Toms to feed or not to feed!

[Germinater]

I will wait until the fourth truss has set and then start every week to remove one set of leaves of all of the plants and then top them when they get to big (about six foot).like the idea of one feed miracle grow and one feed tomatorite feed each week I think I will adopt that method thank you..

[Lotsaveg]

The commercial glasshouse tomato growers I've seen remove the lower leaves as the trusses ripen. It makes harvesting a lot easier and also reduces whitefly and powdery mildew problems.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I remove the lower leaves as the deteriorate but not sure if it helps with things to any great extent.

As to Mr Flowerdew if I understand what as been said correctly then he most certainly does feed his tomatoes. He puts his plants in a prepared bed to which he has added all the necessary nutrients to see the plants through the season. Feeding by any other name.

Any compost in a container will run out of nutrients in 6/8 weeks after that the plants will start to deteriorate. Put another way would you stop feeding a child to see if it grew faster/stronger.

Colin

[King Carrot]

The commercial glasshouse tomato growers I've seen remove the lower leaves as the trusses ripen. It makes harvesting a lot easier and also reduces whitefly and powdery mildew problems.

Please can I add another question into the mix (rather than start another tomato based thread)? My OH saw a news article the other day which was based in a commercial growers hot houses and that grower seemed to take most of the foliage of the plants.

I believe that the principal is that the plant puts more energy into the fruit, it allows for better ventilation and lets more light into the trusses. I've heard about this before but have never had the courage to try it, as I thought the foliage was essential to healthy fruit production (although I do remove side shoots and lower branches to aid ventilation and conserve plant energy).

Any thoughts on this particular approach?

Thanks
Reet
x

I'd ask myself if I really wanted to grow quicker ripening, blander tasting toms like you get in the shops - the leaves make the fuel for the engine - I only remove if finished or things get too crowded later on in the season.

[Two_Sheds]

The tomatoes on the first truss of my MoneyMakers are now almost fully formed but still green ...Regular feeding does make a difference

I've just picked my first Sungold, and the other tomato plants all have lots of green fruit on them. I haven't fed any of them more than a splash of comfrey tea this week

would you stop feeding a child to see if it grew faster/stronger.

No, but then I'm not planning to eat any children. Putting a plant under stress does force it into fruiting

[Potstubsdustbins]

2 Sheds yes it does but in my opinion its also reduce's the harvest not something I can afford with only 6 sungold and 4 tumbler.

Colin

[Lotsaveg]

Plants that are under stress produce more anthocyanins (the reason why carrot foliage goes red when carrot root fly are attacking, and euonymus leaves go red when vine weevil are eating their roots), which although linked to health benefits, tend to taste bitter. The lovely fresh sweet taste of a home grown tomato is the result of a healthy and un-rushed mother plant.

Some of the best tomato plants used to be found growing in the sewerage treatment works!! Plenty of manure on tap there!

[womble]

I don't believe I've had a tomato taste horrible from a sickly or unhealthy plant, ever.

[Sylvan]

Apparently the leaves photosynthesize less as they grow older and since the lower leaves are being shaded by the ones above anyway there comes a point when the resources they use outweigh those they contribute. Removing the leaves below the first truss is supposed to result in the sugars they would use being diverted to the truss instead. No idea whether this is true and can't be bothered to do a properly controlled experiment, so I just remove them as I pot on (because I sink the plants deeper every time) and then, like Colin, as they deteriorate.

[Sylvan]

All the tomatoes grown here are very big and they are supported by thick wooden steaks

Are they beefsteak tomatoes Scarey?

(Sorry. I really, really couldn't resist that one. *hangs head in shame)

[Flummery]

The old addage says you should feed the soil not the plant. All very well in the border (like mine) but in pots you really do need to beef them up a bit.

I feel that overwatering could produce a blander fruit but I've never done a trial to find out - I'd hate to waste tomatoes! I add a capful of tomorite to a can of water once a week once fruits are set (if I remember!). I seem to get decent crops (to me) and can't see any point in adding more.

[jackyspratty]

If you are growing in buckets I opinion is that by not feeding you will just be wasting a good tomato plant.

Colin

Luckily colin, I had the encouragement to sow early and therefore have about 20 strong armpits waiting to be potted on, with trusses too! Plus as we have a school garden group we can use this as an experiment to link into the curriculum areas too. So no waste really!!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Donna, if the plant is used maybe even sacrificed for good purpose then it most certainly is not a waste.

Colin

[jackyspratty]

To be honest Colin, even the well fed plants at school will be lucky to make it to harvest, once the squirrels, cats, poor soil and of course the children pulling the flowers off have all had a go, but at least we try!!