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Greenhouse tomatoes

dith1952Zj9HwbzPdith1952Zj9HwbzP Posts: 18
in Fruit & veg
Very proud of my first ever attempt at growing tomatoes. However the greenhouse looks like a tomato plant jungle! I have been pinching out those little side shoots but should I remove any of the main branches to let light in? Maybe it's just warmth that ripens them or do they need lots of light too? Thankyou

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 23,160
    How close together did you plant them? Carry on pinching out side shoots and when they have young tomatoes you can remove some of the bottom leaves.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • dith1952Zj9HwbzPdith1952Zj9HwbzP Posts: 18
    Thankyou
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,228
    I used to remove leaves from above a truss thinking it would improve ripening. After talking to folks on here I have left them on, only removing leaves at the bottom of the plants to aid watering. This has proved right as the plants remain healthier over the season, and it hasn't slowed ripening. Now the leaves only come off late season( like September) when they are dying back. Hope this helps @dith1952Zj9HwbzP
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,228
    P.S. they need temps of between 10° to 28° as well as sunlight.😁
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,085
    I remove the main stem when they get to about 6’ or the top of the GH or when there’s 5 trusses of tomatoes whichever comes first. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • dith1952Zj9HwbzPdith1952Zj9HwbzP Posts: 18
    Thankyou everyone 😊
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,557
    Once they start to turn colour it's warmth more than sunlight that ripens them. At the end of the season when the night temperatures drop,  bring them in , if they are slow to ripen put fruit in a paper bag with a banana.  
    AB Still learning

  • dith1952Zj9HwbzPdith1952Zj9HwbzP Posts: 18
    Thankyou
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,817
    A couple of my 8 plants have been throwing out branches from the main stem not from the usual branch junctions and needed cutting off to prevent multiple stems growing.
  • DeepdaleDeepdale Posts: 14
    dith1952Zj9HwbzP said:
    Very proud of my first ever attempt at growing tomatoes. However the greenhouse looks like a tomato plant jungle! I have been pinching out those little side shoots but should I remove any of the main branches to let light in? Maybe it's just warmth that ripens them or do they need lots of light too? Thankyou
    I follow the rule of 12. Count the branches from the top of the plant (not including the fruit trusses) and remove all branches below the 12th.
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