Roma tomatoes

[Brigid]

Hey I started growing Roma tomatoes for the first time this year, went away for 3 weeks over Christmas and when i came back they have gone wild

I thought because they were determinate i didn't have to pinch out the laterals but now there is soooo much greenery that the little tomatoes are almost invisible

 

Should I do a spot of leaf plucking and judicious removing of laterals

Any advice would be much appreciated

 

thanks

[Dave Nicholls]

Hi Brigid

You could probably leave them if they look happy.  Taking out laterals drives more energy into the fruit, but also reduces the surface area of food-generating foliage.  (It also 'wounds' the plant and makes it more prone to infection, so do it on a dry windless day if you're going to).  Roma fruit isn't particularly heavy but it can be prolific so taking the laterals off can improve the airflow around the fruit and help with ripening.  

I wish my plants flourished like this when I went away!  A nice problem to have.  

[Brigid]

They certainly look happy but maybe too much sheep manure has promoted excessive leaf growth

Anyway i will do a spot of leaf thinning when the drizzle stops just to let a bit of light in
do you normally need to remoe laterals in a determinate tomato like Roma? I've always grown the indeterminate head for the sky numbers before

thanks

[Kali]

I haven't grown this variety but I would be taking the lower large leaves off, to let air and light in, and once you have tied them up you will probably see a few laterals that could be removed

[Brigid]

thanks