Determinate tomatoes are … Even though I love even the small or ugly tomatoes, I prune some of my tomato plants for the sheer beauty of a big, hearty tomato. Pruning tomato plants is an optional technique that some gardeners use to keep plants tidy, manipulate fruit size, and even speed ripening. There are a couple of good reasons why you should prune your indeterminate tomato plants to keep them healthy. Pruning tomato plants is completely up to each and every gardener. If you have decided to try tomato plant pruning, you need to make sure that you do it the correct way to help reduce the chances of disease. Look for the tomato "suckers," which grow in the "V" space between the main stem and the branches on your tomato plant. If left unpruned, these suckers will eventually grow into full-sized branches—adding lots of foliage and, eventually, a few fruits. But, on an anecdotal level, a great many Master Gardeners recommend the practice of pruning tomato plants. I have my tomato plants in cages and I have a juliet tomato plant that is about 5 ft tall with about 70 green tomatos so far. But you can prune back tomato plants to prevent too much foliage growth at the expense of fruit. Prune the cherry tomato plant to one or at most two main stems, and remove lower branches to deter splashback reinfection of pathogens left in the dirt from previous years. Removing Bottom Branches And Foliage Especially when it rains or when plants are watered. Branches that are low-hanging and touching the ground should either be staked up or removed. I hope you’ll test it in your garden like I did. Determinate, or bush tomatoes, tend to be smaller and more manageable. Pruning is a chore that can be done while watering or weeding and results in healthier indeterminate tomato plants and bigger fruit—with very little effort. Pruning the lower 12"-18" of the plant, helps to prevent back splash from the ground when it rains or when you water. Seeing the results of removing the tomato plant suckers at the farm convinced me to try it on my own plants at home. Some controversy exists over whether or not tomato plants should be pruned, and the reality is that if you don't, it will not cause problems. The key to success with tomato plants is pruning! Why Are the Bottoms of My Tomatoes Rotting? -- Pruning AeroGarden tomatoes at 4-5 weeks. Yes. Should I prune my tomato plants? Looking for additional tips on growing perfect tomatoes? It also allows for adequate light penetration and air flow around plants. Download our FREE Tomato Growing Guide and learn how to grow delicious tomatoes. There are 3 different strategies for pruning suckers off tomatoes: Minimal Prune only those suckers below the first flower/fruit cluster. This will also result in a tomato plant that quickly outgrows its space in the garden. And, since that fateful day, I’ve pruned my tomatoes every year. Of course, tomato pruning isn't a required chore, no matter which type of tomato you're growing. How do I prune my AeroGarden tomato plants? Each sucker of an indeterminate tomato essentially produces a whole new plant, so pruning them makes this close spacing possible. Any smaller than this, and the plant may not recover from the shock of being pruned. Instead there are a few good patterns to follow. Determinate or Indeterminate. In fact, it can even damage the plant and lower your yield. Because determinate plants develop all of their fruit at one time, pruning may cause you to sacrifice tomatoes for no reason. You'll get bigger tomatoes. tall. Some people assert firmly that pruning tomato suckers improves the production and health of a plant. Contrary to what many think, suckers … There is one big catch: You should only prune indeterminate varieties, which produce new leaves and flowers continuously through the growing season. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. To prune or not to prune tomato plants is an option tomato growers have. The Difference Between Vining and Bush Tomatoes, Determinate Versus Indeterminate Tomatoes, 3 Tomato Plant Problems and How to Prevent Them, Identifying and Controlling Early Blight on Tomato Plants. Not all types of tomatoes need to be pruned. Although the results of my experiment have led me to stop or at least limit the pruning I do on my own tomato plants, I do not necessarily believe my method is right for everyone. Pruning Tomato Plants. Waiting to prune later on in the development could cause it to go into shock, reducing production (These can occur if you prune alot of branches at one time). To prune, you simply remove these suckers. