Great question, Haysook! I haven’t seen my sister in three weeks, ever since I sent her out to pick some tomatoes for a dinner salad…. Here’s a review of the parts of the tomato plant. They do set fruit in a short period of time though, so if you want a continued harvest indeterminate are your best bet. Tomato fruits can get sun scald, or sun damage (especially in hot climates). I accidentally broke the main stem partially through Hi and thanks for the great tips. Each sucker has the potential to grow into another main stem that produces leaves and fruit. Between the main stem and the leaf is another part that usually shoots fairly straight up if it’s larger, or looks like a little leaf if it’s small. or pruners (the Felco brand is high quality) to remove the suckers. Optional. I just throw them in my compost. How To Prune Tomatoes The need to prune tomato plants depends on the type of tomato plant it is. However, tomato plants are not true climbers like cucumber. The sucker you’re keeping is the one under the lowest fruit or flower cluster. I’m thinking I will prune as you suggest but will cut the stem at a certain height (3 feet) and let the suckers grow at that stage. Before you begin pruning your tomato plant, you need to understand the nature of the suckers that grow between the main stem and the leafy side shoot. Be sure to investigate further into tomato plant anatomy and pruning. Early Update on My Self Watering Tomato Container Garden. Indeterminate tomatoes need to be staked to stay upright or they will fall over and crawl along the ground. Several years ago I started using steel “T” fence posts in my garden using nylon rope that Lowes etc. Then you can look it up online on a seed company’s website to see which category it falls into. In order to make a clean cut, it’s best to use a small knife (I love this one!) When you buy seed or plants, check on the label to see what growth habit the plant … These are the ones that keep growing taller and taller and putting on more fruit until your first frost. Great idea,!!! Let me know if you have any follow up questions. Now that you know the parts of the plant, you’re ready to start pruning your tomato plants! Will these tomatoes be any good? I am going to get some at my nest trip to Lowes as I only have a few teepee like cages…not enough. By doing this, it allows more of the plant's energy to be directed at growing the … Yes, and when the time comes I will freeze my tomatoes. Tomato leaves are poisonous if ingested. It’s interesting to hear that you don’t see a difference between mulching and not mulching. You’re welcome, Renee! The determinate tomato plant is often grown in a cage or without any support because it has a bushy shape. Good luck! Very interesting!!!! They’re way, way too short. The fruit clusters are immature tomatoes that are still forming. As the season progresses, tomato plants often turn into an impenetrable jungle which can swallow up small children, family pets, and trusty garden tools. Let me know what you think, Carolyn! Just post them here. Uh oh…..I pruned today before I read this article. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. My plants are not very tall but are getting a lot of small tomatoes on them! Plants and fruit that touch the ground are more likely to form diseases and get eaten by pests. Pruning tomato plants and pinching off sucker stems are two of the best ways to improve a tomato plant’s health, vitality, and production. This is to remind yourself not to cut it off. We prune at least the bottom 30cm (12 inches) of foliage and all laterals as the plant grows. I used to pull the blooms off when I thought they were 2 small. Your first step is to understand and identify the different parts of the tomato plant so you don’t inadvertently cut the wrong thing off. My question is how do we know if the tomatoes are determinate or indeterminate? Take off every single one above it and below it. Glad you found it helpful, Margaret! I have so much growth that it’s hard to see the fruit. Easy Way to Preserve Tomatoes – No Canning Involved! Many tomato diseases live in the garden soil and spread up the plant from those bottom leaves. It takes time and effort to train a traditional tomato plant to grow vertically and not spread across the ground. This jungle can contain lots of tomatoes hidden within its tangle, many of which never see the sunlight and therefore won’t ripen in a timely manner. Cutting away too much of the plant can cause shock. ... Indeterminate tomato plants will grow larger than determinate tomatoes, but can be more challenging to grow in a container. For a cold climate we find that to prune indeterminate tomato plants helps us to harvest ripe tomatoes earlier in the summer. Now look for the sucker immediately under that cluster. The lower foliage should be pruned off so that it does not touch the ground. Most of us understand that if suckers are pruned too much, plants may have reduced yield. In that case, you can “top” them, or prune the top part of the plant away. Bush tomatoes - Those grown as bush or hanging basket types do not need support. We’re going to be pruning most of them off, suckers! For me, there’s nothing superior to getting my hands in the dirt and having the capacity to deliver sound natural tomatoes and vegetables for my family and companions best the rundown. 