To prune or not to prune?

[guruofgardens]

Originally Posted by PaulF

As said numerous times when a pruning question arises...no pruning. BUT, the bottom branches that are in contact with the ground or mulch or may grow that direction, get pruned. Those will not affect either size nor numbers.

I love the large untrimmed plants as well. The thirty five plants in the garden have their spaces defined early...as in planting time...and they are all given four feet 6 inches from the next plant in every direction so there is no worry about whether to trim and put in a few extra plants and crowd the tomatoes together. As a home gardener, an added production of a few tomatoes is not worth the hassle. I love large tomatoes and choose varieties to achieve that goal rather than prune to get fewer but perhaps larger fruit by what, a couple of ounces? Again, not worth the effort.

Air flow is important in disease prevention and with the spacing the plants are given there has been no serious problem. Again, spacing and a good mulching program alleviates the need to prune for air flow.

So, that's the explanation for no pruning. You pruners go ahead and hack up an otherwise beautiful plant if you want, but this old fat guy won't do it.

Best answer for me, too. My plants have 4' space, are only pruned on the bottom, are mulched with newspaper between the dirt and shredded leaves. We have low humidity so I will not prune any suckers. The plants usually overgrow their CRW cages so I do prune the tops near the beginning of September.

Each to his own, mostly determined by weather/climate.

[ContainerTed]

Whoa, I didn't mean to strike nerves on this subject. I don't want anyone to think that I am being critical of their methods. I am only explaining that I choose to approach it differently and what I think is more natural. To me, folks who prune heavily are butchering the plant to get the "cut" they want. Same as a steak. I just can't help thinking about all those wounds that can invite in diseases, and my methods are my way of minimizing that.

Well, let's see. In south Alabama, you could prune to allow for ventilation to reduce disease, or we could also set up some fans to blow thru the tomato patch and accomplish the same thing without pruning. My goal is to allow the plant to have all its tools and all its capabilities to deliver to me the truest taste it can. Otherwise, would I reality know just how good or not so good a variety tastes this year. Did the plant assign a certain leaf stem to making one of its important taste components? If it did, and that stem got pruned off, then how would one know how the taste was supposed to be? Could it be that pruning takes away a certain percentage of the flavor makers within the plant? Could having a little bit of fungus add to the quality of the taste? These are things that I wonder about from time to time.



So, no offense was meant to anyone and I hope none was taken.

[twillis2252]

I pinch suckers the first couple weeks after transplanting in the garden. Want to insure all energy is concentrated establishing the roots and developing stem. After a max of three weeks, it is "katie bar the door" as I let them run. My method has worked for me for many years.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Whoa, I didn't mean to strike nerves on this subject. I don't want anyone to think that I am being critical of their methods. I am only explaining that I choose to approach it differently and what I think is more natural. To me, folks who prune heavily are butchering the plant to get the "cut" they want. Same as a steak. I just can't help thinking about all those wounds that can invite in diseases, and my methods are my way of minimizing that.

Well, let's see. In south Alabama, you could prune to allow for ventilation to reduce disease, or we could also set up some fans to blow thru the tomato patch and accomplish the same thing without pruning. My goal is to allow the plant to have all its tools and all its capabilities to deliver to me the truest taste it can. Otherwise, would I reality know just how good or not so good a variety tastes this year. Did the plant assign a certain leaf stem to making one of its important taste components? If it did, and that stem got pruned off, then how would one know how the taste was supposed to be? Could it be that pruning takes away a certain percentage of the flavor makers within the plant? Could having a little bit of fungus add to the quality of the taste? These are things that I wonder about from time to time.



So, no offense was meant to anyone and I hope none was taken.

From me Ted it was all in good fun.
Those poor butchers are getting a bad name.

Worth

[Shapshftr]

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

Also I think there is the distinction of what is being pruned.
It can mean removing leaves or lateral branches/suckers.
And let's not forget the a tomato has a compound leaf, so it is the long stem with all the leaflets that make up one leaf.

You just do what works for your system and space and desired result. And then you just have to walk away and not judge other peoples' choices and be condescending about it. We were given domain over the plants and animals.

A peach tree grower might prune a tree to look ugly, but it needs to be done for his purposes for an end goal.

If I want to look at beauty, I'll go to my woods, landscaped yard, or an arboretum and let him do his thing to meet his needs and goals.

I didn't see anyone judging other peoples' choices and being condescending about it. I thought we were just having a lively discussion about it. I for one like to hear all sides of the issue. Some posters seem to have lightheartedly jested with others, but I see it as a touch of sarcastic whit. I myself have a tendency to engage in sarcasm as humor. Sometimes we all have a tendency to read intent into others written words. It's always easier to discern another's exact meaning in face to face conversations.

I am in the non-pruners camp, and only prune bottom growth to prevent rain splashing dirt on the leaves that may cause fungal issues. I certainly don't judge anyone who does prune. I mean it's their plants, therefore their choice. But I have a serious query for all who prune heavily. How do you not get sunscald and green shoulders from removing the shade caused by the heavy leaf cover? Seriously, I would like some answers on that issue, because back when I had to prune heavily because of fungal disease, I had a major a problem with sunscald and green shoulders.

