Topic: Watering Tomatoes in Growbags.

[davyw1]

Saying nothing

[tim]

Thanks, Sigsy.

[OllieC]

Chris, I'd forgotten how funny that was! You just made me choke on a crisp..

[Sigsy]

 :-[  oh er....

...mine look a tad like that now, not as tall though

[davyw1]

A few baby trusses
 http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r111/stumpinsci/Picture037.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r111/stumpinsci/Picture036-1.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r111/stumpinsci/Picture035-1.jpg

[tim]

We'll get there?

[shirlton]

 ;D ;D ;D

[Kepouros]

DavyW1, let me say what a pleasure it was to see once again a bed of tomatoes growing under ring culture.  I used the same method for nearly 20 years in the `60s and `70s.  However, when I mentioned this method on this site a year or two ago it met with such blank incomprehension that I thought the method had died out.

However, I`m a little puzzled as to the reasons given for removing the lower leaves at so early a stage.  There are basically only two reasons for removal of leaves:
(a) If the leaves themselves are unhealthy, either through age or through infirmity
(b) If the foliage becomes so dense that removal is necessary for added ventilation.

The lower leaves are the most mature on the plant, and once matured they are do not take up food or any appreciable quantity of moisture - it is the growing tip and leaves which require these - and any loss of moisture through transpiration is far less with the old leaves than with the younger, softer foliage higher up the plant - their purpose, once matured, is simply to aid photosynthesis and removing them unnecessarily just reduces this to the detriment of the plant.

I remember, when I first started growing tomatoes over 60 years ago, being advised that the reason for removing the lower leaves was to to allow sunlight to ripen the fruit, but, of course, sunlight plays no part whatever in the ripening process and the advice was yet another old wives tale.

Until I gave up tomato growing (for the sake of my digestion) I used to ripen my first tomatoes before the end of May and run the plants up to 13 trusses, and apart from the two reasons I have mentioned the only times that I removed the lower foliage was to take the stems down from their original canes and train them along the bed to tie into the next cane along to allow an extra 3 feet or so of height to the plants.

[carolinej]

So do you think it might make any sense at all to leave side shoots on, but remove the trusses, so that the extra leaves could photosynthesise, giving the plant more energy?

Just a mad thought.....be gentle with me ::)

cj :)

[tim]

Digestion, Kepouros? Even orange ones?

I'm surprised that ring culture seemed outdated - I thought that it was weel established & even expanded to rings on growbags.

Sunlight? And these days we complain of sun scorch!

Caroline - not too sure where you're off to. Leave sideshoots - not on cordons surely? Or do you mean lower leaves?

And why would one remove flower trusses?

[carolinej]

Tim, what I mean is to treat the tom like a cordon with regards to the trusses.

When sideshoots appear, let the leaves stay, so there is more greenery, so more food production by the plant. But take the trusses off the sideshoots , so the ones on the main cordon get extra goodness from the extra leaves, but dont get drained by the trusses that would have been on the sideshoots.

I am useless at trying to explain things ???

cj :)

[tim]

Oh!!

Assuming that we're talking about cordons, it seems better to remove the 'sideshoots' - they sap energy & clutter the place up.

[northener]

I see where your coming from Caroline but i dont know the answer. I 've always removed the lower 4or 5 leaf stems for better watering and weeding[i grow direct in soil] and get decent Toms. Towards the backend of the year i remove the majority of leaves.

[asbean]

Blimey - they're a bit naked  ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

[Kepouros]

Caroline, if you think it out carefully the exercise would be self defeating.

If you are thinking of it from the point of growing bush varieties to fruit as cordons any small increase in the quantity of fruit from the trusses on the main stem would be more than offset by the considerable loss of the fruit from the removed trusses.

If, on the other hand, you are thinking purely from the point of cordon varieties, you would have to use larger spacing between the plants than you otherwise would to allow for all the extra foliage, or risk serious problems over inadequate ventilation - less plants in the row = less fruit, but more watering and feeding per plant.

[carolinej]

OK Ok I conceed. It was just a mad passing thought ::)

Thanks ;D

cj :)

[carolinej]

Actually, dont know if conceed is the right word. Have just racked 10 demi  johns of wine, taking a sip or more of each, so I could be talking gibberish. Sorry :-[

cj :)

[tim]

Succumb, you mean??

ALL ideas are worth posting.

[davyw1]

Tim, what I mean is to treat the tom like a cordon with regards to the trusses.

When sideshoots appear, let the leaves stay, so there is more greenery, so more food production by the plant. But take the trusses off the sideshoots , so the ones on the main cordon get extra goodness from the extra leaves, but don't get drained by the trusses that would have been on the sideshoots.

I am useless at trying to explain things ???

cj :)

It sounds good in theory Caroline but its not practical. As the suckers ( side chutes ) grow they take food away  from the fruit thus you get less and smaller tomato,s. While the plant may take a small amount of feed in thro the leaves it is insignificant compared to what it takes up thro the roots.
I remove the lower leaf stems much the same as Northerner for a number of reasons the first being most of the bottom leave are turning yellow, dying or are going to die. To increase ventilation around the plants, as i believe this is one of the reasons which contributes to Blossom End Rot. Easier access for watering and weeding.