How to Prune Tomato Plants

Pruning tomato plants is a vital part of their care, as it helps to promote better fruit production and can also improve their overall health. Here's how to prune your tomato plants:

Why prune tomato plants?

Pruning tomato plants helps to focus the plant's energy on fruit production instead of growing too many leaves and stems. Removing unwanted leaves and stems can also help prevent disease and pests from taking hold. Additionally, if you live in an area with limited space, pruning can help keep your plant compact and manageable.

When to prune tomato plants?

It's crucial to prune tomato plants throughout the growing season, ideally when the plant is young and just starting to grow. This will help encourage the plant's energy to focus on growing fruit instead of too many leaves and stems. Additionally, you should prune your plant after it has fruited to remove any damaged or diseased branches, and to allow better airflow for the remaining fruit.

Step-by-step guide to pruning tomato plants

1. Identify the suckers - these are the small shoots that grow between the main stem and the branches.

2. Determine how many branches your plant should have - for a determinate variety, this is usually two or three main branches, while for an indeterminate variety, you can have any number of branches you like, but it's best to keep it to about six or seven.

3. Remove the suckers by gently pinching them off using your fingers or pruning shears. Be sure not to remove any main branches or flowers.

4. Remove any diseased or damaged branches, using pruning shears. This will help prevent the spread of disease and give the remaining branches more space to grow.

5. Cut back the top of the main stem, above the last fruit cluster, to help redirect energy back into the fruit.

Final thoughts

Pruning tomato plants may seem like a daunting task, but it's a simple process that can make a big difference in the success of your crop. With a little bit of practice, you'll be able to identify and remove suckers and damaged branches with ease, and your tomato plants will be healthier and more fruitful as a result.