Tommy foliage.

[brownfingers]

My toms have turned into the usual triffids I normally get. The foliage is so profuse, you can hardly see the developing toms. Absolutely masses of flowers and hardly any bling ones when they develop. This year, as in the past, I take off the individual leaves (not a full branch) so that the sun can get to them. It seems to help, but am I doing the right thing? I also limit the number of flowers/fruits to a truss. I've had some Shirlys throwing up to 3 dozen to a truss. Surely a plant can't feed that lot effectively, to say nothing of the trusses being unable to support the weight, even given some support?

[Bigmallly]

What I do is:
Bush varieties - I just let them do their own thing.
Cordons - Nip out any side shoots, Let them grow to 5/6 trusses then nip out the top & cut off all leaves below the first truss.

[brownfingers]

Basically what I do BM. It's just that I seem to get lots of foliage covering the toms on the cordons. Here's a piccy. You can't tell how dense the foliage was originally because Ive trimmed it to expose the toms, but it might give some sort of idea.

AS for bush toms: I've grown some Roma this year for the first time. Never again. Shooting all over and I reckon too many trusses for the plant to feed. I haven't got a clue how I shall give them enoiugh support so the trusses don't break under the strain.

[Bigmallly]

They're looking great, I'd be tempted to remove all the branches below those bottom toms.

[gardening_gal]

.... & cut off all leaves below the first truss.

.... I'd be tempted to remove all the branches below those bottom toms.

I need to ask why? My toms are quite bushy in parts too and I'm wondering if I should be doing this too but I don't know why.

Edit: Never mind, I found this - http://www.gardenmyths.com/removing-...tomato-plants/

[Bill HH]

In my opinion tomatoes are grossly over leafed. I happily cut off whole branches. lets the sun and air in. As for Shirley no only do they have a lot of tomatoes but they are big and will regularly break whole trusses off. I support all the ones that look in danger. Another thing about shirleys is that a truss can also put out side shoots. Yours are looking very healthy.

[teakdesk]

The tomatoes themselves don't need direct sunlight to ripen - they will ripen behind leaves.

I always remove lower leaves when they yellow.

I also (I know I shouldn't) crowd too many plants into my greenhouse and need to remove upper foliage to keep plants separate - from the OP's picture I think those plants are well spaced.

BUT my greenhouse is now shaded by a large tree that has grown since the greenhouse went in. This means it can be cold and damp and subject to botrytis. Keeping the ventilation around the plants by leaf removal is essential for me to get through a season.

So I remove leaves for reasons of preventing desease rather than nutient considerations.