Did you know that one of the best ways to make sure you have healthy, productive tomato plants is to prune up underneath them? Not only is it an easy task that takes only a few minutes to accomplish – it can make a huge difference in not just the health of your tomatoes – but also how well they produce!
Many gardeners have heard about pruning the suckers that form on their plants. This helps to keep tomato plants from growing unruly and wild – and is especially important for indeterminate tomatoes that continue to push out fruit up until the first frost.
However, the one important pruning chore for all tomato plants is to prune underneath them – no matter the variety. As you will see below, this simple chore has so many benefits for not only the plants but for you as well!
Pruning under your tomatoes helps to open plants up and allow pollinators to get to more blooms. It also helps to increase airflow dramatically, which is crucial for pollination as well. In addition, pruning underneath aids in preventing both disease and pests from gaining easy entry to your plants.
But the benefits don’t just stop there. Removing the bottom branches of your tomato plants makes your job as a gardener much easier as well, especially when it comes to watering, fertilizing, and weeding plants.
With bottom pruning in mind – here’s a look at how and when to prune under your tomato plants to grow healthier tomato plants – and get a bigger harvest!
How To Prune Underneath Tomato Plants
After planting tomato transplants, remove the lowest branches that are right near the soil line. Ensure that there are still at least 3 to 4 sets of true leaves left behind for new transplants. Allow the plants to grow for a few weeks and become established before pruning more.
Once plants start growing taller and begin pushing out new stems, start to gradually remove the bottom most branches. Focus on the stems that are physically touching the soil at first since these are the most troublesome.
Continue to remove the bottom most branches as the plants grow and fill out. As they mature, they will continue to produce new stems at the bottom of the plants, so check for new growth every week or so.
How Much To Remove – Why You Need To Prune Underneath Tomato Plants
The goal with bottom pruning is to remove the bottom several inches of the stems at the base of each plant. How much you end up removing from mature plants will depend on the variety you are growing.
For shorter determinate plants, remove the bottom 10 to 12 inches. For taller, indeterminate varieties, prune up at least 12 to 18 inches off the bottom. This is more than enough to allow for all of the benefits of bottom pruning.
Always use sharp pruners to make clean cuts. Clean cuts heal fast and reduce any chance for infection. When moving from plant to plant, it’s always best to disinfect your pruners with a wipe. This stops any chance of viruses from spreading to other plants. Affiliate Product Link: Grow It 8.5″ Professional Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears
The 3 Biggest Reason To Prune Underneath Your Tomato Plants
Prevent Branches From Touching The Soil
Probably one of the most important reasons to prune under tomato plants is to prevent the stems and branches from touching the soil. Not only does this help stop pests and insects from being able to walk right onto plants, but it also helps prevent diseases.
Tomatoes are very susceptible to a whole host of different diseases. Unfortunately, many of the top culprits overwinter and live in the soil.
Soil-borne diseases like tomato blight occur because blight spores come into contact with the foliage of tomato plants. As soon as it rains or you water plants, those spores easily splash up onto the lower branches. And once plants are infected, the disease quickly spreads until it’s too late.
But by cutting off the bottom 12 to 18 inches or so of these low-lying branches, you are greatly reducing the chances of the spores getting onto the foliage. For even more protection, make sure to add a thick 4 to 6-inch layer of mulch around the base of plants. (See, “The Best Way To Mulch Tomato Plants!”)
Allows Better Airflow – Prune Under Tomato Plants
Another issue with tomato plants having too much foliage is a lack of proper airflow. Without proper airflow, all sorts of issues can arise.
Having good air circulation helps to dry out wet foliage and prevent mildew and fungal diseases. Without a thick mass of foliage in the way, the leaves can dry much quicker, even with light breezes. This also allows the remaining branches to become stronger and thicker as they grow to withstand the movements of the wind.
In addition, proper airflow allows pollinators to access blooms much easier. Lastly, it increases the amount of carbon dioxide plants can intake from the surrounding air. That, of course, increases their ability to grow and produce.
Easier To Water & Fertilize – Why You Need To Prune Underneath Tomato Plants
In addition to improving the health and strength of the plants, pruning under tomato plants also makes things easier for you. It’s always best to water tomato plants at the base of the plants. This helps to prevent the foliage from getting wet.
When you water plants overhead, a lot of the moisture is lost to evaporation in the hot summer sun. In addition, the spray can easily knock off delicate blooms. Lastly, wet foliage can lead to an increase in mildew and other such diseases.
And by pruning and removing all of the bottom branches, watering is a much easier task to accomplish. Having that open space also makes fertilization and weeding much easier as well – making your plants easier to maintain – all while improving their health.
So get out and prune up underneath your tomatoes this summer – and get ready for a big harvest!
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