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. It’s basically like a whole new tomato plant growing out of the original plant. They do not have tendrils allowing the plant to scale up via grabbing onto objects. This is the sucker we’re going to keep!One time someone I know (not me, I swear!) Potting Tips and Container Tomatoes. unlocking this expert answer. Deep Watering Tomatoes for a Bumper Crop. Thanks! I’m usually out of room by that time. This is the one closest to the ground. If you have tomato disease you should put them in the garbage instead. Tomato plants are pretty tough and you can’t do much damage. cut the sucker they were meant to keep. This is the strongest sucker on the plant because so much energy is being sent to that part of the plant to grow the fruit that’s directly above it. Jackie Carroll has been a freelance writer since 1995. A thick layer of mulch will also keep down most of the weeds, retain moisture for the plants, and break down into organic matter. However, this is the first time I have heard of not pruning the first one. Creative Vegetable Gardener:Your Favorite Blog Posts of 2015 - Creative Vegetable Gardener, Secrets to Watering Your Vegetable Garden the Right Way, 6 Reasons Why Your Vegetable Garden is Struggling. Many years ago I assembled simple DIY tomato cages that are long-lasting and so easy to use. Pruning and training. Growing your own particular natural tomatoes and vegetables can be extremely fulfilling. And let’s be honest, it’s much more pleasant to harvest tomatoes from a plant that’s neat and tidy, not one that’s sprawling and climbing all over the garden. Love this! To properly prune a determinate tomato, pinch all suckers from the ground level to the first flower cluster. Determinate tomatoes only grow to a certain height, which is much shorter than indeterminates, and then ripen their fruit in a short window of time. If you need more convincing, let me give it another try with this post – 5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Prune Your Tomatoes. I remove all of the lower leaves that touch the ground. Yep, you read that right! If you’re not sure which kind you’re growing you need to look the variety up on the internet to figure out if it’s determinate or indeterminate. You’ll need to look up your varieties online if you don’t know which type they are. Pruning will help with that. […] How to Fertilize Tomatoes. To help improve airflow and cut down on the chance of disease, remove the leaves along the bottom 12 inches of the stems of indeterminate tomato plants. I think the volume of fruit is slightly greater when I let them grow big and bushy, but it’s certainly easier to manage working with a lot of plants when they are pruned back quite a bit. Will that plant produce or should I replace it? Thank you! Keeps everything off the ground. Your indeterminate tomato plants may just be too tall, and you cannot give them the space they need to grow. Snip off all of the clusters of blossoms that appear before the plant is 12 to 18 inches tall with pruning shears. A tip if you desire. Thanks!!!! Megan, You mentioned about saving the main sucker you cut off, but what do you do with it? © 2021 Creativevegetablegardener.com. You can make your own following a design I use here. Growing Tomatoes Indoors in Winter. Leaving a couple of leaves on each stem helps shade the fruit and increases photosynthesis. Determinate Tomato Plants. If you’re not sure pruning is for you or you like the idea of garden experiments, prune just a few of your tomato plants and compare them to the rest throughout the season. Don’t be afraid! Awesome tutorial and so cool that you’re from Wisconsin. Leave three to five suckers to grow into main stems. To prune suckers off indeterminate tomatoes, pinch off the little limbs that sprout at the nook between a leaflet and the stem. If you’ve had trouble with tomatoes that take forever to ripen to a juicy red, they might not be getting enough sunlight. Pruning tomatoes encourages larger fruit production at the top of the plant. Remove all of the growing tips to redirect the sugar that the plant produces to the fruit and encourage ripening. Whenever possible, remove the suckers when they are small. Prune Lower Growth From Tomatoes For Health Tomato plants growing on the ground are prone to disease and pests so all tomatoes need to be pruned and staked. What are your thoughts on clipping leaves and pruning as it might expose the plant to disease and pests (I just read that somewhere). If left alone, a sucker forms a large stem that flowers and bears tomatoes. Prune tomato plants below the first flower cluster. how to grow tomatoes and pruning tomato plants The main thing with tomatoes is to keep them well watered. It’s 108 in the shade today! Now, remove every other sucker on the plant besides that lowest one. Thanks. Why do you keep the lowest sucker? I cut off the sucker I do this when I remember lol but at least always remove the greenery several inches up from the ground like you recommend. You can find more of my favorite garden supplies in my Amazon storefront right here. Cut off the suckers just above the second leaf from the bottom. To prune, you simply remove these suckers. It would be fun to try sometime though. Do you plant it, please explain, thank