Yes, seriously. I can't recall off hand and I don't think there's a good way to google this:
Will new flowers appear on old growth? My plants of course started flowering at the bottom and worked their way up... so once all the flowers/tomatoes are gone from the lower parts, will there be more flowers there later in the season? Makes me question my single-stem growing method: if I have to top it off and flowers don't regrow, then there'll be nothing to fruit until some suckers eventually pop up somewhere.
If no one knows I guess I'll find out myself over the next couple months ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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[–] Inconceivable2 ago
Don't clip off the top, these are the growing tips where new flowers and fruits will grow.
Since the plant is a single stem I assume you are supporting it somehow, either wrapping twine around the stem or with plant clips attached to string/wire. It seems to me the only reason to "top it off" is due to space or height constraints.
Easy solution: Gently (gently) lower the plant day by day, training the lower portion to either curl around itself like a garden hose in a big loop or if you have room let it droop off to one side or the other.
Suggestion, clip off leaves as tomatoes are harvested, reducing the "wasted" energy to support useless leaves (which won't produce fruit anyway) and reduces the chance of blight, fungi or insect infestation.
Essentially, the only leaves should be at the level of the oldest flower/fruit and maybe a few leaves just below that to shade the fruit from sun damage, and of course all leaves above. These will sustain the plant during the fruiting cycle. All leaves much below that are superfluous.
[–] 13405963? [S] ago
Well I can't let it grow to 20 feet. I don't want to have to climb a ladder to get at the top, and I certainly don't have any supports that tall. I'm topping it at 8 feet, a little over a foot over the top of the support. They're already pretty tall.
[–] Inconceivable2 ago (edited ago)
Cutting off the growing tips will reduce harvest, but if you're ok with that then it's your decision.
I suggested you lower the plant and remove all unnecessary leaves. But, it's your garden to do with as you wish.
Edit: PS, don't allow any part of the plant to actually touch the dirt; neither leaves nor fruit nor stem.
[–] TheBuddha ago
Wait until you find out if they're determinate or indeterminate!
The answer really is, "It depends."
There are so many cultivars that I can't really answer and I'm not exactly a tomato guru. I just know enough to know what I don't know, which is a lot. But, it will vary.
[–] 13405972? [S] ago
If they were determinate I wouldn't be using a single string support method because that would kill the yield
[–] TheBuddha ago
True, but I have zero way to gauge your prior knowledge, so felt it should be included.
The answer is still that it's going to depend and you'll find out. You might find yourself overflowing with 'em.