📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Pruning Cherries & Blight Prevention
- 🍅 Pruning “Geranium Kiss”: Yes, the famous Geranium Kiss tomato has potato leaves and MUST be pruned/supported. It produces massive “multiflora” flower trusses. Many growers restrict it to just 2 main trusses because they get so heavy.
- ✂️ Pruning Indeterminate Cherries: Varieties like Summer Sun and Brad’s Atomic Grape are vigorous vines. If grown in a greenhouse, they must be pruned to 1 or 2 main stems, or they will turn into an uncontrollable jungle.
- 🍄 When to Spray for Late Blight: If you live in a USDA Zones 3-5, late May is too early to spray for Late Blight. Preventative fungicide spraying usually starts in late June or later, depending on the weather conditions.
- 🌬️ Cultural Blight Control: Many experienced growers never spray their greenhouses for blight. Instead, they rely on strict humidity control: water only in the morning, mulch the soil with hay/grass, and keep the doors wide open for maximum cross-breeze.
I almost feel bad complaining about this, but we are having such an abnormal May this year. Since May 9th, it has been scorching hot and sunny every single day. Tomorrow they finally promise some clouds, and starting Monday, the weather will return to normal, cool spring temps: 66°F (19°C) during the day and 45°F (7°C) at night.
It looks like our brief “hot summer” is over, but I won’t forget it anytime soon! 🥵 Here are some photos from yesterday:
Because of the extreme heat, many varieties are getting incredibly leggy and stretching out, especially the Bull’s Heart (Bychye Serdtse) varieties.
And here is my Summer Sun. By the way, I am growing Summer Sun for the first time, and I have no idea how many stems I should leave. Or do you not prune/sucker it at all? 🤔
Valtwelve (Valery) wrote:
Summer Sun for the first time, and I have no idea how many stems I should leave…
Good morning everyone! I also have a pruning question about greenhouse cherry tomatoes. I’m growing Geranium Kiss (which turned out to be quite tall with potato-style leaves), Brad’s Atomic Grape, Orange Date, and Plum Drop. Do I need to prune the suckers on these? ✂️
My tomatoes are also starting to bloom and set tiny fruit. At this stage, what do I need to do to keep them strong and healthy? We are getting heavy morning dew and high humidity during the day. Is it time to start preventative spraying for Late Blight? And what should I feed them? So far, they’ve had Calcium Nitrate, a balanced granular mix, and worm casting tea. 🍅🦠
Meggi (Tatiana) wrote:
I’m growing Geranium Kiss (which turned out to be quite tall with potato-style leaves)…
Yes, Geranium Kiss naturally has potato leaves, and YES, you absolutely must prune it! It produces massive “multiflora” blossom clusters. I never let it grow more than 2 main trusses because they get so incredibly huge and heavy. You have to tie them up securely! 🌸🏋️♀️
Meggi (Tatiana) wrote:
Is it time to start preventative spraying for Late Blight?
Tatiana! It is way too early to start spraying for Late Blight. You need to watch the weather, but usually, preventative spraying doesn’t start until the latter half of June.
Honestly, many of us don’t spray for blight in the greenhouse at all (myself included). If you keep the greenhouse doors wide open for maximum cross-ventilation, you might completely avoid Late Blight. Of course, you must manage the humidity: water only in the morning so the surface is bone-dry by evening, and mulch the soil heavily with hay or grass clippings. 🌬️🌾
As for feeding, you should feed them once a week. You just have to watch how the plant is developing and see what it’s asking for.
🇺🇸 Editor’s Note: Pruning Cherries & Blight Terminology
- Pruning “Summer Sun”: In this thread, Valery asks if he should prune his Summer Sun cherry tomatoes. The answer is a resounding YES. Summer Sun and Brad’s Atomic Grape are extremely vigorous indeterminate vines. If you do not pinch the suckers and prune them to 1 or 2 main stems in a greenhouse, they will turn into a tangled, diseased jungle.
