Pruning technique

[charley]

i also trim lower leafs for disease,but dont prune suckers till temp get in the mid 90s then prune new suckers because the new blooms dont have a chance to polinate and that will concetrate the plant on ripening fruit

[FarmerShawn]

This site comes close to what I do, with one exception.
http://www.finegardening.com/pruning-tomatoes
But, where this article says to prune all suckers below the first fruit cluster, for two or more stems, I start leaving the first sucker below the first blossom cluster. I read that somewhere, and have had that decision confirmed in my mind when I got overwhelmed and neglected to prune in time. In almost every case, on unpruned plants I try to bring back under control, that first sucker below the first blossom cluster has clearly developed into the biggest, sturdiest stem. So I figure, if it wants to be big and strong, and I want to leave just one extra, why wouldn't I want it to be that one? I usually leave just one, plus the main, so two stems total. But sometimes, if another one has gotten away from me and it looks good, I'll leave the third. I generally do what that article calls simple pruning, but sometimes I jump to the Missouri pruning method later, although as the article points out, that leaves me with additional suckers to pinch out later. Or not- by then in our short season, they don't really have enough time to cause much problem if just left on

[elight]

Thank you Shawn and Gardeneer, that was exactly the information I was looking for!

[Worth1]

Here is my opinion of pruning I posted this some time ago but will again.
Tomato pruning2.jpg

[Labradors2]

I want to join the ATPS. Even though I plant everything too close, I still cannot bring myself to prune them .

Linda

[KarenO]

Haha! I'm in the non pruning camp with Worth.

Short season growers both in the north and in the southern heat cannot afford to lose production by pruning off productive branches and especially not early blooms. It makes me crazy to read gardeners advising the removal of early blooms and even early fruit in favour of "root production" absolutely counterproductive in my area and in any short season area. Most common "tomato wisdom" regarding pruning is meant for long season areas and for growing under cover. Pruning outdoor plants in a short season area does nothing but reduce your yield and remove valuable shade leaving fruit exposed to sunburn.
I prune up from the bottom to the first cluster to reduce soil splash foliar problems and then only damaged or spotty foliage as the season progresses.
On a mission...
KarenO

[charline]

I want to be a member too!
I hate pruning and if I have to do it because of space I cant throw the suckers away. I put them in earth to root them and make more tomatoes...

[FarmerShawn]

I've tried unpruned sprawl, and not only lost too much to slugs and rot, but it is a back-breaking chore to harvest. Since I either stake, Florida weave, or use string supports, I must prune to maintain order. I cannot afford to invest in enough CW cages for all I grow (about 600 plants in each of the past couple of years!) I'll stick to putting in the extra labor to keep them ruly. (opposite of unruly?) In the greenhouse, because space is precious, I plant inground, but close, 12" - 18" apart, all indeterminates. Again, pruning is necessary to fit them all in. But I do get a lot of varieties in there that way. I suppose production might suffer somewhat, but I am not too convinced of that, and harvesting is greatly eased by the greater access and visibility. And, I get consistently nice-looking fruit, which sells better.
Plus, even as it is, I have plenty of foliage problems with fungal disease. I hate to think what that would look like if the foliage was so dense it never dried out in our humid spells. Actually, since I never prune determinates or dwarfs, I have an idea what it would be like - one reason I rarely grow most determinates anymore. (Still playing with the dwarfs, though!)

[KarenO]

Unpruned but not sprawling. mine are staked and caged upright.
KO

Originally Posted by FarmerShawn

I've tried unpruned sprawl, and not only lost too much to slugs and rot, but it is a back-breaking chore to harvest. Since I either stake, Florida weave, or use string supports, I must prune to maintain order. I cannot afford to invest in enough CW cages for all I grow (about 600 plants in each of the past couple of years!) I'll stick to putting in the extra labor to keep them ruly. (opposite of unruly?) In the greenhouse, because space is precious, I plant inground, but close, 12" - 18" apart, all indeterminates. Again, pruning is necessary to fit them all in. But I do get a lot of varieties in there that way. I suppose production might suffer somewhat, but I am not too convinced of that, and harvesting is greatly eased by the greater access and visibility. And, I get consistently nice-looking fruit, which sells better.
Plus, even as it is, I have plenty of foliage problems with fungal disease. I hate to think what that would look like if the foliage was so dense it never dried out in our humid spells. Actually, since I never prune determinates or dwarfs, I have an idea what it would be like - one reason I rarely grow most determinates anymore. (Still playing with the dwarfs, though!)

[MrBig46]

I grow all indetrminantní tomatoes on one stem. I have no problem with the fact that I had a small harvest. I also think that my season is not that long.
Vladimír

[Worth1]

I just got back from one of my many journeys on youtube looking at tomato pruning.

It was like looking at a horror show.

We had someone here a few years ago post a link to a video of his on how to grow tomatoes.
Everything was fine until he started mutilating the poor things.
Worth

[charline]

I see real horror in the gardens here. They prune everything and they take off ALL leaves up to the top and leave only two or three leaves. One stem, 3 bouquets of round red tomatoes and 3 leaves. And they are very proud of them!

[Father'sDaughter]

I consider myself a tomato plant "stylist" -- I prune as much as I need to in order to keep them from invading their neighbor's space but still leave them looking full and healthy. So no membership for me.

I tried single-stem growing for a few years and always failed miserably.

[b54red]

Pruning down here in the hot humid south is a must for me. I first used staking then cages then back to staking and then to a trellis 7 ft tall. For the past couple of years I have been using drop lines with tomato clips to support my plants. With each progression in my support system the use of pruning took on more importance. Lack of pruning down here leads to massive uncontrollable disease and pest issues and the result is a short season. With each improvement in my support system I have increased my pruning and with it my length of season. Last year 2/3rds of my plants lasted from April through November and continued production throughout that very long season. The conventional wisdom around here is that tomatoes can be grown from March through mid July and then replant in the fall for a short season again. For the first twenty years I grew tomatoes I pruned very little and had two short seasons. When I changed my method of support and increased the amount I pruned I found that my plants tended to last longer and produce fruit longer since diseases and pests were usually not as big a problem.

While nothing is prettier than a big bushy tomato plant loaded with fruit I have learned the hard way that it usually results in a big diseased mess before long. I think the use of pruning should be determined by what works best with ones individual climate, disease pressures, and support system. After 40 years of growing tomatoes using many different methods I have found that pruning to two stems and keeping all foliage off the lowest part of the plant supported by drop lines that can be lowered as the plant grows has provided me with the best results.

Bill

[MrBig46]

I prune because on the area where I could cultivate one non prune tomato I can grow two or three plants with one stalk.
Regarding early maturation: On the non pruning tomato plant will be first ripe tomatoes when my pruned tomatoes will have two or three times more tomatoes.
I do not think that pierced tomatoes look ugly and that it was something unusual (Pruning trees, shrubs, etc.).
Vladimír