How to Prune Your Tomato Plants - Creative Vegetable Gardener

Do your tomato plants grow huge and out of control each year? Do they flop over, get taken over by disease or overwhelm parts of your garden? Do you want bigger tomatoes earlier in the season? If you answered yes to any of these questions then pruning your tomatoes should be on your garden task list this season.

The number one reason I prune my tomatoes is that it keeps the plants more compact, which allows me to plant them 18 inches apart (in double rows). I fit a lot of plants in one garden bed. I also don’t like when they get huge and bushy and virtually impenetrable.

Pruning thins out the plant to introduce more air flow, which can help with disease issues. There is some thought that pruning encourages plants to produce more fruit (and earlier) because the plants aren’t putting as much energy into growing leaves and suckers.

The first step to pruning is knowing the parts of the plant.

.

I film a quick video in my front yard garden showing you exactly how to prune your tomato plants. Get it for free now!

Identify the main stem coming out of the ground and follow it all the way up to the top of the plant. This is the main growing point of the plant. It continually gets taller here.

Next, look for the fruit clusters (tomatoes already forming) and flower clusters (groups of yellow flowers).

The leaves are connected to the main stem throughout the plant. Find where a leaf is coming out of the main stem.

Between the main stem and that leaf is another part that usually shoots fairly straight up if it’s larger, or looks like a little leaf if it’s small. This is called the sucker. The sucker will grow to have it’s own leaves, flowers, fruits and suckers. It’s almost like a whole new tomato plant growing out of the original plant. We’re going to be pruning most of them off.

.

Okay, now you’re ready to start pruning!

Pruning steps:

Step 1: Identify the lowest flower or fruit cluster on the plant. This is the one closest to the ground.

Step 2: Keep your hand on that cluster. Now look for the sucker immediately under that cluster. This is the strongest sucker on the plant because so much energy is being sent to that part of the plant to grow the fruit. This is the sucker we’re going to keep!

I have invariably cut the sucker I want to keep at times, so my tip is to keep one of your hands holding that sucker to remind yourself not to cut it off until you get more comfortable with the process.

Step 3: Now, remove every other sucker on the plant, above and below that one you’re going to keep. I use a small serrated knife, clippers, razor blade, or just my fingers to remove the suckers. Some of them will be big, some of them will be tiny. Take them all!

Step 4: Optional. When I’m done with the suckers, I’ll often remove some of the lower leaves on the plant that are touching the ground. This is where soil borne diseases like to start climbing up the plant.

.

I prune a few times throughout the season when I think of it. Once I start harvesting tomatoes I no longer prune the plants.

If you haven’t installed cages or set up your trellis yet, now is the time to do so. Your plants should be trellised at all times to prevent them from lying on the ground. Plants and fruit that touch the ground are more likely to form diseases and get eaten by pests. My two favorite trellises are here and here.

.

I film a quick video in my front yard garden showing you exactly how to prune your tomato plants. Get it for free now!

Important notes:

You should only be pruning indeterminate tomato plants. Determinate plants don’t need pruning.

Never work with your tomato plants when they are wet. If there is disease present you will spread it around.

Tomato fruits can get sun scald, or sun damage. Don’t over prune your plants. It’s okay to leave some greenery to shade the fruit.

Tomato plants are pretty tough and you can’t do much damage. Just try not to cut off the main stem, or growing point (and even if you do, things will be okay).

If you’re not sure pruning is for your or just want to experiment, prune a few of your tomatoes and compare them to the rest throughout the season.

Want to see how to make the best tomato trellis ever? I show you how in this popular post.

SHARE IT ON PINTEREST

","discussion":{"numPages":1,"provider":"Blogspot","confidence":0.22,"diffbotUri":"discussion|3|-1987249428","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","numPosts":14,"type":"discussion","title":"How to Prune Your Tomato Plants","posts":[{"date":"Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:55:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"Susan Sundlin","diffbotUri":"post|3|818435268","html":"

Thank you, I’ve read this elsewhere but you explained this the best, I will read again and check out my healthy looking plants, don’t think I have any fruit yet but lots of green.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":0,"text":"Thank you, I’ve read this elsewhere but you explained this the best, I will read again and check out my healthy looking plants, don’t think I have any fruit yet but lots of green.","type":"post"},{"date":"Mon, 06 Jul 2015 17:14:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|-1352506809","html":"

I’ll check on your pruning progress when I see you in a few weeks!

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":1,"text":"I’ll check on your pruning progress when I see you in a few weeks!","type":"post","parentId":0},{"date":"Wed, 01 Jul 2015 13:14:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"Renee Benell","diffbotUri":"post|3|-1496364466","html":"

Thank you! This was very helpful and informative!