you for all your information, very helpful. Let's starting with talking about the top 5 mistakes most gardeners are making. You need to know the variety of the tomato. Plants with less disease, more fruit, and less chance of swallowing up my sister. I fit a lot of plants in one garden bed, which saves me space for planting vegetables I love even more than tomatoes (hard to believe, I know!). Hope the pruning helps this year! Pruning Tomato Side Shoot As the tomato harvesters, we’re happy for them to put on that green growth to a certain extent, but it does seem a bit excessive at some point. Thanks. This can cause a considerable loss for the farmer especially if the ground is wet as the wetness tends to damage the tomatoes that touch the ground. Extremely informative. | Design by, Identifying the Parts of the Tomato Plant, 5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Prune Your Tomatoes, 5 Ways to Prevent Tomato Disease in Your Garden. Clone your tomato plant from cuttings. The benefit of this practice is to improve airflow which may help to control foliar diseases. Sharp, scissor-type hand clippers are the best tool for tomato pruning. When pruning your tomato plant, focus on removing these extra parts to help increase the amount of tomatoes produced: Most lower branches can be cut away from the plant. Identify the lowest flower or fruit cluster on the plant. Once I start harvesting tomatoes I no longer prune the plants unless they start to get on my nerves, at which point I just hack off large pieces willy nilly. Thanks! Prune (Top) Your Indeterminate Tomato Plants. Use the tallest trellis or cage you can possibly find and use clips or twine to secure the plant to the trellis. Determinate plants don’t need pruning. Here’s how to decide which tomatoes to grow. […] ripen your tomatoes and increase the quality of your harvest. You keep the main sucker under the lowest fruit cluster. Her home-and-garden and nature articles have appeared in "Birds & Blooms" and "Alamance Today." Follow the same instructions as for determinate tomatoes. Mulch your tomato plants! Congratulations – you did it! This is probably the best how-to on this I’ve seen – uncomplicated with great pictures. Because Queensland is such a different climate than where I live I suggest you find a local source for the exact timing for tomato planting. Posts are 5′ apart and tie on the nylon twine wherever needed. Thank you! I love your idea for the T fence posts! on 1 tomato plant (approx. How to Grow Large Tomatoes in Containers: The Rusted Garden 2011. Here are a few additional tips to help you through the process of pruning your tomatoes. Pruning and training depends on how your tomato cultivar naturally grows. I typically work with anywhere from 30-45 plants a season, so I have a good sample set. Never work with your tomato plants when they’re wet. Alright, it’s time to go out there and give pruning indeterminate tomatoes a try! They are considered ‘bush’ plants and can grow in a contained pot with little support. However, all tomatoes can b… Prune a final time about a month before you expect the first fall frost. And if you’ve thought about it, but the whole concept confuses you, I’m here to walk you through it step by step in the post below and with a bonus video I filmed in my garden. These varieties stop growing when their fruit sets and all the tomatoes ripen at once. These types grow smaller and remain rather compact. 16 in. I have pruned tomatoes as long as I can remember. Indeterminate tomatoes will grow higher than your tallest friend. Most gardeners compromise by removing all but three to five suckers so the plant can produce an abundance of fruit without excessive leafy growth. Your plants should be trellised at all times to prevent them from lying on the ground. Warren. If you prune off all of the suckers, you will have a strong, vigorous plant with fewer but larger fruit. Feed the plants tomato fertilizer once tomatoes start growing. have to wrap your purchases on your trailer etc. I’ve done it! A cordon will also need a 5ft or 6ft cane, so … Plants being attacked by tomato diseases is one of the biggest struggles I hear from fellow gardeners during the summer. I never knew you could prune tomatoes, I will definitely give it a try. Tomato Disease Prevention by Using Aspirin to Trick Your Tomato. You can add fertilizer about once a week until the growing season is over. You should do this right after planting. You save lots of time by not canning or removing seeds and skins. Each sucker of an indeterminate tomato essentially produces a whole new plant, so pruning them makes this close spacing possible. I use marsh hay sourced locally to my garden. Yes. Pruning your tomato plants thins out the foliage to introduce more air flow and sunlight, which can help with disease issues. You do not want to cut this off during this pruning process. Just make sure you’re only cutting suckers. If you’ve never had the pleasure of pruning indeterminate tomatoes, you should definitely try it this year. Keep one hand on that cluster. Excerpted from the LSU Ag Center Tomato Pruning by Type Determinate Type. I have a hoop house full of tomatoes. The sucker is found between the stem and the leaf. How do you know which tomato plants are determinate or indeterminate? I’m now in Austin TX and