i actually read a thingi on taking all the leaves off but the last 3, that'd be the tip on each branch, apparently one of the problems with tomato plants is that they don't get enough air into the middle. so this year i am going to take all the leaves off but the outter 3. and see how they do. well, let me say, i will do this on 1 plant of each of the two that i am planting. as in 2 better boys (just saying) 1 i will do that to. 1 i will do nothing to. also, i always do the 5 tums in each hole. did you aske the question on the tomato forum?? ~Medo

I only plant 1 per sq ft and I trellis and pinch the suckers off until the plant is as high as the trellis and then I pinch the top and let the rest of the tomatoes ripen before harvest time. The only tomatoes that I don't trellis is the Roma tomato. Then I plant 4 per sq ft.

If it is in an area that doesn't get a lot of wind movement, I'd think seriously of pruning. It's easy to get a lot of bad pests or diseases if they are on top of one another and there isn't any wind to dry the leaves out.

I pruned in my containers last year, but didn't prune my in ground tomatoes. Both produced very well, but I would stick to pruning..it makes it much easier.

Oh..and if your in a high heat/high sun area, I would not prune. You'll get some severe sun scald on the tomato fruits.

I only prune the suckers.

EG

I prune suckers and about a foot off the bottom, as I put carrots under my toms. About a month short of first frost I'll prune the tops off of the largest indeterminates.

Dan

I only prune suckers until they get ahead of me, which doesn't seem to take long. I have always planted determinate varieties, and have read they should not be pruned, but the indeterminates should be. That same article said to always remove all the growth on the bottom few inches of the plants where they might be splattered with water/soil. If you Google "tomato pruning" you can get some very good directions.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Last year I saw a video on pruning tomatoes (not like Mel suggests down to 1 vine), but to let light into the bottom and middle for ripening to occur. It seemed to work well for my SWC toms.

Oh and I pinched suckers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfoniaan's garden adventure

I used to - in Gullyvornia - prune leaves off my toms as well, but a few instances of sunburn occurred and I stopped. Where sinfonian lives (and I used to live) you want as much light as possible and would have fewer consequences.

Dan

I planted mine last year 1 foot apart and started out pinching the suckers. But like Granny said, they didn't seem to take too long to get ahead of me. I had a tomato jungle. This year, I'm making tomato cages and not even trying to prune.

Connie

Here is a link that might be useful: My garden blog

If you don't prune, you will get a much larger, sprawling plant that may have some issues with air circulation if confined in a cage. If you let them sprawl on the ground, then you have danger of contact with the soil causing rot on the fruit and fungus on the leaves. If you do prune, you run the risk of sun scald from not having enough foliage to shade the tomatoes. Decisions, decisions!

My practice for most years is to prune at the beginning of the year and then let some suckers grow to produce a bigger, shadier plant. These are supported on stakes or sometimes in cages. A few years I've let them go and was not happy with the results.

All these considerations will vary depending on your particular climate and strength of sunshine. Ask at your local extension office for the best recommendations for your area and then consider all the options. Whatever you decide to do, if the plants stay healthy you will have plenty of tomatoes.

Sandy

which ones are the suckers again?? i forget. ~Medo

Medo - the suckers are the little things that start growing in the crotch, between the main stem and horizontal limbs.

EG

ok, got it, thanks :') ~Medo

I have never pruned a tomato plant. I believe every leaf does it photosynthesis thing and add to the growth and vigor of the plant. I think that pruning tomatoes got started with the commercial growerÂs years ago. They always plant determinate tomatoes and wanted to be the first to market with the largest/nicest tomatoes. They wanted the most $$ for there product and not interested in a sustainable yield. With a sustainable yield they are in competition with home gardeners who are no longer buying their tomatoes and they get minimum $$ for there effort. I am not talking about what the store wants for there tomatoes, I am talking about the farmer/commercial greenhouse owner and what they get.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal

John,

You grow indets in a single square foot, on a trellis, without pruning them at all?

Posted by engineeredgarden 7, nw Alabama (My Page) on Thu, Feb 19, 09 at 16:25

Medo - the suckers are the little things that start growing in the crotch, between the main stem and horizontal limbs.
EG

Anyplace else and a comment like that would get you shot by an angry husband! :)

queuetue, I plant one tom per 5 squares,

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal

jleiwig - yeah....it's that word "crotch". Ha!

EG

Medo - here's a picture for ya....

EG

hmm well it's a south facing garden and in southern california (zone 10) so sun scald could be an issue. Might have to research sun scald on tomatoes. I didn't get this last year, but then I had 3-4 'branches' on each tom, and tried to keep up with suckers.