Osma Acres Farmers Market

Tomato T-Clipping, Pollinating, Pruning

The process of growing Tomatoes includes Pruning, T-Clip supports and Pollinating. These steps are necessary after the plants start growing and blooming; about 10 weeks after transplanting.

Pruning involves removing most leaves, all-leaf only branches; all sucker branches and all leaves that touch the ground; the plant starts resembling a naked stalk with tomatoes and 3-5 leaves at the very top of the plant. Pruning reduces plant disease; increases air circulation to the plant; provides all nutrients to the fruit and drastically reduces the plant weight.

A tomato plant before pruning has dense leafing (see image below) which smothers the plant by denying air circulation; starves the plant by using most of the nutrients; provides a basis for plant diseases and weighs the plant down with the extra weight; all except a few leaves at the top MUST GO!

A properly pruned tomato plant (see image below) has only 3-5 leaves at the top of the plant with all other non bloom bearing branches removed.

Pollinating is done when the blooms start appearing; the process is repeated 2 or 3 times weekly until blooms stop appearing; this insures maximum yield of the plant. The process involves vibrating the trellis strings to cause the pollen on the blossoms to drop into the blossom; essentially emulating the buzzing and vibrating of bees pollinating the

flowers.

T-Clip supports are added about 6-8 inches apart on the Trellis lines as the plants continue to grow upward. The clips attach the plant to the trellis lines to support the plant and keep it vertical. The process includes maintaining tension on the trellis line as addition clips are added; T-Clips start at the base of the plant with one about 4-6 inches from the top.

Our Green Beans are blooming and have several small beans forming on each vine; they should be ready by early July.

Our Egg Plants are growing very well; they have blooms and should be ready by Mid August.

Our 1000 Strawberry Plants are doing very well; they have a lot of blooms and many green berries and should be ready by Mid July

We have about 100 pounds of Red Rhubarb that is ready NOW.