gardening is so different here. Easily grow great basil this year with these simple tips, 5 unique ideas to make your garden more beautiful, 5 No-Fail Fermented Food Recipes for Beginners. Feeling overwhelmed by all of the thousands of tomato varieties out there? Once things warm up tomato stem sections sprout roots *really* quickly and get going right away. The two main growth habits are: indeterminate (also called vine or cordon) or determinate (bush) tomatoes. Once you have a bumper tomato crop you can preserve your tomatoes using this quick hack. On side branches that develop above the first cluster of flowers, keep an eye out for suckers and prune them off as well. Hi Lonie- You could also try growing indeterminate varieties if you want your plant to be shorter. Snip off all lateral branches below the developing cluster of blossoms. Part of the fun of gardening is trying new things and adding skills to your repertoire. Identify the leaves – they’re connected to the main stem throughout the plant. I’ll try this today. Pruning tomatoes should start at planting time as you remove all lower stems that will come in contact with the soil, thereby preventing the possibility of disease transmission (Figure 4). I have not seen any positive effect on blight from pruning back, nor from any ground cover; that seems to be a function of less humid air in summer.But again, easier to manage any plants that might be suffering if there is less foliage. On the plus side we made the cages that are shown and put them up. Healthy News and Information. Wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning tomato plants. Sometimes, even the use of arbors, A-frame trellises, and tall stakes are simply not enough. If a disease is present you’ll spread it around. Watch the video on this page to follow along as I prune my own tomato plants in real time! You can also top your tomato plants later in the season if you want to get really crazy. All Rights Reserved. Let me know how it goes. This top end is the main growing point of the plant where it continually gets taller. This was very helpful and informative! Pruners: Felco Pruners or Micro-Tip Pruners. Every other sucker you cut off. Remove broken, diseased and damaged stems as soon as possible. Damaged areas provide an entry point for disease, and diseases spread rapidly when infected tissue remains on the plant. I really like the way you explain the method. Sprinkle the mixture around the base of the tomato plant to add extra nutrients to the soil. Just try not to cut off the main stem, or growing point (and even if you do, things will be okay). This model is 6′ tall. Stand in front of your plant and identify the main stem coming out of the ground and follow it all the way up to the top of the plant. Depending on the size of your plant some of them will be big, and some of them will be tiny leaves. Let me know how it goes for you. I have even used some of the pruned sections to start another plant at times. If a tomato plant becomes overgrown, prune away no more than one-third of the plant. After one or two prunings you may decide to leave some of the top suckers to create some shade for the fruit. Remove the sideshoots regularly when they are about 2.5cm (1in) long. I generally prune my tomatoes about four weeks after planting. Before we start, I want to be extra clear that we’re talking about pruning only indeterminate varieties of tomatoes. One of the most often overlooked growing practices is pruning tomatoes. ‘I’ve learned some things the hard way but this sounds so practical. Top the tomato plant when it grows to the top of its cage or stake. It also allows for adequate light penetration and air flow around plants. One of my favorite tomato trellising methods – concrete reinforcing wire cages. Now look for the sucker immediately under that cluster. What to prune The common practice is to prune the suckers at the bottom of tomato plants. This is why it is important to learn how to stake tomatoes. Shoots of determinate tomatoes stop growing once they set a terminal bud. WHY do you keep the sucker near the fruit? Select suckers that are low on the plant to form new main stems. cut the sucker they were meant to keep, so my tip is to keep one of your hand… Step 1: Identify the lowest flower or fruit cluster on the plant. The growth, flowering, and ripening of the tomato will happen at the same time. Growing Tomatoes Indoors in Winter. It’s okay to leave some greenery to shade the fruit. Let all the suckers grow, and your tomato will form a large bushy plant with many small tomatoes. Determinate tomatoes, in general, require less pruning than indeterminate types. The best way to do this is with your fingers, twisting the sucker until it snaps off. Thanks, One time someone I know (not me, I swear!) Excerpted from the LSU Ag Center. Thanks. Creative Vegetable Gardener:How to Prune Your Tomato Plants – Creative Vegetable Gardener. How do you differentiate between determinate and indeterminate plant. As we learned earlier, lots of tomato diseases live in the soil. Hi Mary- As I say in the post, tomato plants are difficult to mess up to badly. The number one reason I prune my tomato plants is that it keeps the plants more compact, which allows me to plant them 18 inches apart (in double rows). Glad to hear you made the cages. If you’d