It doesn't work though. Plants need leaves to grow and produce ethylene which ripens the tomatoes.
Actually it can help, especially late in the season when light levels are decreasing and you still have some only partially ripened fruit on the vines. I tend to cut off the leaves below the next truss but leave the ones above, so gradually expose the stem as the tomatoes ripen from the lower trusses upwards. It's probably less important if you're growing indoors or in a dry year when blight is less of a risk
In the greenhouse I leave the leaves alone until all the fruits in that area have started to ripen. Leaves provide all the energy that a plant uses so are vital for growth of the plant and fruit. Once the fruits start to ripen the leaves in that area are no longer needed. I start to remove lower leaves in Sept.
If the plants are outside and blight is around, then it makes sense to remove leaves to provide better air flow to try and reduce the likelihood of blight taking hold.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
In the greenhouse I leave the leaves alone until all the fruits in that area have started to ripen. Leaves provide all the energy that a plant uses so are vital for growth of the plant and fruit. Once the fruits start to ripen the leaves in that area are no longer needed. I start to remove lower leaves in Sept.
If the plants are outside and blight is around, then it makes sense to remove leaves to provide better air flow to try and reduce the likelihood of blight taking hold.
So you're suggesting that every leaf is assigned to work for a certain group of fruit?
If you grow a plant and wait for the lowest truss to form then cut off some leaves above and below that truss, the fruits on that truss will swell very slowly whilst those above that have a normal complement of leaves will swell faster
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
If you grow a plant and wait for the lowest truss to form then cut off some leaves above and below that truss, the fruits on that truss will swell very slowly whilst those above that have a normal complement of leaves will swell faster
I panted a few tomatoes from seed. The packet was money maker but I don't believe that they are!
They are bumpy and rather fleshy on the inside like a beef tomato, but they aren't big like a beef steak. Not really what I wanted, but never mind...
I am sure they will do okay in soups and pasta sauce etc.
Does anyone know what I have here?
There must have been a mix up at the seed producers!
Why have you cut all the leaves off?
I cut the leaves off every year when I am content with the growth I have.
As the weather is turning colder and wetter and I am growing outside I decided to cut them off in the hope of allowing more sun at them to ripen them. Also increased airflow allows them to dry off after rain and prevents issues such as blight.
I start off removing the ones on the lower trusses and when they start to ripen I remove more from higher trusses. I've also cut off the growing tips so they focus on what they have. I do this until, eventually, I decide to cut them all off. It's a gradual process which I started months ago.
In the past, when growing inside a greenhouse, I have left more leaves on. However I have still removed any big leaves shading bunches of tomatoes. In my experience it makes little difference, leaving a few or removing them all (if inside).
It seems to have worked and a few of them have started to blush in the last few days since I removed the last of the leaves. I'm no expert, this is just my observations.
Gardener of a driveway pot garden - flowers one side, veg the other and a car in the middle. I am so looking forward to the day we can move into a house with a bigger garden.
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It isn't late in the season...
Leaves provide all the energy that a plant uses so are vital for growth of the plant and fruit.
Once the fruits start to ripen the leaves in that area are no longer needed.
I start to remove lower leaves in Sept.
If the plants are outside and blight is around, then it makes sense to remove leaves to provide better air flow to try and reduce the likelihood of blight taking hold.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
There is too much of that on this forum.
You're still not explaining how it would work either.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I cut the leaves off every year when I am content with the growth I have.
As the weather is turning colder and wetter and I am growing outside I decided to cut them off in the hope of allowing more sun at them to ripen them. Also increased airflow allows them to dry off after rain and prevents issues such as blight.
I start off removing the ones on the lower trusses and when they start to ripen I remove more from higher trusses. I've also cut off the growing tips so they focus on what they have. I do this until, eventually, I decide to cut them all off. It's a gradual process which I started months ago.
In the past, when growing inside a greenhouse, I have left more leaves on. However I have still removed any big leaves shading bunches of tomatoes. In my experience it makes little difference, leaving a few or removing them all (if inside).
It seems to have worked and a few of them have started to blush in the last few days since I removed the last of the leaves. I'm no expert, this is just my observations.