Trimming Tomato Plants

A DG friend sent me a link to a1930's B/W French film. This film shows the farmer trimming the tops of the tomato plants, and there are also a several diagrams which show the trimming procedure at various stages of early growth.

I have trimmed suckers in the past as well as growth outside my tomato cages when recovering them in the fall. I also remove buds from tomato plants in early August which have no chance of developing fruit with our short season. However, I have not heard, or have I seen anything which explains purpose of trimming the tops of tomato plants during the course of their early growth. My guess would be this procedure may focus more energy into growth of the fruits vs plant. There may be some explanation of the reason(s) in the narration, but I don't read French well enough to understand.

To access other French gardening films which are fun to watch, Google 'French Intensive Gardening/1900', which shows several links on similar films which deal with gardening techniques of that time.

http://www.ina.fr/economie-et-societe/vie-economique/video/VDD09005621/la-culture-de-la-tomate.fr.html

I raise tomatoes in a greenhouse. All suckers are removed to leave only the main stem. I do cut the top off when I am getting close to the end of the season. Don't need the top growth when it is going to freeze before those would ripen.
Bernie

counrtygardens:
Your tomatoes are FAB!

Mraider3:
I have to go look and see what you are looking at, if for nothing else to settle my sense of curiosity!

Thanks to both :-)

Very interesting video. Thanks so much.
My tomatoes season will start in a month here in Dallas, TX

I wonder if this repeated trimming is still done today? My college french class is almost forgotten,so I didn't catch any explanation of why this had to be done. The caption "taille au dessus" roughly translates to "trimming on top".

I grew Stupice in covered cages last season and I noticed the lower portions of the plants produced more tomatoes than the upper portions. Although they are considered an indeterminate tomato, they did not have as much top growth as I suspected they would, so they worked nicely in my three foot tall cages. I'm only guessing that trimming the tops would tend to generate more growth on the lower potions of the plants. I am considering covered caging of some cherry tomatoes this next season and trimming the tops as well.

About a year ago I asked a question here in DG about determinate cherry tomatoes, and the responses indicated that other than Tiny Tims, cherry tomatoes were mostly indeterminate. I received a catalog this week listing two new varieties of small bush determinate cherry tomatoes. Figured I would give them a try indoors this winter.

My favorite determinate cherry tomato is : GOLDEN NUDGET
It is a delish yellow cherry and the plant grows only up to 3' max and produces tons of tomatoes.

What do you do with all the cracked ones ?
About everyone one of ours cracked!

drthor, I found several sources for Golden Nudget, however there is no mention as to weather this is an OP determinate or a hybrid. I didn't find anything in the DG files either. I would like to try these regardless of the type, but other than the online seed source information I can seem to find any details.

mraider
I have grown Golden Nudget for 3 years now ... I really forgot why I did plant it ... but I love it

dthor:
Are you sure about the spelling? There is a variety called Gold Nugget that is widely available (Johnny's, Territorial, Reimer, Hume, tomatogrowers, etc) which looks very much like the yellow cherries in your picture.

huumm ... I think you are right ... I have problem with spelling and English in general ....