[Nematode]

No worries.Ted, just having a little fun.

Grew up in NY so sarcasm comes a little too easy.

[Nematode]

Originally Posted by Shapshftr

But I have a serious query for all who prune heavily. How do you not get sunscald and green shoulders from removing the shade caused by the heavy leaf cover? Seriously, I would like some answers on that issue, because back when I had to prune heavily because of fungal disease, I had a major a problem with sunscald and green shoulders.

High density is planned from the start (maybe too high) I have a double row of single stem plants spaced 18" apart in each row. The rows are 6' apart. So each stem gets 4.5 quare ft. Plants are 6' tall when first fruits ripen. Not much sun hits the dirt except at high noon when it shines straight down. Rows run north/south.
Next year I may reduce stem density to 6sq ft/plant. Its hydroponic so sunlight is the limiting input on production.

[ContainerTed]

Nematode, my rows are at least 5 feet apart and the tomatoes are 4 feet apart in the rows. Now, with the rugose foliage dwarf types, I have the rows 4 feet apart and the plants 30 inches apart.

An 18 gallon container will get two indeterminates or three compact bushy types. But they get lots of TLC and extra water and ferts. I also do some micros from time to time. This year, I'll have seed for one called "Peardrop". Got the first blooms on the 18" plants and waiting for fruit now.

Now that I know you are hydroponic, I'll make allowances for your approach to all this stuff.

[AKmark]

I don't think anyone was offended, I sure hope not, because the good part is obvious, there is more than one way to grow tomatoes.
Yes, I am a butcher, I crew cut for lack of a better definition. I do it because I can grow more plants in any given space, I can also manage them much better, that includes checking for disease, and also lowering them when they get to tall to work with. I also keep production continuous for 6 months, and in the end the vines are about 20 feet. Now here is what we strive for, absorb this, leaf, leaf, leaf, truss, leaf, leaf, leaf, truss, for 20 feet, or whatever we get out of the plants.
We also prune off the tiny tomatoes at the ends of the truss, and keep leaves pruned off up to the bottom of a truss, this makes the fruit ripen faster.
Now this is fact, at least from side by side observation, taste is unchanged, at least when 14-17 sets of leaves remain, which is my goal, others I know prune more strict, but they are confused. LOL
I have other tomato friends that do not prune, they also have tomatoes, my own Dad does not prune, we are one big happy tomato family too
However, this is part of my greenhouse business, I sell tomatoes, and I am always trying to increase production, or find an easier way to manage my plants, which brought me to look and see how I could do that.
Now I am going to try the spools, and guide wire trick, it was explained, but I was not ready to listen, well after lowering as many plants as I do, I am going to try it now. My horticulture friend just grins, he is patient with my stubborn self. At any rate,
I hope my lines are thought provoking, as are the other growers who comment on their method. We should be able to have a vigorous debate/ discussion, and smile, and maybe each of us can learn a bit too, I sure do.
This is such a wonderful website to visit, to make friends on, to share, and to enjoy a super fruit from all of the varieties mentioned.
Peace out my tomato brother and sisters.

[Shapshftr]

Originally Posted by Nematode

High density is planned from the start (maybe too high) I have a double row of single stem plants spaced 18" apart in each row. The rows are 6' apart. So each stem gets 4.5 quare ft. Plants are 6' tall when first fruits ripen. Not much sun hits the dirt except at high noon when it shines straight down. Rows run north/south.
Next year I may reduce stem density to 6sq ft/plant. Its hydroponic so sunlight is the limiting input on production.

So if I understand what you're saying... the difference is that you planted so close together, (which I did not since I didn't plan high density production), that it makes up for the difference between a single stem plant and a bushy one, because you end up getting the required shade cover by closer spacing???

Now I feel kinda dumb, LMAO But that's ok, I enjoy a good laugh at my own expense.

[Nematode]

Not dumb, lots of different ways to do it. When you get someone like me thats allergic to doing it just like everyone else, well its not always obvious. And yes you got it right.

[Gardeneer]

This is a subject that comes up all the time " To Prune or Not To Prune"

The best I can answer is that it is a different gardening school.
Some believe in letting the plant grow "Naturally". Others (me included) believe that a gardeners needs to take a pro active approach. "natural" often does not serve our purpose of growing things.
Gardeneer

[Shapshftr]

I'll just leave this here: This is a good article that talks about both ways:

http://www.heirloom-organics.com/gui...mishpaste.html

This is one of the varieties I'm growing this year.

[bjbebs]

Ted
I'm a bit of a lazy gardener, and agree with your approach. Plant, pluck and enjoy.

[Shapshftr]

Originally Posted by bjbebs

Ted
I'm a bit of a lazy gardener, and agree with your approach. Plant, pluck and enjoy.

Same here. My trellis system allows my plants to vine out as much as they want, holds them off the ground and allows good air circulation. So I just grow, pluck and eat little orbs of sheer heaven. Any pruning I do is the lower leaves, not the suckers. As the suckers grow out, they force the leaves downward, and I don't want them in the dirt. So off they go.