Help with pruning my indeterminate tomato plant

[T Hanson]

Folks, as can be noted in the photos, I have an indeterminate tomato plant I would like to trellis; however, I might have failed to prune the suckers at first, as there are--what appear to be two main leads. Also now a main growing from the center. Can someone tell me if they would prune the center, or one of the left or right leads?

This is an "Early Goliath" plant.

1st picture is just the plant.
2nd picture is me holding the left lead
3rd picture is me holding the right lead
4th picture MIGHT ( I have to admit it's hard to see that in the center it is now growing a start) show the middle where a new lead is now starting.

 

[Durgan]

Don't waste your time. Support each stem to the trellis. I never remove the suckers now and find the fruit is same size as trimming and just as prolific. Your plant is very healthy in appearance, good color, it will support all growth with no difficulty.

 

[Beth_B]

Welcome!

They look healthy. Honestly, for many years I was of the "prune lower leaves" school. But some years back I read differently and experimented with pinching some back, and some not. Really found no difference in yield.

Now, you didn't say where you live on the US. I believe there is a case to be made for pinching lower leaves in rainy areas prone to early blight. But based on my experience, that made little difference when consecutive wet summers made conditions perfect for blight. However that is a mere data point, and not necessarily solid advice.

 

[Chuck]

I don't know where you are located but unless it is in Europe someplace forget it. You actually need the foliage in most places. And all those suckers you are removing? Those are the very things which produce the blooms and the fruit. BTW those cucumbers might be a problem as they are a tad too close to everything

 

[T Hanson]

Don't waste your time. Support each stem to the trellis. I never remove the suckers now and find the fruit is same size as trimming and just as prolific. Your plant is very healthy in appearance, good color, it will support all growth with no difficulty.

Thanks, Durgan. I went and bought plan clips that will hold it to the trellis. I'll give it a try. Thx.

Welcome!

They look healthy. Honestly, for many years I was of the "prune lower leaves" school. But some years back I read differently and experimented with pinching some back, and some not. Really found no difference in yield.

Now, you didn't say where you live on the US. I believe there is a case to be made for pinching lower leaves in rainy areas prone to early blight. But based on my experience, that made little difference when consecutive wet summers made conditions perfect for blight. However that is a mere data point, and not necessarily solid advice.

We live in the Rocky Mountains; Alpine, Utah. To be exact. It's about 5,000 FT. My plants do have a little issue, but only with the lower leaves. I believe this is a fungus that can happen when it spreds from spores in the soil up to the first layer of leaves.

Would folks cut/remove the infected leaves. Again, only happened at the lower level and nothing above.

 

[Beth_B]

Ah. I lived for years in Colorado, it's arid enough that I wouldn't expect blight to be an issue there. Never was when I had a veggie garden in Denver.

I would think that trying to fight blight (if that's what it is) by simply removing lower leaves will be like trying to bail a sinking kayak with a teaspoon. Was bad enough here that this year all my blight-prone plants are a block away in a friend's yard. I got disheartened after seeing so many plants die, or simply not produce much.

Do you have a garden center (NOT big box store) or Uni extension near you? I'd ask these.

If it is in fact early blight, it will move inexorably upwards no matter what you do. In my experience anyway. On the other hand my cherry tomatoes did great. Even when every leaf was brown and dead those babies kept producing. Everything else pretty much died though.

 

[T Hanson]

Ah. I lived for years in Colorado, it's arid enough that I wouldn't expect blight to be an issue there. Never was when I had a veggie garden in Denver.

I would think that trying to fight blight (if that's what it is) by simply removing lower leaves will be like trying to bail a sinking kayak with a teaspoon. Was bad enough here that this year all my blight-prone plants are a block away in a friend's yard. I got disheartened after seeing so many plants die, or simply not produce much.

Do you have a garden center (NOT big box store) or Uni extension near you? I'd ask these.

If it is in fact early blight, it will move inexorably upwards no matter what you do. In my experience anyway. On the other hand my cherry tomatoes did great. Even when every leaf was brown and dead those babies kept producing. Everything else pretty much died though.

Well, it is dry as all get out right now. We had a rainy 2 weeks (little sun, mostly rain) and I planted them the day before that rain. Thus, I believe the fungus spread that first week but with this heat and sun--and no rain--its unlikely to spread.