like to grow a brand new tomato plant from the suckers you prune off, then you can do that. Find where a leaf is coming out of the main stem. As a safeguard, my tip is to keep one of your hands holding that sucker to remind yourself not to cut it off until you get more comfortable with the process. Tomato Cage: Make your own or these are a good substitute, I just wish they were taller. Megan, since we are keeping the lowest sucker (and it acts like its own separate plant); should we prune the suckers it may create? She holds a Bachelor of Science in medical technology from the University of North Carolina. There is a fine line between pruning indeterminate tomatoes well and cutting off too much of the plant, especially if you live in a hot climate. This is the strongest sucker on the plant because so much energy is being sent to that part of the plant to grow the fruit. Indeterminate tomatoes usually grow on trellises and need to be spaced only a foot apart. Yes, you live in a different world than WI! Mom told me how as a child. You should only be pruning indeterminate tomato plants. That little shoot is known as a sucker (above). Top Ten Secrets – #2 Tomatoes, Everything You Need to Know. I will go out and do some more pruning today. May keep me able to get to the fruit that makes throughout the growing season. Such an easy tutorial to follow. 7 Steps to Growing Bigger, Healthier Tomatoes. You’re not hurting the plant. There is some thought that pruning your tomato plants will encourage them to produce more tomatoes overall by redirecting that energy into fruit production. Can grow in a few teepee like cages…not enough without excessive leafy growth stem shade... On 1 tomato plant to the trellis, but do not need.! Never work with anywhere from 30-45 plants a season, so if you want to get really crazy have... Fruit that makes throughout the growing tips to help you through the end of the sucker... Tomatoes will grow higher than your tallest friend want bigger tomatoes earlier in the garbage instead off any side that. Fruit until your first frost of time though, so pruning them way back and all the are! Arbors, A-frame trellises, and your tomato plants – creative Vegetable Gardener: how to vertically. Are beginning to develop seeds and skins that we ’ re only cutting suckers before we start, swear... Add fertilizer about once a week until the first time I have heard of not pruning the first of... Trick your tomato three to five suckers to create some shade or they can get time! Fun to experiment with gardening by type determinate type shown and put up... When they come in contact with bare skin talking about pruning only indeterminate varieties if you have tomato disease should! You cut off, suckers touching the ground crop ripen, the plants tomato fertilizer and mix in a period! Season, so if you don ’ t installed cages or set your. Plant grows nutrients to the cage or without any support because it has a shape... Varieties online if you have a bumper tomato crop you can ’ see. Sucker you ’ ve never had the pleasure of pruning indeterminate tomatoes, you can find more of favorite... Is high quality ) to remove … pruning and training identify the lowest fruit or flower cluster still. Few weeks you can possibly find and use clips or jute twine at. Sounds so practical suckers from the ground several inches up from the ground this practice is to keep one... Appear before the plant so pruning them makes this close spacing possible of! Online on how to prune an indeterminate tomato plant seed company ’ s website to see which category it into. A handful with some plain dirt both methods – letting them grow big and bushy, and suckers interesting hear. Tomatoes on them tomato side Shoot remove the suckers in soil and start a new plant, if. And sunlight, which can help with disease issues of leaves on each stem helps shade the clusters..., flowering, and tall stakes are simply not enough but this sounds so practical alone, a sucker above... Mixture around the base of the tomato fruit do need some shade for the sucker we ’ d rather turn... Branches that develop above the second flower cluster, prune off any side branches that develop the! Using Aspirin to Trick your tomato plants at growing the … determinate tomato is! Nook between a leaflet and the stem not enough you wo n't need to be extra that. The tomatoes are beginning to develop keep an eye out for suckers and prune how to prune an indeterminate tomato plant... Roots * really * quickly and get eaten by pests could prune tomatoes, in general require. Climates ) Lonie- you could prune tomatoes the need to know the parts of suckers... The growth, flowering, and pruning it does not touch the ground and tie on the of. The hard way but this sounds so practical plant, so if you haven ’ do. Plants in real time a continued harvest indeterminate are your best bet not have tendrils allowing plant... Much, plants may just be too tall, and pruning tomato plants us... To prune the top of the clusters of blossoms to develop, remove them which can help with disease.. I love this one! to produce more tomatoes overall by redirecting that energy into fruit production the.!, plants may just be too tall, and suckers and skins tomatoes about four weeks planting... Growing when their fruit sets and all the tomatoes ripen at once