Key takeaways
- Only cordon (tall, single-stem) tomatoes need their sideshoots removed
- Sideshoots grow in the V between a leaf stalk and the main stem
- Snap them off with finger and thumb while they're small, under about 5cm
- Check plants once or twice a week through summer, as sideshoots grow fast
- Stop outdoor cordons after 4-5 trusses, usually in August, so the fruit can ripen
- Bush tomatoes such as Tumbling Tom and Maskotka are left unpinched
Pinching out sideshoots is the main job that keeps cordon tomatoes tidy and productive. It takes a few minutes a week. Left alone, a tall tomato becomes a tangled jungle of stems, with lots of leaf and small, slow-ripening fruit.
Here’s how to tell whether your tomatoes need it, how to spot a sideshoot, and how to do it. For the whole growing season, from sowing to picking, see our beginner’s guide to growing tomatoes.
Do all tomatoes need sideshoots pinching out?
No. Only cordon tomatoes need it. Bush tomatoes are left to sprawl.
| Type | How it grows | Pinch sideshoots? | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordon (indeterminate) | One tall stem that keeps growing | Yes | Gardener’s Delight, Sungold, Shirley, Sweet Million, Black Russian |
| Bush (determinate) | Compact and bushy, stops on its own | No | Tumbling Tom, Maskotka, Red Alert |
| Semi-determinate | In between | Lightly, if crowded | Check the seed packet |
Most tall greenhouse and grow-bag tomatoes are cordons. Most hanging-basket and patio pot types are bush varieties. If you’re unsure, check the seed packet or plant label. Our guide to the best greenhouse tomato varieties lists the habit of each.
How to spot a tomato sideshoot
A sideshoot grows in the leaf joint: the V-shape where a leaf stalk meets the main stem. It starts as a tiny tuft of leaves and grows up at an angle.
Don’t confuse it with a flower truss. Trusses grow straight out of the main stem, between the leaves rather than in the V, and carry little yellow flower buds.
- Sideshoot: in the V, leafy, grows upwards. Remove it.
- Flower truss: on the stem between leaves, carries flowers. Keep it.
- Growing tip: the very top of the main stem. Keep it until you stop the plant.
The leafy shoot growing in the V is a sideshoot, so pinch it out. The stem of yellow flower buds is a truss, so keep it.
How to pinch out tomato sideshoots
Small sideshoots are easiest. Catch them while they’re under about 5cm long.
- Find the sideshoot in the leaf joint.
- Hold it near the base between your finger and thumb.
- Bend it sideways until it snaps off.
- Drop it in a bucket for the compost heap, or use it as a cutting.
Do this on a dry morning if you can, so the small wounds dry quickly. Wash your hands or wipe scissors between plants if any look unhealthy.
Catch sideshoots while they’re small and they snap off cleanly with finger and thumb.
What if a sideshoot has got big?
Use clean, sharp scissors or secateurs and cut it close to the main stem. Tearing a thick shoot can rip the stem. If a missed shoot is low down and already flowering, you can leave it and tie it in as a second stem, as long as the plant has room.
Missed one? It happens. Snip big sideshoots off with clean scissors rather than tearing them.
How often to check for sideshoots
Check cordon tomatoes once or twice a week from planting out until late summer. In June and July they grow fast, and a sideshoot can go from tiny to 20cm in a week or so.
Make it part of your routine when you water and tie in the stems. Our pro tips for better tomatoes cover the other weekly jobs. Work up each plant from the bottom, checking every leaf joint. Look out for shoots growing from the base too, and for sideshoots growing from the ends of trusses.
A quick check while you water is all it takes. Work up each plant from the base.
When to stop a cordon tomato
Stopping means pinching out the top of the main stem, so the plant puts its energy into ripening the fruit already on it.
- Outdoor cordons: stop after four or five trusses have set fruit, usually in August.
- Greenhouse cordons: stop when the plant reaches the roof, or in late summer. Under cover they usually manage more trusses.
To stop the plant, pinch out the growing tip two leaves above the top truss. Keep removing any new sideshoots that appear afterwards.
Common mistakes with tomato sideshoots
- Pinching bush tomatoes. Bush varieties flower on their side shoots, so pinching them just loses fruit.
- Taking off a flower truss. Check for flower buds before you pinch. Trusses grow from the stem, not the V.
- Snapping off the growing tip. Only remove the top when you mean to stop the plant.
- Leaving it too long. Big shoots need cutting and leave bigger wounds. Little and often is easier.
- Tearing thick shoots. Use scissors on anything you can’t snap cleanly.
Pinched (left) versus left to its own devices (right). The tidy plant is easier to support, water and pick.
Tomato sideshoot jobs month by month
Timings below suit most of England and Wales; allow a week or two later further north. Our guide on when to plant tomatoes has more on planting-out dates.
| Month | Job |
|---|---|
| April | Pot on young plants. Pinch the first sideshoots on early greenhouse plants |
| May | Plant out greenhouse tomatoes. Start checking for sideshoots each week |
| June | Plant out outdoor tomatoes after the last frost. Check for sideshoots once or twice a week |
| July | Fast growth. Keep up with sideshoots and tie in the main stem |
| August | Stop outdoor cordons after 4-5 trusses. Keep removing new shoots |
| September | Stop greenhouse plants if not done already. Remove leaves shading ripening fruit |
Frequently asked questions
What is a tomato sideshoot?
A sideshoot is a new stem growing between a leaf and the main stem. On cordon tomatoes, left alone, each one grows into another big stem with its own leaves and flowers. Removing them keeps the plant tidy and puts its energy into the main stem’s fruit.
Which tomatoes need sideshoots pinched out?
Cordon tomatoes need sideshoots removed; bush tomatoes don’t. Cordons include Gardener’s Delight, Sungold, Shirley, Sweet Million and Black Russian. Bush types include Tumbling Tom, Maskotka and Red Alert. The seed packet or plant label will say which type you have.
When should I start pinching out tomato sideshoots?
Start as soon as you see the first sideshoots, usually around planting out. Keep checking once or twice a week through summer. Carry on until you stop the plant in late summer, then remove any new shoots that appear after.
How do you pinch out a tomato sideshoot?
Hold it near the base and snap it sideways with finger and thumb. Small shoots, under about 5cm, come away cleanly. For thicker shoots, use clean, sharp scissors and cut close to the main stem. Do it on a dry morning so the wounds dry quickly.
What happens if I miss a sideshoot?
It grows into an extra stem, which is easy to fix. Cut it off with clean scissors close to the main stem. If it is already flowering low down and the plant has space, you can leave it and tie it in as a second stem.
Can I grow new plants from tomato sideshoots?
Yes, sideshoots root easily. Take one about 10-15cm long, remove the lower leaves and stand it in water or push it into moist compost. Keep it warm and out of strong sun. Roots form within a week or two. Our guide to free tomato plants from sideshoots shows how.
Once your plants are tidy, learn how to keep them healthy with our guide to tomato blight prevention, or find more crops in our growing veg guides.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
