Laura Walters
Tomatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but even these common garden veggies can take a turn for the worse due to some common tomato pruning mistakes. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in the garden. Knowing what some of those problems are before they become an issue is what separates the amateur gardeners from the pros.
Avoiding errors when pruning tomatoes can help plants grow better and produce more fruit. Proper pruning can also encourage air flow and limit disease such as fungal pathogens.
A perfectly pruned tomato plant is easy to achieve, but some basic knowledge about what and what not to do will help ensure success. Let’s take a look at some of the worst mistakes gardeners make when pruning their tomato plants and how to avoid them for bigger, better harvest.
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Worst Tomato Pruning Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the most common pruning mistakes you might make when growing tomatoes in the garden and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Not Pruning at Planting
You may be wondering, “Do I even need to prune my tomatoes?” The answer is yes, and the first time you should give them a clip is at planting. Remove the lowest leaves that might come into contact with soil before planting tomatoes in pots or in the garden.
Pinch off the leaves to help prevent pathogens in the soil from getting onto your plants. As your tomato grows, remove any stems that brush against the soil to avoid the same issue.
Mistake #2: Letting Suckers Grow
Every variety of tomato benefits from sucker pruning. Tomato suckers are the shoots that arise where the stem and the branch meet. Allowing these to grow takes energy away from the main part of the plant and reduces yields. Pinch off young, tender growth or use sharp, clean scissors or pruners to make clean cuts.
Working up from the soil, remove shoots up to the first cluster of flowers. Prune off suckers when they are 3 inches (8 cm) or less to avoid large wounds on your plants.
Mistake #3: Pruning When Plants Are Wet
Always prune tomatoes when it is dry. Pruning tomatoes when they’re wet can foster and spread common tomato diseases. Don’t prune after a rain or immediately after watering. It’s also best to wait until after the morning dew has dried on your plants before making any cuts.
Mistake #4: Not Cleaning Up Properly
Spray pruners between cuts with an alcohol or bleach solution to sterilize pruning tools and prevent spreading disease amongst plants. An easy way to keep pruners clean is to use disinfecting wipes, like these ones from Amazon. They’re easy to stash in a pocket as you prune your way through the garden.
Pick up trimmings and take them away from the site. Leaving these on the ground can spread disease in this year’s crop and can allow diseases to overwinter in the soil and impact next year’s garden as well.
Diseased tomato foliage is one item that should never go in your compost. Put your pruned tomato pieces in the trash to avoid contaminating your compost pile and spreading diseases to the other plants in your garden.
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