Dwarf Pruning

Down_South · February 24, 2017

Should I prune (suckers) my dwarf indeterminate varieties like their bigger brothers? Or, should it remain more bushy with multiple stems?

KC.Sun · February 24, 2017

Dwarf tomatoes grow very slowly. You can prune to increase circulation, but it isn't recommended. The trade off really comes to productivity and tomato size. You can potentially have a dwarf plant yield larger tomatoes, but also potentially less tomatoes per plant.

ContainerTed · February 24, 2017

I have always felt that Dwarf and Pruning are like Oil and Water. They just don't do well when put together. I can honestly say that I have never pruned any dwarf regardless of whether it was a project variety or one that has had other origins.

Now, having said that, I must confess that I don't prune ANY of my tomatoes other than to get foliage off the ground early on. A pruned stem is tomatoes lost to some personal preference that has nothing to do with gardening. It's more of an ego thing that is playing to the peer pressure of neighbors, homeowners associations, and misguided folks who think they are doing the right thing.

Pruning and Dwarfs is one of the true "oxymorons".

JMHO.

kayrobbins · February 24, 2017

I have just the opposite opinion about pruning. Even though it is not generally recommended for dwarfs with Florida's heat and humidity they do have a lot of leaf disease issues, especially the potato leaf ones. I prune enough to have good air circulation and that reduced the problems significantly. I do little pruning on standard varieties.

Gardeneer · February 24, 2017

Oxymoron or not, I have pruned some of my dwarfs in the last couple of years.
Dwarf Purple Heart comes to mind.
In my short growing season in PNW, it was a late variety and grow almost 6 ft tall and kept branching out like crazy. I wanted tomatoes that ripen before the end of season NOT foliage.
To me dwarf is different from bush type and micros. YMMV

Father'sDaughter · February 24, 2017

I only prune out the occasional leafy branch for air circulation. I don't sucker or remove any stems with flower trusses from Dwarf plants. All my other tomatoes are pruned to two, max three, stems.

February 24, 2017	#1
Down_South Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 93	Dwarf Pruning Should I prune (suckers) my dwarf indeterminate varieties like their bigger brothers? Or, should it remain more bushy with multiple stems? __________________ ~Aaron

February 24, 2017	#3
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	I have always felt that Dwarf and Pruning are like Oil and Water. They just don't do well when put together. I can honestly say that I have never pruned any dwarf regardless of whether it was a project variety or one that has had other origins. Now, having said that, I must confess that I don't prune ANY of my tomatoes other than to get foliage off the ground early on. A pruned stem is tomatoes lost to some personal preference that has nothing to do with gardening. It's more of an ego thing that is playing to the peer pressure of neighbors, homeowners associations, and misguided folks who think they are doing the right thing. Pruning and Dwarfs is one of the true "oxymorons". JMHO. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

February 24, 2017	#5
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	Oxymoron or not, I have pruned some of my dwarfs in the last couple of years. Dwarf Purple Heart comes to mind. In my short growing season in PNW, it was a late variety and grow almost 6 ft tall and kept branching out like crazy. I wanted tomatoes that ripen before the end of season NOT foliage. To me dwarf is different from bush type and micros. YMMV __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

February 24, 2017	#2
KC.Sun Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: 6a Posts: 322	Dwarf tomatoes grow very slowly. You can prune to increase circulation, but it isn't recommended. The trade off really comes to productivity and tomato size. You can potentially have a dwarf plant yield larger tomatoes, but also potentially less tomatoes per plant.

February 24, 2017	#4
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I have just the opposite opinion about pruning. Even though it is not generally recommended for dwarfs with Florida's heat and humidity they do have a lot of leaf disease issues, especially the potato leaf ones. I prune enough to have good air circulation and that reduced the problems significantly. I do little pruning on standard varieties.

February 24, 2017	#6
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I only prune out the occasional leafy branch for air circulation. I don't sucker or remove any stems with flower trusses from Dwarf plants. All my other tomatoes are pruned to two, max three, stems.