If you do not believe me go ask a farmer with a couple hundred acres of tomato plants. 0 0 1. Pruning tomato plants isn’t required. Tomato plants are hardy and typically produce a good crop even without pruning, but pruning them produces an even better crop of delicious, mouth-watering tomatoes. I have over 15 plants growing on our tiny lot. You may choose not to prune your tomatoes and still have an acceptable crop. Wyatt bred Celebrity, which of course was the 1984 All-America Award winner. I know about the little suckers, its the lower leaves I want to know about. Pruning enhances production – more tomatoes, bigger tomatoes, and more flavorful tomatoes. Some controversy exists over whether or not tomato plants should be pruned, and the reality is that if you don't, it will not cause problems. Ask 10 gardeners if you should prune tomato plants and you may come away with 10 different answers. After looking at them, my husband said that was going to be the main variety we plant from that point forward. There are two types of tomato plants: indeterminate and determinate. A few of the common indeterminate tomatoes are … Pruning tomato plants is a waste of your time and absolutely no benefit to the plant ! Relevance. My philosophy involves pinching off the suckers which results in fewer tomatoes, but my tomatoes are always large and yummy. When growing tomatoes, the ultimate goal is to help the plant yield as much ripe fruit as possible. Should I Prune My Tomato Plants? If you prune determinate varieties, you may reduce the harvest. ” Let’s look at these two questions. Pruning your plants […] If you are unfamiliar with a Celebrity tomato, they are a red tomato that is very round and full. Stems thicker than a pencil should be cut out with sharp pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant. There was also Husky Gold Tomato, a 1993 All-America Award winner and Big Beef, a 1994 All-America Award winner. Lv 7. The earlier you prune the tomato suckers, the easier it is. For vine tomatoes that grow on a trellis and reach more than 9 feet tall, choose indeterminate plants. To prune or not to prune tomato plants is an option tomato growers have. Small leaves and two-to-four-inch stems can be snapped off with your bare hands. If this question has crossed your mind this summer then you are not alone. Garden myth: you should pinch tomatoes suckers (the growth between main stems and the leaf) for a better tomato crop. Tomatoes are not one of those plants that require pruning or deadheading in order to thrive, but shrewd pruning can improve the quality of the fruit you harvest.