What to Cut Off Tomato Plants

Tomatoes are a favorite amongst gardeners and food-lovers alike, but in order to grow healthy, delicious tomatoes, it's important to know what to cut off your plants. Pruning your tomato plants can help them grow stronger, produce more fruit, and avoid diseases. Here's what you should know about what to cut off tomato plants:

Suckers

Suckers are small branches that grow out of the joint where a branch meets the stem of the plant. While it might be tempting to leave them, they can actually rob the plant of energy and prevent it from producing as much fruit as it could. This is because suckers use nutrients that the rest of the plant needs to produce fruit. You can identify suckers by looking for small, green branches growing at the base of larger branches.

To remove suckers, use a clean and sharp pair of pruning shears to snip them off at the base. Be careful not to accidentally trim off any other branches, and avoid pruning too close to the main stem, as this can damage the plant.

Lower Leaves

Lower leaves on tomato plants can become yellow or start to wilt as the plant grows. While these leaves might seem like they're just getting old, they're actually sapping the plant of energy. Removing them helps direct more energy and nutrients to the rest of the plant, which can lead to stronger growth and better fruit production.

Lower leaves also have a higher likelihood of coming into contact with soil and water, which can lead to disease. By cutting them off, you help reduce the chances of your plant contracting any diseases that the soil or water might be carrying.

Top Growth

While it might seem counterintuitive, cutting off the tops of your tomato plants can actually help promote more fruit production. This is because the plant will redirect energy that would have gone to the top of the plant towards producing more fruit. By cutting off the top growth of your tomato plants, you can also help prevent the plant from growing too tall, which can make harvesting more difficult and make the plant more susceptible to wind damage.

You can cut off the top growth of your plant by using pruning shears to snip the tips off of the tallest branches. Be sure to leave enough growth on the plant to support the fruit, and avoid cutting off too much at once, as this can stress the plant.

In Conclusion

Knowing what to cut off your tomato plants can help you grow healthier, happier tomato plants that produce more fruit. By cutting off suckers, lower leaves, and top growth, you can help redirect energy and nutrients towards where they're needed most, and prevent the plant from developing disease or growing too tall. With a little bit of pruning, your tomato plants will be flourishing in no time!