1 week Ago By Sue Fisher
Cordon tomatoes, also known as indeterminate tomatoes, are grown as tall, single-stemmed plants and need regular pruning to maximise fruiting potential and ensure good airflow between plants. Trailing or bush tomatoes (known as a determinate tomatoes) do not need regular pruning. Why you should prune tomato plants Cordon or indeterminate tomato varieties are vigorous plants that must be pruned by a technique usually referred to as sideshooting, in combination with training the main stem on a support so plants grow upright.
Otherwise, untrained plants would grow along the ground and become a tangled mass of stems that bear fewer fruit and be more liable to diseases and other problems. Pruning or sideshooting tomato plants also directs the plant's energy into developing fruit-bearing stems, known as clusters, which are borne on the main stem. This encourages the plant to produce a heavier crop of good-sized fruits.
For the same reason, it's a good idea to prune off the growing tip once the plant has reached the top of its support, which is often done after a certain number of fruit clusters have formed. Pruning also allows light and air through the plant which enables sun to reach and ripen the fruit and helps discourage diseases. When to prune tomatoes It becomes obvious which branches to cut off tomato plants at an early stage, as sideshoots start appearing on the main stem, just above the joint between the leaves and stem.
Start pruning tomato plants, or sideshooting (simply: removing the sideshoots), as soon as you notice these shoots appearing, when they can be snapped off easily and cleanly using your finger and thumb. Do this regularly, once or twice a week, right through the period when your tomato plants are flowering and fruiting. You will need: How to prune tomatoes Things to avoid when pruning tomatoes Frequently asked questions Can I prune my tomato plant when it is wet? It's best not to.
Wait until the foliage is dry before pruning your tomatoes, to avoid the risk of spreading diseases such as blight or grey mould. Working with wet plants is less pleasant, too, especially tall ones that create showers of water droplets. Should I prune my tomato plants when they are fruiting or flowering? Yes.
Pruning or sideshoot removal should be done every few days, from when flowers and then fruit clusters form..
