Pruning indeterminate tomato plants as fall approaches?

JerryHaskins · August 7, 2017

Sorry if this has already been covered but my indeterminate tomato plants (mostly Better Boy and Jet Star) have about reached their end-of-life due to the summer heat. Many of the branches are turning brown and drying up.

This is standard tomato plant behavior in the South around July and August.

I have continued to water and fertilize them regularly.

Last year about this time I pruned my tomato plants back and began harvesting ripe tomatoes again as soon as the weather cooled a bit.

As I recall, I picked small ripe tomatoes as late as Thanksgiving.

But now I cannot remember if I pruned the main stalk of the plants or just the side branches. And I cannot remember how severely I cut them back.

My Google search was pretty useless.

Anybody got any insight or guidance on pruning indeterminate tomato plants as fall approaches?

Thannks.

August 7, 2017	#1
JerryHaskins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mississippi Posts: 166	Pruning indeterminate tomato plants as fall approaches? Sorry if this has already been covered but my indeterminate tomato plants (mostly Better Boy and Jet Star) have about reached their end-of-life due to the summer heat. Many of the branches are turning brown and drying up. This is standard tomato plant behavior in the South around July and August. I have continued to water and fertilize them regularly. Last year about this time I pruned my tomato plants back and began harvesting ripe tomatoes again as soon as the weather cooled a bit. As I recall, I picked small ripe tomatoes as late as Thanksgiving. But now I cannot remember if I pruned the main stalk of the plants or just the side branches. And I cannot remember how severely I cut them back. My Google search was pretty useless. Anybody got any insight or guidance on pruning indeterminate tomato plants as fall approaches? Thannks.