There are many different methods for pruning tomatoes however this is the way my family have been doing it for generations and I am yet to have an unsuccessful crop.
Importantly never prune or tie plants when the are wet.
The steps Involved for pruning tomatoes are:
1. First of all make sure that the leaves are never touching or even close to the soil. This should be checked on a daily basis and pruning should be done when necessary.
2. Remove all side shoots, that form between the side stem and the main stem (sometimes called suckers). These side shoots if left alone will form like a normal stem and have leaves and bear fruit. The plant may bear fruit more quickly but they will be smaller and the plant will finish fruiting a lot earlier. The main stems strength will also be compromised and may break under all the weight. The easiest and safest way to do this is to pinch it off when it is still small using your thumb ad index finger, avoid using blades as this can quickly lead to infection.
3. Remove all side stems below the first fruit cluster.
4. Do not tie plants to the stake or trellis until the first flower appears or wait until the plant starts to sag…whichever comes first. This will encourage the the stem to strengthen up on its own accord.
5. Caged plants only need their bottom leaves pruned to keep the leaves well away from the soil. Any wandering stems just need to be pushed back inside the cage.
6. When the flowering begins, tie all tomato vines to their supports. Care must be taken as the stems are easily damaged. Many different types of materials can be used, some growers prefer biodegradable ties that break down over the season so they don’t damage the stem as it grows larger. I prefer old panty hose as they are a gentle material. However they may need to be adjusted over time in order to minimize damage.
7. Training ties keep the plants growing upwards, they should be placed around main stem and then wrapped loosely over itself to make a figure eight. This reduces the stem from bruising.
8. Supporting ties should be placed above a cluster of fruit in order to take the weight off the main stem, this takes the weight off the stem and prevents the stem from bending over or breaking under the excess weight. A sling like tie should be placed just above the cluster, again this should be loose in a figure eight. It should be tied a few inches higher than the point it is attached to the vine.
9. About a month before the last frost a final prune should be done in order to ensure all fruit fully matures. This is done by lopping all the growing tips. This will direct all the plants energy into maturing the remaining fruit instead of continuing the stem growth.
If the plant is to be staked or trellised than extra pruning is necessary. If a tomato uncaged is left to its own devices they will grow into a tangled, disease infested wreck, they simply need to be pruned in order to produce a bountiful harvest. When pruning and staking tomatoes we must ensure that each leaf has plenty of room and is off the ground, this will maximize photosynthesis and minimize the risk of disease. What you need to aim for is a single stem plant with plenty of room between stem and leaves. A properly pruned plant will result in large fruits that steadily produce until the next frost. Multiple stems will result in poor fruit production. Pruned plants are also healthier as the leaves dry off faster, so bacterial and fungus have less opportunity to spread and soil is less likely to spray up onto leaves (which contains countless bacteria and fungal pathogens).
Visit Tomato Growing Guide for more helpful tomato plant care tips.
About the Author: Chris Fotiou has a passion for cooking, travel and gardening. Chris is the owner of a popular cooking tour website called World Cooking Tours World Cooking Tours lists hundreds of cooking tours from around the world. Cooking Classes in Tuscany is the most popular cooking tour destination.
Tags: Pruning, Tamota Plant Care, Tomato Diseases, Tomato growing
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