Pruning is beneficial for any plant. The correct technique, combined with the perfect timing, can work wonders for the prosperity of crops and improves the chances of surviving and thriving. Tomatoes, in particular, can benefit immensely from correct pruning. The pruned plants have a healthy yield with bigger, better-tasting fruits and are more equipped to fight diseases. So, for those who are growing tomatoes in their home garden this year, take note of these five mistakes Nastya Vasylchyshyna, gardening expert, of Nature ID, has shared.
Mistake 1: Thinking that pruning is optional
According to the expert, “proper pruning is very important” for crop yields and the overall health of the tomato plant.
Pruning stress helps the plant restructure its tissue processes for active fruit formation and discourages it from growing excessive greenery and wasting resources on new shoot formation.
Nastya claimed: “By trimming the tops and thinning the bush, you also reduce the risk of diseases, especially fungal ones.”
Pruning improves air circulation and ensures equal access to heat and light throughout the whole plant.
Mistake 2: Lack of sanitary pruning
In addition to pesticide treatment, gardeners should regularly inspect and prune diseased and dying branches to remove the source of infection and prevent its spread.
Gardeners need to cut off all rotting and weakened shoots at the seedling stage, and when the plant is already mature, remove all spotted leaves and dry, dying branches.
To cut them, avoid using dull or dirty pruning shears as they will harm the plant. Instead sharpen them before every pruning session to keep them in top shape, and clean them before and after using them.
Mistake 3: Using the same pruning method for different tomato cultivars
Different types of tomatoes are used for greenhouse and open-field cultivation. They are generally divided into tall indeterminate and short determinate varieties.
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The tall ones require more frequent and thorough pruning, while the determinate types require much less pruning – simple thinning the bush out and removing the leaves that touch the ground should be sufficient.
The tall varieties have no growth limit, so the bush can reach the height of about two to 2.5 metres without pruning.
When growing this variety, the expert recommends keeping only one or two leading large stems and removing all suckers, also known as lateral shoots, growing from leaf axils.
Nastya explained: “Since suckers and leaves have the same bud, many people have difficulty determining what to remove. For this, keep in mind that a sucker appears some time after a leaf and is located above it.
“When removing suckers, leave small ‘stubs’ of about 1cm because completely removing the shoot increases the chances of a new one appearing in the same place.”
Mistake 4: Pruning tomatoes in unsuitable weather
Gardeners “need to avoid pruning at night or in the rain” and instead prune tomatoes in the morning on warm, dry days, according to the gardening pro.
Pruning the plant this way allows cuts and breaks on the stem to dry out and heal more quickly.
Nastya added: “High humidity promotes diseases, so don’t prune at night or in the rain to avoid leaving a lot of open wounds on the stems.”
Mistake 5: Overpruning
Although regular pruning has a positive effect on tomatoes, it’s important to remember that this is “stressful for the plant”.
Therefore, gardeners should remove leaves gradually, “cutting no more than 15 to 20 percent” of the total green mass at a time.
The expert said: “You can start pruning two to three weeks after planting outdoors and continue throughout the summer, gradually removing sick and weak leaves and trimming lateral shoots.”
Try to avoid removing the leaves directly below the fruits, as they provide sugars to the tomatoes for an enhanced taste.
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