Topic: Removing tomato leaves

[cestrian]

Is there any benefit to removing tomato leaves to improve air flow? It's getting a bit crowded in the green house now the toms are filling out.

I seem to remember a guide that was going round the internet a few years ago that said you could drastically improve yield by removing most of the leaves, but I'm not brave enough to try it.

[davyw1]

You wont improve the yeil by removing leaves but it is done to improve ventilation.
Its normal practice to remove all the leaves below the first truss but only a couple at a time so not to stress the plant.
you can remove other leaves further up the stem more so the ones that are intruding into another plants space, again be carfull you dont stress the plant and always snap the leaf stem upwards first.

[Jayb]

I do pretty much as Davyw1's written. I've never tried removing the majority of tomato leaves, it doesn't quite seem right? From what I understand much of a tomatoes sweetness and flavour is supplied from the leaves to the fruit.

[cestrian]

OK thanks, I'll try removing up to the first truss.

[ed dibbles]

Be Brave! :) You can remove up to 2/3rds of the tomato foliage, particularly the very large leaves and it won't affect fruiting at all. In fact it will improve fruiting.

They will grow more leaves that will again need removing once the plants get overcrowded again.

Tomatoes grow many more leaves than they need. By drasticly reducing the amount of foliage you allow more airflow, more light to reach the fruit, and keep the plants drier thus reducing the blight risk.

My tomatoes get this treatment every year and I always get bumper crops right to the end of the season. :)

I know it doesn't feel right to remove so much but believe me it works.

[strawberry1]

I also remove leaves for ventilation and light. The stem is green and feeds the plants and my tomato fruits are looking great, removing the leaves helps the fruits a lot. I have had my fourth bight warning so it is just a matter of time re the outdoor ones and I intend to remove more leaves in a few days

[strawberry1]

I have finished my leaf removal and each plant is down to four or five leaves with a nice bit of space around the plants now. Tbh they seem to like it, I am keeping them fed and the watering is nice and steady. They are doing well and the fruits are getting big enough

[harrys dad]

This thread has helped me out enormously. Didn't know you could remove so much foliage. Thanks guys.   :o

[caroline7758]

Will definitely remove lots of leaves from mine as they are in a very shady greenhouse.

[gwynnethmary]

I did this sort of instinctively last year as I had too many plants and it was all very overcrowded.  Thank you for reminding me of this- I've started a progressive and calm leaf removal process.  Our greenhouse is very shady and I guess it makes use of all the available light.  There's so little sun around at the moment!

[strawberry1]

I just had to call in and say that my tomatoes are visibly growing bigger, day by day and many are the size of expensive vine ripened in supermarkets. I also stopped at 4 trusses as summer is so bad so have no unopened buds now and have a fighting chance of a good crop. Doesn`t pay to expect too much