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Prune tomato plants correctly for a bountiful harvest

Tomatoes should be pruned regularly to encourage fruit formation
Tomatoes should be pruned regularly to encourage fruit formation Photo: myHOMEBOOK/Dr. Stefanie Kruse-Lenke

October 10, 2024, 10:35 am | Read time: 2 minutes

Tomatoes are a popular vegetable for the garden and balcony. They are delicious, easy to care for, and versatile in the kitchen. It’s a shame they don’t bear as much fruit as you’d like, but you can help. myHOMEBOOK editor Franka Kruse-Gering explains how to help tomatoes produce more fruit by pruning them.

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Proper watering, occasional fertilization, and, above all, pruning are important when planting tomatoes. However, properly pruning tomatoes can help them grow and produce fruit.

Which tomato leaves should be pruned?

In tomatoes, the lower leaves or shoots close to the ground are usually cut off. Care should be taken not to remove too many shoots. It is best to follow the plant’s panicles. The scissors can be used generously at the bottom, while the top should be shortened a little at most. Leaves that are too sporadic should be removed to ensure that the fruit is protected from the sun and rain.

Diseased leaves should also be removed regularly to prevent them from spreading to the entire plant.

Why you should prune the shoots

It makes sense to remove the lower shoots of a tomato plant. They are closer to the ground, so they are the first to receive water and nutrients, but these are needed further up the plant to support flower and fruit formation. The lower leaves, therefore, take the important nutrients and water away from the upper leaves. As they do not produce any yield, you can safely remove them.

More on the topic

How to prune a tomato correctly

When pruning tomatoes, care should be taken to use the right tools. Sharp and clean secateurs or a kitchen knife are recommended. The lower shoots, which are located below the tomato panicles, are cut directly at the main stem. If the shoots are above the flowers and tomato panicles, only remove excess foliage.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Garden in August Garden in July Vegetables
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