![]() This will give them the best chance at living disease free and thriving. The bottom ⅓ of the plant should be kept clear of leaves and debris. Some gardeners “top” their plants when nearing the end of their season. Most gardeners will then begin pruning weekly or biweekly, depending on variety, schedule, and tomato trellis system. Take care not to cause too much stress by over-pruning. Once suckers are larger than a pencil, use snips to remove any possibility of damage that might lead to disease.Īt this time, you really want the plants to focus their energy into the root system and forming the main stem. Be sure to get your snips as close to the plant as possible, producing a smooth wound that is flush with the stem. The smaller the sucker, the smaller the wound to the plant. After any initial transplant shock a few weeks later, check your plants again and look for any small suckers. ![]() The Long Answer Tomato plants should be pruned from the time of transplanting and throughout its life.īefore transplanting plants, they should be pruned to remove low-hanging leaves, especially any that are yellowing. The frequency of when to prune tomato plants depends on the variety, growth of suckers, and your trellising system. The method you choose largely depends on the type of tomatoes you grow, along with your space and your tomato-growing goals.Tomato pruning should begin actively at the time of planting and then continue weekly or biweekly throughout the entire growing season. Repeat: As the plant grows, continue pruning, removing extra branches and suckers, and tying the main stem loosely to the panel to keep it growing vertically.Īnd there you have it! Whether you prune or not, you’ll still get tomatoes.Tie: When the plant reaches the bottom of the cattle panel, begin tying the main stem loosely to the panel.Suckers: Remove all suckers, which are the straight shoots that grow out of the crook where each horizontal or downward branch meets the main stem.Single stem: Remove all “extra” branches so that only one main stem remains.Lower branches: I raise my cattle panels to start about 18″ from the ground and I also remove all the branches from the lower 18″ of my plants.Here’s a little tutorial I filmed for you…Can’t see the video? Click here to watch. And some people like to do both! Either way, I ‘ve got you covered. Some folks like to read instructions while some prefer to watch a demonstration. choose your trellis: I use large cattle panels secured with zip ties to strong, metal T-posts.any trellising that would disturb the roots of your plants should be erected prior to planting.Do whatever works best for you!Īlso see: Are You Planting Tomatoes the Right Way? Sometimes I combine this task with harvesting and sometimes I prune separately. I tend to prune and tie every few weeks throughout the growing season. This reduces the likelihood of disease, and it allows me to space my plants closer together. Removing the lower branches, extra branches, and suckers provides better air flow for my tomato plants. Indeterminate tomatoes do require more time and effort for pruning and trellising, but I love the continuous harvest, the amazing varieties, and the ability to grow more tomatoes in less space. Typically, most heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate. These days I grow all indeterminate heirloom tomatoes. produce a continuous supply of fruit until frost kills the plant.also known as vining tomatoes because the plant grows tall and will sprawl when unsupported.Four things to know about indeterminate tomatoes:
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