When to Pull Suckers on Tomato Plants

Tomato plants are a popular choice for gardeners everywhere, thanks to their versatility and delicious fruit. However, in order to get the most from your tomato plants, it's important to know when to pull suckers.

What are Suckers?

Suckers are shoots that grow between the main stem of the tomato plant and the side branches. While these shoots may look harmless at first, they are actually immature growth that will eventually compete with the main stem for nutrients and water.

Removing suckers is important for two reasons. First, it ensures that the main stem of the plant is not competing for resources with immature growth. Second, it encourages the plant to focus its energy on producing fruit rather than more growth.

When to Pull Suckers

So, when should you pull suckers on your tomato plants? The answer depends on the type of tomato plant you are growing. Indeterminate varieties, which produce sprawling vines and produce fruit over a long period of time, require more frequent sucker removal than determinate varieties, which grow to a certain height and then produce all their fruit at once.

For indeterminate varieties, suckers should be removed when they are small and easy to snap off with your fingers. This will help to minimize damage to the main stem of the plant. Suckers should be removed regularly throughout the growing season to ensure that the plant is not wasting energy on unnecessary growth.

For determinate varieties, suckers are less of a concern. These plants require less maintenance overall, but you should still remove any large suckers that are competing with the fruiting branches for nutrients and light.

How to Pull Suckers

When pulling suckers, it's important to do so carefully to avoid damaging the main stem of the plant. Suckers should be removed when they are small and easy to snap off with your fingers. If the sucker is larger or more mature, you may need to use a small pair of pruning shears to remove it.

When removing suckers, it's important to also remove any flowers or fruit that may be growing on them. This will help to redirect the plant's energy back to the main stem and fruiting branches.

Conclusion

Knowing when to pull suckers is an important part of growing healthy and productive tomato plants. Regular sucker removal will help to maximize the plant's energy and produce a bountiful crop. So, keep an eye on your tomato plants and remove suckers as needed.