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Bloomington, IN USA

Just when I think I have seen everything...Bam, something new comes along!
Tell me how many of you have seen this.
I have posted a pic of it in my diary.
Many of my plants are developing suckers right off the top of the leaf petiole.
I have seen a bunch of them that have been small & I haven't thought much of it.
But these things are getting 6-7 inches long!
I have been watching my plants like a hawk to stop new vegetative growth on them so the plant can direct it's growth to the fruit & now I see this.
I don't think I have seen it on any of my eating maters.
I am going to have to look at my plants & see which ones have it.
I know that it is on the Big Zacs but it may be on some of the others also.
Tell me what you think.

8/1/2015 12:31:18 AM

Allentown, PA

I have had this happen once this season and as I remember once last season.

The one this season also occurred on a Big Zac, one of my own 4.46 plants.

It's strange I agree. Perhaps it's a reaction the plant has as a result of extreme pruning and receiving potassium and nitrogen loads on a scheduled basis after that pruning has been done.

8/1/2015 3:28:38 AM

Central NY

I've seen a few this year ...I think it's called slammer syndrome

8/1/2015 6:37:21 AM

sevierville, Tn

i had it last year & this year on every plant.
Why=What PA_J said !!

8/1/2015 8:41:17 AM

Ely Mn

Yep,its from heavy pruning.it happens to all my plants.
I like slammer syndrome!

8/1/2015 8:42:00 AM

Central NY

Lol.. SLAMMER SYNDROME.... I got a bad case here...

8/1/2015 10:14:07 AM

valparaiso, in

It is going on with some of my plants too. I figured it was due to the pruning. Good to know that it isn't just me.

8/1/2015 11:04:13 PM

Wixom MI.

What kind of radio active stuff are you people putting on your tomatoes plants, limbs growing off of leaves sounds like radio active mutant plants to me. LOL... :0) be careful about eating the tomatoes, you may start growing a few extra limbs your self. That mole on your shoulder might start growing some eyes ??? When your in the garden your toes might start taking root into the soil ??? Im not eating your tomatoes. LOL..... :0)

8/2/2015 1:28:02 PM

North Pole,Alaska

It's a sign of a very healthy plant with excess energy. I get them every year on 30-40% of my plants just before the trusses start loading up and good sinks are established. Pruning just removes sinks and increases the excess. This is my first year attempting a giant, but I've grown over 40 varieties, harvesting up to 20,000 lbs a year on a mom and pop greenhouse operation. This year I let one go on a big Zac because it has a little mega bloom. Just started pollinating this morning. Don't expect it to go a full pound, but the novelty will make a great photo and prove a point.

8/2/2015 6:13:15 PM

Central NY

Very cool.. I had one early on but I pinched it off...hope it takes for ya Dave ...be a great pic

8/2/2015 6:55:39 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

So Slammer Syndrome it is!
But I was thinking about what the new growth itself should be called.
The vernacular "sucker" is an axillary spur in botanic terms.
What most of us refer to as a branch is actually a leaf petiole.
So I think they ought to be referred to as leaf petiole Spurs or branch suckers.

8/5/2015 10:34:44 PM