Some of my cherry tomato plants are sending new shoots from the ends of branches that already have flowers or fruit. Is that a normal growth quirk, and should I prune them?
Why are shoots growing out of my tomato fruiting branches?
Asked by BlueKettle
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It can happen, especially on vigorous plants. Those shoots may keep growing and even flower, so they are not automatically a sign that something is wrong. If you have room, you can leave one and see how it develops. If it makes the plant too crowded, prune it like any other unwanted shoot.
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There are reports of this on different tomato varieties, so I would not assume it is unique to one kind. Vigorous growth or pruning to a small number of main stems might make these extra shoots more noticeable. Stress is sometimes suggested as a trigger, but the cause is not clear from the examples here.
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If you are curious, leave one shoot on a plant and keep an eye on whether it flowers and sets fruit. Take a quick note of which plant it came from. A cutting can preserve that particular plant, while seedlings from its fruit may not repeat the same unusual growth.
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