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. If your plant is definitely old enough to be making tomatoes, then it’s time to consider one of these reasons for poor production of your tomato plants. The way you choose to train and prune your tomato plants will affect how you space your plants, as well as the best method of support . Unpruned foliage will eventually grow into new branches that will form fruit, but most experienced growers advise that tomatoes should be pruned to not only produce larger fruit earlier in the season but also to protect the plants against pest and disease problems. Some growers decide not to prune at all, and some go over the top with pruning. This helps keep the commonly huge vines in control, and it encourages the plant to produce several large tomatoes instead of lots of foliage and many smaller tomatoes. Removing the stems and leaves at … Any smaller than this, and the plant may not recover from the shock of being pruned. There are two main things that will help your tomato pruning efforts: the time of day and the weather. A tomato tree in Epcot's Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World broke records in 2016 when it produced a one-year harvest of 32,000 tomatoes. Leaves touching the ground can be susceptible to bacteria, fungi, and viral infections that can spread through the rest of the plant. 3 Reasons Why You Should Prune Your Tomatoes. As a rule, pruning is most helpful for indeterminate tomato varieties — large plants that continue to grow taller and produce fruit until killed by frost. Sometimes the tomato plants in our gardens get so large and so unwieldy that you can’t help but wonder, “Should I prune my tomato plants?” This question is quickly followed by, “Exactly how do I prune tomato plants?” Let’s look at these two questions. unlocking this expert answer. Suckers under two inches long can simply be pinched off with your fingers, but with larger suckers, use a pair of clean pruners, disinfecting them as you move from plant to plant to protect against spreading diseases. As they get taller ALL tomatoes will naturally grow along the ground because they simply fall over with weight of foliage and fruit. Pruning your marijuana plants can have some advantages in certain cases, but it’s not necessary. You'll hear plenty of explanations for why you should prune tomato plants, including: You'll get more tomatoes. I answer this question about pruning tomatoes and more! After that, you should see some sprouting happening. Indeterminate Tomato Varieties: The answer to this question is actually a personal one. This will prevent the splashing of soil up onto the tomato plant and the tomato plants wounds. Tomatoes don't like to dry out but they also don't like to stay wet. But the study did not find that pruning tomato suckers ever helped with the yield of the plant. Do I Have to Prune My Tomato Plant? Side stems affect plant vigor. Should I prune my tomato plants? The benefit of this practice is to improve airflow which may help to control foliar diseases. The common practice is to prune the suckers at the bottom of tomato plants. This will allow for the wounds from the pruning to heal cleanly and will reduce the chances of the plant being infected by disease. This will redirect the plant’s energy from flower formation to developing strong roots. Pruning plants helps with preventing diseases such as tomato blight. The best way to do this is with your fingers, twisting the sucker until it snaps off. Removing large amounts of foliage at one time can stress the plant. The main reason to prune tomato plants is that it helps your plant direct its energy toward producing fruit rather than producing more foliage. University of New Hampshire Extension. By the time your tomato plant gets to be this size, the plant will have branches coming off the main stem. So, scientifically speaking, who is right? But by clearing out the lower branches and foliage, you reduce the chance of infection and spread. If you choose to prune tomato plants, make sure that you use watering methods that water the tomato plants at the soil level (like soaker hoses) rather than from above (like sprinklers). It really is that simple. The benefit of this practice is to improve airflow which may help to control foliar diseases. Pinch the new suckers soon after they appear. When it comes to pruning tomato plants, it’s all about clearing space to promote better air circulation, provide more light, and keep pests and disease at bay. It's recommended that you prune in the mornings, as unwanted stems will break away easier. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. The farm planted thousands of tomatoes, and for a few days each summer the whole staff would line up and down the tomato rows prune the tomato plants. tall. This is called a tomato sucker. One has to wonder if these people who work with plants all the time and are considered the ultimate experts in their field know something that the scientific types have missed. Others claim that pruning tomato suckers damages the plant unnecessarily, opening it up to disease and doing nothing to actually help. Where these branches meet, you will see and additional branch growing. Pruning an indeterminate plant though will give you a higher yield, and so most gardeners prefer to do so. There are several ways to prune tomato plants, depending on the type of tomato and the support you use.