's leaves have not completely covered the ground. In order to make full use of the nutrients produced by the side shoots, it is advisable to remove them when the side shoots are about 5 cm long. The first side shoot below each truss of flowers on the tomato should be removed as early as possible, and should be removed when it is about 3 cm long. If the first side shoot below each truss of flowers on the tomato is not removed in time, its growth will soon surpass the main stem, causing a large waste of nutrients.
2. Removal cannot be too late
If tomato side shoots are removed too late, when the side shoots grow to more than 5 cm, they will compete with the main stem for nutrients, and their growth will gradually surpass the main stem. Removing side shoots too late will also cause the phloem of the side shoots to age, because the phloem of the side shoots and the main stem are closely connected, and during removal it is very easy to tear the epidermis of the main stem, which will have a great impact on the growth and development of the tomato. In addition, when removing side shoots, no stub should be left, to prevent new side shoots from sprouting again from the same leaf axil.
3. Pay attention to management after removal
After removing side shoots, wounds will be left. If these wounds are not handled properly, they are very easily infected by bacteria, thereby causing disease infection, such as infection with mold disease, which can easily lead to tomato rotting and affect both yield and quality. Therefore, in order to protect the plants from pathogen invasion, after removing side shoots, spray promptly, and apply the corresponding agents in a planned way according to the local disease situation.
Although tomato cultivation is relatively simple, and it seems that the plants grow very luxuriantly, the plants are also relatively tall, and they have strong vitality, if some detailed management is not done properly during cultivation, it can also very easily lead to a major decline in yield, so everyone must manage carefully during cultivation.