Branches growing downwards

Everything About Tomatoes
Post Reply
diceytomato
Reactions:
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2023 10:40 pm

Branches growing downwards

#1

Post: # 125842Unread post diceytomato
Sat Jun 15, 2024 4:32 pm

I'm noticing on a few of my plants, the branches are growing downwards.

is this indicative of any problem?
WhatsApp Image 2024-06-15 at 14.28.30 (2).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2024-06-15 at 14.28.31.jpeg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
MissS
Reactions:
Posts: 6851
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:55 am
Location: SE Wisconsin Zone 5b

Re: Branches growing downwards

#2

Post: # 125850Unread post MissS
Sat Jun 15, 2024 7:44 pm

The lower branches will often do that. It's not a problem at all unless they are touching the ground. If they do touch the ground I remove them to avoid soil born pathogens coming in contact with the plant.
~ Patti ~
AKA ~ Hooper

User avatar
Tormahto
Reactions:
Posts: 4555
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:14 pm

Re: Branches growing downwards

#3

Post: # 125854Unread post Tormahto
Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:31 pm

Some heart-shaped varieties are like that. And it's not drooping of branches in a long downward arc. Those branches take a sharp turn and then grow almost straight down.

The worst culprit that I've ever seen is Mazarini. Not only does it have branches that grow downward, I once had a plant where the main stem decided to turn and grow downward. After a while, it then decided to grow upward once again. The weird growth never caused any production problems.

User avatar
karstopography
Reactions:
Posts: 9510
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:15 am
Location: Southeast Texas

Re: Branches growing downwards

#4

Post: # 125860Unread post karstopography
Sat Jun 15, 2024 9:21 pm

Pineapple, the large bicolor. does this. I like the trait since it reduces the footprint and airspace needed for the plant. A variety like Super Fantastic is the opposite with extra long branches that grow and tend to remain at right angles away from the main stems. Pineapple in my garden forms tall and narrow columnar shaped plants with those branches that bend sharply downward, with excellent leaf coverage.

I don’t know if the shape and form of tomato plants is discussed as much as it might be discussed.
"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden."
Thomas Jefferson

User avatar
Frosti
Reactions:
Posts: 264
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2022 7:28 am
Location: Germany (Bavaria)

Re: Branches growing downwards

#5

Post: # 126001Unread post Frosti
Mon Jun 17, 2024 1:32 pm

nothing to worry about. Hearts and longer tomatoes in general tend to look like that.

diceytomato
Reactions:
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2023 10:40 pm

Re: Branches growing downwards

#6

Post: # 126018Unread post diceytomato
Mon Jun 17, 2024 5:06 pm

karstopography wrote: Sat Jun 15, 2024 9:21 pm Pineapple, the large bicolor. does this. I like the trait since it reduces the footprint and airspace needed for the plant. A variety like Super Fantastic is the opposite with extra long branches that grow and tend to remain at right angles away from the main stems. Pineapple in my garden forms tall and narrow columnar shaped plants with those branches that bend sharply downward, with excellent leaf coverage.

I don’t know if the shape and form of tomato plants is discussed as much as it might be discussed.
Thanks all

One of those plants was indeed pineapple, and the other was Paul Robeson.

Post Reply

Return to “Tomato Talk”