Should I prune my tomatoes?

Pruning tomatoes is optional and can depend on the type of tomato you are growing. Bush or determinate tomatoes don't need to be pruned but will need a support to grow on and trimming the lower leaves can avoid fungal disease. Climbing or indeterminate tomatoes benefit from pruning, however in very hot situations it can be a good idea to leave more leaves on to protect fruit from sunburn. 

How to prune tomatoes

As mentioned above, pruning off the lower leaves from the tomato plant to about 30cm above ground is beneficial to prevent fungal spores from splashing up from the soil during rain events. Pruning off suckers from indeterminate tomatoes can also be a good idea. Suckers grow from the main stem at each leaf node and will grow into a whole new stem with its own leaves, flowers and fruit if left unchecked. This can make the plant very crowded, reducing airflow and resulting in a lot of leaf growth and less or smaller fruit that is harder to find. Suckers can be pinched out easily when young. It can also be beneficial to prune off the smallest fruit at the end of a cluster to increase the size of the other fruit in the cluster. Once a tomato stem reaches the top of  a trellis you can prune it at the tip and it will shoot again from lower down. Pruning any dead, diseased or damaged leaves is a good idea too. Continue pruning and tying the main stem to the support as it grows and you should have tomatoes for many months. Don't forget to feed once a month with a good organic fertiliser too and keep well-watered. 

Still to come

Next time I will write about growing cucumbers.  

This week's recipe links

Stir-Fried Celery with Black Bean from Alice Zaslavsky. 

Roasted Carrot Salad with Tahini and Lentils from Occasionally Eggs. 

Creamy Baked Fish on Potato Gratin from Recipe Tin Eats. 

Zucchini and Potato Fitters with Garlic Herb Sauce from Creative Culinary. 

More info

To read more about what's happening on our local organic farm this week as we grow and care for veggies for our box delivery, check out this week's newsletter here.