Pruning Tomato Plants

Is the tomato a fruit or a vegetable?  Well, this red rounded nightshade that originated from South America is actually a fruit.  It is one of the most versatile “fruit” as it could be eaten raw and used as an ingredient for cooking, made into sauce and even squeezed as a drink. For all intents and purposes, the tomato is considered a vegetable.  Why does a tomato plant need pruning? First, you need to know how to grow tomatoes.

1. Growing Tomatoes (PDF): Tomatoes are easy to grow. Anyone with a pot of loom soil and a few dried seeds of tomato can plant, grow and harvest tomato in no time at all. This PDF takes you from preparing the right soil mixture to choosing the variety to buying the seed to transplanting of a tomato plant. (www.extension.unh.edu)
2. Pruning, Training and Supporting Tomato (PDF): This PDF presents a complete guide concerning growing tomatoes.  There are basically two types of tomato plant: determinate and indeterminate. The pruning, training and supporting of the tomato plant depends on which type of tomato is grown. For both types though, the first rule that applies is to keep the plant off the soil. (www.ct.gov)
3. Pruning Tomatoes: The tomato is a sugar-producing plant that directs the growth of a new leaf. This plant grows so rapidly than in less than two weeks it has doubled its size. As more sugar is produced more leaves and side stems grow. If unsupported and unpruned, the tomato plant will soon be a horizontal tangle of stems, leaves and undersized fruit.  Pruning a tomato plant ensures that the plant stays healthy and productive. (www.finegardening.com)
4. Pruning Tomatoes (PDF): Tomatoes grown in one’s backyard seem to be better-tasting than those commercially bought.  Going for a tomato patch in one’s backyard is quite easy as the tomato plant is basically easy to grow.  However, a healthy-fast-growing tomato plant could suddenly become diseased if left on its own. Pruning is an essential part of tomato-growing and its eventual harvest of produce.
5. Pruning Tomato Plants: How and When to Do It: If you want to have a good tomato harvest, pruning the tomato plant should be done. It is a fact that the actual pruning could significantly increase the number of produce, maximize its size and even improve the flavor of the tomatoes. Pruning the tomato plant is a small price to pay for tastier and bigger tomatoes. (www.tomatodirt.com)
6. Early Pruning of Tomato Plant (video): The first indication that the tomato plant needs to be pruned is when the plant sprouts its first flowers.  It is easy enough to remove all the small stems growing below the flower buds.  Note that low-lying stems tend to be diseased since they are too close to the soil. (www.vegetablegardener.com)
7. Pruning Tomato Plants (video): This video shows how easy it is to remove lower-lying stems and leaves and suckers to prevent the disease.  There is no need to use pruning scissors as you can easily pinch-off the excess stems and suckers.  After the pruning it is best to place leaves, grass, straw or wood mulch around the plant to retain moisture. (www.youtube.com)
8. How to String and Sucker Tomato Plant: There are two kinds of tomato plants – the determinate or bush variety tomato plant and the indeterminate or climbing tomato plant variety. With a bush-type tomato plant, there’s no need to take out the suckers (new growth) as there is where the tomato fruit will grow. With a climbing or trellis type tomato plant pinching off the suckers and stringing the plant are a must do for more and bigger produce. (www.youtube.com)
9. How to Prune Tomatoes (video): Here is another step-by-step guide on how to prune tomatoes.  Pruning is essential to get the largest and tastiest tomato. When growing a tomato, the aim is to have one single stem and not a tangle of stems.  It is best to pinch-out any additional shoot once there are 4 to 5 fruit-bearing stems that grew out off the primary stem. (www.videojug.com)
10. Harvesting Tomatoes: After all the time spent planting, growing, pruning and supporting the tomato plant, harvest time is a much awaited time.  Determinate or bush variety tomatoes ripen all at once usually in two weeks time. The indeterminate or climbing variety tomato bears fruit all season. (www.tomatodirt.com)