Garden

[Witchy Woman]

My gardening skills are very limited, but I do manage to grow cherry tomatoes in big pots.

Last year, they got very leggy. 

I'm wondering if I can just cut them back and, hopefully, they will blossom more.

I did end up removing some branches late summer, but thought it might be better to do so before then.

Any advice is appreciated.

[fthunt]

I've grown both full size tomatoes and cherry.  Full size plants do get leggy and should be pruned back so energy doesn't go to growing more stems/leaves.  However, the cherry type I've grown - grow in clusters - like grapes - & have to have - branches and stems for the tomatoes to grow on.  So - not exactly sure of an answer to your question.  Google cherry and see what type of plant you have.   Best answer I can give you.

[Mimi 1883]

@Witchy Woman 

We've never pruned cherry or the large variety of tomato plants. We do however remove 'starters' that form at the joints of the branches. if you Google "pruning tomato plants" there are a lot of articles and videos pertaining to this. Also, try searching YouTube. 

[ValuSkr]

Tomato plants are vines.  If you're growing in containers, you should buy determinate tomato (and cherry tomato) varieties.  They will grow to a manageable size - say, three feet or so - and stop.  If you're growing in the garden or on a trellis and have a lot of room. get indeterminate varieties - they grow and grow and grow.  For several years I grew cherry tomatoes in a container on a patio.  The patio was under a deck and, by late summer, the vines had grown up to the railings on the deck and I could pick them from there.  Of course, the vines had to be supported, which, using string, wasn't too hard.

If you have indeterminate varieties, you can prune extraneous growth.  But I never saw cherry tomatoes reblossom/regrow in a part of the plant where they'd already been harvested.

[PA Mom-mom]

@Witchy Woman  You shouldn't have to prune cherry or grape tomatoes.  Just make sure you stake them adequately. Other tomatoes may be need their "suckers" pruned. You can tell which branches they are. They are never going to grow tomatoes. Take a good look at the plant and find those branches, and you can cut them off.

[JustJazzmom]

I remember one year one of our sons threw a cherry tomato into our Daylily garden & the following year it grew & used the daylily plants as a short trellis to grow. By the time I noticed it, the plant bore fruit! Once the season ended, I pulled it out.

[Witchy Woman]

@PA Mom-mom 

The picture is very helpful!  Now I know what to look for.

I will have the staked and tied as necessary.  They are tiny now, so will have my cages built by the weekend.

Thanks!

[Witchy Woman]

@ValuSkr 

I'll have to check the labels to see which kind I got...determinate or indeterminate.  I know I saw something and didn't pay any attention, but now I get it.

I'll make sure they have supports to grow on.  Last year, I had cages and stakes, but they outgrew them.  If I know they are going to fo wild, I can prepare for them.

Thanks for your response.

Thanks to all for posting!  My ventures into gardening are very limited because of deer and soil.  But, it's fun to have those little tomatoes flourish late in the summer!

[GoneButNotForgotten]

One year I was not assiduous enough in harvesting tomatoes and pulling the plants up at the end of the season. Much to my surprise, I found NEW plants; evidently the previous year's plants had gone to seed so I got bonus plants.

[ccod folks]

Thanks!  This is the  best diagram/explanation I've seen.