[Goosegirl]

My 4 toms (2 per large grow-bag) have grown like Topsy and have massive leaves lower down that are obscuring some of the ripening toms there. How much can be safely taken off to give them more light? One bag has Ailsa Craig and Gardeners' Delight. The other has two plum toms.

[Lardman]

... have grown like Topsy

Showing your age again GG 

I remove the lower leaves without problems on cordon plants I think it helps improve air circulation. Id be a little more wary of doing it on intermediate, just make sure you leave enough material to feed the plants.

[jambop]

My 4 toms (2 per large grow-bag) have grown like Topsy and have massive leaves lower down that are obscuring some of the ripening toms there. How much can be safely taken off to give them more light? One bag has Ailsa Craig and Gardeners' Delight. The other has two plum toms.

 As said the plants will be better aired but I have to tell you the amount of sunshine does not significantly help ripen the tomatoes.

[jambop]

One other thing to be aware of is that if tomatoes are too exposed the could be scalded by the sun!

[snowdrops]

I’ve removed lots of the lower leaves of my toms in both the poly tunnel & the greenhouse as for the last 3 years in the greenhouse they’ve suffered some disease or other (botrytis?) so I’m trying to improve the ventilation. It’s recommended to remove the leaves below the ripening truss but I’ve  gone above this year too.

[Goosegirl]

Thanks all. I'll have a judicious prune of some lower large leaves especially as I can't see the grow pots when I'm trying to water and feed them.

[snowdrops]

Thanks all. I'll have a judicious prune of some lower large leaves especially as I can't see the grow pots when I'm trying to water and feed them.

Yes I like that aspect of removing them too. Plus this year I’ve sunk pint plastic glasses in the pots in the greenhouse toms & next too the tunnel ones to water directly to the roots

[Growster...]

I've never got to grips with doing the job properly, but have found that quite a few lower leaves go brown and drop off anyway, so just let them go...

I think with all the problems we're getting this year, I'll give them a seeing-to later today - not now as it's pouring down, and I'm sitting here in my jim-jams..;0)

[Goosegirl]

For the first time ever in my attempts at growing toms there's not a leaf that has any discolouration whatsoever!  All are a lovely green colour but a lot bigger than I used to get. 

BTW Growster, what's "pouring down"? We've only had two good cloudbursts and a couple of rainy days since the end of April. Was supposed to get a good bit of rain on Friday but the weathermen keep moving it to the next day which means as of today it'll be next Tuesday before it happens. As for sitting in your jim-jams, well I never did! 

[Growster...]

I asked you a million times about your jim jams, Goosey, and you never, ever replied..:0(

It's pouring down as we speak, the thunder has awoken jRT, and now I'm ready for a post-prandial-runner-bean-induced snooze...

[SethL]

I have taken all the leaves off the lower half of my cordon tomatoes. Mainly because I planted them too close together in my polytunnel and it was a nightmare trying to water them, now I can easily see and aim the water at the base of the plants.

[Goosegirl]

I asked you a million times about your jim jams, Goosey, and you never, ever replied..:0(

It's pouring down as we speak, the thunder has awoken jRT, and now I'm ready for a post-prandial-runner-bean-induced snooze...

I haven't replied re- my jim-jams because if I told you I'd have to kill you! 

[Growster...]

Goosey...

This is for you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mDyok46MRM&ab_channel=VintageMusicLovers

[Goosegirl]

Oh Mr G. Now you've made me go and empty a full box of Kleenex!