Tomatoes: Pruning those suckers

the lemon tree

Leafing Out
Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
Points
22
I'm sure that if I were to ask a certain number of people, I'd get the same number of differing responses but I wanted to see how folks here deal with suckers on their tomato plants. Do your prune ALL suckers? Some of them? None of them?
 

dragonlaurel

Attractive To Bees
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
122
Reaction score
0
Points
74
Location
Orlando
Take them off and stick them in the dirt. They root well and become free plants. Just started doing this, but it's working. You could root them in little pots too.
 

Ridgerunner

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
8,229
Reaction score
10,062
Points
397
Location
Southeast Louisiana Zone 9A
Last year I pruned the lower suckers quite a bit. This year not nearly so much. The purpose of some pruning is to open the bottom up a bit so it gets air circulation and help reduce the chance of diseases. The reason I did so much more pruning last year than this year is that last year I trellissed and this year I am caging them. When I trellissed (one long fence instead of support all around) there was not enough room for all the suckers to fit on the trellis. With a cage, there is a lot more room.

I only prune indeterminates, not the determinates, at least very little.
 

journey11

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
8,470
Reaction score
4,228
Points
397
Location
WV, Zone 6B
On indeterminates I pinch them all off, especially early on when they can become major branches on the vine. After the plant starts bearing, I don't notice as many. Pinching the suckers will give you less tomatoes (you'll still get plenty) and they will be much bigger than if you didn't remove them. The plant can put more energy into the fruit, rather than into leafy growth. To me, they are more difficult to tie to a stake if they've not been pruned. Or in a cage, they will not get good air circulation, inviting disease and giving more places for bugs to hide.
 

vfem

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
7,516
Reaction score
43
Points
242
Location
Fuquay, NC
I usually don't bother unless I see its setting fruits inside the cage so deep they are hard to get to. Then I prune the suckers as not to cover up the tomatoes in the middle of the deep tomato jungle! ;)
 

obsessed

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
1,441
Reaction score
3
Points
123
Location
Slidell, LA
I prune to a point and then stop. Like I start good but those suckers can grow day after day after day. But the third day I am over it. and stop. I keep saying I am going to stop all together but I am a fickle person.
 

boggybranch

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Dec 22, 2009
Messages
1,344
Reaction score
0
Points
118
Location
Ashford, AL Zone 8b
For me....it's the same as starting a gardening journal. I start off at a run, slow down to a trot, hop on one foot for a bit......then, just sit down. Just toooooo much to do.
 

hangin'witthepeeps

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
473
Reaction score
26
Points
137
Location
8a NE GA
I usually pinch of the suckers for the 1st month, then I let it go. I prune the bottom good for circulation and I find my plants are more healthy looking and so is the fruit it makes. I also take my bigger suckers and replant them in case we lose one or two plants.

In my granny's garden this year, half of her tomato plants are suckers from my plants. My uncle put out too much fertilizer and killed half of her tomatoes. At 85 years old, you should see her "talk" to her son. I felt sorry for him and replanted with my suckers to make him feel better. Nothing like mom chewing you out when your 62 years old. When granny gets mad, I back up, she's got a cane. ;)
 
Top