This method is used when things have “gotten out of hand” and a tomato plant has grown large suckers. In Missouri pruning, a gardener pinches off or snips only the tip of the sucker, leaving a couple of leaves behind to help protect developing fruit from sunburn. When they’re small (under 2 inches), they can be pinched off, but if they’re bigger, pruners are necessary. Suckers grow quickly, but if left to grow into side stems, they tend to be spindly and produce inferior fruit. It also can prevent the plant from crowding itself and the space around it. Suckers, which grow in the “V” between the main stem and the branches, need to be pruned to save energy for main branches ( and the fruit they produce). If you’re not sure how to prune tomato plants or have had mixed results with tomato pruning in the past, read on for tips. It might seem like a fine line between a perfectly pruned tomato plant and an over pruned tomato plant, but improper tomato pruning can result in problems. But novice gardeners are sometimes guilty of harmful pruning mistakes that can damage the plants and reduce the yield. Plant care includes proper tomato pruning to increase airflow, thereby reducing fungal problems, and to encourage efficient photosynthesis for better growth and bigger yields. Given the right conditions-full sun, good soil, adequate water, drainage, and some support, tomato growing is pretty easy. Today, there are more than 10,000 varieties in many shapes, sizes, and colors.

Trimming tomato plants download