Rookie Pruning Questions

[SuntannedSwede]

Hello all,

This is the first year that I have begun gardening in earnest, and I am currently tending to a few small 'Riesentraube' seedlings while some of my backup 'Sunrise Bumblebee' and 'Indigo Rose' seeds are just beginning to sprout. The majority of the books and web pages that I have consulted seem to support pruning any and all suckers from your plants, but is this really necessary for cherry sized tomatoes? I have seen IR listed as both an indeterminate and a semi-determinate, should I just play it by ear as far as pruning goes?

Thank you kindly for your time

[SuntannedSwede]

An addendum: does anyone know how tall each of these varieties will grow typically?

[zeuspaul]

Pruning is not necessary. Prune if you want to control the size or shape of the plant. I don't do any pruning except for branches that are going where I don't want them.

[AlittleSalt]

As for pruning, it depends on how you are supporting your tomatoes and where/how they are being grown. Grown in an outdoor garden - you want to prune the lowest branches to keep mud/dirt from splashing up on the plant, and any branch touching the ground. (Those conditions can cause diseases to happen.) I'm sure the same is true for growing them in a container or pot - I just haven't grown them that way.

[BigVanVader]

Pruning is an option not a requirement, for just a few plants I wouldn't bother. I prune so I can squeeze more plants into the same area and to limit fungal issues here in humidville SC.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by SuntannedSwede

An addendum: does anyone know how tall each of these varieties will grow typically?

I grew Indigo Rose last year in contained and I am growing it again. It is a compact indterminant. Mine was a 4 gallon pot grew little over 3 ft tall.
I am growing Riesentraube . From what I have read, it should grow about 5 ft tall. It is not like some cherry varieties that grow wild.

On the pruning: As Robert mentioned above, it is advised to prune lower branches.
I do that plus more and keep about 3 stems on indeterminates but keep most of the laterals on determinates.

Yes, pruning is optional as is "not pruning". There is no MUST or rules to follow either option. In parts it depend on how one supports and spaces the plants. Witth 2 ft spacing (or less) you cannot let the plants grow wild. But if you space them 3 ft plus, you will have more room for the plants to grow sideway.

One more thing: Pruning has two aspects:
1- lightening up the leaf branches ( both lower ones and some within the plant) This will help a good air flow and help prevent some fugal diseases. Fungi/bacteria need a stagnant wet condition to survive and multiply.
2- Pruning lateral (suckers). This is to control the plant size. In a short growing season, the laterals have very slim chance to grow and start to payback. With 2 months of harvest window of time, most fruits that suckers will grow might not have a good chance to get ripe before the weather turns cold. Unless you want to make a lot of pickles.
Gardeneer

[BigVanVader]

I would add that not pruning can cause you to have a bunch of little tomatoes instead of regular sized. One Wes plant last year I didn't prune and the tomatoes were around 4-6 ozs instead of the usual 12 to 16oz but on cherry tomatoes it doesn't really matter.

[Cole_Robbie]

I prune to keep suckers from turning into branches laden with fruit that fall to the ground and get eaten by stink bugs. Bugs are my biggest reason to prune and trellis. I need to get everything up off the ground away from the stink bugs.

[SuntannedSwede]

Hey thanks for all of the responses guys. If Indigo Rose is really that compact I might just leave it alone but will probably end up removing the suckers from the Sunrise Bumblebee, they haven't quite sprouted above the dirt in their trays and our first frost is usually September 10th, quite a short season. Thanks again everybody.

[zipcode]

Cherries can only be pruned to one stem if they are multiflora type, otherwise production will drop significantly. So riesentraube will be fine, and I think also the bumblebee, also most cherry f1 hybrids (commercial growers grow to one or two stem max).
No idea about the Indigo.