# Tomato suckers>>prune or not



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Do some of you prune the suckers or not?? I have at times, but never followed up thru the growing season I have a cpl I will keep pruned back and let the others go and see how it affects the yield on each....


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## finkikin (Jul 8, 2011)

I do it. It is very time consuming! And it is almost impossible to get everyone of them. For a while I never did but I believe it does affect the yield. I have a buddy that thinks i'm crazy for thinking that. But to each his own.


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

I prun especially when the plants are young to achieve a single, thick sturdy main stem. After a couple of months, it's hard to keep up and i usually just let the suckers grow. pun intended.


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## Mikeyhunts (Jun 4, 2007)

Ive been staying after mine.......after a while....it seems too hard to keep up with.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

i try, but for sure it's hard to keep up with.


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## rjr (Apr 27, 2006)

I've been reading the Mittleider gardening course book and they state that everything below the first cluster of flowers should get pruned to a single stem. This ensures that no leaves touch the ground, you can grow vertically, space the plants closer together and forces more fruit production instead of foliage production. I'm trying that this year to see how it goes.


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## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

I took the first level of branches off and planted them deep, down to level where branches were. Once the plants started growing fast I cut the 'first' level of branches off again to ensure no branches would touch the ground and also encourage growth at the top....I even pulled off a few flowers that came out early.

I can't say whether this helps or not, but it's something to do while enjoying a cold one.

With 30 plants (now up to almost 4' tall), I'm sure we'll have a nice supply of 'maters.


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## G-O-T-B (Jan 15, 2010)

I prune my plants


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

what is the drawback of leaves touching the ground? Does it promote Disease to the entire plant or something? just asking


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## wish2fish (Mar 1, 2005)

chumy said:


> what is the drawback of leaves touching the ground? Does it promote Disease to the entire plant or something? just asking


Exactly


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I've always pruned mine but read somewhere that its not really necessary if you use cages. I was gonna try not pruning this year.


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## bowmansdad (Nov 29, 2011)

I try to get all the suckers early, after I have a thick stem I usually let the big ones grow. I also prune any foliage that is in close contact with the blooms, also keep the bottom of the plant from touching the ground. I believe the plants should be producing tomatoes and not foliage that looks pretty!


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## wish2fish (Mar 1, 2005)

bowmansdad said:


> I try to get all the suckers early, after I have a thick stem I usually let the big ones grow. I also prune any foliage that is in close contact with the blooms, also keep the bottom of the plant from touching the ground. I believe the plants should be producing tomatoes and not foliage that looks pretty!


Yes but don't forget plants get their energy from the leaves so don't get too carried away.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I don't prune tomatoes much because of our climate...but if I lived north, say Dallas or north of that I would definitely prune.


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## SURF Buster (Feb 17, 2008)

Last year was the first year that I did not pull the suckers off due to a knee replacement and I had one of the best yields in 5 years.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

SURF Buster said:


> Last year was the first year that I did not pull the suckers off due to a knee replacement and I had one of the best yields in 5 years.


Well, there ya go! Saves me a lot of work not pulling suckers!


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

Did not this year just to see if I have more maters. Have sucker pinched for last 5-6 years.

Have a neighbor that never pinched suckers, he fertilizes and his plants get 5 feet plus in height and he normally weighs in over 400 lbs from about 4-6 plants. Yes he has a scale and keeps a log on his production year to year.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Wow. That's a lot of maters for 6 plants.


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