Defoliating tomatoes to encourage ripening in a cold greenho

[MikA]

Do you good forum members defoliate your tomatoes?

If you do - do you continue to water (presumably a reduced amount) to allow the fruit to keep on growing as well as ripening?

[adrian vine]

I believe tomato leaves only work at full capacity for something like 30 or so days after that newer leaves become the lungs of the plant. Defoliate up to good green leaves but continue to feed and water. I only cut back water and food when the plant is stopped, (pinched out the growing tip). If you have the room keep the plant going until the cold stops it.

[MikA]

Thanks Adrian and welcome.

I have taken most leaves off 2 of the plants where the leaves were congested and crossing over the trusses causing some of the fruit to rot. I shall take the old leaves off the other plants and hopefully keep going for a few more weeks.

[sandy_v]

I've never came across this idea before, but then Monty Don said to do it on GW last week LOL!, so I took all the leaves off mine a week ago, and yes, they do seem to be ripening really quickly now. I just give them enough water to stop them completely drying out.

[FelixLeiter]

I took all the leaves off mine a week ago

You're not supposed to take all the leaves off. Is that what mumbling Monty suggested? Well fancy that. Remove only the lower ones that are exhausted. They may start to yellow in any case, which is the cue I take for removing them. I remove the old trusses, too — any that no longer have fruit on them.

[sandy_v]

Well, he said several weeks ago to remove the lower ones, which I dutifully did back then, and now I have removed all. They don't look very pretty, but they are ripening at a rate of knots!