I am new to gardening and have grown some lovely tomato plants. They are in growbags and are doing quite well. My question is: Do I need to take some leaves off since there are lots of large leaves at the bottom of the plant and also do I need to pinch the top of the plant out to stop it growing taller and make some more side shoots.
I would really appreciate some advice.

"Pushkin" wrote

I am new to gardening and have grown some lovely tomato plants. They
are in growbags and are doing quite well. My question is: Do I need to
take some leaves off since there are lots of large leaves at the bottom
of the plant and also do I need to pinch the top of the plant out to
stop it growing taller and make some more side shoots.
I would really appreciate some advice.

Tomato plants are either determinate, that's Bush type, where you don't do
any pinching out, or they are indeterminate where you constantly pinch out
any side shoots to increase the length of the main stem. (obvious really)
What sort have you got? ( Clue - Bush tomatoes are rather rare)
Either way you don't pinch out the main stem until you have a good number of
trusses set, if at all.
The only reason to pull off the bottom leaves is to allow the sun to get to
the fruit and help it ripen late in the season. The leaves of a plant are
it's power house and if they are still green and healthy they are best left
on.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

On Mon, 5 Jun 2006 22:53:23 +0100, "Bob Hobden" wrote
this (or the missive included this):

Tomato plants are either determinate, that's Bush type, where you don't do
any pinching out, or they are indeterminate where you constantly pinch out
any side shoots to increase the length of the main stem. (obvious really)
What sort have you got? ( Clue - Bush tomatoes are rather rare)
Either way you don't pinch out the main stem until you have a good number of
trusses set, if at all.
The only reason to pull off the bottom leaves is to allow the sun to get to
the fruit and help it ripen late in the season.

The fruit do not need direct sunlight to ripen, just warmth.

In Spain they often grow tomatoes in two parallel rows with the stakes
tied together at the tops. All the fruits hang down inside the
plants and are substantially shaded. They ripen very well.

--
®óñ© © ² * ¹°°³

Many thanks for this.

Pushkin.