[Trillium]

I too always thought plants needed all their leaves until I noticed after a particularly vicious tomato hornworm attack, which took off most of the plant's leaves, the plant kept growing very well and the fruit kept developing beautifully. Since then I remove most of the tomatos lower leaves which only harbour fungus and rodents, and limit light to lower fruits. The energy then goes into fruit development and flowering. The plant will still keep making top leaves which must be left on, but otherwise, the rest is excess. Note: toms are the only plant I do this to as I doubt other plants could survive as well. If you check John's pix visit to the commerical tom greenhouse, you'll notice that they too remove most of their tom leaves. They certainly wouldn't do it if it reduced plant vigor. Also, see my tom pix in my personal gallery. Do those look like suffering toms?  

[pushrod]

If you let too many stems grow you will end up with lots of trusses but they will produce smaller, later fruit. I remove all side shoots and stop my quickest plants after 4 trusses. This usually means that i get some toms early. I remove the lower leaves when they start to look less than perfect to let the sun on the fruit.

[camster_factor]

I have a dozen or so tomato plants on the go right now, in growbags and pots, outdoors and under glass. Recently, doing some online reading on tomato cultivation I came across a guy marketing an eBook promoting quite drastic pruning of tomato plants (I didn't buy the eBook; the method is documented elsewhere if one searches around a little). I gave it a try on a couple of plants - the method seems to have sound logical underpinnings (massively increased air circulation, diversion of energy into other aspects of growth, reduced exposure to certain ailments, etc.) and it did indeed seem to spur on flower and fruit production, though research conducted by Purdue University in the US suggests strongly that pruning simply brings such production forward, and doesn't on balance increase overall yields.

A search on Google or suchlike for 'purdue university tomato pruning' will link to the report at the top of the first page of results (it's a PDF file so I thought best not to link direct - let people choose how they want to view something - and there are other interesting links thrown up by that search string).

I like your signature line by the way, Trillium Too true, as I found out when I recently weeded my raised bed and all too quickly had some stray adolescent spring onions dangling between my fingers!

[gobs]

If you let too many stems grow you will end up with lots of trusses but they will produce smaller, later fruit. I remove all side shoots and stop my quickest plants after 4 trusses. This usually means that i get some toms early. I remove the lower leaves when they start to look less than perfect to let the sun on the fruit.

Well, different tomatoes have different growth habits. It does not go for all of them.

In my limited experience it has no relevance to Marmande that the question was about, just  as not to confuse the person asking it.

[senrab_nhoj]

In my limited experience it has no relevance to Marmande that the question was about, just  as not to confuse the person asking it.

you saying I'm easily confused















.. you'd be right

[gobs]

Oh, dear. :roll:  :roll: