pruning?

edsel66 · December 15, 2010

First off, so glad to be at home with other tomato people. You understand me. Now my question: pruning. Do it? Don't bother? I await your response.

b54red · December 16, 2010

I prune most of my tomato plants. I have found it is more of an art than a science. Each plant is different and each responds differently to pruning. I live in an area with very high humidity and heat so I have to keep the plant somewhat open to allow for better drying and air flow; but I also have to balance that need with the need for adequate foliage to protect the fruit from the blistering sun. I also use trellises to support my plants and that requires a different type of pruning than say caged or staked plants. The best way to find out if pruning is helpful is to experiment with it in your own garden and find out what works best for you.

**mdvpc** · December 16, 2010

I cage. I prune everything below the first flower cluster. There are videos on utube discussing the pruning used in Europe, and one of our members has a blog discussing it. I think the member name is French Connection, but I may not be right about that.

edsel66 · December 16, 2010

The Oklahoma sun and heat were my big concerns about pruning. I didn't want to expose the plant to too much sun when the temperatures start to hit over 100.

dice · December 18, 2010

Some opinions:
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/...-tomatoes.aspx

French pruning:
http://www.tomodori.com/3culture/taill_sur_2-tiges.htm

Asian pruning:
http://www.avrdc.org.tw/pdf/TomPrune.pdf

Tomato Branching & Phillotaxy:
http://www-plb.ucdavis.edu/labs/rost...Branching.html

Some feel that removing any non-diseased leaf removes
part of the engine of photosynthesis that provides nutrients
to the flower clusters and fruit. Others feel that there are
other important considerations (fruit size, air circulation
through the plant, space used by the plant, weight on
support systems, end of season ripening, etc).

There are several past threads here at Tomatoville on pruning.
You can find them using the Search menu item at the top
of each page.

Mark0820 · December 18, 2010

I do the same as mdvpc. I cage and prune everything below the first flower set.

amideutch · December 18, 2010

I'm glad to see dice added the tomodori link which is basically the classical way to prune tomatoes. Me, I grow mostly in containers either caged or supported by vertical twine to which I attach tomato clips to the plant as it grows. The only pruning I do is later in the season and only the bottom leaves up to the first fruit truss. Ami

Tom C zone 4/5 · December 18, 2010

Living as I did for many years in wet new england, pruning lower leaf sets, plus trellising, and mulching plants to reduce late onset leaf disease wasn't a luxury.

huntsman · November 22, 2011

Man....

Every time I think I am getting a handle on this tomato business I learn that I have missed the mark again but thankfully have more ammo for next season...!

Pyrrho · February 2, 2012

I've been considering the French pruning method illustrated on the tomodori link above. It appears from the diagram that for each vine, you allow it to grow to produce three fruit clusters and then cut the main stem and allow the topmost sucker (right under the third fruit cluster) to continue the vertical growth.

Can anyone offer an explanation as to why you continue each vine in this 'segmented' way rather than allowing each vine to be continuous throughout? Does this result in more fruit clusters along the 'segmented' vine?

Incidentally, I plan on trying this method by growing four vines with cage support, mostly to improve spacing and airflow between plants. I realize that most people use stakes when pruning (usually with fewer vines). Has anyone had experience with the pruning/cage combo with a larger number of vines (3-5)?

Jan Adam · February 8, 2012

I prune everything except the vine growing just below the first flower cluster – it is strong growing one. Then, I cut off the top of both vines above the leave just above the third flower cluster. Topping allows the fruits to grow bigger, rather than the plant spending its energy on growth; anyway that was the explanation from the gurus back in Poland. In areas, where the growing season is long, and even higher flower clusters have chances to produce mature fruits, one can top the plants higher.

December 15, 2010	#1
edsel66 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: San Antonio Posts: 10	pruning? First off, so glad to be at home with other tomato people. You understand me. Now my question: pruning. Do it? Don't bother? I await your response.

December 16, 2010	#3
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	I cage. I prune everything below the first flower cluster. There are videos on utube discussing the pruning used in Europe, and one of our members has a blog discussing it. I think the member name is French Connection, but I may not be right about that. __________________ Michael

December 18, 2010	#5
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Some opinions: http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/...-tomatoes.aspx French pruning: http://www.tomodori.com/3culture/taill_sur_2-tiges.htm Asian pruning: http://www.avrdc.org.tw/pdf/TomPrune.pdf Tomato Branching & Phillotaxy: http://www-plb.ucdavis.edu/labs/rost...Branching.html Some feel that removing any non-diseased leaf removes part of the engine of photosynthesis that provides nutrients to the flower clusters and fruit. Others feel that there are other important considerations (fruit size, air circulation through the plant, space used by the plant, weight on support systems, end of season ripening, etc). There are several past threads here at Tomatoville on pruning. You can find them using the Search menu item at the top of each page. __________________ -- alias

December 18, 2010	#7
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	I'm glad to see dice added the tomodori link which is basically the classical way to prune tomatoes. Me, I grow mostly in containers either caged or supported by vertical twine to which I attach tomato clips to the plant as it grows. The only pruning I do is later in the season and only the bottom leaves up to the first fruit truss. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

December 18, 2010	#8
Tom C zone 4/5 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: SE Ohio Posts: 253	Living as I did for many years in wet new england, pruning lower leaf sets, plus trellising, and mulching plants to reduce late onset leaf disease wasn't a luxury. __________________ Beyond the mountains, there are more mountains.

December 16, 2010	#2
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I prune most of my tomato plants. I have found it is more of an art than a science. Each plant is different and each responds differently to pruning. I live in an area with very high humidity and heat so I have to keep the plant somewhat open to allow for better drying and air flow; but I also have to balance that need with the need for adequate foliage to protect the fruit from the blistering sun. I also use trellises to support my plants and that requires a different type of pruning than say caged or staked plants. The best way to find out if pruning is helpful is to experiment with it in your own garden and find out what works best for you.

December 18, 2010	#6
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	I do the same as mdvpc. I cage and prune everything below the first flower set.

November 22, 2011	#9
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	Man.... Every time I think I am getting a handle on this tomato business I learn that I have missed the mark again but thankfully have more ammo for next season...!

February 2, 2012	#10
Pyrrho Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 75	I've been considering the French pruning method illustrated on the tomodori link above. It appears from the diagram that for each vine, you allow it to grow to produce three fruit clusters and then cut the main stem and allow the topmost sucker (right under the third fruit cluster) to continue the vertical growth. Can anyone offer an explanation as to why you continue each vine in this 'segmented' way rather than allowing each vine to be continuous throughout? Does this result in more fruit clusters along the 'segmented' vine? Incidentally, I plan on trying this method by growing four vines with cage support, mostly to improve spacing and airflow between plants. I realize that most people use stakes when pruning (usually with fewer vines). Has anyone had experience with the pruning/cage combo with a larger number of vines (3-5)?

February 8, 2012	#11
Jan Adam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 10	I prune everything except the vine growing just below the first flower cluster – it is strong growing one. Then, I cut off the top of both vines above the leave just above the third flower cluster. Topping allows the fruits to grow bigger, rather than the plant spending its energy on growth; anyway that was the explanation from the gurus back in Poland. In areas, where the growing season is long, and even higher flower clusters have chances to produce mature fruits, one can top the plants higher.