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":2,"text":"Thank you! This was very helpful and informative!","type":"post"},{"date":"Mon, 06 Jul 2015 17:13:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|-274898393","html":"

You’re welcome, Renee! Let me know if you have any follow up questions. Just post them here.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":3,"text":"You’re welcome, Renee! Let me know if you have any follow up questions. Just post them here.","type":"post","parentId":2},{"date":"Mon, 20 Jun 2016 02:36:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"Jordana Meisner","authorUrl":"http://www.JordanaMeisnerFitness.com","diffbotUri":"post|3|-1463220396","html":"

Love this! This is probably the best how-to on this I’ve seen – uncomplicated with great pictures. I do this when I remember lol but at least always remove the greenery several inches up from the ground like you recommend. I have even used some of the pruned sections to start another plant at times. Once things warm up tomato stem sections sprout roots *really* quickly and get going right away.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":4,"text":"Love this! This is probably the best how-to on this I’ve seen – uncomplicated with great pictures. I do this when I remember lol but at least always remove the greenery several inches up from the ground like you recommend. I have even used some of the pruned sections to start another plant at times. Once things warm up tomato stem sections sprout roots *really* quickly and get going right away.","type":"post"},{"date":"Thu, 23 Jun 2016 14:50:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|1804044265","html":"

Jordana – I’ve never tried rooting the plant somewhere else! I’m usually out of room by that time. It would be fun to try sometime though.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":5,"text":"Jordana – I’ve never tried rooting the plant somewhere else! I’m usually out of room by that time. It would be fun to try sometime though.","type":"post","parentId":4},{"date":"Mon, 20 Jun 2016 03:27:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"Mary","diffbotUri":"post|3|918070040","html":"

Uh oh…..I pruned today before I read this article. I cut off the sucker

I was supposed to keep. On the plus side we made the cages that are shown and put them up.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":6,"text":"Uh oh…..I pruned today before I read this article. I cut off the sucker
I was supposed to keep. On the plus side we made the cages that are shown and put them up.","type":"post"},{"date":"Thu, 23 Jun 2016 14:51:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|-822084527","html":"

Hi Mary- As I say in the post, tomato plants are difficult to mess up to badly. They’ll be fine even though you cut off that sucker. Glad to hear you made the cages. Keep me posted on how you like them!

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":7,"text":"Hi Mary- As I say in the post, tomato plants are difficult to mess up to badly. They’ll be fine even though you cut off that sucker. Glad to hear you made the cages. Keep me posted on how you like them!","type":"post","parentId":6},{"date":"Mon, 20 Jun 2016 12:10:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"Christine Yesko","diffbotUri":"post|3|2034007656","html":"

Megan, You mentioned about saving the main sucker you cut off, but what do you do with it? Do you plant it, please explain, thank you for all your information, very helpful.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":8,"text":"Megan, You mentioned about saving the main sucker you cut off, but what do you do with it? Do you plant it, please explain, thank you for all your information, very helpful.","type":"post"},{"date":"Thu, 23 Jun 2016 14:52:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|1421881582","html":"

Christine – I think you misunderstood. You keep the main sucker under the lowest fruit cluster. Every other sucker you cut off. I just throw them in my compost. If you have tomato disease you should put them in the garbage instead. Good luck!

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":9,"text":"Christine – I think you misunderstood. You keep the main sucker under the lowest fruit cluster. Every other sucker you cut off. I just throw them in my compost. If you have tomato disease you should put them in the garbage instead. Good luck!","type":"post","parentId":8},{"date":"Wed, 22 Jun 2016 22:56:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"Micah Martinez","diffbotUri":"post|3|-1609051195","html":"

Thank you for this!

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":10,"text":"Thank you for this!","type":"post"},{"date":"Thu, 23 Jun 2016 14:52:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|148743715","html":"

You’re welcome, Micah! Let me know how it goes for you.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":11,"text":"You’re welcome, Micah! Let me know how it goes for you.","type":"post","parentId":10},{"date":"Wed, 10 Aug 2016 22:53:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"wayne","authorUrl":"http://n/a","diffbotUri":"post|3|1446831773","html":"

Thanks I always have trouble with tomatoes i hope this we help me a lot I live in Queensland when is the best time to plant. Thanks.

","pageUrl":"http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/","id":12,"text":"Thanks I always have trouble with tomatoes i hope this we help me a lot I live in Queensland when is the best time to plant. Thanks.","type":"post"},{"date":"Fri, 12 Aug 2016 20:37:00 GMT","humanLanguage":"en","author":"MeganCain","diffbotUri":"post|3|1452781800","html":"

Hi Wayne- Great to hear from you! Because Queensland is such a different climate than where I live I suggest you find a local source for the exact timing for tomato planting. Hope the pruning helps this year!

Original article and pictures take http://www.creativevegetablegardener.com/prune-tomatoes/ site