Tomato growing methods

[Robert_Brenchley]

I hadn't realised that letting them sprawl,as I was forced to do last year, was an accepted way of growing. It did indeed produce lots of small fruit, but the disadvantages were the amount of space taken by the sprawl, and having to wade through it to get to the toms!

[Robert_Brenchley]

[jennym]

Intrigued by the cage idea, haven't seen it used so may have a go with some.

Last year, I grew Roma plum bush type close together and let them sprawl, and had the opposite result of some people here - mine were very productive and didn't get blight until quite late on in the year - other toms elsewhere on my plot did. Must admit, I did take off a lot of the lowest stems and LOADS of leaves, this may have helped.

[campanula]

yep, i always whip off quite a lot of lower leaves - not being able to do so seems like a distinct disadvantage growing in a cage as i am certain that the tomatoes need a reasonable amount of ventilation, not having leaves crushed together. In our first growing year, we built a home made polytunnel but did not get a front on before a wind blew the top away. i grew the toms in the polythene 'box' which was left over and had the best crop - i have never managed such a lush one just in the open ground outside.  This year, i am going to build a temporary three sided wind break in polythene( from the original polytunnel) and hope for a top crop again.

[tim]

Although you seem to have been fortunate, it is normally believed that a 'solid' windbreah can do more harm than good. And it can take off like a sail. A mesh one - like I showed in 'Shading' - is reckoned to be better.

Any 'break protects up to 3 times its height.