If my tomato plant is growing too tall, can I lop it off, say, 1/2 way, to encourage bushiness & fruit?

Answer 1

Well, I don't think cutting anything off would help it. What would encourage bushiness would be to plant many many tomato plants and let them all make a big tomato bush.

Answer 2

It depends on what type of tomato plant it is. If it is a bush variety then yes, you should de-tip it to encourage side shoots. If it is not a bush tomato you should have been picking out the side shoots as it grew. Then it can be stopped after about 6 feet high by pinching out the top, by which time it will have developed 5 or 6 trusses of fruit.

Answer 3

I grow tomatoes and they recommend that you pinch out the top after three trusses have formed, but in a greenhouse you could go for more, they need feeding every two weeks. The most important thing is to pinch out the side shoots, you dont want them bushy.

Answer 4

If you really want too. If you do this it will take longer to bare fruit (might put it into shock), it will promote growth from the bottom, giving you more tops.

If you do do this put the cutting in root hormone and root the new cutting and you will have to tomato plants.

Answer 5

Try removing the lower branches, anything below the fruited branches to increase upper level growth. Your plant is a climber so give it something to climb around. I hope this helps as I am not a gardener but a neighbor who is suggested the above.

Answer 6

yes you can, also when your tomato plant starts to put on fruit to help them ripen faster you need to clip off excess blooms and trim back foilage.

Answer 7

not half way bout top 12 inches max that stops aphids too
and promotes fruit

Answer 8

Yes, you can top it. Make sure you have enough flowering branches below.

Answer 9

if i was you, i would just leave it till all the tomatoes fall

Answer 10

is it male or female?
Female yes.
Male no.