Tomatoes pruning

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Tomatoes pruning… That is the question… Some will say “yes of course”. Others will say “no, not at all”. So what do we do ? Well, do like me, both my captain, it allows you to compare the results or adapt according to your needs, your philosophy, your desires…

Pruning tomatoes is a common practice in gardening, but it is not absolutely necessary. The decision whether or not to prune tomatoes depends on several factors, such as the type of tomato, the support system used, and the growing conditions.

Pruning can have several potential advantages. It eliminates the lower leaves and suckers (the shoots that form in the leaf axils), which promotes air circulation and reduces the risk of disease. It can also focus the plant’s energy on fruit production rather than vegetative growth, which can increase yield.

Here are the advantages… but there is always a but!

Pruning can also have some drawbacks. By removing the leaves, you expose the fruits to direct sunlight, which can lead to burns. And the leaves, as you know, are still the engine of the plant!

Additionally, pruning can stress the plant, which can reduce its vigor and ability to fight disease.

How to do ?

If you decide to prune your tomatoes, here are some general tips:Start by removing the lower leaves that touch the ground to reduce the risk of disease.Eliminate suckers that form in the leaf axils. We say the greedy, but the term is not quite precise. These suckers can for example take cuttings or give flowers, therefore fruits!But it is better to do this in good weather, always for the risk of disease.Well yes! By cutting, you make a wound, and as long as it is not healed, the mildew that can lurk there thus finds a way of entering the plant…Wait at least 3 days of consecutive dry weather before deciding to prune.Don’t prune too harshly. It’s better to prune lightly and evenly than to remove a large amount of foliage all at once.If you’re growing tomato varieties that have indeterminate (tall) growth, pruning them can be especially helpful to keep them under control and make them easier to manage. The space in the garden is sometimes limited, the size allows you to gain surface area!

And without?

If you decide not to prune your tomatoes, there will be no serious consequences for the plants. Unpruned tomatoes will continue to grow and produce fruit, but they may differ slightly from pruned plants. This is generally what is done for cherry tomatoes.Sometimes, without pruning, the growth is more unruly. Unpruned tomato plants tend to develop more vigorous growth. They can become taller and more spread out, and there you better make room in your vegetable garden. Without pruning, they can also have a higher density of foliage.The amount of foliage on unpruned plants can lead to reduced air circulation, creating a more favorable environment for diseases like mildew of course.

In summary …

Okay, enough chatter, it’s up to you now! Pruning tomatoes can help focus the plant’s energy on fruit production. Without pruning, the plant may allocate some of its energy to vegetative growth rather than fruit production. This can result in a potentially lower yield compared to pruned plants.Unpruned plants may produce fruit lower on the stem. However, it can also allow for a staggered harvest, as fruit clusters form at different levels of the plant.Well, you have everything to choose from. It is possible to prune only the large fruits and let the cherry tomatoes develop. It is also possible to cut no one, or everyone. The best thing is to make your own experience, and then decide whether or not you want to proceed with one or the other of these two techniques….

Roland Motte… Gardener!