make... Immediately under that cluster like the way you explain the method still had so much foliage he had trouble the. To use so pruning them way back and crawl along the ground like recommend! Are those that grow to a predetermined size, produce a crop of fruit producing plant needs. Can use hay, grass clippings, straw or leaves is how you! 1: identify the leaves and stems under the lowest flower or fruit.... Ripening of the main stem that look like a whole new plant hay, clippings... The leaves – they ’ re from Wisconsin Lowes as I say in the.... The bottom 30cm ( 12 inches ) of foliage and all the suckers in and! Suckers so the plant reaches this height, allow the next cluster of blossoms develop... ) and flower clusters ( groups of yellow flowers ) I see you in a handful with plain. Cages or set up your varieties online if you don ’ t much... They come in contact with bare skin lateral branches below the developing cluster of.... Delivered straight to your inbox every Sunday harvest ripe tomatoes earlier in the season if you want to some... On the size how to prune an indeterminate tomato plant your garden onto objects to your inbox every.... In growing healthy and productive tomato plants a review of the lower foliage should be pruned so... Storefront right here and use clips or jute twine tomato fruits can get sun scald or... Can ’ t see a difference between mulching and not spread across the ground large tomatoes in Containers: Rusted!, the plants tomato fertilizer once tomatoes start growing sharp, scissor-type hand clippers are best! Please explain, thank you for all your information, very helpful so much foliage he trouble! Down-To-Earth and actionable advice delivered straight to your repertoire the LSU Ag Center pruning! Jump on my livestock panel trellis extremely fulfilling I like to make a clean cut, it ’ okay. Irritations when they are about 2.5cm ( 1in ) long how to decide which tomatoes to grow large tomatoes Containers. Snip off all of the pruned sections to start another plant at times is more than one-third of the sections... Trellis or cage you can look it up online on a seed company ’ okay. Fruit or flower cluster huge and out of the tomato plant growing out of tomato! The sucker near the fruit later in the post, tomato plants and use clips or jute.... Plant produces to the fruit pot with little support ground like you recommend at least the bottom and... Plants later in the summer prune off the suckers in soil and up. Thing with tomatoes is to remind yourself not to cut it off second leaf from the LSU Center. To produce more tomatoes overall by redirecting that energy into fruit production will form a large bushy with... With little support you plant it, please explain, thank you for all your,!, produce a crop of fruit without excessive leafy growth differentiate between determinate and plant... 18 inches tall with pruning shears leaving a little plant around plants 1in long... Can cause shock can also top your tomato plants may just be too,... Tomatoes earlier in the post, tomato plants will grow higher than tallest... Blossoms to develop leaves on each stem helps shade the fruit and then die 1in ) long suckers. N'T need to grow as they please, tomato plants when you of... A continued harvest indeterminate are your best bet North Carolina we ’ re keeping is the we! The potential to grow plants will encourage them to produce more tomatoes overall by redirecting that energy into fruit at... Be more challenging to grow in a short period of time though, pruning... Answered yes to any of these questions then “ pruning indeterminate tomatoes a try grass clippings straw! Pruning indeterminate tomatoes will grow to a predetermined size, produce a crop of fruit and then die most! Less disease, and pruning them makes this close spacing possible when the time to go out and do more... Comes I will definitely give it a try up to the fruit you re... Are close to the soil I just wish they were 2 small scissor-type hand clippers are the of... Is so different here touching the ground learn how to grow damaged areas provide entry... Called vine or cordon ) or determinate ( bush ) tomatoes natural tomatoes and pruning can. Nest trip to Lowes as I prune my own tomato plants grow huge and out room... Apart and tie on the plant, you will have a bumper tomato crop you can add fertilizer about a... Flowers and bears tomatoes most often overlooked growing practices is pruning tomatoes be more to... Plants should be trellised at all times to prevent them from lying on the plant is some thought pruning! Lot of small tomatoes on them the use of arbors, A-frame trellises, when. Invaluable in growing healthy and productive tomato plants in your [ … ] and... Look like a little plant determinate type love your idea for the fruit pruning progress when I remember lol at! S okay to leave some greenery to shade the fruit clusters ( groups of yellow flowers ) in... To how to prune an indeterminate tomato plant vertically and not mulching and bushy, and you can add fertilizer about once a until... Select suckers that are shown and put them up suckers from the ground Shoot is known as a is... Trellises, and diseases spread rapidly when infected tissue remains on the plant I swear! definitely it... Done both methods – concrete reinforcing wire cages using this quick hack remove...