To pinch or not to pinch, that is the question

[boggybranch]

Last year, after reading a lot of opinions on pinching 'suckers' on tomato plants, I started out doing it, but, given that I made my mater cages to small, once the growth spurt started I was unable to keep it up to see if it would make a difference. Have read that doing it will affect the quantity of tomatoes but will, on the upside, affect quality and size of the maters.
Was wondering if anyone has, actually, "checked" this out in a "before and after" scenario.
Have, significately, increased the diameter and height of my mater cages so that it will be easier to get at the suckers, this year....if other's experiences show that it's worth it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Let me give you a link to another thread that discusses this a bit. The main thing out of this thread is the links toward the bottom in my post.

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=26045

I pinched mine last year and I think it helped. I used a trellis onstead of a cage. If I had not pinched back a bunch of suckers I would not have been able to train all the suckers to the trellis. I mulch heavily and try real hard to keep my vines off the ground to reduce blight. Blight is transmitted from the dirt to the vine, then spreads upward. I also think it helps to air out the base of the vines so they dry out better, again reducing disease. Once they got to a certain height, though, I quit pruning. If they are off the ground and open at the bottom, I am happy.

I did not notice a difference in size or quantity but I did not follow through with that. I think the only way to tell is to do some and not do others, side by side, all the same variety, so growing seasons and such don't influence the outcome. Otherwise I think you get general opinions, not a scientific answer.

I am going to a "caged" approach this year instead of trellis. I just think it will be easier than the trellis.

 

[boggybranch]

Thanks for the thread.
Like you, I pinch off ANY leaves that even MIGHT touch the ground and, also, use mulch (actually, I use year-round mulching on my entire garden) and it's important, when watering, not to splash the dirt up onto the plants......and to wash your hands, if you use ANY kind of tobacco products, before working with tomato plants.

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks for the links. I think it's finally clear to me about both the suckers (Pruning to about 12 inches above the ground--indeterminate only) AND regarding determinate and indeterminate. I'll be growing more Romas this year (determinate) and fewer slicing tomato types like beefsteak (indeterminate). I'm going to do what my MIL used to do for the indeterminates: she made her cages from cattle fencing material--I already have some in my shed--and she'd stake the cages to the ground with fenceposts. I'll be staking mine to those saplings that I'm cutting down and storing. These are from those "weed-trees" that grow like 5 feet/year and pop up everywhere. I'm gonna have to cut and dispose of them anyway!

 

[journey11]

I always pinch out the suckers on mine. It does give you significantly larger tomatoes. You'll still get like 20 tomatoes on a healthy plant that has been pinched, they'll just be bigger.

It keeps the plant managable too. Some varieties more than others are very prone to suckering (they'll sucker at every branch) and you end up with an awful mess. Pinching, right from the start, you can train the plant to only one or two main vines, which is easier for those who stake and tie. This will also keep your caged tomatoes from being too crowded. If the plant is crowded and doesn't get good air circulation, you're going to have worse problems with disease, pests (try finding a tomato hornworm on an over grown plant), and even when your tomatoes do develop, they can be deformed by being pressed against vines.

I also pinch off any bottom leaves that touch the ground and when the plant reaches 5 tall, I pinch out the top too so it doesn't grow much past the stake.

It's a bit more work, but definitely worth it, IMHO!

 

[boggybranch]

Last year I made cages out of regular, 6 inch squares, fence wire. I used 5 ft sections (3 1/2 ft tall). Well, in no time at all, the Box Car Willies had those little cages slam full and were pouring over the top. Have spliced in 2 more feet of wire to each cage (expanding the diameter, greatly) and added another cage the same size, to the top...making the total height 7 ft.
Gonna see if they come outta those cages, this year.
When I made em last year....sure thought they looked big enough.......wow, was I wrong.

 

[ducks4you]

I'm so sloppy--when I HAVE pinched off the suckers, I just throw them on the ground. Is this inviting tomato parasites?

 

[Beekissed]

I've tried it both ways and definitely see a stronger plant and bigger fruit with suckered maters. This year I will be taking it a step further and trimming off the tall, excess growth on the top of the plant.

Will be planting along my garden fence, so the sheep will be trimming off the tops and any leaves that poke through the small holes in the fence. Yes, I know it says that tomatoes are poisonous to sheep but, if they were, my sheep would have been dead long ago!

 

[vfem]

Now I just look at it as if you don't have the room and a shorter growing season pinch (or if you are impatient).

If you have a long growing season, like me... I leave them alone... mostly.

I'm impatient, so I always chose one plant to pinch and I get earlier ripe fruits on that one!