[Flowertot]

This is my first year growing tomatoes. I have 2 Gardener's Delight, 2 Moneymaker and 2 Tigerella in pots outside my kitchen. I have been tying them to bamboo canes and pinching out side shoots. They are about 5-6 feet tall and each have 3 trusses of small tomatoes so far. When should I pinch out the tops? And then what happens - will they produce more and more side shoots? Also, do I take off leaves shading the little tomatoes or leave them alone? Thanks for any advice.

[Headgardener22]

I would pinch out the tops with between 4 & 6 trusses.

Yes that will encourage more sideshoots (because the grwth hormone has nowhere else to go). Keep taking them out.

Strip off the leaves that aren't next to a truss (either above or below). This will be most of the leaves below the first truss and, if there are three or four leaves between each truss, one or two there. If there are only two leaves between each truss, leave them alone. (The number of leaves between each truss depends upon the variety).

[Growster...]

Now that's interesting HG, I never realised that there's a rule to knocking out leaves on toms, although I've always taken out the lower ones, to increase ventilation!

Many of our outside toms have only gone to two or three trusses, but as there is a strong contingent of Marmande, I'm not worried. The plants on The Patch are Marmande and Sungold reverts, and they're developing like oak trees, so I'll look out your suggestion there as well!

[DD.]

I do not take off healthy leaves, only those that are yellowing and have done their job.

I don't subscribe to the view that removing leaves directs energy into the production of fruit. Leaves are the plants food factory and without them the plant can't make the food to direct into the fruit in the first place.

[Goosegirl]

I've taken off the lower leaves before the first truss to aid ventilation and also to let the sun get to them more  easily and, later on in the year, those below the second truss for the same reason.

[Growster...]

Taking off the lower leaves is important though as it's then that you see yet another side shoot poking out from below the soil level - especially with Sungold for some reason!

We spotted our first tom on the change this morning, and have to beat last year's record of July 19th...

Don't think we will somehow...

[DD.]

My first one last year was 26th June. This year not until yesterday. The odd thing was that it was a variety from the unheated greenhouse,sown late March, not the ones in the heated greenhouse sown in February.

[Growster...]

My first one last year was 26th June. This year not until yesterday. The odd thing was that it was a variety from the unheated greenhouse,sown late March, not the ones in the heated greenhouse sown in February.

Interesting that, DD because the first 'turners' are Sungold, but one is in the greenhouse, and one just outside,,,

We live and learn;0)

[mumofstig]

This year 25th June


in 2014 First tomatoes on 8th June

[Flowertot]

Thanks all for the replies. I hope they look like MoS's soon! 

[Headgardener22]

I do not take off healthy leaves, only those that are yellowing and have done their job.

I don't subscribe to the view that removing leaves directs energy into the production of fruit. Leaves are the plants food factory and without them the plant can't make the food to direct into the fruit in the first place.

We all grow our tomatoes differently in ways that suit us and they grow despite whatever we do.

I take out the middle leaves to improve ventilation and light but I don't do it until the tomatoes are set on the truss and beginning to grow (which this year seems to be very late).