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So what do i do again? I've got yellow tom cherry plant flowering. Its yellow if that makes a difference. And its the pinching type if i remember rightly. so does this mean i now pinch off every branch below the flowers off the main stem, so its just a vertical stem below the flowers?

That sounds really harsh to me and i dont want it to die.

No, that's not what you do.

If it is a cordon variety - and please check first - then you are looking for the shoots that form between the leaf joint and the main stem. These are the only thing you pinch out. They begin to grow later than the main leaf and flower branches. You may not even have any yet.

Look at some leaf branches - where they meets the stem of the plant, is there anything growing between it and the stem?

Here's a picture of the bit to nip out:-

Google Image Result for http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/517580685_de316fc36a.jpg?v=0

If you keep on top of them you won't get confused later on when the bit you need to pinch out ends up bigger than the leaf shoot which you leave in!

Also- I understand that if you pot up the bits you nip out, you end up with more plants!
Never tried it myself, but there's always one which seems to go unnoticed and gets pretty big!

i thought you had to remove all leaves up to the first truss?

No you don't need to do that but the lower leaves sometimes turn yellow and people take them off, it can also let more air circulate the plant.
Personally I've never done it.

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The photo Nicos has posted shows the "laterals" which are removed, as these will grow into large side shoots or branches. These do actually grow into tomato plants, a form of vegetive propagation if you like.

Often the lower leaves are removed in an effort to stop soil borne diseases entering the plant by water splashed on them at soil level.

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i follow the advice on this site...seems to work

Pruning Tomatoes - Fine Gardening Article

Mark, there are arguments rageing all over the world about this. The extremes are do nothing to remove all leaves up to the last three at the top of the plant.

Personally I grow all mine up stakes and pinch out the side shoots. I also remove the bottom leaves.

You cannot go wrong anywhere between

Can i just ask another silly question. Where do the tomatos shoots actually grow from? Only above the flowers? of the flower stem? only below the flowers? I have the type that flowers at 7 stems high, determinate/non bushy i think?

No peanut is right, but this is at the end of the season. You'll find that the bottom leaves often go yellow and when the autumn comes then botrytis starts. You need to increase airflow and remove decaying material to check its spread to the ripening fruit.

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Paul

A tip I learnt from Alan Titchmarsh (not personally, I watch Gardeners World LOL) Is when you get lots of leafy growth as well as fruit, you can take off some leaves to let more light in and to let air circulate better.

Jennifer

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Whilst typing the above reply, I was probably supposed to be doing homework. My excuse: I'm hooked!

Do you mean tomato fruits, not shoots? The fruits form from the flowers, ie the flower is fertilised and then turns into a tomato.

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I thought he meant the armpit hairs by 'shoots' 2 sheds.... 2

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Paul