Tomato tidy

One of the jobs on my jobs list for a while now has been to get in the polytunnel and 'tidy up' the tomatoes.  They were looking scruffy, starting to fall over from the weight of the fruit and full of weeds.  Now I love a good tidy up, so I set to the task in earnest this morning, before it got too hot to work under plastic.

I planted half the tomatoes down one side of the tunnel, the other half having to stay in their pots for a while longer, because the ground was still being used by new potatoes. Once harvested the other half went in.  So I'm hoping from this that I might have accidentally staggered the harvest season.

I've grown two varieties - Money maker and Gardeners delight (cherry tomato), and both are doing really well.

I removed the lower leaves to let the light get to the swelling fruit, to aid with ripening -

I took out wayward side shoots and other stems that seemed to have grown from nowhere(?), so that the plants can concentrate their energy into producing fruit not leaves and stems; I then weeded the soil around them, especially around the base where I concentrate the watering -

Finally if the plant had five sets of fruit on it plus two more leaves I pinched out the tops.  The difference in the plants was amazing, I can actually see what's on the vines now.

I think you'll agree they look really tidy now -

Now I've just got to do the other side of the polytunnel -

Aaarrgh!!  Am keeping my fingers crossed for a cool day.

Just wondering though what you all stake your tomatoes with?  Up until now I've always used garden bamboo canes, but am finding they are not strong enough, what else can I use?

Stats today -

Eggs produced = 12

Sales - good day today
1 dozen eggs £1.80
1 x 500g Carrots £0.75
1 x 500g New potatoes £0.75
1 x Cucumber £0.60

Just an aside - had a customer comment on our produce today, she stopped me in the street to tell me -
'Since eating your produce I will not be buying supermarket produce any more.  It all tastes amazing.'
What a compliment, we are chuffed to bits.

Expenses -
Nil