If you’re using a stake, cage, or trellis to support the tomato plants, you don’t want them to grow beyond that. If the tomato plants grow higher than their support, the wind will cause the top of the plant to snap and fall off. If large tomatoes are growing on such a plant, it will break due to the weight of the fruits.
Subsequently,Why is it important to stop fertilizing tomato plants?
Stop Fertilizing – This one surprises a few people, but is really important to stop any type of heavy fertilizing once summer sets in. Too much fertilizer can actually lower your harvest totals as the plants use the nutrients of the fertilizer to create more leaves and stems – and less fruit.
Subsequently, question is,What happens when you top a tomato plant?
This will weaken the plant and cause poor fruit development. When you top the tomato plant, the plant can focus its energy on growing fruit. This means your tomato plant will give you more fruits that are bigger in size. The tomatoes will also ripen faster.
Additionally,Why do tomato plants need support to grow?
Using support for tomato plants will help to avoid disease, discourage pests, keep fruit clean, reduce competition between plants, make plant care easier, and prevent fallen or damaged plants. There are several ways to provide support for your tomato plants, including stakes, cages, trellises, and ropes.
How can I reduce the weight of my tomato plant?
For varieties bearing particularly heavy fruits, such as the beefsteak tomatoes, thinning fruits to just three per truss will reduce the weight of the truss and make it less likely to snap away from the stem. Prune trusses by snipping off the fruits with sharp scissors while they are still small.