To prune or not to prune: the great tomato debate

Tomato season is here, and chances are your plants are already throwing out branches in every direction. If you’ve searched online about pruning tomatoes, you’ve probably discovered gardeners disagree on this topic almost as passionately as people debate barbecue sauce or college football.

Fear not. Let’s break it down so you can make the best decision for your garden without falling into a tomato-based identity crisis.

The first thing you need to know is what type of tomato you’re growing: determinate or indeterminate. Remember that little tag that came in the pot and hopefully didn’t blow away the second you planted it? That tag tells you the variety and whether it’s determinate or indeterminate. If you started from seed, the seed packet will tell you. If all else fails, a quick internet search of the variety name can usually solve the mystery.

Indeterminate tomatoes

Indeterminate tomatoes are vining plants that continue growing and producing fruit until frost. Popular varieties include Better Boy, Beefsteak, Cherokee Purple and most cherry tomatoes. Because these plants grow tall and vigorous, they need sturdy cages, stakes or trellises for support.

Pruning is especially helpful with indeterminate tomatoes because it improves airflow and helps reduce disease problems in our hot, humid Georgia summers. Remove branches touching the ground, overcrowded growth and stems growing inward toward the center of the plant. Many gardeners also remove suckers, which are shoots that form where branches meet the main stem.

Left alone, suckers become additional vines that produce more tomatoes, though the fruit is usually smaller. Removing suckers allows the plant to focus its energy on fewer, often larger tomatoes.

Be careful not to over-prune. Leaves help protect developing fruit from sunscald, which appears as pale or yellow patches on exposed tomatoes.

Determinate tomatoes

Determinate tomatoes are bush-type plants that grow to a set size and produce most of their fruit over a shorter period. Common varieties include Roma, Rutgers and Celebrity. These plants are usually more compact and easier to manage.

Unlike indeterminate tomatoes, determinate varieties generally should not have their suckers removed. Since they produce fruit in one concentrated flush, removing suckers can reduce the overall harvest.

Light pruning is still beneficial. Remove branches touching the soil and thin crowded growth slightly to improve airflow. Determinate tomatoes also benefit from cages or stakes, though they usually require less support than indeterminate varieties.

General tomato care

Healthy tomato plants rely on more than pruning. Consistent watering, proper fertilization, mulching and good airflow all play important roles in preventing disease and producing quality fruit.

Once plants reach about 12-18 inches tall, it’s a good idea to remove lower branches touching the ground. Many tomato diseases are soil-borne, and keeping foliage off the soil helps reduce problems later in the season.

Avoid removing more than about one-quarter of the plant at a time. While pruning can improve airflow and fruit production, too much pruning may stress the plant during hot summer weather.

At the end of the day, there is no single “perfect” pruning method. Some gardeners prefer fewer, larger tomatoes, while others want as much fruit as possible. If you grow several plants, experiment with different approaches and see what works best in your garden.

Most importantly, enjoy the process. After all, homegrown tomatoes have one very important purpose: becoming the star of your next tomato sandwich.

Susan Fisher is the garden manager at the Brookdale Gardens. If you have questions or gardening tips to share, contact the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service in Bibb County. Visit their office at 715 Oglethorpe Street, call them at 748-310-5350 or email their staff at [email protected]. The county office provides resources for gardeners as well as educational services and community support.