How to Remove Suckers from Tomato Plants

Tomatoes are one of the most popular crops to grow in a vegetable garden, and for good reason. They're versatile, delicious, and relatively easy to care for. One important aspect of tomato plant care is pruning. Specifically, removing "suckers" from the plant. Suckers are small shoots that grow in the crotch between the main stem and a branch. While they may seem harmless, removing them can help keep your tomato plants healthy and productive. In this article, we'll go over everything you need to know about removing suckers from your tomato plants.

What are Suckers?

Suckers are offshoots that grow between the main stem and a branch on a tomato plant. They often look small and harmless, but left unchecked, they can cause issues for the overall health and productivity of the plant. Suckers can suck energy away from the main stem, causing it to weaken and bear less fruit. Additionally, suckers can sometimes develop their own fruit, which can be smaller and less flavorful than those on the main stem. Removing suckers is a way to prevent these problems from occurring.

How to Identify Suckers

Identifying suckers isn't difficult, but it does require some attention to detail. Suckers usually grow in the crotch where a branch meets the main stem, so be sure to look there first. They are small, green shoots that will grow around the same rate as the rest of the plant. Suckers can be identified by their lack of flowers or fruit. If you see a shoot with no flowers or fruit, it's likely a sucker. Suckers can also be identified by their angle. Unlike fruit-bearing branches, suckers tend to grow at a sharp angle from the main stem.

When to Remove Suckers

Timing is important when it comes to removing suckers. You want to wait until the plant is big enough to support itself, but not so big that removing suckers will take away too much energy from fruit production. Generally, you should start removing suckers when the plant is about a foot tall. As a rule of thumb, you should remove any suckers that are smaller than a pencil. If they're larger than that, you may want to leave them to see if they develop fruit, but be prepared to remove them if they start to take away from the main stem.

How to Remove Suckers

Removing suckers is a quick and easy process that only requires a pair of pruning shears. Start by identifying the sucker you want to remove. Hold it between your fingers and wiggle it back and forth gently to loosen it. Then, use the pruning shears to cut the sucker off as close to the main stem as possible. Be sure to make a clean cut, as this will help prevent the plant from getting infected by disease. Repeat this process for any other suckers you want to remove.

Conclusion

Removing suckers from tomato plants may seem like a small, insignificant task, but it can have a big impact on the overall productivity and health of the plant. By removing suckers, you're ensuring that the plant directs its energy towards fruit production, rather than supporting unnecessary growth. With the information in this article, you'll be equipped to identify and remove any suckers that pop up on your tomato plants, helping you to grow a healthy and fruitful crop.